CH003

Mrs Eduardo was keen on finding a wife for his son by herself. She had a cheating husband and a rocky marriage, she couldn't let her son have a bad fate in marriage as well and that was why she had gone to her employee. She had heard that she had a daughter and knowing the woman as an honest and upright person, all the years she had worked for her, she had believed she would be the perfect bride for her son. Surprisingly, she had witnessed her act of help towards her few days ago, and this encounter solidified her belief.

She looked up the Five Star restaurant and saw the girl approaching her. She smiled, hoping her smiling at her would make the girl feel welcomed, she was so happy she had accepted her marriage proposal and had agreed to come to the first date with her son. She only hoped Niklas would come early like she had told him to.

Andrea walked up to the woman smiling at her as she saw her approaching. She felt so uneasy, the woman seemed to love her alot, even more than she did love herself.

Fred had been the one who had called her. She gave them a contact card which she had not intended to use but after her younger brother had seen the card and called the number on it fixing a meeting, she had felt obligated and compelled to go, since it would be disrespectful cancelling it after setting it up.

She wasn't interested in the marriage. She was not. A part of her mind told her she'd be like her biological mother, marrying a man because of his wealth because that was what her marriage would mean. She had nothing to offer, no fame or business they'd merge into one, agreeing to the proposal meant she'd be the parasite.

"Andrea, over here" the smiling woman waved at her and she began walking up to where she was.

"Oh my, you're looking so pretty" the woman commented her fit eager to make her feel comfortable.

Perhaps she was talking about her natural beauty. She thought. She was pretty naturally but same may not be said for the clothe she wore.

She had rented it from the store in her Street, she was to return it after the meeting because she couldn't afford paying for such a dress especially in her current financial state. The whole situation had made her feel pressured to do so.

"What would you like to order. You can do so while we wait for my son, he'd be here anytime soon" the woman continued obviously trying to make her not concentrate on the fact that her son was running late.

The waitress came and she ordered for spaghetti, it wouldn't hurt to feed on the delicacy anyway.

It was an opportunity for her to eat away her sorrows while she sat down listening to what she would be told, what she'd be told which she wouldn't be interested in.

" Do you like spaghetti as well? I love it and your mother loves making it for me whenever she comes to work"

" I love it too ma'am" she said shyly.

" A mutual interest then" the lady said and they smiled.

She was perfect, the perfect candidate as a bride for his son.

"Can you cook as well?" She calmly put, wanting to know.

"Of course ma'am, I cook. We're not a weather family having nannies at your beck and call"

" That's perfect. My son will really love you, the way to his heart is through food" she exposed and giggled and she laughed.

The woman seemed keen on getting her to like her son.

" Oh there he comes" she said, signalling to her son.

She wanted to turn her head to look at him but contained her curiosity, not wanting to seem too straightforward.

Niklas walked over to where they were and took the next seat that was close to her.

" Niklas meet Andrea, Andrea meet Niklas"

Andrea raised her head to look at him and immediately choked on the water she drank.

" You?" He said.

"You?" She said too and they said it almost immediately and together.

"Do you two know each other?" The woman asked, oblivious to what was happening before her but delighted they seemed to know each other.

"Of course mother. I've been looking for her. She and I......." He wanted to continue but his voice trailed off when Andrea suddenly interrupted him, fearing that he might expose what had happened between them in the past.

"We met once ma'am. I helped him out with something" she muttered, with her heart in her hands hoping he wouldn't dispute what she had said.

" You're such a good girl Andrea. Even my son was looking for you. You help strangers out alot" the woman said and Andrea smiled awkwardly at her.

Noticing how the man was staring at her, she couldn't help but wonder why he did so.

" Niklas, Andrea was the girl that helped me out then, I told you about it the other time. She helped me out too. What a small world, we all get to meet like this, soon to become one family"

" Soon to be huh" he muttered and faced Andrea

" Do you really want to marry me?"he shot at her and the tone of his voice made Andrea look at him.

She noticed his mother signalling him not to say anything but he did not even look at her.

"If you wanted to marry me, atleast you could have had some respect by not being so desperate about it" he continued, staring angrily at her as if she were the lady that had stood him up the week before.

" What?" She muttered.

"Your dress. Didn't you get it on rent from a store? The tag is still at the bag. Atleast you should have hid it. You just gave out whom you were so cheaply, a gold digger. Your hair isn't properly done either. You want to marry into my family but it seems like you don't even use our products. My company's hair shampoo could have helped you retain the black colour of you hair but like you, it looks so haughty" his melancholic voice said and he took a sip of the wine in his hand, as if nothing has happened.

" Niklas!!!" His mother shouted across to him.

"What? I'm just telling her the truth. I only came here because you asked me to. Atleast she needs to know these things before we get married" he added, hoping that what he had said would make her angry and not want to go through with the marriage.

He wasn't interested anymore, especially because he had found out she were the one. Was that also why she had come to his room and spent a night with him. A social climber and gold digger she was, he thought.

" I'm so sorry" his mom began to say, apologizing to Andrea.

She knew what he had said might have hurt her feelings, especially given the family she came from.

" My son, he is sometimes thoughtless" she continued hoping her words would pacify her.

It couldn't be happening and especially at her presence. If she failed to get them to marry before the month which was remaining a week ran out, the responsibility of finding a wife for him would fall back to her sister in-law whom she loathed so much. She would probably connive with a scheming girl that'd give her son trouble.

Andrea was boiling deep within her. She hadn't thought about accepting the marriage proposal. She had just come because of the impromptu meeting her brother's over zealousness had caused her but now she was facing an epic humiliation of her life. He could have insulted her if he wanted to, but with respect and certainly not in public like he did, in the presence of others who could hear his menacing words.

On a second thought, the marriage wasn't all a bad idea like her step mom had told her. Her boss was a nice woman and she would take care of her. They had the money which needed the money as well as the connections that would salvage her acting career. Her son didn't like her so like most company CEO's she read in novels, the marriage was bound to be one of convenience, especially for him. She was going to do it for her step mom's treatment, for the family's financial burdens. They had been good to her, this was a opportunity for her to offer them a good life as well, even if it would tell on her, it would be for just a few years before the marriage of convenience would end.

"I'm sorry for the embarrassment Andrea. I promise I won't pin it on you nor your mom if you reject my proposal, I'm really sorry" the woman continued apologizing to her, different from her son and obviously sorry for what he had uttered to her.

" It's okay ma'am and as a matter of fact, I'd go through with the proposal" she said. It wouldn't hurt to do so anyway but it would hurt him to wake up and see her face, remembering the fact that she was his wife. That would be enough punishment to him for her feelings which he had hurt.

"You will?" The woman muttered, thinking she had misheard the girl.

"Yes I will. Mother told me you're with the registration form already. Where is it, so I'd sign. You can always communicate with me when you fix a day for the wedding" she said which left the woman stunned.

Niklas could only watch. She was something, something different that he couldn't grasp his hand at.

But he didn't mind. The marriage was one of convenience for him. He could divorce her anytime he wanted. He just had to get wedded so he could lay claim on the CEO position of his father's company.

His father had refused giving it to him because he was single. With their family disease, his parents were scared that he could be affected by it any time, and getting him married was one way they could get him to produce an heir before the disease affects him like it did to his grandparents.

But he was not concerned about all that, he was concerned on owning the company. He wanted to take it away from his father, it was what always have him the morale to cheat on his mother. If he were to lose it, he would become a better husband to her, and she seemed to want her to marry the girl sitting in front of her.

He looked at her and noticed she was already looking at him, oh how his chest burned because of the way she stared at him with daring eyes.