CHAPTER THREE

Ashely tried maintaining her stamina as she raised her head coming to face with a rigid body in a tailored navy blue suit paired with black shoes shining magnificently so that she could see the reflection of her face on them.

"How can someone's body be so firm that you could mistake it for a wall?" She wondered.

"Gosh is he a rock?" She thought again.

"You are the one with no eyes because I was watching my paths," she said defensively in a tiny voice while rubbing her head due to the pain she felt from the collision because she was completely compelled by the aura emitting from this being.

Her hair had loosened from the collision.

She raised her head to his height facing an awesome creature, She would say beautiful, jaws very sculpted like a chisel, and the bears calling her fingers to comb through it, those brown eyes enticing yet holding a dangerous stare, she couldn't seem to differentiate those eye with the color of almond or a sprinkle of coffee, something in between the two.

"How can someone be beautiful yet arrogant, beautiful nonsense" she thought.

"Who is beautiful nonsense?" the rough voice roared again.

She placed her hands on her mouth quickly when she realized that she had thought out aloud.

"If you're done checking me out, you can close your mouth and stop drooling," The man said in a dangerously calm voice.

She brought her hands to her mouth only to clean the droll to realize that she wasn't drooling.

I….

"Mr. Anderson you are here, it's nice meeting you again. The boss is waiting" A chubby man said interrupting her.

"Yes sure, lead the way" the beautiful creature replied in a raspy voice.

He looked at her with those brown eyes holding a lot, almost looking like he wasn't done with her yet before walking away followed by a lady who looked like a bucket of cold water was poured on her, who Ashely supposed was his secretary and a scaring looking man

"He must be very scary," she thought.

This sent shivers traveling down her spine.

Alan followed Mr Dumpson, the chubby man who had interrupted him, and the pretty lady he had bumped into in the hallway.

He could clearly remember the smell of vanilla, jasmine, mandarin, and Cinnamon which reminded him of a floral oriental scent, with a very soothing and calm ambiance emitting from the pretty lady.

 He was completely stricken by the sight in front of him a while ago

Those blue eyes were a mixture of the ocean and the clouds, her long wavy brown hair he would say beige color cascading just above her waist.

Her tiny pink luscious lips drew him to have a taste of it. Her shape is almost like that of an hourglass.

Everything about that pretty lady is screaming intriguing and is something he needs to avoid but he can't get himself to ignore her.

"Rex" Alan called out to the scary-looking man 

"Sir,"He answered, unsure of what Alan wanted to say.

"That lady I bumped into in the hallway, I want a file that contains everything about her immediately after I am done with this meeting" He commanded Rex.

"Okay sir" Rex nodded while leaving the premises. 

Mr. Dumpson led him to Malcolm's office.

"My long lost friend, it's good to see you," Malcolm said with an empty laugh.

Alan scoffed at the thought of him trying to be funny.

"I can't say the same," He said, while he unbuttoned his suit and got seated on the executive chair in front of Malcolm's table.

He had a brief conversation with Malcom regarding the project they were working on.

"I guess that would be all and I need you to go through this document," Alan said, pushing the document towards Malcolm.

"I saw a lady in the hallway, who is she?" Alan asked, pretending not to show interest.

"I have no idea, Alan, this company is huge and a lot of women work here, why are you asking?" Malcom replied, squinting his eyes at him.

"No reason" He replied standing up to take his leave.

"Someone is showing interest in someone," Malcom said in a mocking tone.

"Don't get your hopes high," Alan replied as he left the office.

"What other schedules do I have today?" Alan asked his secretary as they stepped out of Malcolm's company.

"Nothing Much sir, you just have some documents you need to sign" She wavered 

"Okay to the office then" Alan replied, dragging his feet slowly to the parking space while scanning around to see if he could get a glimpse of the lady he met in the hallway.

The drive to the office was a very silent one as he was having the thought of making the stranger lady his contracted wife.

"We are here Sir '' The chauffeur said, cutting off his thoughts.

Alan stepped into his office followed immediately by Rex.

While sitting on his chair, he asked " Did you find anything?" 

"Yes sir I found a couple of things" Rex replied, passing a brown file to him.

Flipping through the pages of the file, his eyes scanning through the contents, he paused as something caught his attention.

"It seems I have found something to hold you down, Ashely Greenwood," Alan echoed in a sinister tone. 

"You did a great job Rex, that will be all for now " He complimented his bodyguard.

After reviewing and signing some documents, Alan called Sean.

"Bro what's good," Sean said immediately after the call went through.

"All good, I think I found a contract wife," Alan replied. 

"How?" Sean asked

"I met her today and I know she is the one, you need to see this lady" Alan explained.

"You are kidding me right?" Sean voiced out looking surprised.

"I wouldn't have told you about it if I didn't mean it" Alan expressed.

"How do you intend on offering a contract marriage proposal to a lady you just met and do you think she will accept it?" He inquired.

"It's simple," He said, pouring himself a glass of wine from the wine bar across his office.

"How?" Sean asked.

"I sent Rex to find out about her, she happens to need a huge amount of money for her Mom's medical treatment, so I am going to offer her my assistance, and in turn, she will get married to me on a contract basis. Her mom gets treated and I get my contract with the European groups, it's just a business deal." He said in a tone of finality.

"Do you think this will work out?" Sean asks with uncertainty.

"If I don't try I will never know, I don't have much time" Alan replied.

"Good luck, I'm rooting for you," Sean chuckled.

*********************************************************

Alan stepped out of his company after the day's work, he got into his car as the chauffeur drove him to his house.

After a while, the car stopped and his driver alighted to check the problem.

"What's wrong?" He asked when the driver got back in.

"I'm sorry sir I mistakenly splashed water on a lady and she seems to be causing a scene," The driver replied in a wavering voice.

"Let me handle it," Alan said while getting down from the car.

"YOU!!" He half screamed when he saw the lady's face

"The universe is really up to something," He thought.