ERIKA "How do we do that?" "But first, you okay right? You feeling better?" "Yeah, now tell me." "I'll tell you about it but you have to be more open minded about it," Metin said, almost like he was unsure she would agree to it. "Go on." "No offence but.. you already know what people think about you and how you are perceived. You are hated widely and you're called names everywhere. People think you're enjoying your lavish life out there somewhere in another country without any regrets, they don't know the truth," he said. "But it's all a trap. I never did anything to-" "That's not the point here. It's a good thing you have a tarnished reputation and we can use that for our own benefit." "How? How can it get any worse?" "If we somehow show the world that you're related to Nigel Asher, your reputation would make him go down the same road that you did. If he has a bad face in front of the media, his value and influence will go down immediately and that's when we can gain back th
ERIKA "I..", Erika was supposed to be a different version of herself but the closeness and the way he looked had completely distracted her from the point. "Here.. I'm here to complete my job." "Job? Are you insane? What job?" He really was back to how he was before, his eyes showed nothing but irritation. "You were gone all day, I was asked to clean this room up but you weren't there at all so I couldn't enter. You locked it as well. I just want to clean this room up and leave, that's it," she said, somehow getting her voice back and the willpower to not let her eyes hover. "Get out, right now." "I won't." "GET OUT." "I WON'T! Don't make this hard for me. I don't want this job to pile up on me tomorrow. I want to take it easy, I'm still recovering. I'm sorry I expected you to be understanding!" Erika yelled back, letting out her stubborn side that caught him off guard for a split second. "Just let me finish it and I'll leave. I won't bother you or.. her." Nigel stared back at h
ERIKA "Isn't this what you asked me to do? Tell me what you like, I'll do exactly what you want me to," she said, a docile and but needy look in her eyes. His face changed for a while when he heard those words, like he was reminded of something. But he quickly retrieved it back and went back to the staring at her, a little confused when she started playing along with him. "If I ask you to do this kind of stuff, you'll do it then?" He raised an eyebrow, making Erika look up at him from his chest to his eyes and a subtle smile played on her lips. "I will do anything you want me to," she replied like she was nothing but a robot. He slowly got off the bed and Erika sat up, following all his moves. She knew trying to be believable was nearly impossible for her after so much that had happened between the two of them. It was better if he considered herself indifferent. But trying to seduce him would be too far if not done correctly. After all, all this was supposed to be an act. Simply
ERIKA She could feel a soft tingle in her stomach as she took her bag and stepped out. She had a love hate relationship with the fact that no matter how he behaves or whatever plan she has for him, somehow leads her to reach a tender part of herself. She could not stop thinking about it as she walked behind him through the corridor, ready to leave, without knowing what to expect from these upcoming days. There were no one at the gate as he proceeded to open it himself, waiting by it to let her head to the car first. Erika did it with a hesitant demeanour, realising he was showing how he would've acted towards her if there weren't any signs of hatred between them. He walked behind her and before she could, he held the door to the passenger's side open for her. She looked at him with awe. "I am a gentleman.. until it comes to you," he said with a hidden story behind the look in his eyes. Erika wanted to ask but she suppressed that urge, after all, arguing wouldn't be very normal for
ERIKA The silence that spread after that felt like it would last forever. She felt much more on edge when she was not talking or distracting herself and with Nigel Asher beside her, she felt stiff. Like she would be scolded if she even moved, she couldn't be at ease. She had never been comfortable with him truly, because no matter the pretence, they weren't close. And their intentions for each other were never peaceful or of no harm. They both knew that. She only took deep breaths and tried to think of positive thoughts that were too hard to come by considering what has been happening in her life. She took the drink with shaky hands when the flight attendant handed it to her with a smile. She placed it down and looked down at her hands, not very okay with everything around her. There was nothing she could fall back on to earn a moment of relief from her fears. "Are you okay?" Nigel asked and she somehow looked up, trying to look the part as she nodded to a yes. "What's going on?"
ERIKA "Because..", he started and when his eyes locked with her, she saw the pure look of desire in his eyes that took her aback immediately. "..it will be difficult for me to look at you the same "normal" way if you sleep here next to me. I don't know how that will go." "Don't," she said, immediately looking away as if it was wrong to even hear that from his mouth. "Why?" He asked, visually confused. "When you say things like this, I genuinely don't understand you. None of it. And it makes me feel like a fool when I sit and look back at you trying to figure out if you're being for real or you're testing me to witness the exact moment I fold to go back to teasing and mocking me," she spewed out without a stopper and she didn't really need one. It was time they were honest to say the least. "Do you really care that much?" He asked, raising an eyebrow with forced surprise. "No." "You're lying. None of these would've been your concern if you didn't give a shit. You'd have continu
ERIKA Once the awareness spread within them that the deal was on, the air immediately shifted around them. She felt a little jammed up when she looked at him but she was sure he had already started plotting. Which only meant she should too. Erika took a moment to think about what she could even do to compel him. She thought about Metin's words and realised how perfect this opportunity was. He wanted her to seduce Nigel, to trick him into her lies and waiting for him to get close enough to make a pitfall. And that's when Metin's plan would come into play. But it did come with some regulations. Erika was sure to not touch him or get close to him in a way that would look like she physically used him and then made him fall into her trap, it just felt cruel, even if it was Nigel Asher she was talking about. She promised to herself that it would be harmless flirting. Walking to the cliff but never taking a leap. Even if Nigel was drop dead gorgeous, she believed herself enough to not be s
ERIKA Nigel Asher smiled too, knowing he wasn't up against someone who wouldn't give him a tough competition. "This will be fun," he said, nodding once to himself, only making her intentions and ideas grow wider. She knew what were his pins and needles and she sure wanted to press them to get a reaction out of him. It was all fun and games after all, an ode to the newfound normalcy between them. But this almost always drove her to think where they would stand if things were different. If everything was normal, if he was a well meaning man, if he wasn't planning to snatch Erika's father's legacy completely. What would they be if not enemies? They got out of the car and entered the event. It was a summit with leading companies from all over the world. One company was invited from each country to meet and build up a rapport with each other. This opens up further business opportunities for both the companies and gives a greater scope for globalisation. Erika was relieved that she wou
ERIKA"I genuinely loved you then, when I didn't know what it was like to have you so it was never about the chase that I would find someone else now that I know what it is like to have you. When I saw you, I knew you were the one even if I ignored it for as long as I could. I have no doubts that this feeling wouldn't change. You're quite literally the drug I am addicted to.""Well," she stepped closer to him as her hands snaked up his neck and coiled it till it was tight enough and wrapped him deeply into a hug. "That makes the two of us."The rest of the night was as peaceful as all of them Erika and Nigel had spent together because it never felt enough as it was just as easy going and soothing as ever. It felt like to her that everything was finally okay. Who knew what might happen to them next or what the future held for them. All she knew was that, it was truly one of a kind.~And that was all it took for everything to fall back into place with everything they wished for. The ne
ERIKAShe asked, knowing she was voicing his concerns as well because they never really ended up talking about it to the point that there was no room for confusion. "We love each other and in the world's eye we are dating. So.. we can just do that in real life too, right?" Nigel asked because he was not sure where she was getting at even if it was complex."But.. are you sure that will be the right move? We are still new in understanding the feelings we have for each other, we didn't even have enough time to spend with each other and really know the kind of people we really are because we have no time, are you sure we are ready to take the next step? Especially when I'm moving away to Paris?" She asked and even if the questions were very hard hitting, she had put them forward without contemplating. People spoke a lot about how things get serious and more real after the so called honeymoon phase of a relationship gets over. And if they needed to draw the estimate, she could tell that s
ERIKA"Just because I told you not to do something, it's not an order. It's not a command but a suggestion, a logical something I'm trying to tell you about. I know why you take what I say so seriously, because of the contract and how we started but that's not our reality, Sterling. We are equal and we'll listen to each other but we'll have our own free will, is that clear? You don't have to look up to me," he said with a concerned look on his face but it made her calm down just as quick.And she saw the truthness in his words because no matter how much she tried to deny the fact that she was, in fact, always scared of angering him and was always paranoid that he would flip and tell her this was all a joke, she knew it had stemmed from the time that Erika originally came to this mansion and agreed to be a comtracted slave because Nigel wanted so because of his revenge. But those days she has spent trying to decipher his unpredictability, it had also caused a shift in her own behavior
ERIKANigel's face was a mixture of exhaustion and anger but as he moved to Erika, closer and closer, covering the distance between them, her eyes kept getting thinner to slits as she shut them down tight as she flinched when she felt his silhouette cover her entire body and his strong hands grabbing her into a tight hug."Thank you, Erika. I don't even know how to say it but thank you so so much," he let it all out with his head buried in her shoulder as she stood as still as a rock that was electrocuted. "For the first time in years, he has called me his brother."His voice was shaky, almost like he was experiencing a sense of euphoria or a different unknown form of an emotion altogether. Something he has probably never experienced before. And all Erika could do was stare at him and feel him around her in awe because she was still processing how her stupid move had turned out. She could've thought of a million more alternatives on how this thing could've turned out as but not this b
ERIKABut before she left, she stood by the doorway and looked back at Laurent, a spitting image of a young Nigel, and said the words that shook him even harder. "But your brother did mention that you two drifted away a lot, apparently, it's not the same as it used to be between you two anymore. That's why I assumed you hated each other. Anyways, I'll get going, thanks again!"With that, Erika left a completely raged Laurent behind knowing that he hated being called enemies with his own brother. And even if it had raised any kind of conflict in his heart that would ultimately lead to a confrontation, her job there was done. And now if things magically go the way she wanted it to go, it'd all be better. That's what she prayed for as she took her nervous steps away from his doorstep and towards Erika's own room. She just hoped this doesn't take the turn for the worse. She went back to her room and started working on the budget and planning of her moving to Paris that Nigel had done a l
ERIKAViolet had been there and in her words, he looked very upset about something and he was pleading with Nigel to let him meet her but Nigel was taken aback so he asked Metin to come back when he was home. He asked me to send you the message and get you to call him. And that made her finally let out a sigh of relief. Metin was sorry and guilty about his actions. He wanted to say sorry and that was the reason he did it. Finally, it felt like she could breathe a fresh air and let off the steam of everything happened in the last day. Maybe things were finally looking up and maybe this was a sign that she should just go through the plan she had thought of last night without thinking of the consequences too much.Even if Nigel had asked her not to meddle in or try to talk to Laurent about any of this or just anything at all, Erika knew she had to disobey that because if she doesn't take the first step, all of their steps would inevitably stay static. Someone had to take the blow first
ERIKAIf he wanted to sleep in her bed, he'd have just stayed but he was the one who got up to leave first without her asking. What else could that mean? Erika immediately gaslighted herself into regretting saying that. And before she could try to switch it around, his eyes lit up."Yes, of course," he said like that was the easiest decision of his life. It took Erika aback."You will?""Yes. I didn't think you'd want me staying here," he came back on the bed to fill the spot that felt extra empty after he left."Of course I would," Erika said, smiling with the familiar warmth. And that's how he climbed into bed with her and slowly laid down beside her. They faced each other, laying side by side as they looked into each other's eyes silently. The unsaid was a lot in the room, more than she could let out on. It felt like crumbling and being fixed in the same moment but at least having someone to go through that with. His soft eyes were comfort enough."Come here, you must be tired," he
ERIKAThat's why, when the door sounded because someone had arrived, she couldn't find the voice to ask them to come in. But finally when she called them in, someone entered the room with a trolley with food. Erika didn't have it in her to tell that person to leave because she didn't want to eat. She sighed and looked up to see Nigel starting to set up the food on the table in front of the couch and start placing it in order. Erika's mouth opened and closed in shock."What are you doing here?""I'm here to eat. With you," he said with a small smile, making her mouth drop open with shock at the thought that he had left the table. He read the shock off of her face and decided to give her a better clarification for this. "Yes, I left the table after you did. Thanks for asking. And no, you're not jeopardizing my relation with my family because we've had hundreds of fights like this, even way worse than this. They know I'm not doing this under your influence because I've never been that pe
ERIKA"He doesn't like to talk about his surgeries after so we couldn't tell him you've been there for all his surgeries. He doesn't know and he's mad so he won't ever come talk to you about it," Julia said, she was just as worried, her eyes filling up with tears."It's alright, I understand him," Nigel nodded with a small smile. That's when Lydia returned alone with a strange look on her face. "Where's Laurie?" William asked."He said.. he wouldn't eat if.. Erika's sitting at the table," Lydia informed, washing everyone over with a sense of confusion. The awkwardness spread and it looked like even Lydia didn't want to say it out loud but Laurent had asked her to announce it to let Erika really know what was up. She gulped and looked around with an expression she didn't know how to change. And even though everyone else looked horrified, they knew what was the right thing to be done."Erika, I.. it would be better if.. god, I'm embarrassed to say it," Julia started and it clearly look