Until Midnight Said Otherwise

Her black heeled boots clicked against the polished floor as she walked towards a neatly arranged table. Lisa had agreed to meet Luis, her childhood friend, after he assured her of his discretion. Immediately, their eyes locked, and she plastered a weak smile on her face.

When Luis waved with a charming smile of his own, she felt nostalgia creep up her spine. Yet, before their conversation could even begin, the atmosphere shifted as a figure loomed in the doorway, glaring hard at her.

Arthur Brook.

Lisa's breath caught in her throat as her eyes widened in disbelief. What was he doing here? How did he find her? And why now, of all times?

Without a word, Arthur approached their table, his presence attracting respect in the room. Heads turned to know who he was.

Ignoring Lisa's bewildered expression, he turned to Luis. "What are you doing with my wife?"

The word echoed in Lisa's mind, sending shockwaves through her senses. Wife? She glanced at Luis, who equally mirrored her confusion, before turning back to Arthur, searching for answers in his intense gaze.

"Are you married?" Luis asked Lisa calmly, but she could feel the storm beneath his composure.

Before anyone could react, Arthur motioned for his bodyguards to intervene, and within moments, Luis was high in the air, ready to be removed forcibly from the restaurant.

"What the hell–" Luis didn't get to finish his words. As he was roughly escorted out of the restaurant, his protests were drowned out by Arthur's presence. A commotion broke out in the restaurant as everyone began to take pictures of what was happening.

"Clear the restaurant." Arthur simply ordered his bodyguards, who then began to ask everyone to leave.

"That's not fair! You can't throw us out..." A man began to protest. He gulped when Arthur didn't even spare him a glance.

"I already have. Now scram!" Arthur Brook thundered, watching in satisfaction as the man stormed off, humiliated beyond his imagination.

Lisa remained rooted in her seat. She wanted to flee, to escape the piercing gazes and whispers that now surrounded her. But she couldn't move because, no matter where she went, Arthur Brook would find her.

As the commotion died down, Arthur dragged a seat opposite Lisa. Unfortunately, she couldn't read his demeanor. She suddenly found her voice. "What's the meaning of this–?" Her words trailed off when Arthur didn't answer immediately. Instead, he motioned for the bodyguard to bring a briefcase to their table. Lisa watched in silence as the briefcase was placed in front of her, her heart pounding in her chest. What was he up to now?

With a flick of his wrist, Arthur opened the briefcase, revealing a stack of documents neatly arranged inside. Lisa's brow furrowed as she glanced at the papers.

"I don't like where this is going..." Lisa muttered.

Arthur reached into his pocket and pulled out a small ring case, placing it on top of the documents with a soft thud. Seeing she refused to reach out to the case, Arthur decided to help her. He opened the case, revealing a dazzling diamond ring within.

"What... what is this?" She stammered lamely, her eyes widening with each passing moment.

Arthur leaned forward, his gaze intense as he locked eyes with her. "We're getting married, Lisa Ryan."

Lisa felt dizzy as she processed his words. Married? To Arthur Brook? It seemed impossible, yet here they were, on the edge of a life-changing decision.

This was not what she had expected, not at all. Lisa opened her mouth to protest, but Arthur cut her off before she could utter a word.

"It's only because of the child," he explained. "I need to protect my reputation, and this is the only way."

"The only way?" Lisa blinked uncontrollably. "Don't you care about my reputation?"

"I don't." Arthur deadpanned.

How did she get into this situation? Her worst mistake was breaking her own rules-sleeping with Arthur Brook.

********

A few weeks ago, Lisa Ryan was the female lead 'love for hire' contractor. Her life seemed perfect and etched in gold until that fateful Monday morning.

Her assistant, Stephanie, had mistakenly scheduled 15 ''love for hire' clients. While knowing the emotional turmoil that came with acting as dates for disgusting pot-bellied billionaires, Jeremy Stone, the owner of "Love for Hire," refused to let her back down.

"It's a good day," Jeremy had remarked, looking at her expectantly. "How many clients do you have today?"

Lisa paled, turning to Stephanie urgently. "How many?"

A quick glance at her notebook had Stephanie hesitating. "Fifteen clients today." She admitted.

Lisa herself laughed in disbelief as she reached for the schedule note. "How could you schedule everything today?!"

"It wasn't my fault," Stephanie mumbled, but her voice was soft with guilt. "You said you wanted the whole clientele for the week today."

"And you didn't care to tell me?" Lisa shot back. "When did I ever say something like that?"

Well, nothing came to mind.

"You know what?" she sighed. "Hand me the schedule; let me see if I can cancel it."

"No." Jeremy's timely intervention brought their conversation to an abrupt halt.

Lisa had almost forgotten that her boss was still there. He collected the note from Stephanie, his gaze scanning the contents with a thoughtful expression.

"You can't cancel them. How much time is there between each appointment?"

"Thirty minutes, starting now." Stephanie replied quietly, avoiding Lisa's deadly glare. If only eyes could kill.

"You are our best staff. Don't disappoint me." Jeremy said sternly. In other words, he meant: "Attend to all fifteen clients today."

Lisa's response to his words was robotic. Once Jeremy was out of sight, she turned to Stephanie. "Who is my client?"

"Roland Emmerich."

Lisa froze.

Just then, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. Lisa's expression widened with realization. She remembered the drunken conversation from a frustrating Friday night.

A client had torn her dress to rape her. It was after she escaped that she decided to drown her sorrows in alcohol.

She would never forget the name of the man who nearly raped her all in the name of clientele-Roland Emmerich.

What does he want now?

Meanwhile at the Brook's Mansion...

"Get married, or I'll give your inheritance to your sister!" Rosalind Brook announced that same Monday morning.

As the heir to one of society's most influential families, the man's future was tied to the traditions and expectations of his duties.

"Mom, you know the reason why I can't do what you're asking."

The man tensed when Rosalind placed a hand on his shoulder, sensing what she was about to say.

"It's been five years since Cecil died," she reminded him softly. "You can't stay in the past forever. It's time to move forward, for your sake and for ours."

With a final pat, she disappeared around a corner, leaving the man to his emotions.

The man's name was Arthur Brook, heir to the multi-dollar technology company, ACHTECH. Arthur felt trapped as he realized that his days of flirting were slowly coming to an end. But he wasn't eager to part with such a way of life.

"You know she's right." A voice said.

Arthur turned to his father, who appeared with a grave expression.

"You always support her." Arthur spat bitterly.

Fernando Brook scoffed. "For your good."

Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose. "Dad..." he was about to say when Mr. Fernando Brook interrupted.

"It's no longer in my hands," he admitted. "Your mother wishes to see you settled, and I stand by her decision. It's time to make a choice, Arthur. The easy way or the hard way." He walked away without giving Arthur a single choice.

"It's your fault, you know," Rita Brook suddenly said, appearing from nowhere.

Startled, Arthur almost tripped. "What the hell, Rita?" He should have known by now that his sister was delighted to see him this way.

"If you can't find someone to bring home, why not hire someone? Can't be that hard, can it?"

Arthur's brow furrowed in confusion. "Rita, I am in no mood for your jokes." He opened the fridge to get a drink. But the suggestion was beginning to form a seed in his mind.

Rita bristled. "I am serious!"

Arthur slammed the fridge shut. "What do you mean, bring someone home?" he asked nonchalantly. With the corner of his eyes, he watched his sister roll her eyes to the heavens.

"You're Arthur Brook!" she reminded him impatiently, her hands tapping the counter with every word. "Surely you can afford to hire a fiancee if need be. If you are willing to listen, I can help you."

Help me? Arthur thought mischievously. A smile played at the corners of his lips as he considered Rita's proposal.

"You know, Rita," he began, his tone filled with amusement. "This might be the first time you've actually made sense."

Rita's pride was momentarily dampened by Arthur's backhanded compliment, and instead of responding, she squared her shoulders. What gave her anger away was her twitching eyes.

"Duh, I am the owner of a design company. It takes more than just beauty to run a successful business."

"Where can I find someone like you for this plan?" Arthur requested as nothing came to mind for the fake fiance operation.

"Someone like me?" Rita's laughter rang out through the room as she leaned casually against the polished marble counter. "So I'm right, you do need me." she declared, her eyes dancing with mischief.

Arthur sighed. "I am in a tight spot, and none of my girlfriends will agree to this shitty plan." He wasn't even ready to commit to a fake relationship with any of his girlfriends.

Arthur didn't like the stare of pity Rita gave him.

"I don't want the birthright," she finally said with a shrug. "It's just too much of a hassle. How could I possibly manage a designer company and our parents' assets? I'd age a decade in a day. It suits you much better."

Arthur couldn't help but chuckle at his sister's dishonest words. He knew Rita was hardworking and could work well under pressure.

"Alright, so you're saying you'll support me then?" He asked.

Rita merely grinned as she tapped away on her phone, her fingers dancing across the screen with practiced ease.

"I've already booked you with the best in the city," she announced proudly, thrusting the phone toward Arthur with a proud smile. "Take a look at her ratings."

Arthur's eyes widened as he peered at the screen, his gaze falling upon the image of a striking Asian woman named Lee.

"Lee?" he murmured. Odd name for a beautiful woman. "This lady is for hire?"

Rita nodded enthusiastically, her smile widening at his shocked reaction. "That's her," she confirmed. "Lee is ready to play the role of your fiancée. All you have to do is meet her at the hotel address I'll send to you." She tapped away on her phone once more, her grin growing wider with each passing moment. She was up to something, and Arthur was sure of it.

"Now!" she announced, her eyes sparkling with excitement. A message popped up on Arthur's phone.

"How did you arrange all of this?" He asked, picking up his phone. "Does she even know who I am? And what exactly am I supposed to do with her?"

Rita let out an exasperated groan. "Arthur, today is not just about you," she scolded gently, like Arthur was three years old. "You're acting dumber than I thought. Lee is a professional contract lover. She is the best, and I've already sent her your fake details. Now, if you want to claim your birthright, you'll go on that date."

Arthur felt unsure for a moment. "Are you sure she doesn't know who I am?"

"Unless you reveal it to her, she won't know."

"Fine," Arthur resigned... reluctantly. "But if anything goes wrong, I'll hold you responsible. I haven't forgotten about Vincent." Now, thinking about it, Vincent wasn't actually Rita's fiancee. She must have requested his services through this same app.

How pathetic.

Rita's eyes widened in horror. "You wouldn't dare!"

But Arthur's smirk told her otherwise. His eyes twinkled mischievously as he delivered the final blow.

"What? Did you really think I wouldn't find out?"

As if she just remembered, Rita suddenly became serious, ignoring his earlier tease. "One more thing, Arthur. Don't fall in love with her or sleep with her."

Arthur snorted. He would never do the first part, but he was curious about the second. He would very much love to do that. "Why?"

"Because she will never love you back, and... she will lose her job."

Three hours later, Lisa had found herself drowning in the chaotic world of her date with Roland Emmerich at a high-profile art gallery.

The unexpected appearance of Roland's wife added an unpleasant twist to the evening, leaving Lisa to fix the problem even as the woman kept pouring alcohol on her dress.

That was the only dress she owned. Saved by the owner of the restaurant, Lisa retreated to her car, blinking furiously to hide the tears in her eyes. Sebastian, her driver, could only watch her from the rear mirror. When he opened the door, Lisa raised her head up like she hadn't been crying.

But her eyes were so puffy...

"How many are remaining?" Lisa demanded. She just wanted to crawl inside a hole and never come out.

"One more," Stephanie replied with guilt.

If it was just a client, Lisa didn't want anything to do with them.

"Cancel it. Sebastian, take me home," Lisa announced. Her bed called to her.

"No!" Stephanie suddenly screeched, causing Sebastian to slow down. "I don't think so."

Lisa turned her angry eyes on Stephanie. "What's going on?"

"There's a lot of zeros."

That explanation was tempting enough for Lisa to change her mind. A lot of zeros could spare her humiliation for the next three months. Maybe enough to buy her freedom.

"I don't care." she said instead. The humiliation tonight was enough.

"Please, boss will be unhappy. We may lose our jobs." Stephanie pleaded, but Lisa's dismissal was swift.

To her, today's drama was enough.

However, before she could ask Sebastian to continue the ride, her phone rang. Seeing Jeremy's ID number, she reluctantly picked it.

His angry voice startled her. She shifted the phone away from her ears, her displeasure obvious, as Jeremy rambled on about the importance of keeping the promises made to clients.

"But, sir... I can't afford to take on any more clients. It's 9 already," Lisa protested. She just wanted to go home and never try this again.

Jeremy's response was uncompromising. "No." He then hung up, leaving her with no room for further arguments.

Lisa sighed in defeat. "Tell me the details of the last client,"

"It was scheduled this morning. But the time for the date was 8:30 p.m. You are thirty minutes late. This is why I was unsure, because it was approved by the boss." Stephanie said in one breath. "He must be someone young and important."

Someone young and important? All her clients were important, but old. Yet Jeremy was extremely cautious with this client.

That made Lisa curious about the man behind the profile.

"And he isn't married yet? Just how many girls have hired their services from our company?" Lisa asked out loud.

She was amused. How desperate was this man for her services?

Stephanie gasped. "None. You are the first."

*

Lisa stood before the restroom mirror, preparing to assume her second character as Lee. She had a feeling this night would change everything she knew. After all, it was her first time meeting a young contractor... It felt scary.

Yet, she wore her mask with confidence and stepped out of the female restroom. She scanned the room for a certain white t-shirt and gray flannel trousers. His choice of clothing was as weird as it was expensive.

At the bar, she saw him sitting alone, his gaze fixed on a clear liquid swirling in his glass.

When she approached, her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him-tall and undeniably attractive, even in his casual clothes. It showed how very uninterested he was in meeting her.

Well, Lisa herself wasn't pleased to meet him. A man dressed like this didn't appeal to her. She could bet he was the pompous type, waiting for women to fall at his feet.

She vowed never to be such a woman.

***

An hour before their meeting, Arthur Brook paced the lobby of a hotel with restlessness. His thoughts were consumed by the scheduled meeting. He has never had to wait for a woman before, and she was supposed to be here before him. He glanced at the black clock hung on the wall for the fifth time. She was running late! He muttered anxiously to himself.

"I need a drink." He decided, heading towards the bar. It wouldn't be nice anyway if she met him this eagerly.

Just then, Arthur turned to see a figure approaching him, he was taken aback by her presence. With each step, she radiated grace and confidence that exceeded his expectations. Who was this woman? Her soft features, gentle green eyes, and warm smile captivated him, filling him with admiration for her poise and elegance. All his anger flew out of the window of his mind.

"My name is Lee," she introduced herself, pointing to a picture on her phone. "Are you Andrew?"

Arthur blinked, momentarily lost in her gaze, before turning to the bartender. "Yeah, that's me. Get her juice," he instructed, impressed by her introduction.

Lisa raised an eyebrow, amused by his assumption. "What makes you think I would want juice?" she countered, snapping her fingers for whiskey instead. "Whiskey, neat."

"I take it you've had a long day?" Arthur remarked as the whiskey was delivered to Lisa's side of the table.

Lisa nodded. "Yes. Now, let's get to business," she replied, her focus on retrieving the documents from her bag.

As she rummaged through her bag, Arthur's attention was drawn to her lips, the sight igniting a spark of desire within him.

"I want you." he blurted out suddenly, surprising both himself and Lisa.