The CEO's Contract Bride: Marriage On Paper

Natasha

It was a beautiful day indeed. The sky was so blue that it made me wonder if the sky changed overnight.

I'd never been the one to gaze at the sky or appreciate nature however, today was different, even the breeze felt friendly.

"Kenzie!" I said excitedly as I reached the receptionist's desk. She was the most friendly person I've ever met. Little wonder she had her job anyway.

"You... your hair," She whistled excitedly. I was blushing like wildfire. It felt good to get acknowledged.

"I did a little thing with it," I muttered shyly. "You have such keen eyes for details."

The ringing of the telephone interrupted Kenzie's reply so I waited. She was talking to the CEO, Bruce Stamford, a man known in the business for his charisma, appearance, and ethics.

He was the perfect gentleman in the eyes of the public but at work, he was a total workaholic. What's wrong with being a workaholic, you would ask. Well, it's really bad when it affects the employees too.

I worked three days, two nights straight the day I was hired. But then, I got paid for the stress. These wealthy people, always settling things with money.

Kenzie dropped the telephone.

"There's an emergency meeting!" Kenzie announced. "I think our boss is quite furious. His voice... you know how he sounds when he is angry."

Of course, I knew. "I guess I'll have to run over!" I told her.

"Stay strong!" Kenzie encouraged me, smiling so widely.

I rushed down to the elevator and went all the way to the sixth floor. That was where we usually had meetings.

I entered and it was a full room already. I seemed to be the last to arrive except the one who called the meeting himself... Bruce Stamford.

"He is coming!" Someone said those dreaded words and we all struggled to compose ourselves.

Bruce entered and from his countenance, I could sense danger. He didn't say 'good morning' as usual. He simply glanced at us with his piercing eyes.

"Our most recent project..." He paused, looking around. Our eyes met before he looked away and continued.

"Project Fireball. We have been preparing for a long time, haven't we?"

"Yes, boss!" We all said in unison.

"This morning, I got the rudest shock of my life," Bruce continued.

"Mac Group announced their Godzilla project this morning and I believe I need an explanation as to why their announced project is exactly like ours!"

Silence. No one muttered.

"None of you is going to respond?" Bruce said calmly. His calmness was more frightening in this situation.

Then he shouted, "None of you!" I shook in fear.

The oldest manager among us stood up carefully and asked for permission to speak. Bruce simply nodded as he glanced at the old man.

"The information must have been leaked," the manager muttered. "I checked the details and it was too detailed to be a coincidence."

"How many people had access to such detailed information?" Bruce asked.

"Five people, sir," Sam, the old manager responded. "And uh... plus your secretary, that makes it six!"

Me? I was the secretary.

"It couldn't have leaked from Natasha. It has to be within the five other people. You should..."

Bruce was saying when he got a notification from his phone. He picked it up and checked. He raised his head and looked into my eyes.

"It says a man named Michael is in charge of the project at Mac Group."

"I'm sure that Michael has a connection with one of those who knew the insider information!" Sam said confidently.

"Natasha! How about you explain?" Bruce asked me. He looked like he was boiling in anger right now.

I stood up, "Explain what?"

"You are still pretending?" Bruce muttered. "Michael is your boyfriend, is that true?"

"Michael?" I pondered. "Michael!" The realization hit me hard.

"Wait," I said quickly. "Michael is my boyfriend but... he works for Mac Group but I didn't give him any information. It wasn't me..."

"Then where did he get it from?" Bruce wanted to know. Then I realized.

I took the documents home one day and that same day, Michael had come to visit me. Still, he couldn't have done that, could he?

"I can explain..." I muttered desperately.

"Do you know how much we will lose because of your betrayal?" Bruce asked, breathing hard.

"Drop the key to the company car. You are fired!" I couldn't breathe. I felt asphyxiated.

**I met Michael at a business webinar. It must have been a year ago. I escorted Bruce and while he spoke to a foreign investor, I merely looked around with a glass of champagne in hand.

That was when he appeared. Tall, lanky, well dressed, smelled nicely, and with the cutest smile.

"You're such a beauty," He told me and made me blush. "My name is Michael and it's nice to meet you. Do you shake?"

Life with him has been a rollercoaster ever since. We started dating two weeks after we met and he seemed to be the most perfect man for me.

He was so considerate, always wanted happiness for me... At times, I wondered if he was real. He was, until NOW.

"I'd like to see an employee here. His name is Michael..." I told the receptionist.

Right now, I was at Mac Group's head office where Michael worked. I had to see him to confirm if he really stole my company's ideas. It was obvious what the answer would be though.

I was quite certain that my darling Michael would never do such a thing.

But why wasn't he picking his calls? He must be so busy with work. Why did his house seem empty when I checked earlier? He must have changed houses and thought to tell me later.

"Michael what..." The receptionist muttered.

"Reynolds," I responded.

The receptionist called a number and spoke to someone on the phone. I couldn't hear.

"He doesn't wish to see you, miss," She replied politely.

"Did you tell him who I was? My name?" I asked frantically. My heart was beating harder and the whole scenario was getting out of control.

"He told me to relay these words..." She cleared her throat. "LET'S BREAK UP."

"Whattttt!"

Bruce

Kenzie was the one who brought lunch to my office today. Seeing her reminded me of Natasha, my secretary for two years.

She had been loyal since and I wondered how she could have changed so terribly.

Kenzie was usually pleasant but today, she looked different. No doubt, everyone must have heard what happened with Natasha.

"Were you close with Natasha?" I asked her as I picked the cup of coffee. I could see Kenzie look nervous all of a sudden.

"No. No, sir," She replied frantically.

I looked at her and laughed. Of course, everyone wouldn't want to be associated with Natasha as it could cause them to lose their job.

"I checked the CCTV today. Both of you communicated nicely so I thought you might know her well..." I muttered, dropping the cup.

I stared at my fingernails, admiring how beautiful it looked. Such a meticulous being, I was.

"We only talk about work, boss. May I leave?" Kenzie asked.

I nodded and she seemed reluctant to leave. Later, she turned towards me.

"I think you should confirm if she really leaked those documents. She isn't the kind of person to do such a thing."

"Just act like you don't know her, Kenzie," I said calmly. "I might look calm on the outside but my blood boils on the inside. Now isn't the time to support the traitor."

"Yes, boss," Kenzie walked out as quickly as possible.

I picked my phone and called Kelvin, the one who took care of dirty matters.

He was my childhood friend. We attended the same school but the irony was that he was a scholarship student because his parents were so poor that they couldn't afford the expensive school fees.

My own family were the ones who funded the scholarship initiative.

While I went to study business administration in the university, I lost contact with Kelvin. Later, I found out he had joined the military.

Fate brought us together again after he was wrongfully dismissed from the military as a lieutenant. From then, he became my shadow. He was good at his job.

"About Natasha... Did you find out anything weird afterwards?" I asked over the phone.

"One of my men tailed her," Kelvin responded. "He watched her enter the head office of Mac Group." My heart sank.

"Now I know!" I exclaimed. "Baldwin must have offered her a better salary at his company. That's why she betrayed me. She went there to claim her new job."

"But..." Kelvin tried urgently.

"I have no reason to hear it!" I cut the call.

Out of anger, I slammed the phone against the wall as I paced back and forth. My fists were clenched and I was thinking about what I had to do to rid this humiliation and betrayal.

Baldwin McAllen was the CEO of Mac Group. His company was the fiercest rival of my company, Stamford Group. The competition was unhealthy and every time, Baldwin ends up using dirty means to get what he wanted.

I had always taken his jabs but this time, it had to be different.

I heard a knock on the door and before I could acknowledge, the door opened and Kenzie ran in. She was panting and she looked scared.

"There is urgent news from your grandmother, boss!" Kenzie said urgently.

"And why would my grandma call the receptionist's phone rather than me?"

I had barely finished this when I cast a look on my phone in pieces right before me. Right, I had slammed the phone by myself.

"Your grandma has collapsed!" Kenzie broke the news. I felt my heart skip a beat as well.

**How I managed to get to the hospital without an accident needed to be researched. I couldn't concentrate and the thought that my grandma, my last surving family, had collapsed got me so scared.

On arriving at the hospital, her condition had stabilized and I could breathe properly.

"Let me see you privately, Mr. Bruce," The doctor told me.

I followed him to his office and he had water served for me and my nerves cooled before he told me.

"It appears your grandmother might be dying soon."

"What!" I exclaimed.

"She has been treating cancer for a few years now. She wanted it kept from you before but I'm afraid it is at its terminal stage right now," The doctor said faintly.

"How long does she have left?" I managed to ask. I felt sick inside of me but I had to be a man.

"Three months," His voice sounded like a murmur. It felt as if my whole world had collapsed. I had difficulty breathing again.

"Are you okay?" The doctor was saying. "Mr. Bruce!"

"I'm fine," I managed to reply.

"Is there no other solution? I have money, you know that. Can't you do something? I'll pay for it no matter how expensive it is."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Bruce," The doctor added.

"I can only advise that you spend the next three months with her, fulfill her wishes, and help her leave this world in peace."

When they told me grandma was conscious, I went in to see her. I didn't cry like the six year old who usually held onto her whenever he bruised his knee.

"Are you dying?" I asked.

"I'm sorry," She replied. "Come here."

I hugged her frail body and now, I couldn't hold those tears. She teared up too and she held me in her arms like I was a baby.

"Would you do me a favor before I die?" She asked me.

"Anything!" I shrugged. She was the most precious person to me and if I couldn't save her life, I would at least honor her wishes.

"Then, I want you to get married and live happily. That's the only way I will be able to rest in peace. Can you do that for grandma?" She asked carefully.

I held her hands now and looked into her eyes.

"Your wish is my command!" I nodded with tear filled eyes.

Natasha

I walked home full of regret. All would have been well if I never accepted Michael into my life.

He came with an agenda and he was successful. He never cared about my feelings. He had the guts to dump me publicly.

"He told me to relay these words..." The receptionist cleared her throat. "LET'S BREAK UP."

Perhaps, it was possible for words to run into one's bloodstream. I could feel anger surging in me when I heard that.

I was no longer in denial but I refused to leave the place without setting my eyes on Michael. He had to show up and tell it to my face. And he did.

The moment I set my eyes on him, I could tell he had changed totally. No, he simply brought out his real self.

"You're pathetic!" He told me. "I'm done with you and I won't tolerate any more noisemaking here. Leave quietly or you'll be arrested for disruption!" Then he turned and began to leave.

"Was everything a lie?" I asked him. I hated myself for being so clingy but it wasn't easy on my part. It had been a year of investing my time and effort into loving him as hard as I could.

"It's over, that's all I have to say!" Michael retorted.

I ran towards him and blocked his path. He screamed at my face for the first time,

"What the hell are you doing!"

"Those documents you stole from me..." I began confidently. "You have to take responsibility for that. I'm out of a job now. How are you going to fix this?"

"Get away!" Michael warned, staring at me with beast-like eyes.

"Not until you take responsibility!" I replied firmly.

I had barely strengthened my resolve when he pushed me away. I fell, hitting my butt on the floor. However, I didn't give up. I held onto his right leg as I sobbed. It was hard to bear.

"Fix this!" I cried.

Michael kicked me off his body and turned towards the receptionist who had been watching us since.

"Call the security guards instantly! What are you looking at?"

In no time, the security guards came around and took me out forcefully. I was dumped outside the gates and that was when it struck me. Yes, I just got dumped.

It was upsetting that I was more saddened about the brutal breakup than losing my job. However, I knew how futile crying would be.

I went home and laid on my bed while gazing at the ceiling. Time passed by slowly.

"Hey! Are you good?" That was Marie's voice.

Marie is 26 years old, making her older than me by a year. We were good friends and we particularly made a great pair.

We were roommates from college and as our bond was so unbreakable, we remained roommates after.

She was a struggling freelancer who took remote gigs.

"Where were you? You weren't at home when I came," I said shortly after she talked to me.

"Bajie wanted me to come over. I wasn't expecting you to come now anyway. You don't look great either," Marie commented as she looked around my room.

Bajie. He was Marie's longtime boyfriend. He was a freeloader living off his elder brother. Whenever I asked why Marie had such an unambitious man as a boyfriend, she would reply by saying love meant more than ambitions. It appeared she was right.

I dated Michael and with so much ambition, he stabbed me in the back.

"You are not fine," Marie concluded. "I think only part of you is here with me. Tell me what happened. I'll listen."

I told Marie every single thing that had happened. She never made any shocking expressions while I talked. She simply listened and when I was done, she sighed.

She fucking sighed! I tell you, Marie never sighs. She believes sighing burns a lot of calories.

"What are we going to do?" Marie asked out of concern.

"I will be fine," I muttered.

"Not you," Marie corrected me.

"We need to renew our rent in a few days. What will happen now that you don't have a job. You know work hasn't been going great for me recently."

I felt like correcting Marie on her impression.

Work had never gone great for her since she was more focused on Bajie than actual work. Work had never been great, not recently, never.

"I don't know," I sighed as well.

"Let's..." "EAT!" Marie exclaimed. I laughed with her and she hopped to the kitchen. She was going to cook something for us.

** "Delicious!" I exclaimed. "The pasta tastes different. It's a new recipe, right?"

"Yes!" She answered excitedly. "I thought about it months ago and when I made it for Bajie, he seemed to love it."

"Stop talking about Bajie. Are you mocking me now that I've been dumped?" I said sadly.

I was struggling emotionally, I knew that much.

"Stop thinking about that piece of trash! The nigga came to you with bad intentions from the start. Hate him for it, don't miss him!" Marie said firmly.

Those words did nothing to lift my spirits so I just smiled weakly.

I stared at the wall clock. It was 9:46pm. As my eyes fell to the table, my phone lighted up and I heard the ringtone.

I picked up the phone and checked the caller ID. BOSS! It was Bruce Stamford.

"Who is it?" Marie was asking. I didn't answer.

I placed a finger on my lips to signal her to keep quiet. I answered the call and listened with my heart racing.

"Come pick me up! Royal bar. Got it?" Bruce ordered.

I didn't even reply before he cut the call. He sounded drunk.

"I don't think you should go," Marie told me carefully. "You've been fired today. There is no reason he would call you back unless..."

"Unless?" I turned towards her.

"It is highly unlikely he wants you back but what if that's the case?" Marie's eyes lit up. "Get dressed properly and run over!"