The Contract Marriage

2. The Meeting

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"Seriously dude, you are really going to go through with this?" Victoria Steele was at the wheel while Trent bobbed his head to the car stereo.

"Vicky, you and I already discussed this. This is the only way. And it is pretty good too." Trent smiled thinking about his future contract wife. She was truly something. He was a bit jealous at her for coming up with such an impeccable plan when he had nothing.

"There is always another way, T-rex." Victoria sighed, using her cringe nickname for him. "You are ruining something sacred, beautiful. I know your idea of marriage has changed since..." She swallowed the rest of that sentence.

"Vicky, I have decided." He watched as she parallel parked the car in a single attempt. "I am going through with it. Besides, it's not a permanent thing. I will go see that therapist you have been yapping about after this marriage is over."

"Marriages are supposed to last forever." She muttered as she got out and he followed suit.

Trent crossed the hood of the car to be at her side. "You mean you want me to be in this marriage forever."

"Hell no!" She glared at him while he laughed.

Victoria removed her sunglasses and stocked them in her purse. She looked up at the headquarters of J and Co.

Though the initial plan was to meet up at Trent's office, there had been a change since Christina was swamped at work.

"Let's go meet my busy wife!" Trent chuckled as he walked in.

Victoria rolled her eyes and fell in line with him, throwing the keys at the valet. They walked together and entered the company making their way towards the receptionist.

"Mr. Black, Ms. Steele" The receptionist smiled at him. She had been informed of his visit. But the rest of the employees in the lobby were looking at the duo with surprise and curiosity. There had been whispers about a marriage. But this visit fuelled those rumors. Well, not exactly rumors as they were true.

"Trent!"

Trent turned and internally groaned. He did not think that he would bump into Christina's father here.

"Mr. John." He took a step towards him and shook his hand.

"Call me Freddie from now on boy!" The alcoholic was beaming at his lottery ticket. "Why don't you come up to my office? We can talk over a bottle of scotch?"

Day drinking. How tempting! Trent wanted to roll his eyes.

"Are you trying to turn my future husband into you, Dad?"

The lobby went into a frenzy of whispers at the exclamation.

Trent's lips perked up at the sight of his future contractual wife and Victoria's eyebrow raised at the look in his eyes.

"Instant attraction." She muttered to herself and then looked over at the woman in question. She shrugged to herself. The woman was a catch. If it wasn't for her own marriage, Victoria would have been interested in her.

"Don't embarrass me in front of my son-in-law, kiddo!" Frederick John took the term with pride. It was his biggest marriage, cajoling his best friend Eric Black into this business deal.

He gave his daughter a side hug and said his good bye and went on his way.

"This is Victoria Steele, my legal advisor and best friend. Vicky, this is Christina John, the future missus."

Christina snorted at the term he used and the duo chuckled in response.

She grinned as she held her hand out to Victoria who gladly took it, already liking the woman who was to play house with her best friend.

"Follow me. We will talk in my office" Christina said as she led the duo to her office on the twelfth floor.

The lift ride was silent. They didn't speak in the presence of the employees. The door dinged on the twelfth floor and Christina exited it followed by Victoria and Trent.

They entered her office, Trent taking in the minimalistic design of the place with a single personal picture - a German Shepherd puppy.

While Christina and Victoria took their seats, Trent walked over to the picture on the coffee table and picked it up and turned it to Christina.

"He or she?" He asked.

"He." Christina smiled. "Sirius. He is one now."

"Better add him in the contact or I am taking him after the divorce." He grinned at her.

"Oh you won't!" Christina laughed in disbelief and his audacity to even suggest such a thing.

Meanwhile, Victoria was just so surprised at Trent's carefree behavior with Christina. She assumed that it had something to do with Trent's belief that there will never be anything romantic between them that he was letting his guard down. Like he would with a friend.

"Come sit down." Victoria said and she turned to Christina, "Don't worry. I will make sure you will get the dog."

"Traitor. Whose side are you on?" Trent took his seat.

Christina took a file from her drawer and pushed it towards Victoria. "Clauses I need in the contract." She clarified.

Victoria skimmed through the points and nodded. "We don't even need to add anything. Both of you think the same way. Just need to add the clause about the dog."

The two chuckled.

"You two really sure about doing this for two years?" She asked, seriously.

They nodded.

"Two years is a long time. A lot of things can change in these seven-thirty days." Victoria needed to make sure that the two of them were all in and completely aware of all the complications that could occur.

There was an edge to her voice and though Christina noticed it, she did not comment on it and simply nodded along with Trent.

If Christina observed anything, he did not comment. He just nodded along with Trent.

"And after that?" Victoria asked.

"Divorce." Trent said.

"Obviously." Christina seconded.

"And would that not blow up in both your faces?" She wanted to be thorough.

"We will handle it." Trent looked over at Christina and nodded, a glint in his eyes, "It's not like two people who fell out of love can stay together for the sake of their businesses."

Victoria nodded. She was aware of the fact that the two of them were excellent public speakers If anyone could handle public backlash, it was them.

"You will have to do a whole acting a loving couple falling out of love." Victoria said.

"We would be so good at it and-"

"We will have so much fun!"

The duo grinned at each other.

Victoria shook her head. They would have no trouble pretending to be best friends and partners-in-crime alright.

"So." Christina slapped on her desk. "When will the contract be ready?"

"When do you want it?" Victoria asked.

"Tomorrow?" Trent turned to his best friend. "And we can tell our parents at dinner at one of my hotels tomorrow too."

Christina nodded. "I will make time during lunch for the contract signing and-" She looked at her schedule on her laptop. "-seven in the evening for dinner."

"Perfect." Trent nodded.

"Our Dads are going to be over the moon!" Christina rolled her eyes as the trio got up from their respective seats.

Trent laughed. "I will see you tomorrow, Christina."

Christina nodded and then shook her hand with Victoria once more.

"Tomorrow." Victoria smiled and the two best friends walked out.

Christina sat down after they left and sighed, all the fire leaving her eyes. "I hope it all turns out alright."

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"So?" Trent asked as he got in the passenger's seat. "Do you like her?"

Victoria smiled to herself, convinced that this is the woman who would change Trent after his last relationship.

"She is me but straight and hotter," Victoria admitted.

Trent raised a brow with a grin on his face. That was the best compliment that Victoria could give a person because she held herself in high regard.

"So where to next?"

"I need to give Dad the news he has been waiting for. So home."

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