Hailey meticulously positioned the folder on the sleek surface of the table, she unfurled its contents, revealing a document.
"This is the contract," she announced, her voice resonating with formality as she delicately extracted a paper. "The dos and don'ts, terms for our faux relationship are all there. Please check it, and if there's anything you wish to add, your input is welcomed."
Hailey handed the document to Adrian, who took it. As he Read through its contents, furrows appeared on his forehead.
"It doesn't make sense to me," Adrian eventually articulated, his confusion seeping into his tone.
"What doesn't make sense to you?" Hailey inquired, arching an eyebrow in curiosity. Adrian's gaze shifted from the document to meet hers, and he began to voice his reservations.
"Party A and Party B are prohibited from meddling in each other's personal lives," he recited, the words measured and thoughtful. Continuing, he stated, "No physical intimacy between Party A and Party B unless it is required. Public displays of affection between Party A and Party B should be done only when required. Blah, blah, blah... I don't like them," he concluded, his delivery dripping with a bored tone that echoed through the room.
Adrian's distaste for the contractual constraints was palpable, and his eyes fixated on the ominous phrase 'one year,' etched at the contract's conclusion. A shadow of foreboding swept over his expression, and he solemnly placed the document back on the table.
"If you don't think it'll work, then I will find someone else," Hailey retorted, her response carrying a subtle challenge as she retrieved the contract from the table , her gaze unwavering.
Adrian shook his head, a gesture that seemed to echo the internal conflict brewing within him. "I didn't mean that. Let's just consider tweaking a few things," he suggested, his eyes meeting Hailey's with a glint of determination.
Raising her eyebrow in response, Hailey posed a question, "Why would I do that? It's not a real boyfriend and girlfriend relationship, remember."
Adrian, however, scoffed at the notion, his gaze drifting away as he mumbled, "It's almost like a marriage contract. Let's just dive into a fake marriage instead because I really don't see the need for this contract."
Adrian's suggestion lingered in the air and Hailey's frown deepened, and she expressed her reservations, "Fake marriage? With you? Be it fake or real, I don't want to be bound in such a manner with a person I barely know. Moreover, this relationship is based on revenge, not on love or whatever you are thinking."
Adrian's response was a piercing glare, a momentary flash of coldness in his eyes. Yet, as he continued, a softening occurred, and his gaze held a hint of vulnerability. "What about my feelings?" he mumbled.
Hailey fixed her gaze on Adrian, her eyes probing as she asked, "What did you say?"
Adrian's eyes briefly darted away, a subtle evasion in his demeanor, as he replied, "Nothing. I will sign. But why are you seeking revenge? And on whom?"
Hailey, her expression remaining composed, crossed her arms and looked away. Inwardly, she mused, 'I guess I should give him the gist since we are going to be partners.' Calmly, she began to unfold the narrative, "Mason He... your employee, is my ex-boyfriend, to put it simply. He slept with my goddamn stepsister behind my back while I was away. But that isn't the problem. That's all you need to know."
Adrian, now engaged in the story, inquired, "What is the problem, then?" Hailey's mind echoed with her inner thoughts, 'He is persistent.'
"The promise he made to me, he broke it... that's the problem," she replied coolly.
Adrian absorbed the revelation in silence, a moment of understanding passing between them. As he stood up, breaking the quietude, he uttered, "I guess we have no choice then..." He reached for the pen and inscribed his signature on the contract and handed the pen and document to Hailey. Hailey accepted the pen and document, reciprocating with her own signature.
Adrian's voice resonated in the room, declaring, "From today henceforth, we are partners, and I promise to always support you no matter what happens." His hand gently rested on Hailey's, which held the contract on the table. Their eyes locked for a fleeting moment before he withdrew his hand.
Hailey, however, wasn't one to easily embrace promises. With a hint of skepticism, she muttered, "You shouldn't make promises you can't keep. I'm tired of that bullshit." Swiftly, she returned the contract to its designated folder.
"I keep my promises. I'm on your side, Hailey," Adrian softly reassured, his gaze lingering as she rose from her seat.
As Hailey stood, thoughts echoed in her mind. 'Did he just address me by just my name? Well, I guess that shouldn't be a problem since we are now dating.'
Her reply carried a pragmatic undertone, "Actions speak way louder than words, Adrian." With that, she turned around, ready to leave.
However, Hailey halted, turning to Adrian with a firm statement, "Oh, and I will go back myself. No need to drive me back." With that declaration, she gracefully exited the lounge, leaving Adrian behind. A subtle smile graced his features as he pondered, 'A tyrant and a villainess, I wonder how much chaos we are going to cause in the future.'
His gaze drifted toward the window, a moment of contemplation. 'I still need to find that devil's flower, though, but it can wait.'
***
What do you think?
Meanwhile, in the opulent Gao Mansion, Madam Gao perched herself on the luxurious couch in the living room, engrossed in a phone call with Chairwoman Hang, whose discontent reverberated through the conversation.
"Madam Gao, my grandson waited for two hours just for your granddaughter! How will she compensate for that?" Chairwoman Hang's voice, filled with fury, echoed from the other end of the line. Madam Gao, maintaining her composure, let out a sigh and responded, "What do you mean, how would my granddaughter compensate? Stop making a fuss and yell at the matchmaker; she's the one who made the mistake by switching the address."
Chairwoman Hang, incredulous, retorted, "What? But the matchmaker didn't tell me anything!"
"It is obvious that the matchmaker is not reliable. Don't ever contact me to yell like that again. I'm not your close friend; we are only business partners. Am I wrong?" Madam Gao's voice remained cold and assertive, culminating in a sharp click sound as the call abruptly ended.
Just as Madam Gao was about to relax, a sudden clamor emanated from the kitchen, accompanied by a loud crash. A voice could be heard yelling, "Are you out of your mind?! Can't you do anything properly?!"