The Vice Chairman's Offer

It is not my nature to cuss and shouts, but I am just very frustrated. I don’t want to cry, but the tears betray me. Look, I was absent the whole last week, and I won’t have a choice but to work this week. I won’t have a salary, right? But I am not in the mood to work, the reason why Mr. Montenegro is rumbling about my spacing out behavior and mistakes.

“Do you have to shout like that in my company?”

I turned around abruptly and expressed my fear when I saw my boss standing in front of the door where I went in just for me to get here on the rooftop. His pompadour hair was being swished softly by the cold wind, his business suit tracing every muscle of his body perfectly, and his dark virility scaring the shit out of me. It was his austere and strict eyes that are indicating that he is not happy.

“M-Mr. Montenegro…” I called and gulped.

“Where is my coffee?” he asked.

“Huh?”

“I said, where is my coffee?”

I bit my lower lip and panicked and looked around. Thankfully, I brought the plastic cup and placed it on the cemented railing. Without further ado, I went near my boss and reached out for the coffee cup. He was watching me intently as I felt the coldness of the air, but I endured it.

“I am so sorry for being late, sir. I just met convenience along the way from the coffee shop. It is my fault and I take responsibility for making mistakes. Whatever happened a while ago made me a walking disaster, and I have been reckless these past few days because I am going through something personal,” I explained nonstop with my voice breaking. “But I know that I should not bring my personal feelings at work because I should be professional. I apologize for bringing you down a while ago, for I did not understand what you and the chairman were saying, s-so I left…”

I bit my lower lip to escape embarrassment, but no matter what I do, I know I am condemned to be punished. In the middle of my trembling hand, while handing out the coffee cup, I felt a warm embrace around my shoulders. It was not a hug, of course. It was the business coat he plastered. I looked up at him, and he was still giving a stern expression as if not bothered by my drama.

“It is not my attitude to complain about your work and how a stupid inconvenience went through your way today. You know me. I don’t care about personal businesses,” he said in an authoritative voice after fixing the coat around me.

Right. I was flustered by his comment.

“Right now, I want you to have an extra job, only if you would take advantage of my offer,” he added with an eyebrow shot.

“What kind of offer?” I said slowly.

He stashed his hands in his pockets and smirked. “I want you to become my fiance and my future bride,” he revealed and finally accepted the coffee cup I was handed to him. He coolly opened its hole and sipped on it. “What do you say?”

“Huh?” was the only word I mumbled and shook my head while chuckling nervously. “I’m sorry, but what?”

“You don’t want me for you to repeat what I said.”

Oh, it’s a threat. Mr. Montenegro is not a patient man that I know.

“Why would you…” I blinked many times and tried to understand what he said in the last words of his statement. “You would want me to become your wife?”

“Yes,” he confirmed and sipped on his coffee again. “I think you are suitable for me, though.”

I cackled immediately and the sadness I felt a while ago subsided. He furrowed his eyebrows furthermore as if confused by my reaction. On the other hand, I continued laughing while pointing at his chest.

“Tell me that you are kidding, sir. Is it April Fool’s today? Hmm?” I said and grinned.

He glared at me, making me stop laughing and saying insensible. So he is deadly serious!

“But why me, sir?” I reacted impulsively and pointed my two index fingers at my chest. “I am your secretary!”

“I don’t have a choice, or the chairman will have to make me marry the old woman he is giving me,” he said and sighed aggressively. “Unless he would know that I have a girlfriend.”

“So let me get this straight. You told him a while ago that I am your girlfriend,” I said and he nodded. “And now, because he is trying to make you marry you another woman you don’t like, you want me to be your wife instead?” I asked and he nodded again. “If you don’t want to marry, you can just reject his proposal!”

“Look!” Mr. Montenegro intervened in my reaction and slightly lowered the coffee cup. “Even if I am not interested in any kind of romantic relationship, I won’t have a choice. It is the culture in our family. We marry to breed heirs and heiress.”

Just hearing the word ‘breed’ makes me want to puke. He must have noticed my distaste, so he immediately shook his head.

“Don’t worry. I am also not interested in having sex with you, Ms. Castro,” he added.

I don’t even know if I should be offended by what he said or not.

“Here it is to make it clear,” he mumbled and stared into my eyes intently. “I will make a formal contract for you to sign. You will pretend as my fiancé, marry me in a grand church if we have to, and act like a married couple in front of my family. But don’t worry, this is only temporary until I find myself a good and satisfying wife on my own.”

I sighed in relief and also placed my palm on my chest. Hoo, I thought I would die of anxiety. I thought for a while that he is interested in me.

“Ms. Castro,” my boss called me again and arched his eyebrow. “Do we understand each other now?”