Chapter 11: The Contract

Alexander MacWatters' POV

I just pulled out of the driveway of Johnson's house. It was 7:30 PM and the dinner was at 8 PM, so I guess will be there on time. I pulled up and I parked it on the sideway before I got out of the car and I went to lock it before I walked to the front door. I thought it would be a good idea for me to bring flowers to my fiancée.

I smiled. fiancée. Such a foreign word for me but I guess I have to get used to it. I rang the doorbell before an old guy opened the door. Mr. Johnson.

"Ah, Alex. Come in. Lea was getting ready for you, she will be here soon. Come in, come in," he said as he hugged me. I was taken back as my family was not much of a hugger.

"I hope I was not too early," I said as I thought Azalea was not ready yet. Mr. Johnson just waved his hand dismissively.

"ah, women. You know how they were. They love to take some time to dress up. Unlike us," he said as he ushered me into the living room and asked me to take a seat. Mrs. Johnson came and brought some cookies and coffee.

"Lea will be just a minute. Lea!" She shouted as she went to the stairs.

"Lea, someone was waiting for you. I believe he said that he has a date with you," she said as she was looking at me charmingly. I smiled back at her as she went to take her seat next to Mr. Johnson.

"Mr. And Mrs. Johnson, I'm sorry if I just disturb you guys. I wanted to ask Azalea but she did not give me her number," I said apologetically. They just laughed.

"Ah, Lea. Such a naive girl. She only used it for reading anyway. No wonder she forgets about her number," Mr. Johnson said. I smiled as I knew she would be. She was too preoccupied with something else.

"And please, call us Riley and Emily. You make us feel old by calling Mr. And Mrs. Johnson," Mrs. John—I mean Emily told me. I smiled as I nodded at her.

"Well, of course. I don't know when to start calling you guys that but now I think I can safely call Emily and Riley now," I said as I was rubbing my palms against my knees. Why do I felt sweaty all of a sudden?

"Lea!" Amber called after her sister. I did not listen to the reply as I was busy talking to Riley as he was asking me what I was doing right now for my research.

"I was thinking I would go with the composition of the water and how they react with the fresh and seawater. You see there was a belief that they will never be together and known how to separate each other," I said confidently as I know about it a lot because it was one of my researches as well. Riley laughed before Emily went to shout at the bottom of the stairs.

"Lea!" She shouted that made my skin crawled. I guess I know why I did not want to come home for the holidays.

"Coming!" Her petite voice replied and before she stepped into the stairs, I took a sharp breath. She was breathtaking that I could not breathe at all. I was staring at her. Her black hair was braided to the side and her eyes were shining. She was smiling shyly as I guess that she never dressed up before. I smiled at the thought that she only did for this occasion.

we made eye contact before I smiled at her and her blush was apparent on her cheeks. She was chuckling nervously. And that dress. That sinful short red dress that hugged her figure perfectly, emphasizing the right curves made me gulped. I don't know if I can keep my hands off her tonight and not to mention my friends as my mum has invited all our closed family friends came over for dinner.

"Hi," she said as she was standing in front of me. I was blinking a few times before I took her hands and I kissed her knuckles while I was making eye contact with her. She blushed again.

"aw, look at you guys. One daughter was engaged and one more is…emm…dating, right?" Emily said as she looked at us. Azalea looked at her mum before she blushed. I cleared throat before I kneeled before her. I need to make her family as witnessed as we were about to engage.

"Azalea Johnson, I know that we just have gone out a few dates but I think it would ease my mind if I knew that you were mine. so, will you do the honor of being my wife permanently?" I added as I was proposing to Azalea. She looked at me wide-eyed as her family was screaming in delight.

"Please, say yes, Lea, please," her mother whispered under her breath as she was looking at us. Azalea looked at her family before she turned toward me. Her eyes were asking something as I arched my eyebrow at her. She sighed before she tried to play the perfect bride-to-be. She faked her tears before she cried to me.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes! Oh, Alex, I thought you would never ask," she said before she flung her body at me. I caught her before she whispered into my ear.

"you owed me one," she said before I chuckled. I pulled out the ring. It was a sapphire that was circled with tiny white diamonds. It was a princess cut and it was elegantly beautiful. I made it custom especially for her. I put the ring on her left hand of the ring finger. now, it sparkled whenever her fingers moved. And tell the other guys back off. She's mine.

"kiss her. Kiss her. Kiss her!" Her sister chanted that word before everyone was chanting as well. I was smiling at her before she smiled nervously. I laughed before I drew her closed and kissed her lightly on the lips.

"Boo! you called that a kiss?!" Amber shouted at us before Azalea looked darkly at her.

"well, they need to fucking believe that we were getting married," I whispered into her ear. She stiffened before she turned to look into my eyes.

"you owed me twice," she mouthed before I pulled her into my arms as I was smiling wickedly at her. then, I kissed her.

Azalea Johnson's POV

He kissed me. Alex fucking MacWatters kissed me. And I liked it. I liked it so much that I have to pull his body closed so that I can feel the heat from him. I was at ease, for a long time.

"Hmm," I moaned into that kiss that I don't want it to end. Alex pulled away before he turned us toward my family.

"well, we better keep going, darling," he said as he looked down on me. I smiled at him before he took his coat and I took mine as I put it on.

"don't be too late now," my father joked as Alex held the door for me.

"you got it, boss," he said before he put his hand on my lower back. I stiffened but I don't want to make my family wondered why I would not like my fiancé touch.

"well, that was a hell of a performance," he said as he looked at me. I rolled my eyes at him before he just chuckled at me.

"was it bad timing?" He asked me. My thumb instantly went to the ring that settled heavily on my finger. I inhaled.

"no, it was not," I whispered as I looked at the sapphire that glowed in the dark.

"it was just—"

"unexpected?" He finished my sentence as he looked at me before drew his seatbelt. I did the same.

"well, I could have done it in front of my family but my mother would ask so much more question than your family does, so I think it would be best if we just told them our story when we get there," he said as he drove off from the sideway. We were on the highway that I just looked at him. He looked briefly at me before he smiled at me.

"what?" He asked me. I blushed as I turned away from him. He just caught me staring at him.

"Nothing," I said in a whisper. He chuckled before he gave me something.

"here, my lawyer had to fix it. Take a look when you got the chance," he said as he was focusing on the drive. I flipped through the pages that said the conditions that I needed to fill in.

Terms and Conditions

Mr. MacWatters will provide passage for the funding of the research for Ms. Johnson as they will be working together on the same project.

Ms. Johnson will need to attend charity events and conferences with Mr. MacWatters.

Ms. Johnson will agree to live together with Mr. MacWatters for the time of being married to avoid suspicion of a fraud marriage.

Ms. Johnson will need to share the same bed as Mr. MacWatters without being engaged in sexual activity.

Ms. Johnson will agree to a honeymoon, away from the public eyes to question their relationship.

Everything will be provided by Mr. MacWatters when Ms. Johnson is married to him.

"provided? What does that mean?" I asked him as I looked at him. He was smiling smugly.

"well, that was for me to know and you to just enjoy it," he replied to me. I scoffed.

"well, no thank you, mister. I can provide for myself," I said. He looked at me sideways as he arched his eyebrow.

"really? With what? TA payment?" He asked. I blushed. He has a point on that. "don't worry, darling, everything will be taken care of," he said as he parked the car. We have arrived and I was not anywhere ready to play this facade.