***Leticia's POV Part 2***
Thinking about how I could turn this to my advantage just as he said, I thought about one thing.
Contract!
Let's make this official with clauses that would favor me.
As he touched my hair, I turned my head at the document and slowly opened my mouth.
"We should document this. Let's make a contract."
As he heard what I said, Hugh stopped fiddling with my hair and slowly looked up.
"Of course, if that's what you want," he said with a smile.
I hurriedly went to the drawer where Hazel put the pen and the paper.
"Oh… now? You want to make the contract now?"
Looking back at him, I saw how he looked at me with his brows up and his lips arched in a smirk.
"It's better to do this now… we can just do a simple draft about the rules and stuff that needs to be done while we're in the contract as well as the duration. We should be clear when this will end" I said as I sat opposite him.
He stared at her and turned his head to his side where she was sitting earlier. Hugh leaned on the sofa and spread his arms on the headrest as he crossed his legs.
He then mumbled, "End?"
I didn't hear him so I started to write things that would put me at an advantage and the safety and security of my own life.
"How about you? What do you want to include in the contract?"
I was so busy writing them that I didn't know Hugh started to lean forward so he could peek.
"I should make sure that Hans teaches you how to write…"
The pen stopped as I heard what he said.
"Yeah… make sure that Hans teaches me." I sarcastically said.
Hugh only chuckled. And leaned back again against the sofa.
Then, I asked him, "How long do you need me to act as your fake lover?"
"Hmm…" He hummed and thought if first.
"Three years..."
"Three years?" I said in panic. "That long?" I added.
He raised one of his eyebrows and crossed his arms on his chest. "You think that's long? You'll be known to be my fiancé but the Queen will not believe us just like that." He touched his chin with his thumb and index finger like he was thinking about how the plan would proceed.
And then he looked at me and gave me a sly smile, "Don't you think we need to make them believe that we are head over heels for each other, so after three years when we break up I could say that I was so heartbroken that I don't want to get engaged in the meantime."
I looked up at him. "You're not going to find a lady that you could get engaged to for real?"
He fell silent.
And I waited for him to give me an answer. However, I then realized that he would not be in this situation if he had a thought of getting himself one.
"Nevermind, don't answer it! That's beyond my paygrade."
Hugh was stunned at what I said and chuckled as though he found it funny, "That's right, it's beyond your paygrade."
Shaking my head as I feel that I should really remind myself not to get too deep in his matters before I get too nosy and decide something that is beyond me.
So, I add something to the duration of the contract.
"I'll write here that after three years we'll go our separate ways and you will not go to find me."
"As you wish…" he said with confidence.
'I guess my escape is guaranteed then…' I smiled thinking about it.
"Then, for compensation, you'll help me with the matters with Anton, the blessing at the church as well as 100,000 gold, and whenever I get into danger or get hurt that gold will double so make sure to protect me well." I said without reservation.
The hundred thousands of gold getting double if I get hurt is something that would be my reassurance.
'A hundred thousand of gold is no small money, you can buy a mansion and a small piece of land with it.'
And Hugh didn't even spend a minute thinking about it, "Alright…"
'Damn, how rich can he be?!' I screamed in my head.
"You didn't really hold back huh…" Hugh said. I can hear a tinge of amusement in his voice.
And before I could think about it, I unconsciously, sarcastically replied, "You said I can take advantage of you… that's what I'm doing."
"Then, I assume that I can get a top class experience of love from my beloved Leti."
I froze hearing my nickname from him.
Then, he resumed, "You know, the kind of act that makes people jealous…"
I gulped down my saliva. Now that he's saying it, I can't believe that I'm really doing it.
However, I'm in this situation now. I accepted it, so I'm not going to forfeit and surrender.
So, I looked at him with my eyes full of determination as the corner of my lips went up, "Of course, I'm going to act as if I can't live without you so make sure that you can keep up." I said as I challenged him.
"I'll try my best…" Hugh smiled as if he was satisfied.
He didn't say anything again so I got back to writing. After a few minutes, I finished writing down the things that came up in my head and gave him the copy of the draft.
"Here…"
I quietly watch him read the contract. And as if he knew I was looking, he glanced at me and back to the paper and then back at me again.
"Why? Is there something wrong? Do you want me to add something?"
"For now, there's nothing."
"Well, we can add it to the contract if you need to add another clause but we need to be in agreement before we can put them in the final contract."
"All right."
He then signed it and gave it back to me.
'It's really happening huh…' I thought.
I read the name of Hugh to myself, 'Hugh von Naville' with his signature on the side. I paused before I picked up the pen and wrote my new name 'Leticia von Baignard' with my signature beside it.
'Who would have thought I'll become a noble and become a Duke's fiancé in a single day?!'
As I finished signing them, Hugh snatch it up as if he didn't want me to have second thoughts of backing out.
As he checked them, I saw the corner of his lips slightly went up. As if he was satisfied.
"I'll give this to Hans so he can finalize it."
"Alright..."
Hugh stood up from his seat and came close to me. I squinted my eyes as I wonder what he was about to do. I watched him come closer as he suddenly lowered himself and leaned in.
chu~
'What just happened?' I asked myself thinking about the soft touch and the lingering heat on my forehead.
"I'll get going now…" he said as he smiled with his eyes as he looked at me who was still frozen in shock.
'Did he just-?!'
And at the door, Hugh speaks for the last time. "Goodnight my Leti..."
Tak!
My face heated as I recall his handsome face with a smirk as he looked at me after he just gave me a kiss without reservation.
"Shit! Can I really do this?!" I said as I touched my chest where I could feel the rapid beating of my heart.