Chapter 2

Alex felt as though the ground had dropped out from beneath him. Marriage was not a decision to be taken lightly, especially not for the sake of appeasing corporate stakeholders. But as he looked into his grandmother's relentless gaze, he knew there was no room for negotiation.

"I understand, Grandmother," Alex replied, his voice matched with submission. "I will do whatever it takes to uphold the reputation of Sterling Enterprises."

Margaret nodded, her expression softened slightly. "I knew I could count on you, Alexander. Time is not by your side again. My retirement is fast approaching and you need to prove to the world that you are ready to lead."

“I have never wanted Robert nor his son, Max, to inherit the company. Your father is my first child and it is right that you take over since he isn't alive again.” Margaret scoffed.

"Talking about time, why don't you and your fiance you once told me about coming to see me this weekend? We haven't all been together for too long." Margaret said, looking like she was thinking hard.

“Fiance?” Alex looked surprised but adjusted quickly so that Margaret wouldn't figure out something was wrong.

"Yes. Robert and his family will be here too. It'll be a great chance for everyone to catch up." Margaret ignored his protests

"Okay, Grandma. We'll come this weekend." Alex couldn't help but smile at his grandma's excitement

This is trouble for Alex. The fiancee Margaret was referring to was Sophie who is now his Ex. He wondered how he would bring a woman home when he was single. Now that Alex would be introducing his fiancee to all his family, he knows that he has less than a week to find himself a wife. Either real or fake.

*****

Alex felt more and more pressure to find a wife. Standing on his balcony, looking at the city lights, he thought about Sophie—his first love and ex-girlfriend.

Sophie was kind, loving, and caring. She wasn’t like anyone Alex had ever met. Years ago, they met in school. Alex was rich and popular, but Sophie was also from a rich family but she didn’t care about that. She was different. Alex worked hard to get her attention, and when she finally let him in, he fell in love.

But Sophie always put her family first. Her parents wanted her to marry someone from another family for the sake of their family business. When Alex asked her to marry him, she said no. She loved him, but her family’s wishes were more important. Her decision broke Alex’s heart. Even though they weren't in contact for so long, his heart still longs for her as he feels he won't find another woman who has a good heart like Sophie.

Now, after some months, Alex picked up his phone. He wasn’t sure if calling her was the right thing, but he had no other choice.

“Hello?” Sophie answered. Her voice sounded careful but familiar.

“Hey, Sophie. It’s Alex,” he said slowly.

“Alex?” Sophie paused. Then her voice softened. “Wow, it’s been a long time. How are you?”

“I’m fine,” Alex said quickly. “But, Sophie, I need a favor.”

“A favor?” Sophie asked, sounding surprised.

“My grandma is having a family dinner this weekend. She wants me to bring my fiancée. I never told her we broke up,” Alex said quietly.

There was silence on the line. Then Sophie asked, “It’s been seven months already. Why didn’t you tell her?”

“I didn’t want everyone asking questions,” Alex replied. “But now, I need your help. Just for one night, can you pretend to be my girlfriend? Please, Sophie.”

Sophie sighed deeply. “Alex… I can’t. And also, none of your family members know we ever dated since our relationship was a secret. I think you should be able to find someone.”

“Oh, why don't you want to do this for me? Just once,” Alex asked.

“I’m engaged now. My wedding is in a month. I can’t risk any rumors.” Sophie said.

Alex’s heart sank. “Engaged?” he asked softly.

“Yes,” Sophie said. “My parents arranged it. I’m really sorry, Alex.”

Alex forced a laugh, but it hurt. “I understand but you know I still love you.”

“Alex… please move on. We both know my parents won't accept anyone else. I…” Sophie started, but he cut her off.

“It’s okay,” he said, even though it wasn’t. “Congrats, Sophie. I hope he makes you happy.”

“Thank you,” Sophie said gently. “I wish you the best too, Alex. Goodbye.”

When the call ended, Alex stood in silence. Sophie was the only person he ever loved, and now she was gone for good. And she was right, aside from Victor and Max who knew they dated from university days up till Sophia relocated, no one else knew. He could look for someone else to be his one day girlfriend and pay her.

With a heavy sigh, Alex called Victor, his best friend.

“Victor, I need your help,” Alex said. “We need to find a wife—and fast.”

Victor said. "Sure. Since you told me last night, I've been thinking of this whole girlfriend stuff and something came to my mind." 

"Spill it," Alex replied, hoping for a favorable answer.

"Well, you know what's popular nowadays?" Victor said, lowering his voice slightly. "Contracted marriages."

"Contracted marriages?" Alex repeated, surprised.

"Yeah, think about it," Victor continued. "You find someone willing to enter into a contractual relationship with you for a set period. It's like having a temporary girlfriend but without all the complications. Plus, it's a win-win situation for both parties involved."

Alex paused, considering Victor's suggestion. While it sounded unconventional, he couldn't deny the appeal of having a temporary solution to his current predicament. 

"Do you think it's a good idea?" he asked tentatively.

"Absolutely," Victor replied confidently. "It's worth looking into, at least. You never know, you might just find the perfect arrangement for your situation."

Feeling a bit calm, Alex thanked Victor for his advice and changed their topic to something less tense. As he ended the call, he couldn't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, a contracted marriage could be the solution he needed to get through the weekend unscathed.