Christina walked into her apartment; her bag thudded against the table as she sank onto the couch. Her eyes, empty and distant, stared at the ceiling, her mind buzzing from the earlier conversation with her boss. It even consumed all her previous concerns about her ex and their breakup, leaving her with a lingering unease.
"Why can't I remember anything?!" She muttered, flipping over and thumping her head against the soft couch. Did she pounce on him? Or maybe she threw up before they could even kiss? The thought made her giggle, but his audacious claim gave her a headache.
Everything felt like a twisted dream. Her breakup, her scumbag ex, and the alleged accusation of sleeping with her boss. It felt as if she was living in a novel or shooting a sitcom.
"Maybe he would propose a contract marriage like in those dramas," Christina mused, her delusions taking a dramatic turn. "Oh, that would be fun!" She chuckled, momentarily clearing her clouded mind.
Her stomach interrupted her mirth, growling and reminding her she had barely eaten anything today. "Ahh, I'm hungry!" She murmured, rubbing her stomach and sitting up on the couch.
Usually, Derek was in charge of dinners on weekdays, and that thought made her sigh. Her eyes drifted to the kitchen, where memories of them happily cooking in the past resurfaced. Sighing again, she decided to order something, not ready to revisit those ruins.
---
[Next Day.]
The night stretched longer than Christina had expected. Thankfully, her medications helped her drift into a fitful sleep, but nothing could save her today from this awkward situation and her boss! She had planned to return his jacket and run away, but he insisted on having coffee together – a request she dared not refuse.
Christina tried to soothe her racing heart as Reylan continued to gaze at her as if she were a priceless painting hung in a museum. A part of her mind, curious yet cautious, nudged her to ask the inevitable, to fill those gaps in her memory. But she dismissed it, very sure nothing could happen between them and refused to poke this playboy's mischievous side.
Fortunately, Blaze returned with a tray of drinks just in time. Christina got up and received her iced americano, hoping to gulp it down quickly and escape. Blaze then passed a file along with his energy drink to Reylan before sitting on the empty chair beside her. Opening his can, he took a sip waiting for his brother to finish reading the contract.
Reylan smiled in satisfaction as he skimmed through the contract and placed it on the coffee table between them. "This is a marriage contract. Go through and sign if you like it," he said, leaning back on the couch.
"Pfft." Christina spat out her drink in shock, the liquid spilling not just on the paper but also on her boss. What did he say?!
Horror filled her face and she quickly apologized, "I am really sorry." She hastily grabbed a few tissues and passed them to Reylan, bowing apologetically as he snatched them with a scowl.
Blaze, spared from her attack, clicked his tongue and joked, "Tch, you missed his face!" His comment only fueled Reylan's rage, but it was worth it. This was probably the first time someone had spat on his brother.
As Reylan finished cleaning his coat, Christina slowly sat back on the couch and looked at the file before her. "So, this is a contract marriage proposal?" She asked, her eyes fixed on the paper. Despite the bold headline screaming at her, she couldn't believe it.
"Yep! My brother wants you to be his wife for a year," Blaze confirmed with a smile.
Christina nodded, but she still found it hard to digest. Out of curiosity, she lifted the file and read through the papers. He had run a clear background check on her, she noted as her mother's treatment was included along with an offer to clear all her father's debt. It had all the explanations, each condition valid in her opinion, but nothing answered her question.
"But why me?" She asked, looking up at him. Many women were waiting to jump on him, and it made no sense to choose someone like her who probably wouldn't fit the role. Anyone aware of her personality would agree.
"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Reylan asked, crossing his legs.
"Nope," Christina replied, curtly shaking her head.
Blaze stifled a laugh, pressing his lips together as Reylan's smile faded at Christina's blunt reply.
"I think you should because I have fallen for you," Reylan confessed, a faint glow in his eyes. With a smile, he continued, "I can't help but keep thinking about you all the time, my dear Monalisa."
Christina mimicked a gagging gesture at his words, momentarily forgetting the man she was making faces at was her boss. But as his expression hardened at her reaction, she quickly composed herself. Blaze, however, couldn't hold his laughter at her antics. She was indeed one of a kind.
"Oh, I am flattered at your words, sir. But sorry, I am not interested in it." Christina replied, placing the file back on the table. Marrying this playboy? That would definitely top her anti-bucket list.
"Why?" Blaze asked with a pout. He was eager to have her on their team, seeing her as the perfect source of entertainment and probably the only one capable of leaving his wily brother momentarily speechless.
"I have a boyfriend," Christina lied, using the most plausible excuse to escape the situation.
"But didn't you break up with him?" Reylan asked, squinting his eyes. He had no plans of losing her again.
Christina cursed inside her head for forgetting such an important detail; he had heard her heartache that night. Biting her lip as Reylan stared at her, as if ready to butcher her for lying, she scrambled for another believable excuse.
"Well, the reason I broke up with him was because I realized… " Scratching her brow, Christina murmured, "I'm not into men."
And it was Blaze's turn to spit out his drink in shock. What did she say?!
With a sigh, Christina continued to wrap it up nicely, "Though I already confessed to him, that jerk went around bad-mouthing me for ruining his life."
Even Reylan, for a moment, fell for her lies, moved by her seemingly genuine tears. But the playful spark in her eyes didn't fool him, and he could only scoff as she turned around to dramatically wipe the corners of her eyes.
"So I hope you won't force me into this marriage," Christina murmured in a low voice. With an apologetic bow, she rose from her seat.
Blaze nodded, empathizing with her concerns. Christina offered him a pained smile and, after another bow, turned to leave. Reylan scoffed loudly, shaking his head as she walked out of the office before sprinting toward the lift.
"What should we do now?" Blaze asked, thrown off by the unexpected twist. They needed to find another suitable candidate before their grandfather's birthday.
"Chase her until she finally agrees." Reylan declared, unwilling to give up on her.
"Don't be a dick, bro! You heard her!" Blaze scolded, supporting Christina. And when Reylan's expression didn't change, he grumbled, "I don't understand why you are so obsessed with her after just one drink!"
"Because I couldn't drink her blood," Reylan replied, his gaze fixed on Christina as she entered the distant elevator.
Blaze's irritation vanished, replaced by sheer surprise. "You couldn't?!" he repeated, the gravity of Reylan's words sinking in. The prophecy handed down by the supernatural council echoed in his mind. "So, does that mean she's the one?" he asked in confusion.
"Maybe," Reylan shrugged, the words of the High Witch hung in question which quoted:
"For she will return as a lowly being, one whom you might despise but can never take in as prey."