After Jones left the room, it was filled with an awkward silence . Melissa was on the bed, stealing occasional glances at Ryan who stood by the open window, enjoying the view.
"If you're not okay with this, you can leave. I don't want it to seem like you're being forced." He turned his gaze away from the window to her.
Melissa answered, "I've read the terms and conditions and its fine by me." It's not a big deal, it's not the first time I've lived with strangers," she added.
Ryan wanted to ask about her last sentence but he judged from her facial expression, it wasn't something she wanted to talk about so he let her be.
He walked over to the side of the bed which had a safe well hidden by the dresser that one barely noticed. He inputted the passcode and the safe opened. He dropped the file in it and brought out three little boxes before he closed it.
From the sizes of the boxes, she could tell what was in them;rings.
Ryan came back to sit but this time on a chair he had pulled along with him.
"I'm sure Jones has told all you need to know about this contract and why you're doing it?"
Melissa answered with a nod of her head.
"Good, you're well aware that my family have no idea that this union is just business and nothing more?"
"I'm well aware,"
"Which is why we have to make them believe that whatever is between us is love and not business," He looked down at the boxes in his hands. "I just want to let you know that you're free to do whatever you want, I won't stop you. You don't have to be scared of me,"
"Yes sir,"
Ryan chuckled. "Was the sir really necessary?"
He opened one of the boxes which contained a diamond ring and he handed it over to Melissa.
"Diamonds are every woman's best friend, that's what my secretary said that's why I got you one,"
"It's beautiful,"
The second one contained a black ring that had a black diamond encrusted in it which he handed over to her.
The last but not the least was a diamond ring with red gems encrusted around it.
"They're very beautiful," Melissa said as she admired them all. They must cost a fortune.
"Which one do you prefer? If you're indecisive, you can take them all, after all I bought them for you."
"I'll go with the first one," Melissa handed the rest back to him.
"You sure? You can have the rest if you want." He handed it back to her but she refused to take them.
She was very much contented with one, taking the rest would make her come off as a greedy person which she wasn't.
"Let me have it," His hand outstretched towards her and she placed the box in his hand.
He reached for her left arm and he placed the ring on her finger.
"We may not be lovers but we can be friends right?" He asked.
"Yes, we can." She answered. "But a friend doesn't give his friend an engagement ring," She smiled.
"Just think of it as a friendship ring, if you look at it, let it remind you of your new found friend, Ryan." He smiled back.