Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Maksimillian

I turned the hazards on and parked the car, ignoring the glances of some people at the vehicle and me. I strode quickly and held Zenovia’s arm. She gasped, didn’t expect that I’d be there.

“Maks!” she breathed and turned to the man she was talking with. She was talking fast in Romanian, while the man in his early thirties was staring at me. A small grin curved on his lips before saying something to Zenovia.

I didn’t get what they talked about. I only knew a few words, and they definitely weren’t included in their conversation. He then walked away reluctantly, seeing me still holding Zenovia’s arm.

“Let go, Maks.” She took her arm back almost roughly.

I did let go, afraid I’d bruise her. “Who was that? Did you just spend your time with him while I took the car for almost an hour?”

She gave me confused look. “What are you talking about? Florin is my best friend’s ex-boyfriend, and he happened to see me here. He just told me he moved here for personal reason.”

I gave her a measuring look. That was when I noticed she held a black plastic printed with a known brand’s name on it that sold sexy underwear. She held it together with her navy blue backpack.

“You… were shopping underwear?”

Her face turned scarlet. “Obviously. What did you think? That I—”

“Why didn’t you tell me? I should’ve gone with you,” I cut her off.

Her jaw dropped. “Maksimillian!”

I sniggered and crossed my arms on my chest, giving her a teasing and naughty look. “Do I get to see you wear any of them? I’m sure there are at least a few of them in there.” I glanced at the plastic to make a point.

“It’s none of your business!” she hissed.

“Should we get in and have some drink before going back to the hotel?”

“You can’t park your car there!” she admonished me, eyes bulging upon seeing the car with its hazard lights blinking continuously.

“It’s your fault. If your local authority demands that I pay—”

Her round eyes kept scolding me. “Let’s go back to the hotel!”

Actually, I didn’t care if I’d shed some hundreds or even thousands of lei for traffic violation and whatnot.

I smiled diabolically to tease her more and opened the door for her at the front passenger seat. I went around to get behind the wheel and maneuvered the car out of that street and back to the main road, going to my hotel instead of hers. But before that, I was planning on taking her to a boutique to buy her some clothes.

“Where are we going?”

“I thought I’d show you my suite,” I answered with a grin.

“Why? Are you planning on something that’s—”

“Since you didn’t let me pay for our lunch date, I thought I’d buy you clothes and shoes instead.”

“What? I don’t need you to buy me clothes or shoes. Besides, it wasn’t a lunch date,” she disagreed.

“You’re not asking me to buy you clothes or shoes, but I’m going to. So, it has nothing to do with our deal. Got it?” I glanced at her with warning in my eyes.

She clamped her mouth and stared at me for a few moments before looking away, heaving. She didn’t like the idea of me buying her anything. That was more than obvious. But why didn’t she want it? I was giving her things out of the goodness of my heart, not to make her feel indebted to me or anything. Did she happen to think it this way?

“But before that, let’s go to a notary office,” she said, glancing at her wristwatch. She took out her cell phone and searched for the closest one that was open at this hour. She gave me the address, so I entered it on the GPS.

***

It took as almost an hour to have the documents printed and notarized. At least, we didn’t have to come back to retrieve the papers.

The office was small and was near a shopping mall. Beside it was a row of other establishments such as a photocopier, a flower shop and a school supplies store. The front wall was made of glass, where the name of the notary office was written in bold and in red colour—Popa Elena, Birou Notar Public (Popa Elena, Notary Public Office).

When we were back inside the car, where it was parked just across the street of the notary office, Zenovia gave me a copy of the notarized document. I slowly accepted it while looking at her and before glancing at it. I had no idea what I felt then, but it was some kind of surreal. That I was into this agreement officially and legally.

‘Will I never see her again once she got pregnant with my child?’ I wondered.

I didn’t want to analyse what I was feeling at this very moment. They were mixed, so I guessed I couldn’t identify them so well and might be wrong.

***

Approximately fifteen minutes later, I found the boutique near the hotel I checked in. I parked in front of it, ignoring my bodyguards that tailed us.

I held Zenovia’s hand as I guided her inside the well-known French fashion brand store. Since the front was made of glass, we could clearly see all the rows of racks where dresses, shirts, skirts and others were displayed. It was air conditioned inside when we stepped in. I swept my eyes to the left, where the dresses on hangers were arranged on the racks.

I ushered Zenovia there, holding the small of her back. She turned her head to look at me.

“You want me to choose the dresses?”

“I can tell you only wear a dress when it’s necessary. I’ve already seen you in it, and it seems you’re more comfortable in jeans and shirt, just like today. But I prefer you to wear dresses.” Then I bent my head to whisper in her ear, “At least, while we’re in this deal, I want to see you in dresses I bought for you.” I straightened and smiled at her.

Zenovia’s face turned pink. “I don’t need dresses!” It was the second time she hissed at me. When she realised what she just said, I chuckled at her embarrassment. She must have realised she implied being naked in that statement. “You know it’s not what I meant, Maksimillian! La naiba (Damn it)!” she protested to supply her previous line, giving me an irritated stare. “I just don’t want to—”

“To be indebted to me. Is that it, Zenovia?” I asked her promptly with a serious face this time. There was no more teasing on my end.

She stared at me, and we both ignored the salesladies that cast their concerned look in our direction. Maybe they thought we were fighting. And I believed we did!

“Yes!” She gritted her teeth without looking at me. Her breast went up and down as she breathed.

I held her by the nape, so she was forced to look at me. “Are we going to make a scene here? Because I don’t mind.”

“Maksimillian!” She looked alarmed and afraid for some reason. Definitely, she didn’t want to cause any scene.

“Are we going to shop you dresses or not?” I questioned her once and for all.

“All right!” she answered through gritted teeth.

I knew that I blackmailed her, but I wasn’t sorry. I just wanted to gift her something. Was it wrong?

And yes, I admitted to myself. I was doing this so that she wouldn’t forget me easily.