Chapter 2 - Charade

Fred's Pov,

I walked into the living room to find a curious lady handling my trophies and awards that were arranged neatly on the shelf. It was obvious she was snooping around, trying to get a feel for my life.

"You shouldn't touch things without asking permission first," I snapped, my voice sharper than I had intended. The lady jumped, startled by my sudden outburst.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice trembling. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"My name is Selena Gardener," she said, reaching out to shake my hand.

"Chloe must not have mentioned that I don't like it when people pry into my life," I replied, a bit harsher than I intended.

"I'm sorry if I overstepped," she said, her voice soft and apologetic. "It wasn't my intention to make you angry."

"I hope you wouldn't be overstepping your boundaries for the next twelve months?" I said rudely.

"I was just admiring your awards, and I didn't mean to upset you," she replied, unruffled by my attitude. "I don't think there's any need for all this fuss, if you don't mind me saying so."

It was clear that she was a lady who was not easily intimidated. She spoke her mind freely, without any fear of repercussion.

If it had been because of my grandfather's ultimatum, I would have put her where she belonged and made sure she knew her boundaries. I was used to being in control, and having someone push back against me was not something I was accustomed to.

My upbringing had made me into a bit of a bully, especially when it came to women. Especially those who thought they knew more than they actually did, just like my mom and my ex-girlfriend.

As I stared at the manner less lady in front of me, The words of my grandfather rang in my ears, clear as a bell. "You're no longer fit to be the acting CEO of my company," he had said. "Until you can provide me with an heir, you will no longer be in charge. I'm afraid your mother's actions have turned you into someone else, and you will never find happiness in marriage. I only have twelve months left."

"No problem," I replied, forcing a smile. "Please, have a seat."

She sat down, her expression a mixture of curiosity and caution.

"Now, tell me a bit about yourself," I said, my tone light and friendly. "I'd like to know more about the woman who's going to be playing the role of my wife."

She cleared her throat, "I'm not like those fancy girls on I*******m who can snap their fingers and get what they want," she said, her voice strong and confident. "I don't come from a wealthy background. My name is Selena Gardner, as I said before. My sister and my grandmother are the only family I have."

As I looked at her, I couldn't help but think that she wasn't the kind of woman I would ever consider marrying even if I wanted. But Chloe seemed to think she was perfect for the job. I couldn't afford to get involved with a sophisticated classy lady who might jeopardize my chances of becoming CEO.

"That's not too bad," I said, trying to sound enthusiastic.

She laughed softly, shaking her head. "I know you're just saying that to be polite," she said. "You think I'm beneath your standards, and that's fine. But there's no need to pretend."

She shifted in her seat, adjusting her posture. "Are you really willing to pay someone $100,000 to act as your wife?" she asked, a hint of skepticism in her voice.

It was offensive, almost insulting, to think that she considered $100,000 a huge amount of money.

"Yes, I'm considering tripling the offer," I said, my voice betraying a hint of pride.

She looked at me with surprise, and I couldn't help but feel insulted by her reaction. It was clear that her experience with poverty had made her skeptical of anyone with wealth.

"Can I see the contract now so I can sign it?" she asked, her tone full of eagerness and impatience.

"It's not time for that just yet," I said, rising from my seat and making my way over to the whiteboard covered by a cloth in the dining area.

With a steady hand, I lifted the cloth and revealed a series of photographs, along with a detailed plan for the next six months. I wanted to make sure she understood exactly what she was getting herself into.

"This is my grandfather," I said, pointing to a black and white photo of a man in his late eighties. "Richard Leonard."

"This is my aunt Lyra, and her son George," I said, pointing to two more photos. "My grandfather has to be convinced that we're truly in love, so he'll give me what's rightfully mine as his only son's child. George thinks he's the more deserving heir, but I know my grandfather has a soft spot for me."

I could see the lady processing the information, her brow furrowed in thought. I could tell she was beginning to understand the gravity of the situation.

I was not the type of person to be pushed around or seen as a pushover. But in this situation, I had no choice. George and his mother were my biggest threat, and I had to make sure Selena was fully aware of what we were up against. She had to be prepared for what was to come.

"You need to know that George and his mother are not going to make this easy for us," I said, my voice low and serious. "They're going to do everything they can to sabotage our relationship."

"Just hold on a second," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "My only job is to pretend to be your wife for twelve months right?"

"That's right," I replied. "And I need you to bear me a child."

"What?!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in disbelief. "Mrs Chloe never mentioned that part of the arrangement!"

I could see the shock and panic on her face,

"No, no," I said, my frustration getting the better of me. "You wouldn't actually have to be pregnant. We would just need you to pretend to be pregnant while we arranged for a surrogate mother."

My words seemed to hang in the air, and I could see the confusion on her face. Just as she was about to respond, the door handle turned.

We both turned to look, our eyes meeting in a moment of shared apprehension.

"It must be my grandfather," I whispered. "He's the only one who would enter my living room without knocking."

I rushed to put the marker board away, trying to hide any evidence of our conversation.

"What should I do?" Selena asked, her voice trembling. Before I could reply, she suddenly pulled me close and locked her lips with mine in a deep kiss.

"Hello, grandson," my grandfather's voice rang out, and we broke apart, our faces flushed with feigned embarrassment.

"Grandfather!" I exclaimed, my voice a little too high-pitched. Selena stood next to me, pretending to be equally mortified.

"What's going on here?" my grandfather asked with a knowing smile. his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"And who is this pretty young lady?" my grandfather asked, his eyes fixed on Selena.

"Oh, she's my girlfriend," I replied, trying to sound casual.

"A fine catch, if I may say so myself," my grandfather said, a smile spreading across his face. "You sure have a way with the ladies, my boy."

"Thank you, grandfather," I said, plastering on a smile.

"I'm sorry to have interrupted such a sweet moment," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I'll be on my way now, son. I'll see you tomorrow."

"But grandfather," I began, but he cut me off.

"I know, I know. You want me to stay, but I have to be going. I'll be counting on you to bring your lovely girlfriend to the family gathering tomorrow. I'm sure everyone will be thrilled to meet her."

As I walked him to the door, he leaned in close and whispered, "Make sure to tie the knot with her soon. She's a real beauty, and she'd make a fine wife."

I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. It was clear that my grandfather's eyesight wasn't what it used to be. While Selena was a perfectly nice lady, I wouldn't exactly call her a "real beauty." She was more plain than anything else. But her kiss... well, that had been something else entirely.

"What party was he talking about?" she asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"It's my aunt's homecoming," I replied, my tone flat.

She stared at me, and I could tell she was trying to read my mind. "Homecoming, huh?" she said, her voice light and airy. "That sounds like fun."

"I'm sorry I kissed you like that," she said, her voice a little sheepish. "I was just trying to sell the charade. I hope you're not upset with me."

I couldn't help but smile. She was quick on her feet, I had to give her that. My grandfather had completely bought into our little act.

"Don't worry about it," I said, my tone light and reassuring. "It's not like I'm going to file a police report or anything."

A small smile played on her lips, but I could tell she was still a bit thrown off by my sudden change in demeanor. I had been all business since she'd arrived, and this was the first time I'd tried to joke with her. It was clear she wasn't sure what to make of it.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a card. "This is a prepaid card with $100,000 loaded onto it," I said, my voice flat and emotionless. "There's no password. The money is yours to do with as you please. I'll pay you handsomely when this is all over."

I watched as she took the card and signed the contract.