Chapter 3. Unexpected Surprises

I look at him without understanding his words, and I'm honestly waiting for him to tell me that this is a fucking joke and that someone is going to come out of a corner and say something like: "smile for the hidden camera", but no one comes out, and he doesn't laugh.

"What, you're telling me? " I question very scared, besides that I look around looking to see if anyone else is in the room, but no, we're alone.

" What you've heard, Kelly," he says calmly, nothing fazes him, he's so sure of what he's saying that it scares me. His face is serene and very calm... and this one, is he crazy? This must be a joke, this can't be true at all.

I look at him and look at him, after 5 minutes I finally say: "Why me? "I ask him nervously, on the verge of collapse.

"Because... I really don't know," he admits in a low voice… now he looks sorry...

"You have many girls who are interested in you," I inform him as if he doesn't know it, but in reality, he's just ignoring it because he knows he's handsome... and that there are many women who want something with him, "And what I don't understand is why he chose me," I say trying to understand, but even my attempts to get information out of him to clear my mind don't work.

He keeps his eyes fixed on the sheets of paper on his desk. " They're just after my money, and they're also after love and stuff, things I don't want. "I raise my eyebrows, quizzical, they don't what? Love is real, we all deserve love, but he looks for it in the wrong people.

"Unfortunately, it's true about the money, but isn't that why you were supposed to go out with him? For the money? Well, and what makes you think that I'm going to want to marry you and have your child? " I was trying to make it sound more like a question, but it sounded like a complaint.

"I just assumed, that's all it was. It's a favor, Miss Parker," he says, looking at me.

" Well, that's not normal, a child is something to look forward to with love, not just a deal or a favor. Besides… I wouldn't be gaining anything, why would I want to get married or have a child right now," I object, annoyed that he thinks he can come and tell me all this as if it's the most normal thing in the world.

"I know that, but if I don't make the one-month deadline, I'm not going to get anything, and I'd fly away without taking any of what my dad has worked for. " I know Mr. Richard's story from my father, and I know he worked so hard to get to where he was…." And it doesn't seem fair to me that the heritage of the man who gave you and your father work for years should go down the drain in the hands of investors" It's not very fair what my dad wanted to do to me either, I don't know what he was thinking when he wrote that silly condition. "He laments. Without giving me time to say more, he says, " Here, read this contract, Miss Parker. " His hand holds up a couple of sheets of paper that look full of text... confused and wary, I pick them up. This is not supposed to be happening, not even in my wildest dreams. " If you have any doubts, you can let me know.

Finally, I take them and inform him: "I'll let you know my answer, Ms. Freeman, but this is crazy "I walk out of my boss's office, who wants me to be his wife, pretty crazy, huh?

The comfort of my couch envelops my tired body, after a day of hard work and after a day as crazy as today… the series I'm about to watch seems so boring, but I think it deserves a chance. However, there is something that screams out for my attention and that is the pages that Barry Freeman gave me to read… those two pages scream out for me to pick them up and read every juicy line of information. I look at the sheets as if I've never seen one before, they lie on the table next to an apple and next to my bag….

" No… I'm not going to read them, because I shouldn't even care about helping Barry... that man is crazy" I whisper to myself, looking back at the TV, but that sense of curiosity is what drives me. Before I know it, I'm standing in front of the table where I left my stuff when I got home.

In the first paragraphs, there is a kind of glossary that will be used throughout the contract. I skip the glossary and go straight to the clauses, it only outlines a few rules and conditions. The ones that stand out the most to me are a few.

The rules are:

"For no reason should Miss Parker consume alcoholic beverages, before pregnancy, during the process of conception, and while pregnant."

"Avoid heavy exercise during pregnancy (This includes heavy lifting, pilates, sports)".

"It is strictly obligatory to have a balanced and nutritious diet that is favorable for the baby and the mother, so from day one, after signing this contract, the mother must go for a consultation with a nutritionist," I think that's easy because I am a nutrition expert, I just prefer not to practice as a nutritionist.

And the conditions, the ones that stood out the most to her, were three:

As conditions for the well-being of the baby and the mother, we have that.

"During the pregnancy, Miss Parker will not work and will receive a monthly allowance from Mr. Freeman which will provide for her expenses as she may declare in a document".

"If they are not married, Miss Parker may live either in her private home or in Mr. Freeman's home. If you are married, it is obligatory that you both live together for at least two years and at most for the duration of this contract".

"In the case of conception, there are two options that can be followed, number one: In Vitro Fertilization, with the condition of signing a privacy contract that if not fulfilled, the reparation of damages will be equivalent to 200 working days. The second option is: They will have sex until the pregnancy is official, this is optional and consensual, and in no way will Miss Parker be pressured or forced to perform acts she does not desire."

On that last one, there is a problem no way in the world will she let me have sex and get pregnant so easily, as I... unfortunately I'm still a virgin. Yes, it's too weird, because I'm already in my twenties. My friends lost their virginity when they were fifteen or sixteen, but I'm an abnormal case... I repeat I have three brothers who are overprotective idiots who would chase away any man who came in front of me.

And I don't mind losing her to... Barry, because what's unbearable about him... he's cute, but I can't stand the idea of being with him… He's basically my boss and that's not right, in no universe is signing a contract to have a baby right and normal. I drop the sheets back on the table, my curiosity has been fed, and it's satisfied, for now, I have to think about the answer, but it's not that difficult, I think it's NO.

She didn't tell me when she wants the answer, but it's very clear that she doesn't want to let go of her dad's company. One thing I don't understand is why the hell would his dad leave him that clause, no one should interfere in your life in such a cruel way. Maybe Mr. Richard realized that his only son is stubborn and that surely that blond would never settle down and end up single, spending the money he earned for years.  That sounds like a good explanation and a good reason to give him a kind of will like that. There's one other thing that makes my head spin. Why me? We don't even get along, we just coexist for the sake of my pocket and the sake of the company, fearing a child together sounds like a real headache.

What would I be like as a mother? Beautiful, of course… kind and very loving, I would be the best mother in the world and I would try to spend a lot of time with that baby and thanks to Barry's money I could fulfill that wish because with his millions I wouldn't have to work. But what would Barry be like as a father? I can't even imagine… the way he does his job is interesting, he's very good at what he does. I don't think he's caring beyond the bed, I don't think he's the kind of guy who would go out of his way for his kids when they're crying or sick. I also don't think he can leave work to spend time with them and that's obvious, he doesn't want to get married let alone have children, he's doing it because his dead father is forcing him to.

I look around my flat… Likewise, I'm alone with Pinky… Furthermore, I barely go out... I barely go out and nobody wants anything to do with me, and not because I don't want it, but because nobody comes near me…. Am I a man-scarer, or why doesn't anyone of the opposite sex want to be my friend? I'm twenty-six years old, and I don't even have a fucking boyfriend, or a suitor, or a one-night stand, I'm boring and bland, and my friends barely even date me.

Anyway, I think the answer is still no… I don't think my family would accept me marrying my boss, especially my father, who would disapprove. The years are passing unfortunately and something tells me that they will continue to pass, no one will love me, no one will listen to me, let alone marry me. Barry is giving me a chance to do what I have dreamed of since I was a little girl and what I started to wish for a few months ago, just after my cousin Bethany's wedding. Everyone looked at me saying "and you for when?", those looks make me uncomfortable, but it makes me more uncomfortable to know that even I don't know when someone will notice me.

Should I accept? It doesn't sound so bad… it's just a baby that will be mine for life, and even though Barry and I don't love each other, that baby won't lack anything, much less love from me. With that baby, I won't feel so lonely, and married to Barry I will feel relieved to be judged for being a silly woman with no one to look at her.

I wake up thanks to Pinky, her little paws are on my nose. "Girl... let me sleep more," I whisper angrily until I realize Pinky doesn't usually do that unless she's hungry, but right now it's too early, isn't it? " Hell no..." I grab the alarm clock, it's out of charge, damn it. I run to check my mobile, yes, I've woken up half an hour before I'm due to go to work.

And this is when I wish I wasn't working, I hurry to the bathroom, just wash my face, and sit down. No shower today, I can do it in the evening. I grab a navy blue dress that is my old reliable, I always wear it when I don't know what to wear and don't have time to think about what the hell to wear. I go back to my vanity and pour somebody's lotion in my hand, I spread it on my legs and arms, as fast as I can. Not only that, but I run the hair straightener through my tousled, frizzy hair. Today I'm not going to eat breakfast, today I'm just going to try to get to the office.

With two minutes to go before my curfew, I arrive at the office shuffling my feet and covered in sweat, I've had to run to get to the elevator. I sit down in my chair and sigh in exhaustion, damn, what a hectic start to my day. The door to Barry's office opens, and my boss appears with a serene expression, his eyes are two huge pits accompanied by dark circles under his eyes.

He clears his throat before saying "I want the answer " Oh God no…