Taming The Mayor!

Messing A Little!

I woke up with my phone buzzing with alarm.

I got up turning the alarm off only realising that I didn't put an alarm.

I saw the time and it was only nine.

I couldn't sleep the entire night with disturbed thoughts of how Brandon was a monster and how he didn't flinched for a second before torturing Derrick.

Whenever I'd caught my eye to rest, the image of Brandon torturing Derrick came right in front of my eye disturbing the life out of me. I thought I might've dozed to sleep by around five in the morning.

"Good morning.", I turned around and saw Rosita the agent spy sitting on my hanging chair with her legs folded up and sipping coffee.

Who told her to get this comfortable around here?

I squinted my eyes at her, "You sat my alarm?", I asked well... Mostly accused her.

"Yeah. Time for you to get up. Mr. Mayor asked me to make you follow the routine.", She smiled getting down from my chair. MY CHAIR!

"What routine?", I asked her getting out my bed.

"The routine. Now that you're going to be a part of the Cherwood office, you'll have to follow a set of particular routine. The timings, the codes, the protocols.", She smiled as she finished her words.

Someday I'll whip the smile off her perfectly structured face.

But one thing was sure about her she's a cunning and lying b***h that couldn't be trusted. She was definitely dangerous. She wasn't the way she represented herself.

I rolled my eyes making my way inside the bathroom.

I took my time to shower, relaxing my muscles and came out.

Rosita sat on my bed, as she typed something into my phone.

"What are you doing?", I asked her suspiciously.

"I was setting up your routine. The alarms will buzz notifying you and by the time you'll get married you'll be used to of the routine.", She said placing back my phone.

Now this time her smile vanished. Something was off here about her.

"Don't you ever touch my phone or anything without my permission.", I said roughly picking my phone up and placing it inside my short's pockets.

"But the phone is a property of the city council and assistants have a complete authority of using phones.", She argued now without her smile.

I guess her real self was finally coming out and surely it will, if I continued my behaviour.

Now this time I smiled at her.

"Rosita... You really think of me as this dumb bimbo that your boss has scored, huh? And he's just going to get through me and you'll be a good part of this entire play?"

My words had formed a furrow on her eyebrows making her look like a whimp.

Boo yeah! Now time for strike 2.

"The city council gave this phone to me. I own this phone! And the assistants only have the authority to use this phone in case of permission and/or emergency and.... I see none! Now, next time try to be very careful with your sneaky little hands. Now I'm not that stupid am I?", I smiled at her making my way out of room leaving behind her fuming face that somehow gave me satisfaction.

I put on a fingerprint and a face recognition lock on the phone just being exclusively smart to show Rosita my cognitive abilities at reflexing back.

I was alone at the breakfast table and ate my breakfast in peace until Rosita came ahead sitting besides me.

As I was about to leave she called me.

"You need to get ready, we need to leave by ten thirty."

"And why would I do that?", I asked.

"Because it's Mr. Mayor's orders.", She replied back through a calculative tone.

I rolled my eyes at her words and decided to follow along given that I didn't had anything else productive to do and doing what Mr. Mayor would ask me to do might as well give me a chance to get in the details of why was this all happening. Besides I really needed to get out, there was no way I could get information by staying housebound.

"Fine.", I rolled my eyes and got inside my room.

I went to my closet only to find myself fuming with anger.

"Where the hell are my clothes?", I asked sensing Rosita's presence in my room.

My clothes were entirely replaced my some formal dresses, long skirts and coats.

My tops, jeans and shorts were nowhere to be found.

"I had to replace them. Mr. Mayor had asked me to.", She said sitting at down the couch that was placed one of the corners.

"Stop f*****g around with me. Okay?", I came out of the closet and walked towards her standing tall above her, "Stop going through my stuff, my phone, my closet, my clothes. If your Mr. Mayor does ask you to do anything don't you f*****g think you have authority over me because you don't. Don't you ever dare again touch any of my things without my permission. Or else you'll have it from me.", I fumed out with anger because this time she had crossed all limits for me.

Her face was fuming red with anger and that was a sight good enough for me to enjoy.

I went ahead looking for something comfortable in my closet and finally I found a pair if light blue jeans and a lose grey sweater in one of the drawers.

I went ahead wearing it.

"You're supposed to wear something formal and more representable.", Rosita said through a stiff tone.

I rolled my eyes at her words and went ahead grabbing my bag and my phone. I looked down at the ring placed on the bedside table and I heaved a sigh picking it up.

This little ring is the root to this entire problem.

I placed it down my ring without any further questions to my own self.

I couldn't find my car keys so I knew where they could be and I was legitimately tired of confronting Rosita of hiding and lurking in everything.

I went downstairs and stood in front of a Bentley that had a chauffeur standing outside.

He was tall, dark of skin yet had a good built up that made him look young and handsome. He smiled as soon as he saw me coming outside the house.

"Good morning ma'am, I'm Marty. I'll be at your service 24/7.", He said through a smile.

He presented a much more calmer vibe, than Rosita the babble head.

I smiled back at him. He opened the door and I sat in the car followed by Rosita.

"To the boutique.", She announced to Marty and I knew why we were headed to boutique.

A lump of anxiety formed inside my stomach yet I stayed quiet fighting my instincts.

I looked down at the ring in my finger and it reminded me of the promise ring that Brandon gave me back in highschool.

He used to love me so much.

And then my brain hit with his words the previous night.

"If killing you was an option I wouldn't have waited for a single second to get rid of you."

He wasn't the Brandon that I knew off. The Brandon that I loved.

"Seems like someone is missing our Mr. Mayor.", Marty's voice broke me out of my subconscious.

I looked up and saw him looking at me through the rearview mirror.

I smiled lowly.

"Just stick to your business and drive!", Rosita said harshly to Marty.

"Hey! Who gave you the authority to talk to him like that! Especially right in front of me.", I hissed at her taking Marty's side. "I'm sorry Marty.", I apologized through a low tone.

"It's okay ma'am please... You don't need to say that. I'll... I'll just stick to my work.", He smiled a less genuine one.

Soon we reached the boutique and as soon as I stepped out my anxiety bomb exploded. It was a bridal boutique indeed.

I made my way inside.

As soon as I entered, a gush of tremblence and sorrow hit me.

I always imagined myself wearing my mother's wedding dress or at least buying it with Grandma or a friend. And here I was alone and pathetically stuck at basically nothing.

"We're here for the first lady's bridal dress. I booked an appointment.", Rosita said and I ignored her making my way inside the boutique looking through dresses.

"Amy.", A familiar voice called out making me turn my head and there my inside exploded with happiness as I saw Fel standing at one of the corners.

"Oh my God!", I yelled as I made my way towards her and hugging her tightly.

I let tears wash my eyes away and I sobbed dilutedly and poured my heart into her arms. I could feel her tears washing out my shoulders.

"Where have you been? How.... And...", She traced my finger down to my ring, "Congratulations?", She said looking through misty eyes at my ring.

"Yeah.... Some things just happen without any pre-notice right?", I told her through tearful eyes.

"I'm really happy for you.", She said wiping her tears off.

I stayed quiet, not knowing how to reply to her words.

"And.... Welcome to my boutique.", She announced proudly.

I looked around and then back at her.

"It's yours?", I asked excitedly. "Oh my God, congratulations.", I was extremely happy for how big she had been able to become.

"I... I thought you always wanted to be a makeup artist or a painter or something.", I told her as she gestured me to move along in her office.

"Well... I just found myself more compassionate in designing dresses.", She said gladly.

I had to tell her what was being held in my chest, "I... I... I met Connor.", I admitted the guilt.

"Oh...", Her smile faded away but she soon replaced it with a less genuine one. "Yeah... He's the owner of Con's, or Carlos's. I'm really happy for him.", She smiled at me.

"So you and Brandon. Huh?", She asked being all excited.

"Yeah. Me and Brandon.", I chuckled coldly at the irony.

"Well... That was a shocker for me when I saw that on the TV but then I guessed that it might be for some business or something. I mean you weren't even in town and then suddenly it happened.", She put forth her theory which made me ponder at her words for a second.

"Is that what... Everyone's saying?", I asked her being unsure.

"Well... Yeah. I mean most people who knew about you. That you weren't even in talking terms with your father and then suddenly you're here and you're engaged to the Mayor."

I pondered at her words again and something hit me.

"Oh... No... Umm... Actually Brandon and I met in Miami, I was at my Grandma's and umm... We reconnected. It was a random meeting. We met through a common client and then we... We just rekindled the old times.", I smiled at her feeling bad for lying but this lie was gonna help me.

"Well... I'm extremely happy for you two. And now that you're finally back, I hope you don't run away this time.", We both laughed at her words.

But deep down I knew how bad I wanted to run away only the fear of letting something happen to people I love, especially after yesterday, was definitely gonna to hold me back until I found a solution out of this mess.

"We should start going through dresses now.", Fel announced as we got up to look at the dresses that she had in her boutique.

One after the other, Fel showed around twenty dresses and none of which seemed to fit in perfectly on me.

I was trying all those dresses without any feelings inside my heart. I just felt like a cahoot operating and going with the flow.

In some dresses, I wouldn't find myself looking good and in some Fel would disagree that I don't look myself.

"How about I make you a custom design? Something that I make with you in my mind?", Fel offered.

"I... I."

I want to wear my mother's dress.

"Yeah sure.... I'd love to.", I agreed with a smile.

"There are only eight days left to the wedding.", Rosita butted in.

"I know. Don't worry the dress will be here within five days. I'll have my men work double shifts if I had to. Don't worry about that.", Fel assured with a smile.

"You don't need to assure me Fel. I trust you.", I smiled at her, "Besides we always used to finish projects and assignments in one night. Remembering?", The memory of our late night panic attacks hit us back making both of us laugh.

"Ms. Cole, we have a lunch with Mr. Mayor at two. We should leave now and you should start working on your dress.", Rosita said ordering Fel.

"She's my friend, she'll know what to do. She won't be working on your orders.", I calmly put Rosita back in her place.

As soon as we stepped out of the boutique and inside the car Rosita opened her mouth again.

"Ms. Cole... This lunch with Mr. Mayor is a public thing, we should get you something else to wear."

I rolled my eyes, "It's just a lunch."

"But the dress code is inappropriate for the first lady.", She argued.

"I'm comfortable and I prefer this s**t!", I rolled my eyes at her making her shut her mouth and Marty laughed lowly.

Soon we stopped outside an exquisite five star hotel.

I made my way outside the car and into the hotel. The guards at the hotel gate assessed my look head to toe.

But immediately let me pass by as they saw my face.

Rosita lead me into one of the restaurants at the roof top where Brandon sat wearing a grey suit. He looked ahead as he sat with some of his clients discussing something.

Even without trying, even with me wanting to spill his brains out. He still looked gorgeous.

Focus Amy! You're being the good girl is not going to blast his ass out.

As soon as Brandon saw me his jaw clenched tightly with his eyes filling in with annoyance and anger.

I knew my clothes would infuriate him and yup it did trigger his hateful look at me.

Well... Too much of an inappropriate look for a fiancé I guess.

I turned to look at the clients and they were some Japanese delegates that all dressed formal. They were two men and a woman. All of them in their late forties or early fifties, or might be older but still the weren't the age of youth and young.

"Sorry baby...", I smiled at Brandon with an evident smirk as he shot me a death glare, "Am I late?", I sat down right next to him smiling at the delegates who all looked at me with bewilderment on their faces.

"Oh hello! So silly of me to not to introduce myself. I'm Amy Cole O'Neil. I'm this handsome young Mayor's wife to be.", I said cheerily waving off my ring in the air.

They all looked at me with poker face and of course they weren't impressed with Brandon's choice of an unprofessional lady.

That made me smile inwardly.

I could be a bit of a b***h at times.

"Well Congratulations.", The woman spoke with a small smile as she gave Brandon a judgemental look.

"Aww... Thank you.", I smiled at her ear to ear.

"Well... I'm extremely hungry. What are we having?", I looked at Brandon who gave me a stern look depicting his anger.

Soon we ordered our foods and Brandon diverted the delegates attention by talking about business.

I looked and smiled at them every once in a while but they just kept their poker faces on to me.

The food arrived and I indulged myself in my spicy crispy chicken and egg fried noodles.

"So you see, the wood factory investments are not our essence to invest in . That's why we want a steel manufacturing industry investment.", One of the men sitting in between the man and the woman, spoke.

Suddenly I felt interested in their conversation.

"Of course whatever might look good to you. The wood industry did need investors but perhaps it'll have to wait.", Brandon said back calmly.

Seriously, if he would've talked with that tone to me? I wouldn't be such a problem for him.

"You could profit double from the wood investment though.", I spoke casually.

"Excuse me?", The same men who spoke earlier looked at me assessing my look.

"I know my looks and my words don't match but I know how the statistics in manufacturing businesses work.", I shrugged my shoulders.

The three people looked at me with astonishment and confusion.

I felt Brandon squeeze my hand tightly making me stutter.

"I think perhaps you don't know the current patterns", He said through gritted teeth.

"No. We would actually like to listen what she has.", The woman spoke and the two gentlemen also became attentive. "I like her confidence."

I shrugged Brandon's grip off of my hand and sat straight up.

"Well... You see Cherwood has abundance of wood. Whereas the city runs low in steel and iron's local production. So the math is simple. Wood business is more profitable. I knew that because my dad runs the same business and it accounts for almost 39% profit of his entire enterprise's profit.", I finished with gulping the piece of chicken in my mouth.

"Well... Here's the thing. You see finding wood in Cherwood is more abundant and easier, the taxation levitations are easier, the profit fundings are high, the inventory systems are always good to go, the labor system is excellent. For steel or iron you could only invest and the taxes are double to that of setting up an entire wood unit. And for wood you could set up as much as units as you want and the taxes are preferably quite low. I mean you Japanese really need to get out of this steel fetish of yours. Besides it's all give and take and you should of course add our city local employment to your contract as well alongside with funding of your resources.", I smiled, wiping my face off with a napkin and leaning back into my chair.

"And how do you know that?", The middle men asked.

"What's your name?", I asked the investor.

"Xia Fang.", He added.

"Mr. Fang... Show me your laptop.", I grabbed his tablet or laptops whatever he was holding in his hand and went online searching for the economic development report posted by CherPress last month.

"Here.", I rotated his laptop towards him. "Just did my homework.", I said gulping down my juice.

I looked up at Brandon and he was fuming with anger. I wanted to tell the restaurant chefs to cook their meals on his head, because he was literally that fumed with anger.

"Well... That's impressive. How come you're so interested in all these things and yet we've never heard your name.", The woman spoke.

"Well.... I wasn't in Cherwood. I... I was in Miami.", I told her.

But then my brain hit with the spicy idea of messing a bit.

"So how did you two met?", She asked.

"Well it was completely coincidental.", Brandon began but I cut him off.

"We used to date back in highschool.", I began my chain of lies, "Then I left for Miami to stay with my Grandma, we... Broke up.", I paused a bit to emphasize on the sorrow, "But then an year ago we met again, through a common friend and then we rekindled our relationship. Didn't we baby?", I said grabbing Brandon's hand placed on the table.

And for the first time our touch felt real. It didn't feel the same misanthrope or the annoying one but rather a real touch.

Maybe I was assuming things but I was doing this for reason and I needed to focus.

"But sadly... People, they just... They put a lot of judgement on us.", I said through a sad voice trying to sound burdened.

"What do you mean?", Mr. Fang asked.

"Well everybody around town they're just saying that our relationship is nothing but a caper of a business deal. I mean our sacred love is so misinterpreted.", I put my finger around my eye pretending to dry out a tear with a heavy voice.

"I'm sorry.", I sniffed straightening up. "It's just that you guys are so nice and..."

"That's completely fine dear.", The woman spoke. "Even people put a lot of their judgements on me and Fang because of the world we belong to and the decisions and choices we've made to put our relationship ahead, but you see, you just need to focus on your love and relationship. You two are perfect together.", Mrs. Fang finished with a smile.

"We would very much like to close in a deal with Cherwood.", Mr. Fang spoke and I knew that they were a huge deal to Brandon ad he smiled out to them still being angry at me.

"When is the wedding?", Mrs. Fang asked me.

"It's in a week. And of course you are definitely invited. Aren't they Brandon?", I turned around and saw Brandon and focused his clenched jaw that was popping out and about to break due to extreme pressure.

"Of course.", He faked a forced smile looking at the Fangs.

******************

Soon after the Fangs left, Brandon stayed quiet for a long time. He sent away Rosita, fortunately for me and took in his own car which was unfortunate for me.

We drove in silence and I was just waiting for him to speak so I can ignite him more shut.

The road he took reminded me of a place. Some place safe where he used to take me all the time after I got back from New York. His beach house.

Nostalgia was hitting me pretty bad making me uncomfortable in my place but I remained glued to my seat and sat in peace.

Soon we reached at the same place. Nothing changed. Except for us I guess.

The same greens and browns in the front lawn. The same waves of shine hitting the front porch. The inside reflected through the huge glass windows.

He went inside and I knew that was my cue to follow him.

As soon as we were inside Brandon took his coat off and I could trace his muscles through his shirt.

Focus Amy! Stop loosing yourself over him.

He sat down on one of the couches putting his one leg up, his other one.

"I guess you didn't get much of my warning from yesterday.", He said loudly, picking up his phone and typing through it.

"I met Felicity today.", My words made him look up.

He shrugged his shoulders, raising his eyebrows.

"Of course why should it concern you.", I chuckled coldly at my own words, "But here's the thing. She said that this marriage was nothing but a business contract because that's what everyone around your precious town is saying.", I stated going into the kitchen and pouring myself a glass of water.

I came back in only to see a much more attentive Brandon.

"So now I'm guessing and having second thoughts on why are you and dad forcing me into this entire marriage thing. You being so desperate for this marriage, not having an option to kill me, dad lying to me about everything and getting me here for this marriage. Yeah it does make sense to me now.", I stated relaxing my butt on the corner of the table only to see Brandon's face turning more focused on me and my words.

"Say it what you got!", He stated coldly waiting for me to answer.

"See one thing is clear, this marriage -- it is based off on a contract or something that is driving you guys so desperate for me. Sooner or later I will find this out and just so you know, you owe me big time. I've put an end to those rumours, made your Japanese investors believe to not to believe on any such thing. So it turns out I am not such a pain in the ass after all huh?"

I stood straight up and picked up my bag, "Tell your little spy to keep her hands off me. Because I am smarter than I look."

I said making my way out of the house towards the car.

I didn't know why he'd brought me up there but I certainly didn't want any other fear to build a place inside my heart.

Soon Brandon and I took off and he dropped me home. As I was about to get out of his car he stopped me.

"Stop messing around.", He said looking at me with vengeful eyes as he opened the front board and threw an envelope into my lap.

I picked it up and opened it, without thinking for even a single second what might be inside the envelope.

They were pictures of Grandma. The mere sight of her dropped my heart deep down in the pits of my stomach and an immediate anxiety attack took over my system.

The pictures were her candid shots of inside the house taken at an approximate close distance of pretty much quite close. They showed her standing in the kitchen, through her bedroom window, through the large glass door that separated the backyard and the living area. The picture showed the reflection of the person taking the picture in the glass pane, it clearly showed that he was standing in the backyard.

It was a clear threat, that didn't need any words.

"She's safe until you're acting good.", Brandon said coldly, scaring the life out of me.

He always wins over me.

"Brandon...", I sobbed lowly, not helping the tears escaping my eyes. "I really need to talk to her. I really need to know if she's okay."

"You'll have her pictures delivered to you everyday to know she's okay. You act up and the next day your Grandma's dead body gets delivered to you. So I'm guessing pictures are a better option?", He said looking me straight dead in the eye, scaring the life out of me.

I wasn't even worried for myself but rather grandma. I was really concerned for her.

"Promise me, you won't hurt her.", I practically begged Brandon looking into the pictures going through them one by one.

"Unless and until you don't do anything stupid.", He stated looking straight ahead. "Now! Get out of my car.", He said leaning in and opening the door.

I grabbed my bag and the envelope and got out of his car and saw him drive away with holding my life in his soulless hands.

He just wanted to defeat me at any cost.

Days were passing by quickly, Brandon was winning ahead at this. He had everything in his hand, even my decisions and life.

I needed something big, something main to take him down. Or else I needed to give in and just marry him, like it's supposed to happen.