Jake was taken aback by her abrupt outburst and left speechless for a while. Quick-witted, he collected himself and appeared astonished with a little grin, making sure Emily didn't notice.
"Oh, that!" He appeared surprised but knew the new contract was at the bottom of the documents.
He made sure of it when his assistant Allen handed him the folder, and he secretly inserted it. He made it himself first thing in the morning before he left for office.
The new arrangement allows Jake Lewis to sleep with her anytime he wants and feels like it.
However, he refuses to accept responsibility, and she cannot hold him accountable. When it's time, this implies they will still part ways at the end of their contract.
In Emily's discerning eyes, this suggests he intends to consummate with her during their fictitious marriage without any strings attached.
That bewildered her since they hardly knew each other, and he didn't show any interest in her when they first met.
She wondered why Jake would put that in the contract. Also, he has a beautiful woman beside him who could satisfy his needs; why her?
"What the heck!" Didn't he have a fiancee? Why would he want to bed her when he had one by his side? The arrogance to insult her as if she were some cheap prostitute he could sleep with any time he needed to. That's where he's mistaken since she won't give in to her carnal desires if he's the man she'll be with." She mumbles quietly.
She was ready to strike out at him when a notion occurred to her as she fixed him with piercing gazes.
Having a fling with Jake Lewis is not a horrible idea; it may be enjoyable in the long term; with his numerous qualities, who wouldn't want to be with him?
'He is young, barely a few years older than her. He is the embodiment of a Greek deity who can dethrone any star. His teeth are bright white, he has two lovely dimples, and he is tall, strong, and attractive. He exudes physical sexiness that would entice any lady to leap on him. He isn't such a horrible bargain. Emily was thinking.
Because she doesn't have long to live, why not make the most of it by spending her final moments with him in bed? Who knows. He could be good at it.
Emily chuckled to herself over her wacky ideas. She was dazed, her eyes shining.
She had no idea! Jake had been watching her lick her kissable lips, captivated by her actions. Some parts of his body trembled as he remembered their time together four years ago.
Emily is unclear about how to continue. The criteria are not onerous.
Should she agree to the terms and sign the contract? This was the question she needed to answer.
***
The grandfather's clock at the far end of the study ticked away.
As Jake waited for Emily to decide, the room became strangely silent. He wasn't aware he was holding his breath until Emily said.
"Do you have a pen, by any chance?" Jake's eyes widened in astonishment, as he hadn't expected her to agree to the contract's terms.
Jake only considered franking her when he created the agreement to see how she would respond. But now that she asked whether he had a pen, he was utterly stunned and unable to respond.
Emily said it again, looking at him like he'd gone insane.
"Mr. Lewis, I asked if you have a pen?" Her speech was kind and soothing, and her eyes were as clear as the ocean.
She is serious and honestly eager to sign the foolish deal he made out of anger. Jake could not move; he was trapped, glued to the sofa, and disoriented.
Emily glanced at him, about to say something, then paused. After a time, she mustered the bravery to express her query.
"Mr. Lewis, you understand what I mean. Before I sign the agreement, I'd want to clarify... only if... Do we need to, like, create a timetable or something? Or should we go with the flow and schedule appointments whenever needed? Can you tell me a little bit about it?"
Her expression was somber as she said it innocently.
Jake almost choked on her inquiry, his eyes big as an owl peering at her, perplexed.
He started wondering, 'Is this woman for real?' Her inquiry seemed like something you'd hear at an escort agency. Jake could only shake his head, trying to figure out what had gotten into her.
Jake failed to consider that, while Emily had never been in a relationship before her one-night encounter, she was not naive enough to be unaware of men's and women's sexual demands.
She could be physically innocent, but not intellectually. So, when she posed those questions, she only played with him. When she saw his response, she laughed inside.
When Jake regained his sanity, he moved closer to Emily. With an intimidating, dark aura and furrowed brows, they locked eyes. Then he asked her a question.
"Are you certain about this?" "If you signed that agreement, there's 'no turning back.' Are you certain?" He underlined the statement 'no turning back' again.
"Yes, I'm certain!" she said, her stare piercing his soul.
Jake knew deep down inside that what he was doing was wrong.
But when he viewed their relationship as husband and wife, he saw nothing wrong with demanding his rights as her husband. In the worst-case scenario, she may decline.
If she consented and signed the contract, even if they consummated, they would still be divorced at the end of the year, and he would make sure she was properly looked after.
He felt everything would be alright before standing up. "Alright, then!"
He gently rose and walked to his desk to retrieve a pen. He handed it to Emily cautiously.
He felt awful and replied, "Don't sign it if you feel obligated, honestly..." He halted what he was about to say...~~~
***
A/N
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Due to the story being part of a writing competition, the following chapters will be locked. I apologize in advance since it's earlier than I usually lock my chapters. I hope you continue to support and read.
Thank you, and may God bless all of you!