1. Woke up a Stripper

Emily POV

I felt something banging in my head as I stretched and pulled myself up from the bed. My eyes were tightly shut but an unending flashlight forced them open.

I've never been so startled in my entire life as I saw the paparazzi in front of my room, taking pictures of me. 

What could be happening? I wasn't popular enough to get the paparazzi on my tail. 

I was utterly shocked when I felt a movement beside me on the bed. An unclad man held the sheets tightly over our mid-body region.

He suddenly grabbed my hand, his eyes slowly turning red with anger.

The ground could just swallow me right here because I couldn't give any explanation for being naked on a strange man's bed.

"Mr Robbins, we'd like to know your relationship with this woman?"

"Is she your secret fiancee?" 

"What is your explanation to the members of the public who are anxious to know why you're in a hotel with a strange woman?"

These and many more questions poured in from the reporters who were eager to know about the man's affairs. 

I was paralyzed on the spot as I couldn't decide if I should stand up from the bed and exit the room or pull the sheets over my entire body.

"They are on a honeymoon," a bespectacled man in his sixties said calmly.

The reporters moved their cameras towards the man who was quite composed at the doorway. I couldn't tell who he was but he must be very influential. 

"My son, Leo, is a respectable young man in the society so you can be assured that he'll hold R&B Group in high-esteem,"the elderly man said with a sharp grin on his face.

"There was no announcement from the Robbins Family about a marriage. What are we missing?"another reporter who was giving live coverage of the situation asked.

My heart raced and I felt something tight on my chest as I discovered that there was a live video of me in a hotel, with a man!

I was so ashamed of myself so I ducked my head under the sheets. Can this just stop?!

"They are married! We'll send out a press release to address the situation if you'll please, give them privacy,"the man said and nudged his guards to move.

In a few minutes, the reporters were dragged out, leaving the three of us in the room.

The strange man, whose name was Leo, sighed deeply and looked sternly at me as I pulled out of the sheets.

"Thanks for coming in Dad,"he said with a tint of remorse in his voice. "What are you still doing here? Don't you know you should have left already? What kind of strip…"

"Shut up Leo! Just shut up!"Mr. Robbins, Leo's father yelled. "Is this what you've been up to after I told you to get married? How can you be so irresponsible?" he added, pointing his walking cane at his son.

"I'm very sorry, Dad,"he said, wrapped himself in a towel and stood from the bed. 

Both eyes moved towards my direction, making me feel nervous and uncomfortable. I desired to enter the ground once more. I don't know what I've gotten myself into but it's really bad.

I'm already guessing that both father and son were one of the most influential men in New York city. I can't get out of this even if I tried. I summoned a bit of courage and decided to speak. I needed to act tough if I wanted to pull this off.

"I'm really sorry about all this mess but I have to leave now. I guess we weren't in our right minds when we met,"I said, feeling stupid at my speech. 

Mr. Robbins glared at me for a few minutes then picked his phone and clicked on something.

He showed me the video of my escapades with his son which had already gone viral. 

I could just mess with anyone but not the chairman of R&B Group and his heir. I felt dirty as I saw myself snuggling on the man's chest. This new revelation kept me mute. 

"Since the media would be reporting both of you as a married couple, you must stay married,"Mr. Robbins declared.

"No way, Dad! For Chrissake, she's a stripper!"Leo screamed.

I was irked by the man who was forcing me on his son but this was the height of it.

I pulled my dress on and stood from the bed while the elderly man looked away. 

"I don't care about what you think of me. I'm not a stripper and I don't know what you did to me to get me on your bed,"I blurted out in anger.

"What I did to you? How nice of you to play innocent after throwing yourself at me last night,"Leo retorted. I noticed his clenched fist which fueled the rage in me. Is he trying to beat me up? He wouldn't dare.

"I'm not interested in whatever happened between you. A press release would be out in the afternoon and I want both of you to cooperate. The future of R&B group is at stake," Mr. Robbins said and took a deep breath. "What's your name?"he asked me.

"Emily,"I replied, clutching my bag.

"I want you to sign a contract with my son stating that you are a married couple henceforth. I'll give you adequate compensation for your trouble."

"We can find another way around this. How can you arrange my marriage with a stripper? I will get married as you please as long as it's not with this whore!" 

"Thank you, Mr. Robbins but I'm not interested in your offer. I know that we're in a terrible situation right now but I can't imagine breathing the same air with your son. He's very arrogant and impatient. No offense sir"I said sternly.

"None taken, my dear. But you see, Emily, I understand how inconvenient it might be but the price is worth it. I'm talking about half a million dollars,"Mr. Robbins said with a wide grin.

My jaw dropped. Half-a-million dollars would settle Max's hospital bills and my father's creditors. 

"Can I think about it?"I asked and his face lit up.

"Call me when you've decided," he said, offering me his card.

Leo shrugged and turned his face towards the glass walls as he stared at the city ahead.

"You can do whatever you please as long as she doesn't get pregnant,"he said as he folded his arms over his hefty chest.

I pretended that I didn't hear him, hid the card in my bag and exited the room without a glance at Leo.

I headed straight to my house which was situated in one of the busiest neighborhoods in New York city. My father's creditors might come around soon but I cared less about them.

My mind was occupied with thoughts of the contract marriage offer. I couldn't stop ruminating about the possibility of a pregnancy if something truly happened between us. 

Is it possible that I had slept with a man I knew nothing about? I rushed to the bathroom to check myself for signs.

My face shone with delight when I realized that my fears were pointless.

4 DAYS LATER

I had decided to go through with the fake marriage. I can't even imagine losing this opportunity because of a worthless and irresponsible man.

I already considered the good and bad sides to it and it would be worth my trouble.

A call from an unknown ID jolted me from my thoughts. The voice which greeted me was so familiar, I couldn't miss it for any other man's voice. He had a cool baritone voice with an appealing accent. 

After we exchanged pleasantries, he dropped the bomb.

"We've given you enough time to think. It's already over 4 days now. This isn't a negotiation. You and I have our lives at stake here. Meet me at the R&B General hospital tomorrow morning."

"Hospital? Why are we meeting at the hospital?"

"I don't need to lay it down for you before you pick up the pieces. You already know the reason for our visit," he stated.

"I don't. I also have a say in this too and I'll rather meet you somewhere else,"I replied, almost fuming. I couldn't put my head around the reason he wanted us to meet at the hospital. Is he trying to do something to me?

"What difference does it make if we visit the hospital or anywhere else? You're supposed to be my fake wife so what's your problem? Are you pregnant?"