Chapter Three

Victor Williams walked into the office aware of how quiet everywhere was. He wasn't a monster, at least he didn't think he was but they all treated him as such.

He wasn't bothered though, he reminded himself, he was all for it if it'd get the job done.

He texted Ema to meet him in his office as he walked past the reception. His office was on the fifth floor which meant he had to use the elevator even though sometimes he opted for the stairs.

Elevators weren't his cup of tea and after all the bad news he had heard about it, he didn't want to get trapped in it ever. He was claustrophobic and he couldn't stand it if the elevator were to stop working while he was stuck inside.

With that final thought, he took the elevator all the way to his floor.

"Victor, welcome."

Victor looked up and smiled at his assistant. He knew he stressed Emmanuel a lot but he had never complained. Victor knew how competent he was.

"Mr Anderson."

Emmanuel was reading out his schedule as he'd usually do but today Victor wasn't focusing. His mind was on something else.

When he had called Emmanuel on the phone yesterday, he had been desperate and in need of a solution. Nana Williams loved him a lot, everyone knew that but what they didn't know was the old woman had some aces up her sleeve.

He had told her several times that he didn't want to get married. In fact, he had told her he'd never get married.

This was all his fault, he thought with a sigh as he walked past Emmanuel and into his office.

His office wasn't as fashionable as most people would expect it to be but it was comfortable and he liked that. When Nana had told him to manage things for a while, he had been adamant that he'd work from home but after the first week, he had realized that things wouldn't work well that way.

Soon he found himself coming in every day.

His resumption time was 9am although that was official. He liked to pop in sometimes unannounced to check on things.

As he settled into his chair, he was sure had been dusted from top to bottom, he remembered how surprised his employees had been when he had shown up unannounced one day.

After that day, they began to treat him like a monster with three heads.

"Victor, you're not listening to me."

He sighed and stared at his assistant. Emmanuel was really the best thing that had happened to him since joining the company. Not only was he the longest assistant Victor had ever had, but he was also the only assistant that had been able to put up with him.

Why did he do it? Victor wondered as he picked at an invisible thread on his shirt. It was a white shirt and it was very loose; he couldn't wear anything that was too tight even though he'd gotten used to them during his modeling days.

He knew he wasn't the easiest person to be around but Emmanuel never complained not even when Victor pulled him away from home on the weekends.

He could easily skip his calls and then answer them later but Emmanuel had never ignored any of his calls before.

"Victor." Emmanuel tried again but Victor was too far gone. What was he thinking about? Lila was in his office waiting for him to call her.

After the stunt he'd pulled earlier, she was upset but he wasn't bothered. She'd get over it once she accepted the offer and things got better.

She'd thank him, yes, he thought as he watched Victor, she would. "Victor, I found..."

"Nana wants me to get married so bad Mr Anderson." Victor said walking towards the coffee machine. Emmanuel made a move to help him but stopped when Victor shook his head.

Does he think I can't make my own coffee? Victor wondered as he watched his assistant draw back from him. "She put a lock on my trust fund and if I ever want to have access, full access to Wills Publishing then I'll have to get married." He said and laughed, the sound mixing with the sound of the machine. "How crazy is that?"

Emmanuel had to admit it was pretty crazy but he didn't say it out loud.

He wasn't afraid of Victor, he told himself, he just had a lot of respect for him and felt this was the proper way to behave with one's employer. Victor was his boss not his best friend.

Lila, Emmanuel remembered and sighed. She was probably getting restless and uncomfortable sitting pretty in his office.

"Have a seat Mr Anderson." Victor said walking back to his seat with a cup of coffee in his hand.

"You can have some coffee too."

Emmanuel nodded and went to the machine pouring himself a cup. Lila would pour this hot coffee on his head if she were to walk into this office. "Victor." Victor had insisted from the first day that he wanted to be addressed by his first name and not his full name which everyone else called him.

"I'm listening Mr Anderson. Did you find a solution you told me about?"

Emmanuel took a deep breath and placed the cup of steaming coffee on the table. He took one of the seats across from Victor and started talking. He didn't tell him the details; Lila wouldn't want that.

"She's my friend Victor so I can vouch for her. She's nice, kind and hardworking." She also hates your guts, thanks to me.

"Why did you recommend your friend for this task? What's in it for her?"

"I'm sorry Victor, I can't tell you that." That was on Lila if she wanted to tell him or not.

"Well, can I meet her?"

That I can do, Emmanuel thought as he excused himself and went to get Lila.

****

"Victor Williams."

Lila looked down at the lean yet muscular arm that was stretched out in front of her and debated if she should shake him.

Was there a need for it? She wondered deciding to ignore it but Ema coughed behind her and cleared his throat as if telling her not to embarrass him so she placed her slim one in his, a fake smile on her face. "Lila, Lila Smith."

She didn't add the it's nice to meet you part she knew he was expecting and instead she took the seat before he asked.

Emmanuel shut his eyes and looked heavenward. Lila wasn't going to make this easy, he knew but he prayed Victor wouldn't pick up on her blatant dislike for him. "Victor, she's my friend." He spoke up trying to douse the fire he could see in his friend's eyes.

Victor had a smile on his face as he studied the woman Infront of him. His first thought as she'd walked into his office had been stunning.

She wasn't beautiful as in super model looks but she was stunning. Her shoulder length auburn hair was just perfect for her and right now it was covering half of her face.

The part of her face he could see which wasn't much however was her full mouth and her right eye. He could see through his artistic eye how much aesthetic appeal she had as she sat there staring—glaring at him with an unreadable expression on his face.

She didn't like him.

Victor realized instantly noticing the look of distaste on her face as she .

She wasn't the shy type, Victor mused taking a sip from his cup, she was outspoken and always had an opinion he was sure.

He wondered how his assistant was friends with her and decided that perhaps opposites did attract.

"Why do you need a wife?" A contract wife.

Victor smiled as he took another sip from his cup. He spared a glance at his assistant and the smile grew.

His confident assistant looked scared to death as he stood there staring at the two of them.

"Why do you want to get married?" To a man you don't love. He shot back grinning when she shot daggers at him.

Lila glared at him aware of what he wasn't saying. He was acting so cool as if her behaviour wasn't putting him off. "I asked you first. Aren't you going to offer me coffee?"

She was sharp-witted, Victor decided as he rose to his feet and walked to the coffee machine. His own cup was now empty but he ignored it and picked up a new cup pouring some coffee for his guest. Lila.

"Let me do it sir." Emmanuel appeared beside him looking embarrassed and Victor shook his head smiling at him.

"I'll handle it." Victor said placing the cup on his desk as he sat in his chair. "Sugar?" He asked and added some at her nod. "You should get back to work Mr Anderson, right Miss Smith?" He asked pushing the cup towards her

Lila picked up the cup and took a sip wincing as the hot liquid touched her tongue. Not sweet enough. She thought but said instead; "Yes Ema, you should go." She said as she picked up the spoon and scooped more sugar into her cup.

Victor watched wordlessly as she added another spoon of sugar and stirred the coffee before bringing it to her lips. He saw her content smile and he looked away wondering why he was noticing her expressions. "Mr Anderson?" He called out to Emmanuel and his assistant bowed walking out of the office.

"So, why do you want a contract wife?"

Victor couldn't stop himself, he laughed. Hard. Of course she would display her claws now that her best friend wasn't in the room.

It was a rich sound, Lila noted taking another sip from her cup.

It was husky, deep but yet soft. She glowered at him. "You're making fun of me."

"I wouldn't dream of it." He got up to refill his cup. He was aware of her eyes on him as he walked to the machine. Those eyes were the bluest pair he'd ever seen.

It wasn't one shade of blue, Victor noted as he walked back to his seat, it seemed to chane depending on her mood. He found himself frowning at his thoughts and wondered again why he was noticing so many things about her.

Now they were a cool blue meaning she wasn't angry but she wasn't amused either. Victor noticed as he took his seat again. He scooped some sugar into his cup and took a sip wincing at the sweetness.

"Look, I only agreed to meet you because of Ema. He's very important to me and I hate seeing him worried about me."

"Why is he worried about you?" Victor asked before he could think about what he was doing. His curiousity was piqued.

"My mother isn't doing so well." Lila replied and bit her tongue wondering why she was oversharing..

She didn't even know this man! "I'm not a charity case." She added almost immediately, a huge scowl on her face.

There was an amused smile on his face. "I don't think you are." He said and meant it.

"Why do you need a contract wife?" Lila asked and watched as the smile slipped from his face.

She suddenly wished she could take her words back so the smile could come back.

It was a beautiful smile, it could light up a room.

Frowning at her train of thoughts, Lila looked down at her coffee.

"It's the only way I can take full control of my inheritance." Victor offered simply and Lila nodded.

"What if you end up falling in love with your contract wife? What then?" She asked and he laughed again.

She felt her heart tighten. She took a sip of coffee wincing. The coffee was getting cold, she noticed as she took several sips.

"I don't do love Lila, I don't even want to get married but I have no choice."

"We always have a choice Victor Williams, it all depends on whether we're willing to take it or not."

"So what choice are you taking?" He asked and she sighed knowing she should have kept quiet.

"I haven't thought that far yet."

Victor just nodded but didn't speak again and opted for staring at her.

Ema had told him everything about his friend except that she was a beautiful women.

Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad If she became his contract wife after all a CEO needed a beauty by his side.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"