"You are Juliana Evans, are you not?" He questioned with his face blank. You stare at Carl in shock
Slowly, you nod and he bites his lips in agony, "at least, you're finally being honest."
Carl grabs your arms and drags you out, right to the parking lot. He releases you suddenly that you stumble back, "why didn't you tell me who you were?"
"Not with you acting like this. Calm down and I'll tell you."
"Calm down? Calm down?! You lied to me! You deceived me. You lured me into believing you were someone else." He thundered
"I was going to tell you. I really was, but then we got to talking and I didn't get the chance to tell you."
"Yeah right. Is what Madam Beee said even true? Is any of it true? Is your niece really sick or is this one a pathetic sob story for a payout?"
You look pissed and confused at the same time. Some part of you refuses to let Carl talk to you in that manner, and wants to give him the whole sob story to get him to believe you're in it for a good reason, but on the other part, you leave him to think what he wants to think.
"You know nothing about me and now, you never will." You turn to go
"Juliana, wait.!" Carl calls after you. You want to move but the remorse in his eyes stops you in your tracks.
"I..I..I was being unfair. I'm sorry. Can we start over? If our marriage is more of a contract, it'll be better if we at least start off as friends."
"I'd like that." He gives you a smile that makes your stomach tighten. Then, he walks you to his car to drive you home.
"Well, this is crazy."
"Which part?"he raises his eyebrows to look at you
"Marrying you. I've always dreamed of getting married but not this way."
He opened the door, and made a gesture with his hands ushering you inside. Your drive home was quiet and calm, in a few minutes, he pulled up to your driveway.
"Uhm, do you mind going to dinner with me? Like tonight? Right now? You can see it as our first official date."
You were taken by surprise and you never expected that question to pop up from him after all that unfolded earlier.
"If you don't mind, I'd love to get to know you better. Personally. And aside from that, we should probably set some ground rules and walls before you move in tomorrow, and I wouldn't want to do that in your driveway." Carl added as if reading your mind.
"Sure. Okay. I'd love that too, if only I get to choose what we eat. I want Chinese food." You curve your lips in such innocent smile
"Done."
The quaint Chinese restaurant is adorned with traditional red lanterns, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Soft instrumental music fills the air, accompanied by the subtle hum of conversation from other diners.
A gentle aroma of various spices and flavors wafts through the room, adding to the sensory experience.
Seated at a dimly lit table adorned with a simple vase of fresh flowers, Carl and Juliana exchange nervous smiles. The waiter hands them menus featuring a diverse array of Chinese dishes.
Juliana glances at the menu, her eyes widening at the multitude of options, "Wow, there's so much to choose from. Do you have any recommendations?"
"General Tso's chicken is fantastic here, but if you're feeling more adventurous, the Peking duck is a local favorite." Carl answered, while scanning through the menu on his palm.
"Hmm, I think I'll go with General Tso's chicken. Sounds delicious."
As they place their orders, Carl tries to ease the tension with a touch of humor, "I hope you're not too familiar with chopsticks. I've been known to launch a few across the table in my time."
Juliana laughs, admitting her own struggles with chopsticks, "I can relate! But hey, it's all part of the experience, right?"
Their laughter continues as the waiter brings out steaming bowls of hot and sour soup to start. The savory aroma adds to the anticipation of the upcoming meal.
Their conversation flows easily, covering topics from work to hobbies, creating a connection beyond the menu choices. The main courses arrive, and the table is soon adorned with an array of vibrant dishes, each offering a burst of color and enticing aromas.
"So how do you feel about all of this?" Carl looked up to you.
"Getting married to you, having your baby? Weird but what can I do about it?" You answered with a moody tone playing with your chopsticks
"No. About being a mom."
You pause, and sniffled back a sob, "I don't know. Maybe it has to do with the fact that my birth parents didn't want me, and my adoptive mother was a very difficult person."
"Nora is the only remaining family I have left. She's the only one, and as long as you're catering for her well-being, I'll play my part very well. I'll not disappoint you."
"Good luck. Maybe you need it, maybe you don't, but during the period of one year of us being together, we have to convince everyone that we're in love and that this is real."
You flashed him your best smile and continued your meal.
You're all packed and excited Jessica is helping you put things in order making sure you don't forget anything, "you good to go girl. But you need to dress the part of you're going to have Carl Tate in your pants."
She said, raising up a see through brown denim vest, you drag the vest from her and toss it on the couch in your bedroom, "he's not going to be in my pants."
"How then are you supposed to give him a baby?"
"Through artificial insemination."
"Oh, girl, it's a pity to pass on your little v on someone as hot as Carl. It's a contract but it'll be worth it." Jessica persuaded
Your phone dings, you check to see a text from the driver, "it's the driver. He's here to pick me up."
"Alright girl. Don't forget to text me immediately with all the deets." She screamed after you
You arrive at Carl's Mansion in few minutes, walking through the front door, you realize that you really have stepped out of your league
You're still in awe when a young stern looking girl approaches you, gives you a stern look, "Mr Tate has never had any of his girlfriends live here." She said looking you up and down, then continued, " he said to be comfortable as he won't be coming in unti
l late at night."
You're shocked and couldn't say a thing, your head was flooded with just one loud question, "what have you gotten into?"