When I ca to, I was lying on the couch. My mother was fussing over , and Junior stood nearby, leaning on the door-fra; looking confused.
"Did she faint because of ?" he asked, half-joking, but his ego got a boost by the thought.
"No," I muttered weakly. "I fainted because of your cologne. It's too strong."
His smirk returned. "Noted. We aren't married yet but, she is already ticking off things I need to change."
Mrs. Nuro leaned over , her face a mix of concern and excitent. "Oh, darling, if this is how you react to eting him, we'd better stock up on slling salts."
I groaned, covering my face with the nearest pillow. My life was officially a sitcom, and I was the punchline.
The man I am to marry to save my family from ruin is the man who scarred for life. Isn't that just perfect!!!
I could rember that particular night clearly, every scene flashing in my mind eye with each look I took in his direction.
Junior didn't recognize . He didn't seem to be pretending? Or was he just so good at acting?
After making my life a nightmare for my first two years in board school, he just stood there looking at like so kind of a stranger who had magically grown two heads.
Oh, fate was a prankster. I couldn't manage to keep a boyfriend because I was scared of any man touching .
Every ti, I ca intimately close to a man, I rembered what he did to in that dark, empty classroom, with only the sounds of rain and thunder to bear witness.
But here he was -- living his life.
"So, how do you like my cologne now? I changed into dad's clothes," he asked with a smirk, leaning against the door fra, one hand in a pocket and the other cradling a glass of wine.
I couldn't stand him but, one thing he probably hadn't realized was I wasn't that scared little girl from board school anymore. I wasn't going to let him intimidate .
"Still too strong. But I suppose it matches your personality—overpowering."
"Ouch," he said, clutching his chest. "She has claws. I like that." He looked at his mother, throwing her a nod like so code conversation and then she giggled in return, quickly whispering sothing to my mother.
"You won't like it for long," I muttered beneath my breath.
"I didn't catch that.." He tilted his head.
"Nothing." I plastered on a fake smile. "I need so air, excuse !" I announced to everyone in the room and headed outside.
I didn't know where I was headed, I just knew I needed to get away from the sa room as he.
I spotted a garden at the far side of the estate and headed there. The mix of fragrance from the various assorted flowers was a delight to my nostrils but, I could not enjoy their nasal caresses.
Why didn't I find out who my parents were pairing with before I agreed? I had said 'yes' the instant they told that was the only solution to saving Wita, my dad's furniture company that had been around since before I was born.
I just couldn't stand my dad's failure. He put his blood and sweat into Wita. What am I going to do?
I found a soft spot on the garden floor, covered with so dry tree leaves and grass; not minding my dress which my mother spent days picking out, I sprawled on it and searched my brain for a way out of this ss.
I must have been sitting there for a while with my eyes closed, sorting through my brain for a way out because when I opened it, I saw Junior standing over , looking like a smug stupid billionaire heir.
"So, what's on your mind? - Let guess— ?"
I sat up quickly shifting my self away from him. "I can't marry you."
His smirk faltered for the first ti. "What?"
"You heard ," I said, looking down at my feet. "This— This is a terrible idea. I don't like you, and you clearly don't take anything seriously."
He stepped closer, and I shifted further away from him, my position on the ground not giving adequate advantage to get further away.
"I must say, this reaction is unusual. Most won would do anything to be in your shoes."
"I am not most won," I shot back.
"I can see that," he probably had noticed how quickly I kept moving away from him because he took a seat on the ground but made sure there was at least a foot distance between us.
"Benita, - I'm not exactly thrilled about this arrangent either. I am a businessman about to enter a world where I only matter because my father ruled it.
Marriage is the last thing on my mind but if I plan on making my own na, I gotta do what I gotta do,"
"As always, everything is about you and what you want" I retorted, my voice rising. "Well, it's not my problem. It's yours and I don't give a rat's ass about your problem."
"You speak like you know ... Let refresh your mory, your family is about to lose everything. The only thing that can save your family is the Nuro na, not even a loan will help your dad. People trust the Nuro brand. So let put it to you this way," He raised an eyebrow.
"Bankruptcy or marrying a stranger who slls great?" His lips lifted in a half smile, his effort at making light of the situation applaudable for him.
I looked at him for a mont knowing he was right. I was trapped. "You don't even recognize , do you?"
He blinked, confused. "Should I?"
I fought back the tears stinging my eyes. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. "Why , though? You're rich, handso, I'm sure you have hundreds of won to choose from."
"I'm going to forget you didn't sneak a complint in there and just answer your question. My mum doesn't trust . She thinks I am going to bring ho a lady I t an hour ago at the club. She is probably right though." His tone was light.
"So, you are a mommy's boy. The 'I will do whatever my mommy says' type,"
"girl, you're giving whiplash. First, you say I look good enough to eat and in the next breath, you throw mockery in the mix. – uh," he sighed heavily,
"I just don't have the motivation to argue with her on this. We... have a ... uhm... complicated relationship," It seed like he was uncomfortable talking about his mother.
Every word was a struggle to get out. He shook his head quickly and continued "Look, let's cut to the chase. How about we make this so kind of business contract?"
"What do you an?" I asked, curious.
He sighed deeply. "we get married for one year."
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