Chapter 5 5 The contract

Soon, the car stopped in front of the building that looks more like a fairy tale world. The windows seem like they were made of glass with lots of dolls dress in expensive clothes.

The look on Norman's face was way more than casual as he climbed out of the car and waited for the driver to open the door for Estella. Poor girl, she would not stop opening her mouth and closing it like a goldfish. Her face turn red as she looked at Norman who had his calm and unimpressed look.

"I thought we were going to your office," Estella said as she climbed down the car and walked alongside Norman to the building in front of them "It's been quite a long time since I imagined myself in such a place"

Immediately they entered, there were been ushered into a room, that seems like the VIP lounge because of its space and look. Estella had wanted to believe that the office might be for Norman until she saw a picture on the wall.

The very man she wish never to see again but could not stop thinking about. The man half of her soul belongs to even when they barely even know each other.

Tyler Gray!

Estella's head spun and she immediately felt dizzy. Her palm automatically slapped her forehead, her purse dropping in the process as she desperately try to hold herself from falling.

"Stella!!" Norman's voice brought her back to reality "Are you okay, Stella?" He rushed to her sounding concerned.

"Yes"

So far that was only what Estella could hear as she followed his gesture to one of the chairs. Luckily for her, she had her back against the picture and couldn't get to look at it that much but most of the time, she felt Tyler boring his cold gaze into the back of her head.

Totally ignored what Norman had been saying until a file was handed over to her. She looked at it, surveying the signature there before moving slowly to accept the pen offered to her.

"You have the role to act as a loving wife for four years" Norman grinned.

Just as if the whole thing just began to make sense, Estella stopped her signature halfway. Her gaze locked with Norman then next to the paper. She caught glimpse of a sentence underlined and made bold. Initially, she wanted to just ignore it as she did to the rest words but her instinct kept battling with her.

"Once in, no way out!?" Estella read from it "It's strictly four years with full dedication?" She looked up at Norman "What does it mean?" She asked, "Like a strict TV series kinda stuff?" She suggested unsure with a shrug.

Norman sighed. He looked at Estella's face in disbelief, wondering how she had not been paying attention to the whole thing he had been saying and yet seems to want to move on with the contract.

"It's a four years contract where you have to act as the loving wife of a billionaire," Norman said looking like he just saw a ghost "The role can not afford to change face until after four years that's why you see that there" he paused for a while as he caresses his jaw and stares at her.

Meanwhile, Estella was trying her best not to roll her eyes so hard and scoff. No matter how normal it seems, she wonders why men with smooth jaws enjoy caressing it when there is obviously nothing to touch.

That reminds her of Frank, firing her without her pay when she obviously need it and worked for them. Estella clenched her fist, digging her long nails into her soft palm. This seems to be the best moment to use a stress ball instead of imagining Frank's face on Norman and...

"Did you even go through the package you received?" Norman asked as he open the file to the fifth page "Stella?"

"It's Estella" She corrected with a nervous smile "I got the package but I didn't open it" she looked away from his wide eyes "Why the face?" She asked.

"This job is so intimate, Stella!" Norman half shouted "I mean Estella" he added immediately "How come you want to..."

"I am not acting porn!" Estella interrupted "Nothing Intimate maybe light kisses" she bent her lips, rolled her eyes, and shrugged "Not nothing in the uhmm..." She trailed off.

"Nothing like sex except you both want to," Norman said immediately "I am wondering how you got this month's payment of 50 thousand dollars and still didn't read the contract first and secondary file before signing" he paused breathing hard.

Contract! File!! 50 thousand dollars!!! One month's salary!!!! Secondary file!!!!!

"You didn't read till the end part of the mail" Norman cracked his knuckles "Did you mean you haven't checked your credit alert?"

Estella chuckled nervously as she collected her phone from her purse, her eyes went wide open as she beholds the credit alert.

"Does that mean I already start work?" Estella asked.

Norman just grinned which eventually vanished a second after it appeared on his face. He slapped the file with an assuring nod, he gestured to Estella to look at it which she did and signed. It felt like a huge part of him had been fulfilled as he heaved a deep sigh and stared intensively into Estella's confused eyes.

He then started at her arms as she rubbed them together. Estella's lips parted to form a tiny zero in the middle of her mouth in which she used to let out the air she had absolved. She avoided Norman's intense gaze as she gazed at the money in her account through the screen of her phone.

"Norman..."

"Hush Estella, Hush" Norman stood up then walked to sit beside her "I know what you want to say, and trust me, I don't have time for pep talk" he placed his palm at the small of her back "You are the best person for this job and you already agreed to work" he added.

"What if I fail?" Estella asked "What if I can not pass the audition? What if..." She trailed off.

For a brief second, Norman stared at the young woman in surprise.

"You are a brave 23 years old woman, Estella" Norman caresses her back "Even if you want out, there isn't any at the point because we want you so urgently and you are the only person for the job" he smiled.

Norman sighed before he stood up and walked away from her. Although he is kind enough to the heat she shares but she is worth more than his likes, she is for the boss. As reserved as she is, getting into her would be his suicide mission.

"I have settled your rent and paid a month extra" Norman surges Estella's gratitude with the wave of his left palm "I want you to be calm as we are starting the journey tomorrow"

Deep down, Estella felt she wasn't doing the right thing but can not change it. She kept wondering what might be inside the package given to her or how intimate acting as the loving wife of a billionaire in the TV series was so important. She watched

"What are we doing here then?" Estella went on her feet "We signed already" She made the finishing touch of the signature "And why is there a witness signature when there is none?" Her confusion increased.

"First" Norman points up to his three o'clock "That small thing you see is a camera of my boss watching and that's his signature" he explained.

To settle Estella's curiosity, he walked to the door and pressed a button. Not long, can't even tell if it was up to three seconds, two girls pushed the door open. They spoke briefly before turning to fix their gaze on Estella who waved nervously and without saying a word, they left with a slight nod.

"What was that?" Estella shook her leg to calm her nerves.

"Want to transform you before the meeting" Norman replied casually before he brought out his phone and began to scroll through it.

"I am not saying that I won't love to get a new dress but if I shop here, I will surely be in debt for the rest of my life" Estella replied with a grin "There is a store down the road called 7&8 I think we should go there" she stood up.

"I am paying for them all" Immediately, the door opened "I know what you are probably thinking but it won't be deducted from your next salary and you are fine" he walked after Estella and the girls where he stood in front of the changing room to have her change her dress "The flight is ready and we won't afford to get you on camera with such a... Uhmm" he trailed of for brief seconds "In such a black dress?".