Contracted Marriage with my Boss

"Ding..." A notification popped up from Vivian's phone. She swiftly clicked on it with anticipation.

"Oh my goodness!" She exclaimed with joy before jumping down from her bed and dashing to her mum, who was busy serving customers. Vivian stood at the counter, swaying left and right, awaiting her mother's return. After a while, her mother moved to the counter. Vivian couldn't wait anymore as she broke the news to her mum.

"Mum, mum, I've gotten the job."

"Really?"

"Yes, mum," Vivian said as her mother pulled her to a hug with tears in her eyes.

"Congratulations my daughter, I'm so proud of you."

"Thanks, mum, this isn't time for tears now. Let me go and press my clothes ahead." She said before running off, leaving her mother grinning from ear to ear. Vivian got to her room and opened her small-sized wardrobe, throwing out all the clothes in it with excitement. Bringing out the most presentable set of clothes, she sat down to press them humming a song only known to her. Vivian is the only daughter of Mr and Mrs Rion, the first child as well as a younger brother. Her parents are not the well-to-do ones. Her mother owns a restaurant where they make their daily bread. Since when Vivian finished school, she hasn't gotten any reputable job despite her CVs and all. She engages in a few menial jobs, but for every dime she makes, her drunkard father snatches away from her, even from her mother as well, and there is nothing they can do about it. She almost lost hope of getting a job, only to be hired by a large company in the city as an Assistant at Dam Company. To her and her mother, this is a huge feat. Her work at Dam Company begins the following day. She eventually finished pressing the clothes and cleaning her shoes before settling down to gist her friends about the new job. Just then, a call came through her phone. She smiled when she saw the caller, her boyfriend, Steve.

"Hello, baby." She beamed excitedly.

"Vivian, what's up? What's with the moody mood?"

"Oh about that, I'm just happy. I have gotten a job."

"Really? Is it another menial job?" He asked sarcastically.

"Not at all. It's at Dam Company."

"What?" He asked shocked. Silence permeated for a while before Vivian broke it.

"What is it?"

"Oh, it's nothing. What post?"

"Assistant."

"Oh... congratulations, Vivian."

"Thank you, sweetheart." After a exchanging few more words, he ended the call. Her boyfriend, Steve is the CEO of Clowdin Company. When with this fact, each time she requests him to at least hire her as an intern in his office, he bluntly refuses. Vivian did not read another meaning to this and believes that the company is occupied. She called her two other friends on a video call.

"Hello, sweethearts."

"My love." One of the girls, Rosy replied.

"Hey, girls!" The last of the three, Sarah interjected.

"Good news, good news. Guess, guess, guess."

"Arggh...you know so well that I'm not good at guessing." Rosy groaned.

"Just spill it out, Vivian."

"Well, well, well. I've gotten a job."

"A job?" The two girls chorused together.

"Yes, girls. The position of an assistant in Dam Company."

"Oh my...I'm so happy for you my love."

"Congrats..." Sarah hesitated.

"Thank you, girls. I'm beginning work tomorrow." They all continued chatting till it was late in the night.

Steve became restless since the time Vivian called him. He isn't satisfied with the fact that she got a job. Not even in any other company but the company of his rival, Damien. The main reason why he does not want to hire her in his company is because he doesn't want her to cling to him. He isn't a bit interested in Vivian but he is just using her, wasting her time. Without her knowing, he borrowed her drunkard father a loan that was going to be due in the next few months. No doubt, Vivian loves him but it's not reciprocated. His line of thought was interrupted by a knock on his door.

"Come in." His assistant strolled in with his head bowed.

"Miss Rosy is here."

"Why telling me, let her in." Rosy, one of Vivian's friends, stepped in with smiles all over her face. Steve stood up to meet her halfway.

"Baby, I miss you. I expected you all day." Steve blurted out.

"Oops! Sorry about that." Steve led Rosy to the bed sitting her on his lap. His hands moved to her face as they shared a passionate kiss.

"Has your stupid girlfriend broke the news to you?"

"What news?" He asked as his hands roamed around her body.

"She has gotten a job."

"Yes, she told me. Don't be bothered, she will be sacked very soon with the stupid way she acts."

"If you say so."

"Let's not talk about her now. Let's continue from where we stopped." He said as he pushed the giggling Rosy to the bed.

Vivian kept rolling from one side of the bed to the other. She was so restless and eager to begin her job. She does not know what she will meet there. She vowed to work hard to support her mother and her brother. She made up her mind to open an account to prevent her father from forcefully collecting the father from her this time around. After a while, she surrendered to nature. If only she knew the job she was about to begin would change her life. If only she knew that those she trusted stabbed her in the back. If only she had not put all her eggs into one basket by giving her all into her relationship with Steve. Her mother opened Vivian's door slightly peeping into the room. She stepped fully into the room strolling to where Vivian lay. She sat near her holding her cheek tenderly before wisphering.

"I'm sorry, daughter. I'm sorry." A tear dropped from her eyes. Sorry? For what?

Damien opened his eyes abruptly panting heavily as he sat up. He was shaken badly by the dream. He diverted his eyes to the bedside clock; it was a few minutes to seven. He held his head in his hands. The nightmare was getting constant wearing him out. He rested his back on the propped-up pillow for a while, trying to get hold of himself. After a while, he got up to the bathroom opening the shower on himself without pulling off his briefs. He packed his long brown hair to the back enjoying the hit of the cold water.

He spent a lot of time under the shower in silence trying to clear his head and mind from the nightmare. He did not leave the shower until he was satisfied. He stepped into the room with a towel tied around his waist after brushing his teeth. He stood in front of the mirror, revealing the butterfly tattoo on his broad back. Damien is a huge, cold, and handsome man who does not take nonsense. He picked up his set of clothes putting them on. Satisfied with his look, he left the room with his briefcase to the already waiting car. He walked past the maids, who had their heads bowed in respect. Hopping into the car, it drove off. A few minutes later, the car screeched in front of a huge company, Damien's company. He stepped out of the car nodding to the greetings coming from every corner of the building. He got to his office to meet his assistant.

"You've not left?"

"Yes, boss. I'm waiting for the arrival of the new secretary. Need to put some things in place before leaving."

"Good! I credited your account already. Take of yourself and your new wife."

"Thank you so much, boss. I really won't forget this." He said gratefully. Although Damien is a cold man, he still has a part of his heart that is compassionate towards others. His assistant has been working by his side for the past five years and has to leave now because of his newly wedded wife. If he had a choice, he would prefer to remain in the city and work with Damien but he has to move. Damien kept checking his time.

"Is he not around yet?"

"It's a she, boss."

"She? Why would you hire a female? Don't you know..."

"Yes, boss, I know, and that's why I hired her, so you can overcome that fear." Damien sighed defeated. There is nothing he can do about it. He wanted to say something but was interrupted by the arrival of a poor-looking lady who barged into his office without knocking. Who allowed her in?

"I'm so sorry I'm late, I was..."

"Hey! Who are you?" Damien asked coldly.

"Ermm...boss, this is your new assistant."

"My new what? This lady?"

"Nice to meet you, sir." Vivian bowed embarrassed.

"I will talk to her for a while." His assistant said before he pulled her out of Damien's office whose mouth was left wide agape.

"Why are you dressed like this?"

"Dressed like this? What's bad in my dressing?"

"Really? You actually will not like to be sacked on your first day. This isn't the appropriate way to dress."

"I'm sorry, sir. I will work on it."

"You better do. You need to know something about the boss."

"I'm all ears."

"He has a habit of snapping once he's annoyed. You have to get used to it. He doesn't like contact with ladies, so help him by staying far away from him and keeping him from other ladies. He prefers his coffee very hot so make it to his taste." Vivian wondered at the weird behavior of the dominating boss.

"I will try my best."

"Good, you can take over now." Vivian bowed her head before stepping back into the office. Her eyes met with Damien as soon as she stepped in but she diverted her eyes to the ground in a hurry. Damien did not say anything and was only staring at her. Vivian began to draw an imaginary line on the ground with her worn-out shoe as she wasn't comfortable with the way he was staring at her. Her heart jumped to her mouth when she saw him suddenly appearing in front of her. She moved back instinctively, he followed, she took a step, and he took a step till she was resting her back on the wall, trapped between the wall and the cold boss. She got lost staring at his emerald eyes for a while. He stared back at her as if trying to communicate something.

"And what is your name?" His cold, deep voice sent a shiver down her spine bringing her back to reality. She fumbled for a while, trying to get a hold of herself.

"I...I'm Vivian, your new assistant."

"I did not ask the other part dumb head. Why are you dressed like this? What do you think people will say if they find your type of being as my assistant?" He asked with disgust. Vivian folded her fist in annoyance.

"I promise to do something about it, boss."

"You better do. I hope my former assistant has enlightened you on things about me."

"Yes, he has and I promise to abide by them."

"All right. That being said, let's get busy. I'm giving you today, use it to go through every document my former assistant gave you to get accustomed to our style here."

"All right, boss." Damien left Vivian making her sigh in relief. She rolled her eyes in annoyance. What she heard about her boss is true. He is scary, cold, dominating yet very handsome. Without being told, she moved out to the desk reserved for her outside her boss's office. She sat on the chair feeling fulfilled and lost in the feelings. She liked her boss, whom she could see so well from the position of her chair, only to see his eyes already on her. She gasped sitting properly on the chair.

"Cold man." She muttered as he closed the window blind with a remote. She smiled once more, bringing out her phone, taking a picture of herself, and then sending it to their best friend's group before getting down to business with the documents. This is the beginning of a new life for her.

Vivian got off work so late in the night. She yawned tiredly as she packed together the files. She wrote the documents and even did a little typing. Her boss, Damien, got off work hours ago, not even minding whether she did or not. She sighed, she needed to get used to him. She prayed profusely to at least see a transport as she checked the time. She got outside of the office looking stranded since no cab was approaching her direction. They were all private cars; she tried stopping them, though, but they just passed her as if she was invincible. She brought out her phone to talk to her mum.

"Hello, mum."

"Sweetheart, where are you? Are you not off work yet?"

I just got off work, Mum, and I'm on my way home, but I have not seen any transport for now."

"All right, be safe."

"Sure mum." She said as she hung up the call. She felt a splash on the screen of her phone. Rain!

"Rain? Oh, not yet please." She muttered worriedly, moving closer to the road to gain sight of any approaching vehicle. Without warning, the rain began its outpour leaving Vivian no choice but to go to hiding right at the entrance of the company. She decided to call Steve to pick her up.

"Hello, babe."

"Vivian... I'm busy right now."

"Please, I need you to come pick me up from the company, I'm currently stranded and..." She couldn't complete her words as Steve hung up, leaving her to decipher what just happened. She sighed, "He might be busy after all." She thought. She looked up at the rain, it doesn't look like it's gonna stop anytime soon. Still in the thoughts of what to do, a car came into sight blinding Vivian's sight with the fullness of the light. Vivian took her hands to her eyes blocking the reflection to an extent. Her brain did not even click to wave it down. The car stopped right in front of her in its own accord. Vivian looked on as the window of the car was rolled down. She held her breath. It was her boss!

"Hey, clumsy, what are you doing out there? Get in, I won't be responsible if you catch the flu." He yelled through the heavy rain. Vivian stood frozen for a couple of minutes still not able to believe if it was her boss. Damien raised his brows in confusion.

"Has the rain blocked your ear or something? Oh, maybe I should just get going and mind my business."

"No, no, no." Vivian protested rushing to open the door. She hesitated.

"But... I'm wet."

"Oh, my goodness. Get in, for fuck sake; the seat is waterproof." He yelled out of control making Vivian jump into the car. The driver drove off at a speed. Vivian sat halfway on the seat, trying not to rest her back on the chair. Damien saw this from the mirror and sighed in frustration. "So dumb." He muttered. Testing this herself and seeing that the chair was waterproof, she rested her back relaxing into the warmth the chair gave. She was jolted back by Damien's harsh voice.

"Where do you leave young lady? If this is your strategy for me to take you to my house, then you're wrong." He said making Vivian scoff in annoyance.

"What do you take me for young man? You can't just conclude on things that are not confirmed. Do you think I'm like other girls who jump at you? Next time before you speak rashly, think twice. Stop the car driver. Right now!" She uttered hotly. Even the driver was affected. He brought the car to a halt. Without saying anything or glancing at Damen, she flew out of the car slamming the door shut. Vivian took her bag over her head before running into the night. Damien's mouth was still wide open looking out into the direction she went to till she disappeared out of sight. "She's crazy." He muttered still in shock. In his entire life, no one had ever spoken to him in that manner, and this lady from nowhere opened her mouth, rendering him speechless. She seems crazier. He diverted his head to his driver who as well was shocked.

"Will you move, or you better stay to admire her a little bit more?" The helpless driver drove off not wanting to be sacked.

Vivian got home drenched from her head to the soles of her feet. She stepped into the house, shivering slightly, only to meet her drunk father muttering gibberish from the living room.

"Oh, my pre...precious daughter is a...around." He hiccupped. Vivian tried walking past him, not wanting his problem at this time, but he pulled her back, pushing her to the chair before grabbing her neck.

"Father...let me go."

"I need...need money. M...money, give me money." He said as he kept choking her leaving Vivian to gasp for breath. Her mother rushed in when she heard her daughter's gasp for breath.

"Leave my daughter, you this foolish man." She shouted with tears in her eyes trying to relieve his hand from her daughter's neck. Not able to take it again, she hit his head with a flower vase which scattered on his head. He fell unconscious to the ground with his head bleeding. Mrs Rion helped her daughter up as she was gasping desperately for breath still holding her neck. She calmed down after her mother poured bowls of water on her. She sat up, her face flushed, her neck red from the grabbing. Her mother moved closer to her holding her face tenderly.

"Are you okay, Vivian? No, you need to see the doctor?" She asked worriedly.

"I'm fine mum." She muttered painfully. She stood up as she left for her room still holding her neck.

"Stupid man!" Mrs Rion yelped angrily as she kicked her unconscious husband before leaving the room as well. Vivian got to her room looking so pale, if not for her mum's early intervention, she might probably have died. Realizing this, she sat down on her bed as tears rushed down her face. She cried tears of bitterness and pain. When will she ever be free from this?