Lyon came out to see the slender petite figure in a downcast manner, tears glistened in her eyes threatening to fall any minute. Her shoulder throbbed slightly.
Why for Pete's sake is this woman crying, he thought to himself, a bunch of incompetent young adults were roaming everywhere these days and he has been very unlucky in choosing a smart secretary for once. And for a moment, he missed his old secretary, Mrs Greenwood, but she was too old for the job now and she seemed happy with her life living at home with her twenty-two cats.
Clearing his throat, "Ms Emily"? No response
"Miss Emily"!! He said again, now firmly, causing Emily to jump slightly
"Mr Rashford, I'm sorry, how can I help you"? The words came out of her mouth in a rush.
"Cancel all my appointments, I want to be left alone"
"But I already…..the words trailed off her mouth as Lyon gave her a cold stare.
He returned to his office, his face as hard as the first time Emily saw him.
"Does he have to be like that all the time"? Asking no one in particular.
"Be like what"? A male voice asked behind her.
She turned around to see a blonde-haired man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties, with a face that was only seen in Vogue magazine, and his perfectly tailored suit hung with pride on his body.
Is it just her, or she was in heaven already, with the angelic faces she had been seeing from the morning, except one was the devil's?
"Hi, I'm Blake, your boss's best friend and I also like to think of myself as his girlfriend, since he's got none". Blake said, flashing his perfect set of white teeth at her.
At least, this one is friendly, Emily thought to herself.
"Uhm, hi, I don't think he wants any guests, for now, he was very specific about not wanting to see anyone".
"I just told you, I'm his girlfriend, so, Miss, what's your name"?
"Emily, Emily Jones".
"Good, so Miss Emily, I don't take orders from anyone concerning my friend". And with that, he sauntered casually into Lyon's office.
The look on his best friend's face made him stop right in the middle of his tracks.
He knew his friend had faced a lot of tragedy, right from when he lost his Father whom he practically worshipped, to losing the only woman he ever loved to his sworn enemy.
He never liked Melissa, he knew she was only there for his money, he looked beyond her perfect innocent face that she deceived the whole world with and knew she was just a hungry bitch, thirsty for money and power. He'd seen her type before and knew they meant no good.
But she was perfect to Lyon and free of any blemish because he was head over heels in love with her.
"What's going on, man"? He asked, truly worried with the look on his friend's face.
"I need a wife" Blake.
Erupting into a loud burst of laughter. "What do you mean man"?
"They think I'm weak"! Lyon said, irritated by his friend's demeanor
"Who? Blake asked, quieting himself after seeing the irritated look on Lyon's face.
"I've been trying to get these people to invest in my company, it's only a matter of time before my competitors beat me to my game".
"My sexual escapades are all over the papers and now they are not willing to work with me, except they sense a strong responsibility on my part".
"I wish Melissa never left me", he said sadly.
"Good riddance to bad rubbish", Blake retorted, rolling his eyes to the back of his head.
"You know Melissa means no good to you, and I thought she was a closed chapter now, why do you still have this intense love for her? And why on earth are we even talking about her?
"No woman captures my heart the way Mellisa does, ever since the breakup, I've been with a lot of women, Blake, but none gets me like Mellisa".
"Now, my darling friend, enough about Mellisa, focus on the growth of your company and let's focus on finding you a wife".
"How's that even possible"? Lyon asked,
"I already asked my secretary to set up a meeting with them, and I plan to inform them I'll be willing to make that change, the only problem is, I have no one".
"I have no one I can marry in a matter of weeks, I know it sounds stupid but I have to do it, man. This is so important to me". Blake looked at his friend, and suddenly he looked older, and he knew the prospect of losing his company to the hand of his competitors was weighing him down.
"There is your answer lying beautifully in front of you, my good old friend". Blake said, a smile playing mischievously at the corner of his lips.
"I don't understand, what do you mean?"Lyon asked, knowing his friend could be nuts sometimes.
"Your secretary". Blake said, his smile fully blown on his face
"Marry your secretary".
"Are you out of your goddamn mind?" Lyon asked, his eyes wide opened.
"How on earth do you propose that happens?"
"She just started her job here today, and you're asking me to marry her, I've known you to be full of mischief Blake, but I never knew you could go to this extent".
"Oh please, but you wouldn't hesitate to spend a night with her if you met her at the club uhn"? Blake said defensively
"I'm not asking you to marry her and pledge your undying love for her, it can be a contract between you two, you marry her to bring the stability your company needs, and you pay her handsomely, she looks like she needs the money. Get your investors to your company and convince them well enough, strike whatever bargain it is you want and in the end, you pay her off! Easy peasy!
Lyon looked at his friend, alarmed. He couldn't find the right words to say, he just sat in his chair, bewildered. Trying to process what his best friend of fourteen years just said. He couldn't wrap his head around the discussion they just had.
Marriage is supposed to be something of love, when two individuals are head over heels in love with each other, and come together as one.
"I can't believe I'm having this type of conversation with you!
"You're failing to look at the bigger picture here, Lyon. It's a contract marriage, it will be an agreement between you two! People do it these days, people on the social radar. Do you think some of them marry for love? Blake asked.
"I've barely known her for a day. Lyon said, confused.
How was he even going to drag his secretary into this mess he created for himself.
"Why don't you give it a try first, then assume the worst that may happen? You might just be lucky man, you never can tell".
"I gave her specific orders not to let anyone in, how come you're here"? Lyon asked quizzically
"Maybe you've got a beautiful but incompetent secretary.
Emily was deep down in her work when she heard the door creak slightly, and the Vogue magazine man appeared and moved towards her, his breathtakingly beautiful face shining with glints of mischief, flashing his perfect dentition at her for the second time.
"Nice to meet you, once again Ms Emily, I hope we meet again", he said, whisking himself away breathlessly.
Must be nice to have such a face, Emily thought to herself before she got back to work.
"May I have a word with you"? She didn't notice Lyon who stood tall in front of her desk.
"Ms Emily, I would like to have a word with you in my office". He said, authoritatively this time, his voice clearer than the last.
Emily felt her heart pounding in her chest, and as she walked quietly into his office, she thought of a thousand things she could have done wrong.
Once she entered, she could feel her boss's cold gaze upon her, staring at her unblinkingly, sizing her from head to toe, sending a shivering chill through her body, and in that instant, she regretted her choice of stockings she wore which was a gift last Christmas from her Nana.
"Have a seat, Ms Emily", he ordered, his voice as cold as ice, slicing through every bit of her body.
"I understand you just started work here, he began, but there is something I'd like you to do for me.
Emily nodded, she was too scared to speak..
"Marry me"!
Emily thought she heard wrong.
"Excuse me?
"You heard me the first time Ms Emily, I asked you to marry me", his voice laced with impatience as he spoke.
"I don't understand, I came here to work as your secretary Mr Rashford".
"And I'm aware of that".
"So I don't understand, why you would ask me to do such a thing". Emily said, still in shock at what was going on.
"Alright then, I'll make you understand".
"I need a wife to make my empire look strong and stable.
He had thought long and hard about what his old friend had said, and now, damning the consequences, had invited his secretary to his office to tell her of his plans.
"And how is this any of my business, sir"? She asked, still thinking everything that was happening was a dream.
"That's where you come in, I pay you to act as my wife, and for a year, you would accompany me to all my societal outings, as my wife."
"In that year, you wouldn't go as close to a man".
"Meaning, you'll have no relationship of your own as you are to be my wife".You will come in no contact with the press, you might not be smart enough to handle their ridiculous questions".
"During the duration of the contract, you will live in my house and I will cater to all your needs".
"And for your pay, you'll receive half of it when you sign the contract, and the balance will be emailed to you at the end of the contract.
Emily stared at her boss, eyed-wide, mouth agape, still trying to process all of what was going on. Shocked beyond her imagination, she kept on asking herself in her head if it was real.
She pinched herself so hard that she grimaced inwardly.
It was real
She was in Mr Rashford's office.
She was sitting right in front of him.
He was staring right back at her, his face expressionless.
And he had just asked her to be his wife!