Nora was going up the escalator alongside Anastasia, her PA. She had just concluded a board meeting and was going up to her office.
"Are the Marketing team still having their team dinner tonight?" Nora asked.
"Yes, would you like me to clear your evening, would you make an appearance?"
"No. I just wanted to be sure "
" Okay, aside your meeting by 4 the rest of your day is cleared."
" Hope you made it short?"
" Yes it's only 35 minutes long,38 max."
This was the reason she kept Anastasia around for 5 years. She was competent, intelligent and beautiful. They were close but she understood boundaries more than anyone she had met. She never overstepped them.
"Thank you dear." Nora said with emphasis on dear.
She was her lifeguard
On getting into the office, she left to grab my lunch. She came back 4 minutes later without any.
"What happened? Nora said startled because of the way she jumped into office.
" There's nothing to be scared about..... " she started.
".........."
" ... But there's an insanely hot man that's downstairs, said he's asking if you."
" Does he have an appointment?"
"That's the problem, he said you'll send him up immediately if you heard his name."
" Interesting, what's his name?"
" Leo Callahan or something "
" Shit, send him in"
" I guess Mr hot and mysterious was right after all.
"What was Leo doing here?" Nora wondered as she waited.
**********************************
" That I'm on my way to make probably the worst mistake of my life should bother me more" Leo thought to himself as he was going up through the elevator.
He had decided after a long night of thinking to come here to his ex- girlfriends company and had almost turned back at the door.
But watching her go up using the escalator put his mind at ease.
He was never good at gambling but here, he was putting his last resort on the line , gambling with fate.
A few minutes later, he was walking into her polished office. It was evident from the setting her office gave off that she was a soft and natural one. Her very lit office was the opposite of his very dim office he spent the last few hours rearranging and decorating. Wether or not he was going to use it though depended on her answer today.
"I don't think we're close enough to pay each other visits Leo, why are you here?"
"You don't think that's a bit harsh considering we have history?"
"Are you here to sob about the past?"
" Chill you're just out from the hospital remember, I could be coming to see how your doing."
" You couldn't do that a few years back and now you can?"
He wanted to argue about that statement, about how he had been anything but 'not there' but he kept quiet.
Arguing won't fix anything then.
" I can for something else"
She rolled her eyes.
" I thought as much, what is it Callahan "
"Marry me" He said cold and calculated.
She laughed loud, " and why would I?"
"Because you need me and I do you"
" Leo I have a meeting in an...."
" You may not know but tonight, you're engagement to Knox would be made public in a way you can't help. Given your situation you'll succumb sooner than you think you would, you'll marry Knox Wilder who you detest and sonner than later you'll be a shadow of yourself."
Allowing that to sink in, he continued.
"And don't think you can change your parents mind, they've already been bought by Knox. You may be the president of Nova Terra Group but your dad is the chairman and the largest shareholder one call from him and you would be at intern level ASAP. Let's help each other."
"And what's in it for you." she spoke for the first time since he started.
" I don't see any reason why you need a wife, and I can't think it's about the money as you are the owner of shopixir."
"I see you've been keeping tabs." he said with a smirk and a drawl.
"I am being serious." she said
"We'll I have been thinking about family a lot."
Without much effort, he brought out a spiral bound document.
" I've drawn a contract already. I believe the terms are acceptable by you."
"And what makes you so confident that I'll accept your proposal?"
" The Nora I know is no pushover, I'll love to know if a lot has changed since we dated."
" This is...."
" There's something I omitted from the contract. I need to know if your feelings are still the same from those few years. We are going to be putting on a show for the world. We wouldn't need complications, This is business, I need to know if you can handle this." he says gesturing to himself.
She scoffs.
"Take you're time , you have until tonight to decide. Any hour tonight." He say rising to leave.
" Bye Nora" he says with a wink.
Nora stares down at the documents at hand.
Marriage Contract Agreement
This Marriage Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into on this day, between:
Leo Callahan (hereinafter referred to as "Party A"), and
Nora Storm (hereinafter referred to as "Party B").
Together referred to as "the Parties."
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Purpose
The Parties agree to enter into a contractual marriage for the duration of four hundred and fifty (450) days with the intent of mutually supporting one another in the pursuit and achievement of their respective personal and professional goals.
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Terms and Conditions
1. Duration
This Agreement shall remain in effect for four hundred and fifty (450) days beginning from the date of legal marriage registration.
2. Commitment
The Parties shall remain legally married and present themselves as a couple for the duration of this Agreement.
Neither Party shall engage in a relationship, romantic or otherwise, with a third party during the term of this contract.
3. Mutual Support
Each Party agrees to act in good faith to assist, support, and protect the other in pursuit of their stated goals, whether professional, social, or personal.
The Parties shall make reasonable efforts to appear as a united front in public and private matters.
4. Confidentiality
The existence and details of this Agreement shall remain strictly confidential between the Parties unless disclosure is mutually agreed upon.
5. Termination
This Agreement shall automatically expire at the end of four hundred and fifty (450) days.
At expiration, the Parties shall mutually decide whether to:
a) Continue the marriage as a genuine relationship, or
b) Legally dissolve the marriage without obligations or claims against one another.
6. No Liability
Neither Party shall hold the other liable for emotional damages or financial losses, except as explicitly agreed herein.
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Acknowledgment
By signing below, both Parties confirm that they have read, understood, and voluntarily agreed to the terms of this contract marriage.
Signed:
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Leo Callahan
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Nora Storm
Date: ___________________