Chapter 65: Chapter 65

“Phew!” She let out as soon as she was inside the room. It was nerve-wracking to face the grandpa. He had that judgmental look the whole time. Thomas said that he was never in the house at lunchtime. He had specially come to welcome them and have their meal together.

‘At least, he has manners.’ She thought to herself. She was clearly the last person he wanted for his grandson. How she wished she could tell him that he did not have to worry since they never really got married for love and would eventually depart from each other’s lives.

‘Ouch! Why did it hurt?’

She could not believe that it was all a part of the adventure she was going to have for the whole year. An adventure she never wanted in her life but was going to have nevertheless.

She shook her head and got up to take a shower. It calmed her senses whenever she showered when stressed.

She remembered his words clearly as he made a passing comment while she was having lunch. The spoonful of rice got stuck in her throat and she choked. It was Thomas who offered a glass of water.

He said, “I hate people who lie. I can tolerate anything but not somebody lying to me.” His voice sounded so severely serious while looking at her eyes grimly. She choked when she heard him say that.

She felt like he was staring deep into her soul. She also got the idea that he might be knowing something about her past. But that would mean he would confront her or better yet, insult her if he knew something. He did not look like someone who would stay quiet if something like that happened.

‘Gosh! I don’t know what is happening.’ She exclaimed to herself while letting the water wash away her concerns. If that would happen…

But she did feel a little calm after the shower.

“Hey!” Thomas said with a tired smile as he entered the room. She was drying her hair with a towel when she noticed him entering from the mirror.

“Hey!” She said with a smile. Something told her that he was also not too happy returning to his grandpa’s place either. She was not alone.

He slumped on the bed and closed his eyes for a second.

“Tired?” She asked him concerned. He did look exhausted.

“Already.” He opened his eyes slightly and smiled. She knew what he meant by that. It made her smile for some reason.

“Why do you come here if you don’t want to?” She asked gauging his reaction. She did not want him to think she was prying in any sense. It was all part of the contract—for her to do everything that he demanded excluding the terms that she had included. Well, those were also not being followed since they had already done more than just kissing or being intimate.

He got up from the bed and came to stand before her. She was looking elsewhere so he grabbed her chin softly to make her look at him. He had a gentle expression in his eyes.

“Are you comfortable here?” He asked with concern. Butterflies appeared in her stomach when she heard the gentle and concerned tone. He was not accountable to ask her if she was comfortable. That was part of her job. Plus, the way he practically forced her into marrying him was enough to tell her to be prepared for the worse. He was so commanding, so demanding, so rough and tough that he had the least of the expectations that she would be treated nicely by him. But why had he changed? Why their contracted relationship had changed?

She shook her head at his question without even knowing. He smiled looking at the cute expression on her face as she shook her head. Her lips had formed a pout.

He knew she was not. He could tell she was feeling awkward at the lunch. That was justified. His grandpa was not an easy person to get along with. Although he could tell that Olivia was trying hard to be polite to James, it was not easy to get on the good side of his. If he was being honest, he was feeling bad for her. It was all his fault after all.

“Let me suggest something.” He began to say with a cheerful tone. Olivia looked at him questioningly. Why was he cheerful all of a sudden?

He brought her to the bed and made her sit occupying the space beside her.

“Let us give it some time. We will live here for a while and see if it is bearable.” He said suggestively raising his brows. He seemed to be in such a good mood. Something told her he was trying to make her feel better.

It was weird that she was centering everything around herself. Just like that moment. Her intuition told her he was doing that for her.

“And if it’s not?” She asked just in case. She believed in herself. She knew she would handle any kind of situation if she put her mind to it. She was strong indeed. But what she feared was the day when the truth would be out, and her mom would get to know that she had lied to her and betrayed her.

She could not let that day come. She could not risk giving such a big blow to her mom. Amelia still believed that she married for love. If she came to know the real reason behind it, she would blame herself. She knew her mom. She would suffer knowing her daughter had taken such a big step for her surgery. It would be devastating for her.

She would not let it happen. She would be careful so the year passes without anyone knowing why.

Their marriage had entered the third year. Time flew so fast. Without knowing, they would be at the end of the contract term.

She did not know if she was relieved or sad to think it that way.

But why would she be sad? That was the thing she could not understand.

“Then…I will find a way out. I will convince him, and we could live in the apartment.” He said it as if they were the couple with the most stable relationship. She got up from the bed as if she was burned.

How could she ask such a question? What right did she have to be sharing her concerns with him? And why was he being so compassionate with her?

What were they doing? Nothing of the sort was part of the contract. They entered just so they could get their mutual benefits from it.

“What’s wrong?” Thomas stood up and asked with a concerned look.

She casted a look at his side. He was not good for her. He had messed up her mind. Never ever, she was that conflicted regarding a guy—that too, when the said guy is like a red zone. A red zone that she had made for herself. She did not know it would be that difficult to resist that guy when she made the contract terms—all confident that she would not cross the limit.

But there she was.

“What are we doing?” She asked. Her tone showed the misery she was feeling inside.

“What?” Thomas asked. He was confused as to what she was referring to.

“This.” She came closer and pointed at herself and then him, “This is not right.” She concluded. It was difficult for her to put it into words. There was nothing that had ever been spoken between them. She was not sure how she would get him to understand, but she was hoping he would get her point.

“Can you please be specific?” He asked. He had the idea what she was referring to now, but he was not sure if what he thought was right. He was holding back and letting her say what she wanted to say.

She took a deep breath and continued. She was getting irritated that he was not getting her, “I want everything to stop between us now. There is nothing, and there should not be anything. I was never in for the emotions. Nine months more, and we would part ways just like it was decided. We should act like how we should act.” She said in one breath. She was afraid her voice would break if she tried to explain calmly. She could not do that. She had to show Thomas that she was determined and serious about putting a full-stop to everything that they had been doing against the contract terms. It was not just the intimation that bothered her but also the emotional attachment she was having with Thomas.

She was an independent and strong girl. She would not let such distractions divert her attention from the real purpose that was to take care of her mom and fulfill the term of the contract.

Thomas just kept staring at her. She was waiting for him to say something, but he remained quiet. He was just assessing her with his deep, calculating eyes.

She waited and waited. She was thinking to ask him what he was thinking, but she could not do that. She had to give him time to respond.

She was a little afraid of his response though. She was hoping he would get her point of view and respect it. But a little, quiet, and stupid part of her also wanted him to be resistant and tell her he was not going to go according to the terms.

“Okay.” He said in a monotone and left the room without another word.

Just like that, she had gotten what she wanted. But was it what she really wanted?