Chapter 16: Chapter 16

“OH my God, girl!”

I could see how Ciarra's eyes widened in shock on the screen.

I was having lunch in her office while talking to my best friend on video call.

"You're really going to get married to your baby's father?"

I pursed my lips. "Well, I already told you that I hired him to be my contract husband. The moment I give birth, I'm going to file for a divorce."

"Wow, so you're going to live on the safe roof for nine months?"

I nodded, then sipped on my orange juice. I was having roasted chicken and potato chives for lunch. Yesterday, I craved baby back ribs and barbecue sauce.

"Yeah. I already moved some of my important things into my unit. Adam said he would move in next week, after our wedding."

Ciarra sighed on the other line. It was midnight there in Japan, and she was having coffee.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't attend your wedding."

I just frowned at her. "You don't have to, Ciarra. You know it's not real. Well, yeah, the marriage was real, but you know that relationship isn't."

Ciarra pursed her lips. "But I wanted to meet Adam, you know. I'm extremely curious about the guy. You don't tell me much about him."

"Well… there's nothing much to tell, Ciarra. "Except that he's a decent person... and he's good looking."

"Oh, what about in bed? Was he good?" Her brows rose in curiosity.

I felt my cheeks heat up with Ciarra's question. "Shouldn't you be asking that?"

Ciarra just grinned at me. "I'm just curious, Claire. Come on, my life is boring here in Japan. I need some juicy stories!"

I shook my head. "Fine. He's good in bed." Good was an understatement. But I didn't tell Ciarra. She would just ask more questions.

“Oh, my God!” Ciarra exclaimed, with an amused smile on her lips. "Come on, Claire. I need details."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Shut up. I don't want to entertain more questions about that."

Ciarra pouted her lips in disappointment. "Alright. But last question, Claire. I know you and Adam are just going to marry each other for show, but are you two going to consummate your marriage?"

I almost choked on my drink. "O-of course not, Ciarra. I'm pregnant, can't you see?"

She just raised her eyebrows at me from the other end of the line. "Well, who told you that pregnant women can't have sex? Besides, you two are going to live on the same roof. There's a possibility that you two develop feelings for each other."

I laughed at what Ciarra said. "That couldn't happen, Ciarra. Adam made it clear to me that he doesn't fall in love. He's not the type of man who settles with one woman. He's not even into relationships. He's a first grade playboy, Ciarra."

"Oh, then what about you, Claire?" she probed. "What if you fall in love with him?"

I confidently shook my head. "That would never happen, I assure you. I admit that I'm physically attracted to him, but that's just it. I won't fall in love with someone like him. We're just way out of each other's league."

"Well, you didn't deny that you're physically attractive to him. Then I bet your marriage would involve sex."

I felt my whole face heat up. I remembered the kiss we shared together the other day.

"Stop it with the sex questions, Ciarra." I told her instead. "Anyway, Marcus was asking me about you."

Ciarra rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, stop mentioning to me that cousin of yours."

I chuckled. Her mood really changed with the mention of Marcus. She really hated that cousin of mine.

Ciarra and I talked for a few more minutes before we ended the call.

When I got off from work, I had decided to go to the mall. She was suddenly craving burgers.

I went to a famous burger restaurant in the mall.

"I would like to order a triple cheese burger with lots of mushrooms, please," I told the waiter when she went to me to get my order.

I was looking at the glass window of the restaurant while waiting for my order when I noticed a familiar man in the steak house across from the burger house. It was Adam!

He was wearing a white plain shirt and maong pants. I smiled when I saw him in his usual rugged look. But then my smile faltered when I noticed a woman sitting in front of him.

The woman was tall and beautiful. She was wearing a sexy red dress. My eyes followed them as they stood up and left the restaurant.

“Ma’am, here’s your order.”

I snapped back out of my reverie when she heard the waiter. She was back with my order.

I smiled at the waiter and looked at the plate of burger in front of me. I didn't know why I suddenly lost my appetite. The burger didn't seem to be appealing anymore.

In the end, I just asked the waiter to wrap the burger for me. Then I felt the fast food restaurant.

My mind was occupied with Adam and the woman he was with. Who was that woman? Was Adam on a date?

He said he wouldn't date another woman. But what did I see? Thinking that Adam lied to me worsened my mood.

I hate liars the most. And Adam just lied to me. He said he wouldn't date another woman during our contract, huh?!

Instead of going home, I just decided to chill and watch a movie. While waiting in the movie house, I suddenly received a text from Adam.

"Are you at home, Claire?"

Adam and I took out each other's numbers the other day.

I couldn't help but frown as I typed back my reply to him.

No. I'm here at the mall. I'm going to watch a movie.

His reply came just seconds later. Which mall?

I mentioned the name of the mall and put my phone back in my bag. I won't reply to him anymore. I was still annoyed with what I saw.

I already trusted him. He should've told me he was dating another woman behind my back. I don't want to be kept in the dark. We're already getting married on the weekend.

Well, I forgot that Adam's one of the biggest playboys in the city.

"Hey."

I stiffened in my seat when I heard that familiar voice. Of course, it was Adam.

I didn't notice Adam was already in front of me. I didn't expect that he would really follow me.

I frowned at him. “Why did you follow me?”

He took the empty space beside me. "Well, I wanted to see you." He smiled. "How are you and the baby?"

I forced myself not to roll my eyes. "Well, my baby and I are fine. You don't need to check on us from time to time. I can handle myself."

"Hmm…" That's what he only said before he picked up the movie tickets on the coffee table in front of me. "Why are you watching a movie?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Because I wanted to see Ryan Reynolds. He's hot."

His head turned to me. He was slightly frowning. His forehead was in a crease while examining my face.

"What's wrong? Did something happen at work?"

I frowned. "Nothing, Adam."

"Then why are you not in the mood?"

"What are you talking about?"

He pursed his lips. "You are not in the mood."

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "That's just your imagination, Adam. This is my normal mood."

“Let’s go.” Adam grabbed my hand and made me stand up.

“Wait, what are you doing, Adam? I'm going to watch a movie.”

Adam dragged her to the ticket booth and bought his own ticket. He even bought popcorn and drinks. “What's this, Adam?” I asked."You're gonna watch it, too?"

He smirked. “Let’s see if Ryan Reynolds is really hotter than me.”

My lips parted. "Huh. I never said that Ryan Reynolds is hotter than you."

He playfully raised his brows. "So you're saying that I'm hotter than him?"

I just rolled my eyes at him. "Shut up. Let's just go. The movie's about to start."

Adam and I went inside the movie house. We were both silent while watching the movie. But I couldn't focus on the screen. Adam's presence was distracting me. He was seated next to me... and I could literally smell him.

Damn. He smelled so good.

In the middle of the movie, I couldn't help but talk to him. “You lied to me...”

Adam looked at me with a frown. Through the faint light, I could see the confused expression on his face. “What?”

“I saw you. You were with a woman...”

“What woman?”

"Earlier. I was at a fast food burger house when I saw the steak house across from it. You were with a woman in a red dress." I gave him a sharp look. "I thought you weren't going to date another woman during our entire contract?"

"I'm not dating another woman, Claire."

I raised my brows. "Are you sure?"

“Did you see me kissing her?”

I shook my head. "But you are in a public place. Of course, you won't kiss."

He pursed his lips. “Then did you see me holding hands with her?”

I shook my head once again.

“That woman is just my cousin, Claire."

My lips parted. "Cousin?"

"Yeah. She's Fiona. My cousin. She just invited me for a late lunch earlier."

"Oh. I didn't know." I felt my cheeks heat up with shame.

Damn. Why did I instantly come up with a conclusion without any hard evidence?

"I swear I won’t lie to you. I won’t break your trust,” Adam said while looking at me straight in the eyes." Is that why you're upset?” he asked in a gentle voice. “Is that why you were rolling your eyes at me earlier?”

I bit my lower lip and slowly looked away. "I'm sorry, Adam. I thought… you lied to me."

“I'm sorry for making you upset,” he whispered.

Adam touched my chin and gently forced me to look at him.

“You know, Claire… I was dying to kiss you.”

Before I could answer, he had already captured my lips in a kiss. Suddenly, I forgot that we were in the cinema watching a movie. All I could think about right now was Adam's kisses and the electrifying feelings that were invading my whole system.

In the middle of our kisses, I heard him speak.

“Claire, do you still want to finish the movie?”