Chapter Nine

A short while later someone is stood outside the door knocking while I’m in the bathroom packing away some things, I shout just a minute before heading to the door.

Greyson has a face like thunder and his eyes are staring right through my soul, he pushes past me into the room.

"Sure, come in " I mutter sarcastically as he walks past.

"Why didn’t you come to my office?"

"What do you mean, Beverly told me to come when I’m settled" I move around the room to the half-opened emptied bags.
"As you can see, I’m not settled”.

Their truth in what I’m saying but also a lie, I could have gone down at any point but as soon and I do I will have to sign the paperwork and that will make this whole thing a lot more real.

"It’s been 3 hours; I’ve been waiting for you”.

He’s huffing like a schoolboy and has his chest puffed out.

"Well, I wasn’t ready if you wanted me to be quick you should have said so”.

I head out of the door and start the walk to his office, my hands in front as I hold them nervously twiddling my fingers while the rest of my body screams confidence. Greyson doesn’t say anything but from the sounds of his footsteps behind me, he is following.

As soon as we step into his office it feels warm, a large bookshelf line the walls and I’m instantly drawn to it. It reminds me so much of my fathers every book on the shelf looks well-read, I trace my hands along with the covers before I hear Greyson moving his chair to sit.

I follow suit but choose to sit on the sofa instead.

"Miss Hudson, would you mind taking a seat on the chair in front”.

Sometimes I wish he would just call me Genevieve, Miss Hudson sounds like I’m in trouble.

"Mr Maddox. I would mind, if we are to live together, I would prefer our first conversation to set the tone of a relaxed atmosphere. Why don’t you sit with me instead “?

I crease's his brows and I see his knuckles start to go white where he has balled his hands into a fist.

"You really are infuriating you know. What we have to discuss here is a business contract so stop being a brat and take a seat”.

I roll my eyes as I stand up and head towards the chair.

"How can you call me a brat when you just had a tantrum in my room because I didn’t do something you want. It seems as though we are cut from the same cloth if I am a brat”.

I laugh and it only seems to anger him further.
"Honestly if I didn’t need to do this, I would have asked you to leave by now”.

"Well, I mean I can go if you want it’s your choice”.

"I know that you need this as much as I do Genevieve who else would marry a stranger for 1.5 million if they didn’t need the money for something”.

His words knock my faked confidence, he is right I do need the money just like he needs a wife.

"Fine, shall we go through the contract then?"

He pulls some papers out of his desk draw and we start to go through them, at first, he talks through each point explaining it to me but soon catches on that I know about contracts and clauses.

We run through all the usual stuff, non-disclosure agreements and such after we have agreed to all his, it was time for my terms the main one being this will only be for one year, a point he makes several times it time to move onto my terms.

"So, I very much stand by what I said about my past but and I would like it to put in here that you are not to run background checks on myself of my family, in return I will tell you all of the relevant information”.

He frowns at me but nods in agreement as he doesn’t have another choice.

"I would also like half a million of the money we have agreed the day after we are married, and no you may not ask why”.

"What’s stopping you from running away when I give you that?"

"Where am I going to run too. Besides, I do not want the money to run away with it, it is so I do not have to rely on you for anything. I would like to keep my independence”.

"I’m not sure why you would need it, part of this clause”.

He points to a section on the paper.
"You will get an allowance like a wage each month to spend what you need and to maintain our story”.

"I’m aware of that however I won’t budge on this, we are doing this as a partnership I won’t let myself rely on you for things”.

He doesn’t say another word but nods, we go through the rest of the paperwork the obvious comes up, don’t do anything that can hurt the company image.

"And finally, that clause about sex "

My head flies up to meet his, there is no way I’m signing to say that I will have sex with him. He laughs at my expression on my face.

"I don’t mean sex between us, I told you not to fall in love with me that will help. This is about us as individuals just because we are married on the outside, we still have needs but we can’t do anything in public so any chances to get lucky will have to be bought back to the apartment”.

Was he for real, we're both going to sleep around and bring them home I think not?

"Look I’m all for the maintaining certain aspects of our lives but not bringing them back here, I mean how am I supposed to introduce you. Hey this is Greyson my husband so shall we get down to it”.

He laughs again.

"Okay fair point how about I buy the floor below Beverly’s for dates”.

Oh yeah sure just buy an entire floor for your manic sex romps with bimbos.

"Okay"

Finally, after another 20 minutes, we are done, and I can hear my stomach rumbling as the smell of something amazing has been filling the room for the last 10.

I leave his office as he delves back into the whatever work he was doing before, turning into the kitchen I see Bev bumbling around the kitchen preparing dinner.

"Hey, do you need any help?"

She turns around, her mouth a little open looking shocked before she smiles.

"I’m okay my dear as its almost ready, why don’t you head and get washed up and come back in half an hour when dinner is ready. I would appreciate a little help tomorrow though?"

"That sounds great”.

I can’t tell if she is just being polite but the fact that she even offered made me feel at home, stepping back into my room I see that all of my things have been packed away and my bed had even been remade, I look around the room to see no one there but there is a small note.

*Grandma told me to pack away the rest of your things.
Welcome to the house.
Ellie *

Taking notice of her name I make a mental note to say thank you to her when I see her next, my stuff was disorganised chaos.

I head into the shower letting the water run over me as I go over the day’s events, I’ve just signed my life away for an entire year. In 4 weeks, I’ll be the wife of a man I don’t even like. This is not the future I imagined for myself.

I hear Beverly knock on the door to alert me that that dinner is ready, I chuck on some leggings and t-shirt not wanting my first dinner to be in my pyjamas.

As I walk down the corridor, I see Beverly struggling to lay the table, I rush over and take them from her.

"I can do this”.

I finish setting the table but notice its only set for two.

"Are you not eating with us?"

She wanders over with some dishes and places them down.

"No Miss Hudson, Mr Maddox usually eats alone, and Emily is preparing our food downstairs, I will be back to clean up later on”.

He eats alone and then makes her clean up, how freaking lazy.

"Not tonight Beverly you take the evening off I will clear up”.

I may as well use my last 6 months working in diners for good.

"Oh, I couldn’t, he wouldn’t like it”.

"Well ill deal with him you go have dinner with your family and rest up afterwards”.

She gives me another one of her warming smiles and a hug before we are interrupted by Greyson coming into the room. She nods to me before leaving and then we both take a seat.

There is a silence between us as we sit next to one another eating. Everything tastes amazing and I’ve never been happier to have made this choice as shovel a large forkful of pasta into my mouth.

It is at that moment I can feel eyes on me, and I turn to face Greyson.

"So, Genevieve I was thinking."

"You can just call me Gen. People only really call me Genevieve when I’m in trouble”.

"Okay GEN"
There’s so much emphasis on my name that I almost take the nickname privilege back.

"I was thinking that we should talk about the wedding”.

I almost Choke on the mouth full, remembering that to be someone’s wife there must be a wedding.

"Well, I’ll be honest I haven't really thought about its Greyson”.

He must sense my nervousness and his lip curl up a little, it’s the softest I have seen his face be since we met.

"Well, I can have someone plan it all we just need to work out a guest list, it should be a small wedding. So, my parents your parents and any family"

I drop my head and start to push my food around.

"That won’t be a problem for me, my parents are no longer with us and I have no other family so it will just be Alex”.

He doesn’t say anything but seems uncomfortable, so I try to break the ice by suppressing my vulnerable side and making a joke.

"So what dress are you going to wear?"

He doesn’t say anything but returns my question to me with that same uncomfortable look on his face.

"What will you wear Gen?"

"I don’t know I’m sure I can find a dress last minute it won’t be an issue, it’s not like I need to find my dream dress or anything”.

I push myself away from the table and begin to clear the plates.

"Why are you doing that Beverly will do it?"

"I Gave her the night off to spend with her family I can do dishes for one night”.

"Okay "

He doesn’t offer to clean up after himself, just pushes away from the table not even bothering to help me clear it as he walks back to his office.

Finding a small radio on the side I turn it on and begin to do the dishes, well at least my new life has music I hate the silence.