CHAPTER FIVE

HAYLEY’S POV

I figured with each painful and frustrating day spent living in this personal hell that is my life, I realized that God has favorites. Chester almost humiliated me at the club last night. I also drew the attention of a stranger, who never seemed to leave me alone.

Since the first day we met, he could pick up on the fact that I was needy and broke. Is that how everyone sees me? a total fuckup?

I eventually got to see my mom at the hospital yesterday; I couldn’t even pay her clinic bills. I felt so ashamed. I couldn’t look her in the eye, but I felt her pity.

I couldn’t do this anymore; I couldn’t keep depending on Kitty and Darren to survive or let myself down.

So I took his advice, the handsome, judgy stalker.

Christian Montgomery, CEO of Montgomery Enterprise Holdings I could almost swear that the name sounded too familiar, but then I just couldn’t quite get it.

I kept staring at the card he gave me and the big name boldly sitting on the company building as I stood in front of it. I couldn’t bring myself to step inside the building, but what if he could help?

My heart raced as I walked into the building. The interior was way more eye-catching than the exterior, and the polished marble floors seemed to amplify my footsteps. I suddenly felt like this atmosphere and look were his ideas.

"Excuse me, miss, can I help you? Or you are perhaps lost.” The secretary’s icy tone cut through my nerves. Her eyes dismissed me with a single glance, but I chose to shake it off.

"I have…" I paused, trying to catch my breath so I could appear confident.

"I’m here to see Mr. Montgomery; he gave me his card." I flashed the business card, and she looked utterly unimpressed.

"What’s your name?"

"Hayley Marshall."

A curt nod, and she began tapping away at her keyboard, making me wait in uneasy silence. I suddenly started regretting my decision to come here. By the way, this cheap pair of jeans I bought was starting to pinch, and I was growing impatient.

"Sorry, are you trying to check if I have an appointment with him?” I asked,

"Oh no, I’m just trying my best to ignore you." She gave a fake smile. Who was this bitch?

"Mr. Montgomery’s schedule is tight today; I don’t think he has time to see you, even if his schedule wasn’t tight."

“Okay, I’m sorry, have we met? Or do you have a problem with me?” My tone changed completely, I was irritated by her.

“Listen, no offense, but..." She was interrupted by a cold and chilly voice, and before that, I could feel the air shift a bit.

I turned, and there he was. Christian Montgomery. Tall and commanding, with an aura of power that radiated from him. His chiseled jaw was set in a stern expression, but his piercing blue eyes held a flicker of recognition when they met mine.

Why was he looking so casual but hot in black denim and a white collared shirt?

"That’s enough, Rebecca," He fired.

"Do you want to lose your job? Or have you lost your mind?"

"But Christian…" Rebecca tried to say something, and he cut her off. Wait, she just called him by name?

"Excuse you? What did you call me?” His expression changed into a frown.

"I’ll deal with you later."

I was expecting her to be terrified by that last statement, but then a smile curled at the corner of her lips; it was like a smirk. Only a child wouldn’t figure out that something was going on between them.

"You came." His attention was diverted to me.

My eyes narrowed to the floor.

“Um-Y-yeah...”

He would have figured that I was desperate by now. I managed to look him in the eye, and he smirked. It was like he knew I’d be back.

"Let’s talk in my office."

I took one glance at the secretary, who kept shooting daggers at me with her eyes, and I hurriedly followed him toward the transparent elevator. I thought they only existed in movies.

I was so lost in the beauty of this strange yet beautiful elevator, that I didn’t know I was still standing outside it.

"Are you coming?” He asked with narrowed brows.

“Oh, I'm sorry, I just….”

"Don’t worry, it wouldn’t be the first time common folk were fascinated by it.” He said in a firm yet boastful tone. Common folk?

I instantly entered the elevator with him and tried to stand as far apart as possible. No offense, but he was rude.

The elevator came to an abrupt stop, dinged, and opened.

"Damn what…" I mouthed it in the most silent way possible; the elevator had brought us directly into his office.

It was nothing short of breath-taking, designed with a touch of elegance and sophistication.

The office's color scheme was carefully chosen to match the mesmerizing blue of his eyes.

"So… First warning: on no occasion should whatever is said in this room leave this room. Understood?"

He sat down and leaned back on his brown leather couch, crossing his two legs on the small rectangular table in front of him.

“Um—Sure." I shrugged, and he raised a brow.

"Sure? That doesn’t sound like a firm answer."

"Fine, it won’t. So let’s talk about this offer.” I finally asked, cutting to the chase.

"I guess you’re suddenly eager to hear me out, should I be happy?” He asked, his eyes wandering into mine.

"Just….just explain it to me."

“If you can recall, I asked you to marry me. so will you do it?”

“Look, I can’t just marry you. You aren’t giving me full details here.” I crossed my arm over my chest.

“What else do you want to know?”

“Everything you aren’t telling me, like what am supposed to do? How this is even supposed to work.”

“Hayley….” I cut him off.

“I don’t think you get this, but it’s not every day a random stranger just asks me to marry him. I want to know what I’m getting myself into.” I insisted.

I paused and he stared at me, hoping I was done talking.

“What you need to know is the benefits involved in this, I’m not asking you to give me a baby. Just be a pretend wife.”

He wants me to pretend. I can pretend.

“Why do you even want me to marry you anyway? What’s in it for you?”

His countenance changed at my question.

“It’s none of your business, I won’t stress this further.” He dropped his leg from the table.

“Marry me and get paid handsomely for it. You don’t have to work at the bar, I’ll cover all your expenses. But you can leave if you still think it’s fishy.”

His last words hit me hard, I needed money. I needed it badly.

I could just walk away, he wasn’t forcing it on me anymore. But then I’d be at a loss.

He wasn’t asking me to do much, just pretend Hayley.

“I’ll marry you.”