The Billion Dollar Contract

Chapter Eight

Mia

The room was bathed in soft, golden light, casting a warm glow upon the walls. The air was scented with the subtle fragrance of fresh flowers, mingling with the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

The furniture, elegant and timeless in design, exuded an air of understated luxury. Every detail, from the carefully curated artwork to the plush, inviting cushions, spoke of a life well-lived and a home meticulously tended to.

It was a sanctuary, a haven of comfort and tranquillity amidst the chaos of the outside world and then there was me, standing in the middle of it all.

When we arrived, James was already by the window overlooking the city and as soon as he heard us walking in, a smile was immediately plastered on his face.

“How did you get her to agree with you?” He asked, glancing at the duffel bag in Adam’s hand.

“I haven’t signed anything yet.”

“The fact that you’re here is already convincing enough you’re going to sign.”

Straight facts. If I didn’t agree to a year of chaos and pretend, I was supposed to be in my room laying in bed and waiting to fall asleep. Then again, here I was in Adam’s living room, talking to his lawyer.

“You do know what to say,” I muttered.

“That’s why I’m a lawyer,” he replied.

I scoffed, standing awkwardly in the middle. Adam had placed my bag on the sofa before gesturing us to follow him to the kitchen, where the kitchen island was immediately on display. James and I took a seat on one of the stools as we waited for Adam to sit as well.

James was already holding onto the contract and it instantly made me nervous.

Adam pointed at the contract, “It’s completed?”

“Yes, as requested. Both of you can take the time to read it first before signing. If one of you wishes to make any changes, I’ll amend it straight away.”

“Perfect.”

Then, Adam slowly pushed the contract in front of me. He was expressionless, he wasn’t smiling nor did he look concerned. He looked like he wanted to get this over with as soon as possible, “Ladies first.”

I grabbed the contract, preparing myself to read it.

It didn’t take me long to read the whole contract. They were simple and beneficial to both parties which made me realise just how much Adam only needed my help. During the whole year, he needed a fiancée who was loyal to him and prepared to do all of the actions as lovers in front of an audience. For me, I was going to receive percentages of my money at the end of every month until the contract was over as long as I followed the terms and conditions.

Adam needed to stay loyal as well. He wasn’t able to go out with anyone else and the condition was the same for me.

There wasn’t much in the contract.

“Do we have to live in the same house?” I asked.

“Only if my mother comes by,”

“How often does she come by?”

“Never often before. I don’t know now,”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because she loves to travel. I’m sure her hobby doesn’t change just because I’m engaged,” he replied, slowly grabbing the contract and reading it.

Jean and Marc had always lived in Chicago. They were Adam’s parents—he was one of those lucky people in life to have gotten great parents to raise him. He was their only child which made him their golden child as well. He was loved and cared for, even hoped for.

Jean always travelled around the globe. Ever since I started working at Auclair Enterprises, I have gotten to know a bit about that. Jean used to ask for Adam’s help whenever she had trouble during her travels because she didn’t want her husband to worry. Her husband, on the other hand, was a busy businessman too.

I guess it runs in the family.

One week Jean was in Barcelona and the next she was in London. Nothing was stopping her from travelling the world, either alone or with her friends. Sometimes I even helped Adam to book her flight tickets because he didn’t have the time.

“Do you want to make any changes?” James asked, looking down at the unsigned contract.

Adam shook his head and I did the same. Within seconds, we had both signed the contract and it all began, the road to being a fake couple.

“I’ll document it, then. I guess everything’s settled,” he added before standing up. “If there’s anything, don’t hesitate to call me.”

Then, he walked out to the door, leaving us alone.

“Come on,” Adam said when things were slowly starting to get awkward. He grabbed my back as I followed behind him, straight towards his room.

I didn’t bother to question anything and only decided to stay quiet. As soon as we entered his room, I realised just how much it smelt like him. The bedroom was neatly made and everything was perfectly in place, not a single mess.

He placed my duffel bag on the bed, turning to look at me. “This is my room. This is also where you’ll be sleeping for the weekend,” he said.

My eyes widened as I stood awkwardly, “With you?”

He raised an eyebrow, “Do you want to?”

“Of course not!” I stuttered, which caused him to smirk. “I mean, I don’t think it’s necessary for us to sleep on the same bed.”

“You’ll be sleeping here every time my mother shows up. Just unpack your stuff to make it seem like you live here in case she enters the room. You can leave some of your stuff here whenever you stop by to make it easier for when you stay. I’ll always take the sofa by the window when she’s here but if she’s not around, I’ll be on the sofa outside.” He replied, making it seem like not a big deal. I was probably exaggerating.

“Don’t you have any other spare rooms?”

I had never imagined sleeping in Adam’s room, let alone on his bed. It was too much, even when we signed the contract, that was already breaching into our personal lives.

“No.”

His answer was short. I knew not to push any further.