BETROTHED TO THE BILLIONAIRE

Ryan’s POV

She practically jumps on me, scaring the shit out of me. I sit up immediately, letting her slide down with a big grin on her face.

“What was that for?”

She shrugs nonchalantly like she hasn’t done anything wrong.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“I need to sleep”, I almost add, please. I am already tired of arguing back and forth with her. It is obvious she isn’t going to let me be.

“Please?” She demands, raising her brow. This is when I notice her hand on mine. I yank my hand off immediately.

Turning back to the bed, I comment. “Please.”

Then, I lay down, hoping she will let me be now.

“I didn’t ask you to sleep yet”, she jumps down from the bed and drags me up. Now I am more than convinced that she jumps for a living.

Why the hell is she jumping like a monkey all over the place? What does she even do for a living?

I know I married a stranger but I should have asked her if she had a job so she won’t be a complete liability. Having to help her parents is enough.

“We need to sign the contract first of all…”, she pauses to remember what else we need to do since it is our first night together. I didn’t want us to sign the contract before the vows were exchanged so the contract will hold grounds.

Suddenly, I remember I haven’t written down the rules as I promised.

I squat beside the side drawers and open it up with a key which was on top of the drawer.

It opens and I bring out the envelope which contains the contract we are to sign. My lawyer gave me this and I trust him enough not to disclose any of this to either my parents or her parents.

I am actually doing her a favor.

“We should sign the contract already”, I tell her as I produce a pen from the drawer before closing it and sitting back on the bed.

She is quiet and I look up to see her face expressionless.

If only she can be this quiet and gentle all the time, then I will have no reason to wish this never happened. I will have no reason to be pissed or frustrated.

Then she begins to look thoughtful and I raise the envelope. “Can we sign this now?”

I am really tired and I want to get this done with. Let’s just sign it and go to bed.

“The rules”, she reminds me. “Are they listed in the contract?”

I shake my head. “Not really. Just the essential contract guidelines. I haven’t included my rules yet but I plan to list them out for you now before we eventually sign it.”

She grabs the envelope from me and flop onto the space beside me. She opens the envelope and lets the contract fall on the bed.

She picks it up while I go over the rules I have in mind and what else to include.

After a while, she whirls around to face me. “What are the rules?”

“Are you done with…”

“Yes”, she cuts me short impatiently with a nod.

“The rules are as follows…”

“Can you write them down?” She interrupts me again and I seethe in anger. If there is another thing I hate aside from lies, then it is getting interrupted while talking.

Without giving a reply, I turn to the drawer and open it to produce a plain sheet of paper.

I sit more comfortably on the bed to relax my head on the headboard and to stop her from catching a glimpse of what I want to write. I don’t want any interruptions and when I am done, she can see them.

Fortunately, she does not say a word till I am done. I stretch the paper to her and her eyes grow wide.

“What?! Twenty rules?”

“Yes. There is room for more if the need arises”, I find myself smiling inwardly. This is where my power comes in.

“Is this some sort of partnership or what?” She snaps at me with a scowl.

“Technically, it is business. Read them.”

She glares at me once more before dropping her gaze back to the sheet of paper. Just like I am thinking, she begins to read the rules out aloud.

“First, there will be no strings attached”, she mentioned and nods her head in agreement. “Second, do not be touchy with me.”

“What?!” She exclaims. “Am I touchy?” I nod gingerly.

She hisses and goes back to the paper.

“Third, this contract will be effective for 24 months” She nods, and her eyes go down to the next.

“Fourth, no lies. Be honest.”

“Fifth, there is no room for termination from you.”

She looks like she has something to say but she keeps mute and continues.

“Sixth, I am the only one allowed to sleep on the bed in the master bedroom. We are not to share a bed.”

She stares up at me and shakes her head with a smile.

What is the smile for? Agreement or disagreement?

“Seventh, you…”

“Wait”, I stop her from going further. “What was that smile for?”

“What smile?”

“The one you had on when you read the sixth rule. Is it a sort of agreement to the rule or not?”

“Disagreement”, she mentions just like I expect and I perk up immediately in alarm. I am already happy that the contract will begin to take effect henceforth and I can have the bed to myself without having to share it with her.

“Disagreement?”

“I have every right to agree or disagree which means I will not sign the contract if the content and rules do not appeal to me.”

“You agreed for me to make the rules remember?”

“Yes, I did.”

“And I took your advice of a contract signing, didn’t I?”

“What does that have to do with this?” She shrugs again, throwing the paper to my face. “Your rules are ridiculous except for the first and third. How can you state such kind of rules?”

She is yelling again and I can feel my uprising anger.

“Shut up!” I yell back in the same tone. “I am making the rules and it is expected of you to do as I say.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” I grit my teeth and reply firmly.

“I am not signing the contract and that’s final. Until this silly thing is revised, I won’t sign the contract.”

“Don’t sign it, then. We will remain stuck with each other for life.” I threaten with a shout.

She begins to laugh like a maniac, throwing her head backward and clapping her hands. Her hair which is packed in a bun moves around her neck as she laughs.

“Mr. man”, she pokes my chest with her middle finger. “You need me more than I need you. I can decide to give your mom a call and I’m sure you don’t want to know the kind of lies I am going to feed her with.”

“What?!”

“Yes! Revise the damn rules. In fact, we are both going to make the rules and that’s final!”

“Who the hell do you think you are to raise your voice at me?” I rise abruptly, my anger out of control.

“Who do you also think you are, then? Some billionaire who can boss me around? No! You are just being selfish. We are both into this and it is only right that we come to an agreement and also make the rules guiding the contract together.”

I do not say anything. I begin to pace the room, to calm my nerves and not do something rash to this woman. She has pushed past the limit. I have been patient with her.

I thought just a while ago that she is going to be reasonable with me and we won’t have any cause to argue anymore or raise voices at each other but this is getting harder than I thought.

“Now I know you are not just an arrogant jerk, you are also selfish and a narcissist…”

“Hey”, I rush towards her but the next action surprises me. She dodges my attack and pushes me from behind with all her strength till I am out of the door.

Before I can recover from the shock of the action and the strength, she slams the door shut in my face and I hear her lock it from behind.