MY BILLIONAIRE CONTRACT MARRIAGE

Glydon's POV

I walked into the laundry room, soap lather spilling out of the washing machine onto the floor. Wet clothes were dumped all over the place. Katie sat on the cabinet, licking her paws as she swayed her tail towards the balcony.

Chris, my boyfriend, had been here a few minutes before I stepped out for work. But I stupidly forgot the project analysis I painstakingly stayed up all night working on for my presentation at the office.

"Come here, Katie." I extended my arm, helping her escape from the foamy mess Chris had made.

Where the hell is he? I wondered as I carefully stepped out of the laundry room.

I kept Katie on the floor and grabbed the document I had left behind before heading towards our bedroom. Chris wasn't in it. Just as I was about to enter the bathroom, the door opened, and Chris slipped out, all sweaty.

"Are you alright?" I asked with a frown, concerned by his sticky appearance.

"Did you forget something?" He brushed my question off, his voice a bit more off and hasty than usual.

I narrowed my eyes and stepped closer to him, suspicious of what he had done inside the bathroom.

"Is there something on my face?" he stammered, scratching the back of his head.

"Were you jerking off without me? You sticky man," I teased, wiggling my brows at him.

He laughed awkwardly and sighed. "Didn't want you to get that idea."

I chuckled, forgiving him for being a man. It's not his fault that he can't control his libido. Besides, a hot babe like me would be hard for him to resist, even in my absence.

Satisfied with the effect I had on him, I closed the gap between us and whispered in his left ear.

"How about we do it all night once I get back?"

His ears reddened, boosting my ego to the sky. He is so adorable when he blushes. I patted his shoulder and pecked him before turning around to leave.

"Don't miss me too much once I am gone, sticky man," I teased before stepping out of my apartment.

Chris and I had been in a relationship for five years. We literally knew each other like siblings. I loved him enough to shelter and care for most of his needs since he was in a bit of a tight situation. He had lost his job three months ago, and I was okay with it because he was intentional and loved me as much as I loved him.

My cab arrived just as I stepped out of the apartment complex. I still had forty minutes until my presentation.

I sat at the back of the car, revising my speech. My promotion was dependent on the project. I had toiled through sleepless nights and stressful days to have a finished product.

Five minutes later, I arrived at my office. The mood was tense, and everyone seemed to be on edge.

I briskly walked to my teammates, curious about the whole situation.

"You are so lucky you got here on time," Chloe, my desk mate, muttered in a low voice as I took my seat.

"What's with the gloomy atmosphere?" I asked, matching her sneaky voice.

"The CEO is in a bad mood. Three people just got fired because they couldn't give him a standard project brief," she said, and my heart sank into my stomach.

'Get your act together, Glyn. You are different,' I encouraged myself, even though my hands were shaking.

The CEO was known to be a ruthless work addict who loved perfection to a fault. The slightest mistake could have an entire work unit dismissed from their jobs. He never gave second chances, ever.

"Team Three, you are up next." I jolted on hearing, Mr. Han, the CEO's secretary, announces my team.

The five of us rose to our feet, with me taking the lead. We filed out of our office and down to the meeting room.

'You got this, Glyn,' I encouraged myself as I waited for our turn.

The large doors of the meeting room flung open, and a lady rushed out in tears while her team followed behind her with flattened expressions.

What happened in there?

"Our lives depend on you, Glyn," Chloe reminded me.

I flashed an awkward smile at her, then glanced at my teammates before walking into the room.

At the foot of the long table, Mr. Rognez sat with a stoic expression. Blue eyes cold enough to drown my soul in the abyss.

I turned to the projector, unsure of what to do since my hands wouldn't stop shaking. Just as I was about to connect my flash drive to the laptop on the podium, I tripped on a wire and landed face-first on the ground.

"Is this some kind of talent show?" he thundered, his voice deep with irritation.

I quickly stood and mistakenly rolled my eyes in frustration.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?" he questioned.

My throat went dry, unable to fathom words as I stared back at him. My brain searched for a reasonable answer, but nothing was coming forth. It was as if I had completely blanked out.

Without a word, I connected my flash drive to the laptop and put my project on display. Falling on my face was already embarrassing enough. The least I could do was save the team with the time left.

"Get out," he grumbled.

"No."

The word came out of my mouth before I could think. I swear I had no idea where the boldness came from.

The scowl on the CEO's forehead deepened. I knew from the start that I was screwed. Now or never, this was my only chance to set things straight.

I grabbed my project file, crossed the room to where he was sitting, and slammed the folder in front of him.

"I worked day and night to get this project done. So you are going to listen to me until I present every single word I have written down," I said firmly, even though my heart was beating like crazy.

A cynical smile pulled across his face. The next second, he was laughing as if what I had said was funny.

"You are hired," he declared.

I stared at him wide-eyed, dumbfounded by his words. "Hired?"

"You begin tomorrow." He got to his feet, buttoning up his suit jacket. "Don't disappoint me, Miss Parker."

Glydon's POV

Mindlessly, I sauntered out of the meeting room. I got hired after literally yelling at the CEO. My teammates were overjoyed by the news. But I felt something was wrong with the situation.

Did I really impress him like Mr. Han had said when I asked him earlier?

"Relax, Glyn. You are overthinking too much. What matters is that our project passed the first stage. You need to stop being pessimistic about things," Chloe said, grinning from ear to ear.

She had been jubilating since the presentation ended and boasting about how competent our team was, regardless of the fact that we literally didn't do anything impressive.

"Let's have a team dinner. Bills on me," she declared excitedly.

I couldn't help but feel relaxed. I knew how much this project meant to Chloe. So, letting her enjoy the victory was all I could give.

Plus, I would do anything to make my best friend smile.

"We should have a sleepover," she suggested.

"Okay, but not tonight. Chris and I have something special to do tonight." I blushed, thinking of another passionate night with him.

Chloe rolled her eyes and turned to her desk. She never liked Chris. Whenever I mentioned his name, she would frown and end whatever conversation we were having.

"C'mon, Chloe. You don't have to do this all the time. Soon, we will get married, and Chris will be part of our lives," I pointed out, hoping she would change her mind about him.

But Chloe was Chloe.

"Have you ever thought of Chris being honest with you?"

"We are not going to have this argument again, Chloe. Can't you just be happy for me?" I cooed.

"I love you, Glyn. But when I see a premium cheater, my gut never lies."

"Maybe your gut is wrong this time," I snapped, getting annoyed by her words.

"Fine. Maybe I am wrong. But please, don't trust him too much. I will always support your decisions no matter how bad or good they are," she said with a dismissive tone.

We gave each other a little hug of reconciliation and went back to our work.

Later in the afternoon, Mr. Han called me to the CEO's office. My heart sank into my stomach as I thought of many possibilities for being summoned.

Maybe he was going to fire me for good.

I followed Mr. Han into his office, a bit nervous as I stepped into the suffocating space that only brought tears to employees who entered.

"Boss, she is here," Mr. Han announced before stepping out.

At the window, Mr. Rognez stood in front of the ceiling-to-floor transparent glass that held a spectacular view of the city.

I stood in silence for two minutes, pondering what to say if I was asked any questions.

"How many years have you been working at Rognez Empire?" he questioned, his voice deep and void of emotion.

"Six years, sir."

"That's a good number of years."

He turned around with a glass of unfinished wine.

"Do you know why I selected your project for the next commercial season?"

He asked the question on my mind.

Honestly, I had no idea at all. The whole passing thing didn't seem reasonable to me when I didn't even present the project.

He approached me with careful steps and stopped when there was a little gap between us. I could scent his woody cologne, minty and icy, just like him.

"You wanted something different, I guess?" I shrugged my shoulders, a bit nervous that he would remember my rude behavior towards him earlier.

"Wrong."

He lifted my chin with his index finger, making me stare into his deep ocean eyes. My hair stood on end as chills ran down my body.

Why does it feel like I am being interrogated for something unusual?

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.

"What?"

He raised one of his brows, waiting for an answer.

"I...I do."

"Break up with him," he ordered.

I swatted his finger away from my chin and glared up at him.

"Excuse me?" I scoffed, taking a step back. "You have no right to question my personal life," I said curtly.

He snapped his fingers as if I had done something impressive.

"That's the attitude I need."

My brows creased together, confused by what he meant by attitude.

"I have a proposal for you. A building complex under your name, a free passport to access any country of your choice, and unlimited access to a premium black card."

He listed it all in one breath, then continued shortly.

"You will have all I have mentioned if you agree to become my contract wife for a year."

I burst out laughing. I swear, if I didn't work here, I would have thought my CEO was a clown. A contract marriage? To him? I would rather jump off a cliff than agree to become the wife of a cold-hearted perfectionist.

"The last time I checked, women with high status aren't finished in this country or the world."

I stepped closer, maintaining a safe distance between us.

"Mr. CEO, if you want a wife, go find one on your list of business partners. I am already taken."

I maneuvered towards the door, pissed off by his audacity. He barely even knew me. An ordinary employee becomes a CEO's contract wife. I must have offended the king in my past life.

"Walk out that door, and you are fired," he muttered.

I paused, stopping in front of the door.

Aggravated, I flipped my hair to the side, turned on my heels, pulled up my middle finger, then yanked the door open and left.

I trudged out of the office, ignoring Chloe, who tried to talk to me. Later, I would explain the whole situation to her.

I went straight home, hoping to meet Chris and tell him about my day.

However, when I got home, Chris already had another surprise for me.

On my couch, naked and sweaty, Chris was buried deep inside another woman.

Lucy Howard, my fucking annoying neighbor.

Glydon's POV

"What the fuck, Chris? You have been cheating on me with this bitch!" I threw my purse at him while he stood protectively in front of her.

He knew how much I hated Lucy. My fucking annoying neighbor who couldn't keep her hands to herself.

"It's not what you think, Glyn," he said, dodging my shoe thrown at him.

"I can't believe I trusted you. You son of a bitch! Get out of my house, right now!" I screamed at the top of my voice, fuming with rage from his betrayal.

Instead of leaving with his cheating slut, he posed proudly with his hands resting on his waist.

"Did you forget?" He smirked as Lucy handed him a signed paper. "I am the owner of this house, remember?"

I read the heading and cussed under my breath.

A Transfer of Property Agreement.

Two years ago, I had taken out a loan to buy the apartment and stupidly signed it under his name.

"You shameless bastard. I bought this house with my own money." I left out the part that I was still paying off the loan.

"Well, things have changed. I own this house, and you have nothing."

"I loved you, Chris."

"Oh, please, spare me that trash." He cut me off with a scowl. "Do you think I blindly fell for your tricks? I knew from the start that you were only using me to fill your pockets until I lost my job."

I stared at him, shocked and confused, unable to believe my ears. I had given up my comfort to support his dreams. I bought him a car with my first salary and even skipped my chance to leave the country, all because I couldn't abandon him when he was at his lowest.

"You will regret this!" I gritted my teeth, pained that I had foolishly loved a man who never had feelings for me. A complete waste of my five years!

Humiliated, I crossed the living room, about to enter my bedroom, when Lucy blocked my path.

"Not so fast," she snickered. "The only thing you are leaving this house with is the clothes you are wearing. That's gracious of me since you have nothing to your name anymore."

"Excuse me?"

"She is right," Chris added, taking her side. "Since I own this house, everything in it belongs to me. That's part of the contract you signed, Glydon."

"What? That's impossible."

I snatched the contract from him and read the fourth clause.

Everything within the house, including my personal belongings, automatically transfers to the owner of the house, and in any matter of dispute, the second party has no claim to anything.

"You should have read the contract thoroughly before signing it," Chris muttered in a cynical tone.

I didn't notice the clause before signing the contract. Love had made me trust him so much that I failed to realize the risk of being ignorant.

"This is inappropriate. You tricked me into signing this contract," I argued.

"What proof do you have? Besides, a contract is always a contract. No one forced you to sign it. You did so of your own free will," Lucy said with a cocky smile.

Her smile made me want to scratch it off her face. If only I could turn back time, I would kick this bastard out of my life for good.

"I made you stand, Chris. I can break you easily as well," I mumbled, digging my nails into my palm.

"Oops, sorry, but what can a wretched homeless bitch like you do? Chris got a new job as the manager of Lexie Cosmetics. What power do you have to break him?" Lucy cajoled, earning a kiss from Chris.

"If not for Lucy, I wouldn't have been able to land my new position. You heartless witch only thought about yourself. But she selflessly took out her time to get me a job," he praised her with so much admiration in his voice.

"Really? Is that what you think? Fine. You can keep the cheap house and all my property. Beggars like you need them anyway," I said, a knowing smile curving up my lips.

Lucy's face twisted with rage, giving me the joy I wanted.

"Who are you calling a beggar?" she fumed.

"You have gone too far, Glyn. This is why I never liked you. Always full of yourself and condescending to others," Chris grumbled, pointing an accusing finger at me.

Satisfied with my rage bait, I strode out of the house with my shoulders high. Chris kept yapping about his inferiority complex and how pathetic he was all because he couldn't stand my confidence. That's the only interpretation I needed.

Outside, Mr. Han stood by the entrance of the building with an entourage of black sleek cars. I raised my brows, confused by the dramatic display.

"Mr. Han..."

"Mr. Rognez has demanded your presence," Mr. Han informed me.

I rolled my eyes, exhausted by his persistence.

I had literally said no to him. Why did he keep chasing me?

"Tell him that..."

"Mr. Han."

Chris's voice echoed from behind. He pushed me aside and stood in front of Mr. Han, grinning sheepishly.

"What brought you here?"

"Don't be too hasty, Chris. It's obvious he is here to honor your new position as the manager of Lexie Cosmetics," Lucy boasted with a sleazy look on her face.

I scoffed, knowing they were about to humiliate themselves.

Mr. Han paid no attention to them. Instead, he walked past them and handed me a black card.

"Mr. Rognez has granted you access to the Westspring Villa. He will be waiting for you," Mr. Han said loudly enough for Chris and Lucy to hear.

"Westspring Villa? That's impossible. No one has ever been allowed to enter Westspring Villa. Not even a direct family member has been in it," Lucy muttered, shock evident in her voice.

"You mean the Westspring Villa that cost a fortune? There is no way someone as cheap and poor as Glydon would be granted access to the villa," Chris stated doubtfully.

I couldn't help but smirk at their bewilderment. Maybe playing around with Mr. Rognez wouldn't be a bad idea.

"Alright, Mr. Han. I will go with you, but under one condition," I affirmed, determination inherent in my voice.

"And what would that be?"

A deep voice interrupted the atmosphere, causing heads to turn in his direction.

Mr. Rognez stood tall in his black, creaseless suit, leaning against his black, limited-edition Maybach. His aura was filled with authority and power.

In three steps, he closed the distance between us.

I leaned in and whispered clearly enough for only him to hear.

"You want a wife, right? Then buy me this entire building, and I will sign the contract."

"That's all?"

He snapped his fingers at Mr. Han.

Without hesitation, he ordered, "I buy the apartment complex and have it put under Miss Parker's name."

"What!" Lucy yelled while Chris stood in shock, speechless like a fool.

In seconds, the entire fifty-two-apartment building became mine.

With a smug smile on my face, I strode up to Chris and said, "Now, I am your landlady. Hope you can keep up with the rent."

Satisfied with the pathetic look on Chris's face, I went back to Mr. Rognez and left for Westspring Villa.