Marriage Contract: Love Game With CEO

"Don't be so stiff. Lean in closer!" the photographer ordered as he held his camera in his hand.

Mary Lu leaned against the man uneasily.

"Smile." The photographer frowned. He waved his arms around exasperatedly, not satisfied with all the photos that he had taken. "Wedding photos are supposed to be happy and sweet. Relax!"

Well, this wedding was anything but... She didn't even know what the man next to her looked like now. He probably had an indifferent face.

Mary Lu forced a smile into her face as she stared directly at the camera. Soon, the photos were finally taken. The three of them sighed in relief.

When she walked out, Mary Lu could hear the photographer complaining to himself, "I've never seen such a strange couple. They may look like a match, but they act as if they'd just met!"

Mary Lu sighed and shook her head. She really wanted to act natural, but was there really anything natural about the situation that she had just gotten herself into?

Was this marriage anything to be proud of? The only reason she was getting married in the first place was all because of a contract!

It turned out a marriage certificate was also very cheap. In fact, it only cost them nine dollars.

It was drizzling when they got out. Unfortunately, the two of them didn't bring umbrellas.

"Where are you going?" William Lan asked. He was now Mary Lu's husband, especially since they already got their marriage certificate all sorted out.

"Let's go home first." Mary Lu stared at the grey sky. Droplets of rain slid down her cheeks. "I can go back myself."

"What about your mother? Should we go and see her?"

She slowly shook her head. "She's still in a coma. You can go ahead with your work," she said almost bitterly, but he didn't really mind.

"Okay. I'll go back to the company first." Without another word, William Lan strode towards the luxury car across the road. Although Mary Lu didn't know how much it cost, she could tell it was extremely expensive from other people's envious gaze.

Without looking back, he slipped inside the car.

Mary Lu was still in a daze as she watched his retreating figure.

She remembered the first day she met him.

That day, Mary Lu was called into the CEO's office. She was just an assistant manager of the Public Relations Department. Why did the CEO suddenly want to see her? Had she done something wrong?

Filled with anxiety, she entered his office. It was the first time she came to meet her boss, William Lan. At a closer look, he looked like a man without flaws.

He was incredibly tall with a well-defined jaw line. He pursed his thin lips. There was something about his eyes that drew her in. After looking into them for a long time, she felt as if she was falling into an abyss. He was wearing a black suit which highlighted his built figure, but she thought that he would look more suitable in blue.

"Are you Mary Lu? The assistant manager of the Public Relations Department?" William Lan said calmly, holding a document in his hand. He stood up and walked to her side. "It's stated that two years ago, your mother had been diagnosed with cancer. Your father has even abandoned both of you. Are you experiencing a hard time?"

What did he just say? Mary's jaw dropped as she stared at the man standing before her.

'How could a CEO be so concerned over a lowly employee? Did he perform an investigation about me?'

"Thank you for your concern, Sir. I'll be fine," Mary said calmly, trying not to be affected by his words.

"Are you sure?" William leaned against the corner of his table. "What about the treatment fees that you owe to the hospital? Even with your part-time jobs, I don't think that's enough for you to pay them back. At least not until a few more years."

Mary blinked, stumbling backwards. "How did you know all of this?" she demanded. "Are you investigating me? What the hell are you up to?"

William wasn't affected by her demanding questions as he fixated his sharp eyes onto her. "Yes. There was an investigation," he openly admitted. "I want to make a deal with you."

"A deal? What deal?"

"Marry me, and I'll pay all your mother's medical expenses." William didn't even pause.

"Well, I'm not interested." Mary was about to turn around and walk away.

"Are you sure?" She froze.

There was something in his question

that made her hesitate. Her marriage had always been something that her mother was worrying about.

Mary winced at the thought of her mother on the hospital bed. The doctor had told her that her mother could only last a few more months. If she faked her own marriage, then she might be able to fulfill her mother's dying wish.

Mary's nails dug into her palm. "What should I do?"

"I have a contract right here. You can have a look." When she turned, he handed her a few papers. "Everything's clearly written. In fact, you don't even have to do anything. You're my wife by name only. Everything you do should be coordinated with me, obviously, in case if we share any sparring viewpoints."

Mary looked over at the contract uncertainly.

Seeing as she still had doubts, William waved his hand. "You can think it over and give me your answer tomorrow. If you don't have anything else you want to say, then you can go."

"Wait. Why do you want to do this? What benefits will you get from this?" she demanded.

He shrugged. "You don't have to know that. All you need to do is consider what's best for you."

That ass! 'He thinks he can rule the world!' she thought.

Without another word, she turned on her heel and left. When Mary returned to her desk, she opened the contract. It was indeed short and concise.

The marriage would only be for one year. Although they were required to live together, sexual intercourse was prohibited. The man would be responsible for all living expenses and her mother's treatment. He would also compensate her with a monthly salary of a hundred thousand dollars. The marriage would be public, and the woman would be asked to cooperate with him in important events.

Gazing at the contract, Mary was completely dumbfounded. With so much money, all the problems in her life would simply disappear. Not only would her mother receive better treatment, but she also didn't have to work until midnight. It wouldn't even harm her, but was it really just that simple? As she was hesitating, her phone rang. It was from the hospital. She gritted her teeth and answered, "Hello?"

"Is this Mary? Your mother is in bad condition. She has been sent to the emergency room. Come prepared."

"What?" she shrieked. "I'll be right there. Doctor Cao, please do whatever you can to save my mother."

"We'll do our best."

Mary rushed to the hospital that day. Fortunately, when she arrived, the doctors had informed her that her mother was already stable. Her shoulders sagged in relief. She gazed at her mother's limp body through the glass window as a surge of warmth soared through her system.

"Miss Lu," the doctor beside her uttered, and she turned around.

"Dr. Cao, I can't thank you enough."

"There's no need. This is what we do." He smiled. "But there is a problem with your mother's medical fees. I don't want to urge you about this given your mother's state, but..."

"Dr. Cao, I understand. I'll pay the fees in three days," Mary said firmly, already making the decision in her heart.

After walking out of the hospital, Mary took out her phone and dialed William's number. "I promise to sign the papers. I just need the money first..." There was a pause before Mary nodded. "Thank you."

Mary had just sold herself to the devil.

She stopped, shaking her head at the memory. As soon as she looked up, she could see that William was still looking at her in his car.

Although he was already thirty, he was still pretty fit. In fact, he had assets worth around a hundred million dollars and he was also extremely handsome. Why would such a golden bachelor ask her to fake a marriage with him?

Seeing as he had already left, Mary pursed her lips and shook her head. There was no use to think about such details. She should just mind her own business.

The hospital was the last place she wanted to go to, but she arrived there again in hopes that her mother's condition had gotten better. She was hoping that her mother would wake up and see that her daughter had completed her dying wish.

Mary walked into the hospital and headed over to her mother's enclosed room. She had already gotten used to staring at her mother through the glass window.

For the past year, her mother had slipped into a coma. She knew in her heart that her mother didn't have much time left. 'Mom, you have to wake up please. I have yet to tell you the good news, ' she thought as she placed her hand onto the glass, hoping that her mother could hear her pleas.

After watching at her mother for an hour, Mary had already given up on the idea that her mother would wake up today. She shook her head, and walked away.

Suddenly, as she turned, Mary bumped into someone by accident. When she looked up, she caught sight of a delicate woman and an elegant man. It seemed as if she had met them from somewhere, but she just couldn't tell where.

The man was holding onto the woman, shooting Mary a glare.

"I'm sorry," Mary quickly apologized.

"Watch your damn way! What the hell?" Although the woman's voice was charming, the same couldn't be said with the profanities that had slipped out of her mouth.

'Is my luck really that bad?' Mary thought, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. She consciously moved to the side to pave way for the couple.

Her mother had always taught her not to waste her time in fighting other people.

"Nancy, let's go to the doctor, okay? Didn't you say that you feel uncomfortable?" the man said softly, finally stepping in between them. At the man's voice, the woman's arrogance disappeared in an instant. She shyly held the man's arm and strutted away, not even bothering to look back.

Mary snorted quietly. It was time for her to go home.

As she walked away, she didn't see that the man had turned and shot her a meaningful look before disappearing into the crowd.

Mary went back home. At least, it was her home for the time being while her marriage certificate was still valid.

The house was located in the Kylin International Community at the center of the city. It had twenty floors. The South Wing was facing the sea, while the West Wing was near to the mountains. It was modern yet still so close to nature.

Mary was ecstatic to see such a luxurious place. She had never lived in such a good house ever since her father had abandoned them.

However, it was obvious that this wasn't William's actual house. All the furniture was new, and there was no one. Absolutely no one. At this point, Mary wasn't surprised. Being the CEO of such a large company, William wouldn't return till late at night.

'What about food?' she suddenly thought as she scoured through the kitchen.

Even then, she couldn't find anything. It seemed that the refrigerator needed to be stacked up. Mary went out to the supermarket to find food that was convenient to cook. Given that she didn't know how to cook, she settled for things that were more instantaneous. Soon enough, she returned to the mansion with bags of frozen dumplings, instant noodles, and a few snacks to keep her busy.

As soon as she entered, the phone rang. She rushed over to the living room and answered, "Hello?"

"It's me." A low voice came from the other end of the line.

"Um...who are you?" Mary furrowed her eyebrows.

William gaped before rubbing the space between his eyebrows. This woman was truly testing his patience.

"This is William."

"Oh, it's you." Mary flushed. "What's up?"

"I won't be going home tonight."

"Okay." 'He really is polite, isn't he?' Mary thought.

There was a moment of silence as both of them struggled to speak.

"Then..."

"Then..."

The two of them had spoken at the same time.

"You first," William stated.

"N–nothing," she stuttered out. "I'll hang up now."

"Don't stay up too late."

"Got it. You too..."

Before she could finish her words, he already hung up the phone.

'I may have praised him too soon, ' she thought, glaring at the phone in her hand.

Even then, Mary couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment. Today was supposed to be her wedding night after all. Although it was fake, she still felt a bit down.

With a bowl of instant noodles in her hand, Mary curled up on the sofa and watched a variety show. She stared at the TV screen. At the glassy look in her eyes, no one could tell what she was thinking.

The AJ Group was founded in 2000. Its main business included real estate, clothing lines, entertainment, and many more. In fact, it was a company that dabbled in different industries, and it had excelled in every one of them. The company had developed so fast, and it was all thanks to William, the AJ Group's CEO. He was already so great at what he was doing, so why did he have to ask her to marry him?

'No. Just mind your own business. What are you even thinking?' she thought suddenly. Shaking her head, Mary turned her attention back to the TV.

The dim yellow light in the ceiling sent such homey vibes around the household. It was a shame that she had to spend the night all by herself.

Meanwhile, the lights in the CEO's office were also turned on.

With a glass of red wine in his hand, William stood near the French window and looked at the lights that spread across the city. Even at the sight of the bustling city, he couldn't help but feel as if something was missing. He downed his drink in a second.

A part of him couldn't help but feel disappointed in himself in hanging up the phone. It was the first time he had reported his whereabouts to someone in years. William was still so new to all of this.

While he was deep in his thoughts, the door behind him was pushed open. Soon enough, he could see a man's figure reflecting on the window. William frowned.

It was the man who Mary had run into back at the hospital.

"Why are you drinking all alone? Shouldn't you be celebrating your wedding night?" the man mocked.

"You know why I got married. Are you really going to mock me every time you see me?" William snapped.

"Well? How do you feel?" He walked towards William. The two stood side by side.

"If I did feel something, do you think I'll still be here tonight, Frank?"

There was silence between the two men

as they gazed at the open night.

"What do you think awaits us in the future?" Frank Liang asked.

"Honestly? I don't know."

"My parents have been urging me to have a baby," Frank Liang noted. That day, he had accompanied his wife to the hospital for a physical examination.

"If you get married, it's expected that you have a child," William responded.

"Well, in this life or the next, at least we have each other to mourn over."

Frank Liang smirked before suggesting, "Or we could always go abroad."

"Knowing our fathers, I doubt they would let us."

Frank Liang laughed bitterly as he drank the remaining ounces of his wine. There were just some nights that were destined to be lonely.

As soon as Mary woke up, she breathed in the fresh air. She stretched herself and got up to get dress.

As soon as she got into the company, the assistant of the CEO already called her up to tell her that William was looking for her. Without another word, Mary rushed into his office on the thirty-second floor.

She knocked on the door.

"Come in," William replied lowly.

"Sir, what can I do for you?" Mary walked in, bowing her head respectfully.

Looking up from the pile of documents, he stared at her. Her black business suit hugged her curves in all the right places. Her dark hair was tied up, showing more of her soft features.

"Mr. Lan?" she asked him again.

"Call me by name from now on," he responded.

After a short pause, she nodded.

"Then Mr.– I mean William." Mary corrected herself quickly.

"I'll find a new job for you," he said.

"What? But I did such a great job in the Public Relations Department!" She waved her hands up in the air.

"What I've given you is an order, not a suggestion." As he signed his name onto the documents, he said, "From now on, you'll be my personal assistant."

Oh my God! Did she just hear him right? William had never chosen a female personal assistant. In fact, his office was rarely open to women. Why would he choose her to be his assistant?

"Don't think too much," he snapped. "It's in the contract."

"But I haven't been an assistant. I haven't done any training yet," she stuttered out.

"Then it's time for you to learn, isn't it?" He cocked up an eyebrow.

"Fine." There was a short pause before she spoke up again, "What about the salary?"

"It will be more than your present sala–"

"Got it." She nodded her head rapidly, not even giving him a chance to finish his words. As long as she could get more out of this, then she was fine with anything! When he shot her a glare, she immediately shut up.

"Get back to your work. I'll tell you the details once I get home."

"Um, will you be going home tonight?" Mary asked suddenly, eyeing him.

"Yes." He didn't even raise his head.

"Okay. I'll be going back now."

"Wait a minute," he said, stopping her right on her tracks. "I–I slept in the company last night."

"What?" Mary could already feel her heart beating so fast that she was afraid that it might burst right out of her chest at any moment. 'Is he explaining himself to me? Why do I feel so happy?' Shaking off her thoughts, she allowed a smile to thread across her lips as she nodded.

"Okay." With a flushed face, she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her gently.

As if by a switch, all of her politeness had disappeared almost completely. She jumped in joy as she punched the air excitedly. "My salary's going up!" she whispered excitedly, looking like a kid who was just told that Christmas would come early.

William raised his head silently and gazed at her lively figure. The corners of his lips inched up into a smile, and he didn't even notice it.

In the past two days, Mary had been preparing her handover.

As long as the gossip regarding the popular star, Victor Qiao, that represented the AJ Group was solved, then it would be all fine and dandy.

'Damn you, Victor, ' Mary thought, cursing the star. Right now, there was a big headline that was slapped across every tabloid reading, "Victor, a rising new star, was caught with a model late at night!" It even had his pictures and everything!

Mary was furious, but had no choice but to deal with it. Why were men such womanizers?

"What are you doing?"

A low voice came from behind her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

She screamed, almost falling from her chair. Her face was drained of all color as she glared at William. "Would it hurt for you to make a sound? Holy shit! You scared the hell out of me!"

He stared at her emotionlessly as if he didn't get why she was frightened.

As she stared into his eyes, she could feel the atmosphere around them dropping by a few degrees.

"I–I was working, so I didn't hear you... And..."

Mary found herself at a loss for words as she smiled awkwardly at the man in front of her.

William glanced at the newspapers on the table, frowning. It was Victor Qiao. The man was trouble, that was for sure. "Is the news difficult to deal with?"

"Huh?" It took her a few moments to realize that he was referring to the article. "It's difficult, especially since the news was so recent. We can only reduce negative impact for now."

"Right." William nodded before peering at her. "Can you cook?"

"No." Mary gazed up at him, widening her eyes. "Well, the contract didn't specify that I should cook, so I thought..."

Hearing that, William was speechless. He felt as if he had just married an idiot. She wasn't like this in the company. In fact, he thought that she was incredibly capable. He shook his head. Did he make a mistake?

"Um...you haven't eaten yet?" she asked with uncertainty.

"No, I haven't." William crossed his arms.

"I haven't eaten either. How about we eat outside?"

"No." William was stubborn.

"How about I go buy some ingredients and cook?" Mary decided to ask cautiously.

William snorted and said nothing. As an assistant manager of the Public Relations Department, Mary knew all the cues from studying people's expressions. If she didn't understand what William meant, then she might as well just call herself incompetent.

A wide smile entered her lips. "I'll be back soon. Is there anything you want to eat?"

"Anything is fine," he replied flatly.

"Okay, I'll be going now." Mary changed her clothes and rushed to the supermarket.

Seeing her out, William strode into the restroom at ease.

Mary complained her entire way to the market. 'It's not that I don't have the ingredients. It's just that I can only cook the Spicy and Sour Shredded Potato! What the hell am I going to do now?'

It was all William's fault. She was so afraid of him that she didn't even know what else to do.

After choosing for a long time, she found herself grabbing a handful of potatoes. Before going back home, she rushed into a restaurant to buy some well-cooked food.

When she arrived, William was taking a shower. As she heard the running water from the bathroom, Mary couldn't help but let her thoughts wander on how William looked. His bronze muscles mixed with moist air and droplets of water...

"Shit!" Mary scolded herself. This wasn't the time to think of him!

Immediately, she peeled and sliced the potatoes without any delay. She arranged all the dishes at ease before waiting for William to come out of the shower. Seeing all the food lined up, Mary almost felt like home.

Warmth glowed in her heart.

"Is dinner ready?" William walked out, rubbing the back of head.

"Yeah." Mary turned around.

However, she couldn't help but let her eyes wander at the bathrobe he was wearing. The wide bathrobe didn't do a good job in covering up his well-built stature. 'Holy shit, ' she thought, shaking her head.

"Dinner's ready."

William wrinkled his nose as he stared at the dishes on the table. "Where did you buy them? Didn't you say that you would buy ingredients and cook?" he demanded.

"It was already too late for me to cook, plus, I made those shredded potatoes," Mary said carefully as she motioned to the only dish that was prepared by her. It felt as if she was reporting her work to her boss. Sweat dribbled down her forehead.

Without saying anything more, William sat down. They began to eat.

The chef at the restaurant she had ordered in was very good.

The Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet was the best thing she had ever tasted!

The two of them ate quietly. The only sound that echoed in the room was the sound of their bowls and chopsticks knocking against one another. William was only eating the shredded potatoes in front of him, while Mary ate the other dishes presented on the table.

"You cooked the potatoes well," he complimented.

"Thank you." She smiled faintly. 'I can only cook that dish. If I didn't cook that well enough, what would become of me?' she thought.

"You..." he started, wanting to say that she had a good appetite, but he stopped himself.

"What?" Mary raised her head.

"Nothing." William shook his head, deciding to swallow his words.

"Well..." Mary kept silent for a while before saying, "I actually wanted to ask you something."

"Say it,"

he said lightly. "Why did you ask me for a fake marriage? And don't give me that 'mind your own business' crap. I deserve a reason."

William darkened. After a long while, he said, "It's because you won't bring me any trouble."

"Um..." The corners of her mouth twitched. "I don't quite understand."

"You're single and pretty. You also need my money. In short, you fit my standards very well," he said seriously.

Cold sweat dripped down her forehead. "Thank you for your praise, Mr. Lan."

"You're welcome." Wiping his mouth, he stood up. "Come to the study once you clean up."

"Okay." Mary nodded. 'Not only am I his nominal wife, but I'm also his nanny, ' she thought bitterly.

In the study, William had busied himself in reading the documents presented on his desk.

She knocked on the door.

"Come in." His voice reverberated across the room.

"I'm here," she said. "What do you want to say?"

"I want to announce our marriage in public tomorrow. Do you have any objections?" he asked, leaning back onto his seat.

"No." She shook her head. 'I'm already earning from you. I might as well do as you say.'

"From now on, we're a couple, got it?"

William stretched out his hand as if he wanted her to shake on it. Startled, Mary grasped his hand, surprised by how warm it was.

They shook their hands. "Pleasure doing business with you."