Chapter 2
As their food arrived, Eleanor thanked the server and picked up her utensils and started eating. Elizabeth's oddly quiet as she tries to observe and understand the intentions of Eleanor didn't immediately pick up her fork as she frowned.
"Now, can we discuss it?" Elizabeth asked impatiently as Eleanor took a bite of the meaty beef she cut out and gestured to Miss Hayes to take a bite first.
Elizabeth, albeit wary, decided to pick up her spoon and took a bite of the soup she ordered. She didn't order a big meal despite being hungry as she wanted this meeting to finish early but after feeling the juicy and sour taste of the soup, her eyes widened as she gulped it down in seconds.
After finishing, she still felt quite hungry and was about to suppress it by eating the bread that was served along as a side dish when a full course meal was served on their table. It was a meal she always wanted to try but couldn't as she's both busy with her job and didn't have much money to spare as her rent increased 3 months ago.
"This is for you." Eleanor said with a kind smile. She noticed that Miss Hayes seemed quite hungry and seeing as she only ordered a bowl of soup, it would be far from enough to fill her stomach.
"No, thank you," Elizabeth replied, despite herself salivating just from the tasting, "I'm already full."
"I insist." Eleanor retorted as she pointed at her food. "This much is already enough for me and since I already ordered it, I don't want it to go to waste." She explained as Elizabeth sighed.
"Well, alright, if you insist…" Elizabeth took the plate to put in front of her as she ate merrily. She didn't even notice how 'unsightly' she's eating as she ate the food without much care in the world.
Eleanor didn't care either, she knew how precious food was especially after staying in the front lines during the war where food was stale and limited, so she only felt relieved and happy when she saw people eating joyfully.
*****
After the two finished dining, Elizabeth once again asked Eleanor to continue their talk but, this time, she's not as moody or irritated. Instead, she felt quite full and content.
Seeing this, Eleanor took the opportunity and smiled.
"As we both know, this meeting was forced on us by our parents." Eleanor spoke as Miss Hayes nodded. "And, we are both people who don't want to be married or be I'm a relationship, aren't we?" Eleanor asked, waiting for Miss Hayes' approval hoping that speculation was right.
Elizabeth nodded, "Well, yes." She replied. "But, how is that relevant to this?" She asked. She's not quite sure what it is that this strange lady in front of her wanted. She's interested in this charming and mysterious woman in front of her.
Hearing her reply, Eleanor smirked. "Then, I would like to propose a deal."
*****
Eleanor slumped down her bead groggily, she was white drunk and tired after the meeting with Miss Hayes. She was a nervous wreck while waiting for her so she decided to get a little bit intoxicated to feel a little confident.
Eleanor rolled over and looked up at the ceiling, she stretched out her hands in a daze. She didn't think that the confidence boost she took would make her act quite bold and even suggest such a thing.
And what's even wilder was the fact that Miss Hayes agreed! She couldn't believe it. She can't believe that her stupid plan actually worked and she couldn't help but look back at their conversation.
*****
"So, if I'm hearing this right, you wanted us to get married?" Miss Hayes asked with a suspicious frown as she chuckled and waved her hands. "Doesn't that contradict our 'shared beliefs and goals'?"
"It seems you completely misunderstood me, Miss Hayes." Eleanor replied as she smirked. "What I meant was for us not to be bonded by love but for the sake of it." She explained as Miss Hayes' frown became deeper.
"It seems like I fail to understand your point." Miss Hayes replied in annoyance as she glared at Eleanor.
"My apologies but I meant for us to get married to keep our parents' from meddling with our business while we continue on with our lives." Eleanor replied. "We're only married on paper and we can continue with whatever we want to do. We don't need to do anything outside of formalities and act like we're a loving couple to our friends and families but other than that, we can practically be roommates." She explained further.
Miss Hayes remained quiet as she seemed to think it through. Eleanor felt uneasy, she only thought things out of the blue and even she wasn't quite sure about how it would work or if it's even the better choice.
But seeing as Miss Hayes met her, that just meant she's also dealing with the same problems that she also has to deal with and thinking of this, she suggested a deal. She didn't know what even brought her to say all of this but she can't seem to want the meeting with Miss Hayes to end in just the first meeting.
"So, you wanted me to marry you and live together with you but I can keep whatever I'm doing, is that right?" Miss Hayes asked as Eleanor nodded. "All for a simple price of keeping it a secret that our marriage isn't built on love but all for the benefits of it by acting sweet and loving with you, is that right?" She asked again as Eleanor nodded.
"Correct." Eleanor nodded as she took a sip of the water laying neatly on the table.
"Do I need to sleep with you?" Miss Hayes asked with a straight face that took Eleanor back as she almost choked on the water she drank.
After coughing a few times, Eleanor shook her head. "Absolutely not, I detest physical contact with any omega." She replied which is quite true, after all, no omegas would want a body that has been deformed like hers and the very thought of being with someone in a skin to skin contact makes her vomit and break down in sweats.
Eleanor can already feel them, the stares, the snicker, and the disgusts on people's eyes once they see her body. The look of hatred mixed with disgust as they all called her a monster made her sweat.
Seeing the state she's in, Elizabeth didn't know what to do or how to comfort thus seemingly scarred alpha in front of her. She didn't know what kind of past she had but she knew it wasn't a good one.
Nonetheless, Elizabeth had already weighed the pros and cons of this arrangement and hearing all her concerns answered, it was already obvious what was the answer.
"Then, I agree." She replied. She didn't do anything to comfort this female alpha in front of her for now but maybe, through this arrangement, she slowly could.
Hearing her answer, Eleanor seemed to snap out of her thoughts as she smiled weakly. "Great."