Mark sat in the restaurant, awaiting Violet's arrival.
He had initially wanted to pick her up, but she asked him not to bother.
Violet suddenly came in, looking really beautiful, in her white evening dress, that stopped right above her knees.
Her hair was let down, unlike the usual bun she usually packs it in, while coming to work.
The red lipstick that she had on, added a pop of colour to her angelic face, highlighting her luscious lips and flawless skin.
She looked around, then finally sighted Mark.
She smiled as she walked to him and Mark couldn't help but wonder how a person could be this beautiful.
Both in an official and casual attire, she is always looking radiant and astonishing.
"Hi Mark." she flashed a smile, when she got to his place.
Her white set of teeth, giving her a beautiful smile.
Mark quickly got up and went to the other side of the table, to pull the chair for her to sit.
"Didn't know Mark was such a gentleman" she said, laughing as she took her seat.
"You are looking really beautiful, Violet.
You are making other girls jealous." he said as he sat down.
And he wasn't lying. A lot of men in the restaurant, were turning their heads, just to look at her.
Making their partners jealous.
Violet laughed lightly.
"Thanks for the compliment Mark. You are looking really handsome too" she said and he smiled.
"I didn't even think you would agree to this dinner." he said.
"Why?" she asked.
"Well, it just seemed like it. I was really surprised that you agreed." he said.
"Of course. Why won't I agree to a dinner with my colleague." she said, honestly and Mark smiled, although a little disappointed that she called him a 'colleague'
"Do you only see me as a colleague?
Not as a friend, or anything else?" he asked, eager to hear her reply.
"I definitely see you as a friend, not only as my colleague.
I didn't mean to offend you " she said.
"Offend me? Not at all. I just wanted to know. I'm not offended at all.
It gladdens my heart to know that you see me as a friend.
Thanks for having dinner with me" he said.
"Who am I to even reject a dinner with our dear Mark.
Besides, I'm a foodie." she said and he laughed.
They ordered their food and ate, chatting over their meal.
In another seat, Xavier was staring at Violet.
"Can't believe I met her again" he chuckled.
She just always seems to capture his attention.
"Is that her boyfriend" he asked himself, looking at them as they ate.
He sipped his drink, his eyes fixated on the duo.
*
"What! He wants you to get married?" Bryan asked, surprised.
Adrian had just told him of his father's plans.
And how he had insisted that he get married.
"Why are you just telling me this now?" Bryan asked.
"These few previous weeks has been pretty rough and draining.
It would have been selfish of me, to tell you about my personal problems, when I knew how hard you've been working."Adrian said.
"Since when did you start looking out for others" Bryan chuckled.
"But then...this is a serious issue.
How would you get married when you don't even have a girlfriend and worse still, you don't like getting close to a lady." Bryan said, scratching his head.
"I don't understand why he suddenly wants me to get married.
He is even threatening me with the company." Adrian said.
"The company?" Bryan asked, and Adrian nodded.
"I can't believe this" Bryan muttered.
"What do we do? We don't have much time left." Bryan said.
"I'm not getting married." Adrian said.
"You are not getting married? So you want to risk the company?
Your dad is pushing you to the edge.
And you really want to fall for it, and risk loosing everything you've worked for?" Bryan asked.
Adrian closed hose eyes briefly, frustrated.
Bryan looked up when a thought flashed in his head.
"How about a contract marriage?* he asked and Adrian raised his brows.
"Contract marriage?"
"Yes. You can get into a contract marriage with a girl, use it to secure your company and divorce her later, when everything is settled." Bryan advised.
"You think that would work?" Adrian asked.
He didn't like the whole idea about marriage at all but there wasn't any other way out.
It would involve him living with the gender he dislikes most.
But he had to do something.
Or else, his father would keep threatening him.
"Of course, it will. It's just to fool your dad.
You both don't have to get intimate, if you don't want that.
It's just going to be a marriage on paper.
You can just divorce her later, and give a believable excuse.
Voila! Problem solved." Bryan said, spreading his arms.
"I'm such a genius" he praised himself, as Adrian ruminated on the idea.
"It's the best choice we have for now, Adrian." he said.
Adrian heaved a sigh, before answering.
"So, how do we find a girl that can fake the relationship?" he asked.
"We'll have to go wife-hunting" Bryan chuckled and Adrian groaned.
*
Violet was going home from work, when she saw some boys sitting on a fence ahead, smoking.
She looked around her, everywhere was dark and the street was also quiet.
Just a few people walking.
This isn't the normal route she usually takes when she's going home.
She decided to take this route since it was faster to her house.
She wasn't supposed to return home this late, and she knew Alexa would be have been so worried.
Her phone battery was dead, so there was no way she could reach her.
She would had gone home earlier, but she had some works to do in the office, and it took her time.
So she had to spend extra hours, working.
She could have done them the next day, but she just decided to finish it up.
It took her way long than she expected.
She walked fast, as she approached where the boys were.
She had almost walked past when one of them jumped down from the fence they were sitting on.
"Hey baby" he called as he walked towards her.
Violet quickened her steps.
"Sexy, I'm talking to you" he said and another joined him as they caught up with her.
"Why are you running away? Beautiful girls like you don't need to run from us" one of them said, a cigarette in his mouth.
"You look really hot." he said and Violet made to leave but he dragged her back.
Violet was scared as they surrounded her.
"How about a night, sweetheart?' one whispered in her ears and laughed.
Violet trembled in fear.
"Can you handle the four of us?" he asked and Violet flinched.
"That looks really soft" he chuckled, looking at her breasts.
"Can I touch it?" he asked and his other friends laughed.
Violet closed her eyes in fear. She knew these guys won't hesitate to rape her.
They might even kill her, if she makes a wrong move.
"They are pretty soft, right?" he said and Violet stiffened, as he made to touch her.
Just as his hands almost landed on her breasts; a kick flew to his face, sending him flying.
A scream pierced the air as his nose got broken.
"Touch me and you die!" his cold, menacing voice came out threateningly when one of the boys tried fighting him.
Adrian's handsome face belied his cold aura, his chiseled features and piercing eyes seeming to dare anyone to get close.
They realized that the person in front of them isn't someone they can mess with.
His aura alone, sent chills down their spines.
They hurriedly went to meet their member whose nose was already broken badly.
They helped him up, and together they all scampered away in fear.
"Are you okay?" he asked the terrified Violet who looked up to see her saviour.
She was surprised when she saw it was Adrian.
"S-Sir?" her voice cams out in a whisper.
It was obvious that she was frightened because of the incident.
"It's alright. I'm here now." he said to her and surprisingly, she hugged him tight.
He blinked rapidly.
He wasn't expecting that reaction at all.
She hugged him tightly like her life depended on it.
Adrian's mind was in turmoil.
This feeling again.
For unknown reasons, he couldn't just push her away.
When was the last time he allowed a girl apart from Sasha and Deja, hug him?
The fact that she was crying in his arms, hugging him tightly and he didn't feel irritated or annoyed was really surprising.
"I was scared. I was so scared" she cried, her tears, wetting his shirt.
Instinctively, his hands went around her, and he patted her back slowly.
"I'm here now, it's fine" he said, patting her back gently.