Chapter 4 The contract

~ELENA'S POV~

"I'm Max," he offered.

I hesitated, then lifted my chin, "Elena".

"Elena," he repeated, as if trying it out.

"Well, Elena," he said, stepping aside and motioning towards the hallway, "I'm guessing you are headed somewhere before your little accident".

"Oh yeah, just trying to get back to my table," I answered with a faint smile.

"Okay, well, say hello to fate for me," he smirked.

"Who is fate?" I inquired with narrowed brows.

He leaned in tenuously, voice low and coltishly. "She just swept you off your feet so you could fall into my arms," he replied while grinning.

Eyes rolled, but couldn't fight the curves of my lips, "that was cheesy".

For the first time all night, I didn't feel invisible.

"Maybe. But effective," he said, raising a brow, "did you come here alone?".

"No, I came here with a friend of mine," I answered, pointing my index finger backward. "She must be waiting for me as we speak, so I'd better get going before she comes to find me".

"Do you mind if I join you at your table?" he proposed. "I came here all alone, and I would like company".

Of course. Besides, he's the reason I felt a little better, and he was good-looking. No girl in her right senses would say no to such a good-looking man, and most importantly, I came here to be distracted from my trauma, so anything to achieve that works for me.

"Yes, that'll be fine," I declared. I left, and he followed behind.

I moved through the mobbed club, Max following closely behind me. The music pulsates every inch of my body, swaying bodies, frolicking flashes like distant lightning. I didn't look back, but I could feel his eyes fixed on me.

"There she is," I announced, sliding into my seat. Olivia was near our table, dancing with a stranger whose shirt sparkled under the lights. I emailed faintly and looked at Max, "I guess she is busy".

"I can see that," he responded, while settling opposite me on the other side of the table. He signalled the waiter, "drinks on me".

"I want two glasses of whiskey," he ordered.

"Two glasses of whiskey coming right up," the waiter disclosed.

"So," he began, staring closely at me as he handed me my glass of whiskey, "what do you do outside all of these?".

"I'm a jewelry designer," I gulped hard, the liquor burned down through my throat.

"That sounds... unique," he complimented, raising both brows.

"Yeah. Unfortunately, I have spent the last few years putting beautiful things together while the rest of my life was falling apart." I held onto my glass of whiskey, staring closely at it.

He didn't respond right away, he stared closely at me, studying every part of my body he could view. The look in his eyes wasn't describing pity but interest, presence– Like he wasn't waiting to talk but to hear me out.

"Sounds like there is a story to it," he said, putting down his glass of whiskey.

"There is," I replied with our eyes locked into each other.

"Would you like to share?" he inquired in a soft and mild tone. "I'm a good listener".

I was hesitant initially, but I was beginning to feel comfortable around Max and needed to lift the pain off my chest. Olivia was having a fun night and I wouldn't want to ruin it for her.

"I can't believe Alex would divorce me and also humiliate me publicly, after being married for five years now. As if that is not enough, he took my company shares and rights to my designs away from me." I felt my heart constricting as I explained, I turned my gaze away from his direction, tears flowed down my cheeks."He refused to pay my mother's hospital bills till I signed the divorce papers. How could a man be so cold and heartless?"

I had an emotional breakdown and told Max everything that happened between Alex and me, though it wasn't intentional, but at the time, it seemed like what I needed to do. He said encouraging words to lift my spirit.

"I'm sorry about everything. You're a very good woman, he doesn't deserve you, and clearly, wasn't worth your tears." He consoled me and handed me a handkerchief.

"Come on, cheer up– have you met you? Your smile glitters and your beauty is an imagination," he complimented. I smiled as I wiped my face

"Dance with me?" he offered with one hand stretched towards me.

I hesitated and took a deep breath, then I stood up, leaving the rest of my whiskey behind.

We danced for a while and had a couple of drinks together, then he asked, "Do you want to go somewhere private, like my hotel room?"

I looked up at him, eyes glassy but hazy, "yes".

Moments later, we arrived at Max's hotel room. I was tipsy and hazy at the same time. I noticed Max was on a phone call when we entered the hotel room. He finished the call and dropped the phone on the table, then turned around to see me standing right in front of him.

Our gaze locked into each other, I subconsciously leaned in closer, lifted off my chin with my hands wrapped around his face and embraced his lips with mine. He tried to pull off immediately, but I begged him not to stop, so we continued kissing. Soon we were on the bed with me sitting on his member when I pulled off my clothes as we kept on kissing.

I felt a bonny under his pants as we continued to pull off everything material on our bodies till we were completely naked. He grabbed me and rolled me over, causing me to be underneath. I felt his thick and long member thrust in and out of my rose; it felt so good. We ended up spending the night together in the same bedroom.

****

The next morning, I woke up in Max's hotel room. Sunlight spilled into the room through floor-to-ceiling windows, washing the space in a warm, golden hush. I sat up slowly, my muscles sore in the most intimate way. I observed the room–modern, clean lines, everything curated and especially not trying too hard. Not flashy. Just powerful.

For a brief moment, I forgot, then it all came rushing back. The club, the dancing, the sex. Max. I was caught in a deep reflection of last night when the bedroom door opened with a gentle click. Max walked in with two cups of coffee.

"Good morning sunshine," he handed me one cup of coffee, then sat back and watched me closely as silence encroached the atmosphere.

He sat across from me, sipping his coffee. "I know you have questions," he said.

"Yes, I do. Starting with Who the hell are you?" I inquired, and I sipped on my cup of coffee

"I'm Max Dickson, the eldest son of Dickson's family," he revealed.

I blinked, my fingers tightening around the cup. "You're that Max Dickson? The one and only?".

Max is the eldest son of the Dickson family. One of the wealthiest families in Washington, D.C.

"Yes, I am," he confirmed

"What was last night to you?" I asked while stroking a lock of hair behind my ear.

He paused, thoughtful. "It was honest."

I didn't respond at first, and I gulped hard. "I felt safe," I admitted, surprisingly.

"Good," he said. "I'm very sorry about everything that happened between you and Alex, but I can help you get back the rights to your designs and even a better jewelry company of your own, which will thrive with my support. I will also take care of everything you need, including paying your mother's hospital bills and ensuring her recovery. Lastly, I'll help you get justice for all that Alex has done to you. But on one condition."

"Really? You'll do all that for me?" My eyes narrowed with curiosity written all over my face, "What condition?"

"A contract marriage," he said without hesitation.

I froze, staring at him. "Excuse me?".

He leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees and said, "I want us to get married legally, publicly. But with an agreement. One year. Strictly business"

I stared at him, not knowing whether to talk or walk out. "You don't even know me," I exclaimed.

"I know enough," he said mildly, "I know you were publicly humiliated. I know you're a brilliant designer. And I know that whatever happened between you and your ex, Alex, doesn't define you".

My breath caught, and I looked straight into his eyes. "Why would you do all that for a lady you met last night?" I asked

"Because you're worth investing in. My grandfather has been pressuring me to get married. You don't need to know the full details, but what I'm saying is that getting married is beneficial to me in many ways." He explained and then asked, "So Elena, what do you think?"

I looked away, my heartbeat thumped faster as I thought silently. It's too early to be in another marriage, although it made a strange kind of sense. What do I have left to lose after all?

I was deep in thought when my phone rang. It was Dr. Mark on the phone, and I picked up.

"Mrs Fox, your attention is needed urgently at the hospital; your mother had a cardiac arrest," the doctor divulged.