TN: h.e.l.lo people, I was not around for two days because of one cliche reason&h.e.l.lip; no internet! Haha, now I’m back with an update. I hope you enjoy reading this one.
&h.e.l.lip;.
Without hesitating, Sappire swiftly made her way to where Johann is. The guy was in the living room, chatting with his cousins.
"Was that for real, Johann? How are you? We got no news of you for two weeks."
Johann scratched the back of his neck. "I"ve been fine. But of course, I went through alot. You can"t blame me for wanting to be alone. It hurts me, and you all know that."
"Did Czarina really break up with you?" she heard the oldest of cousins, Bari, asked.
"Break up? How could we say we separated when we have never been together? She rejected me, that"s the truth. She explained. I could only try to understand. What can I do anything if she doesn"t love me?”
"You’ve been hurt?" River asked.
"You, you only speak once in a while and you ask like that? I waited so long for that chance to court her. Since we were young, I"ve loved her. And then you asked if I was hurt? No! No! I am happy. I"m so happy I even hosted a party!" the guy answered in a sarcastic manner.
They all burst into laughter.
"I was just asking. Because sometimes, we don"t really get hurt. We"re just obliged to feel it when our pride speaks. True pain comes from the heart." River defended himself.
No one spoke among them and that"s when she barges in. She made an "ahem" sound and touched his shoulder with her one finger. Johann and the other boys turned their heads back and stared at her. However, her eyes were only looking at Johann.
"Hi! Can I talk to you?" she casually asked. She even smiled at him. She doesn"t usually smile at boys, except if the man involved was a relative. In Johann"s case, he is her future husband and so she doesn"t plan to be selfish when giving him smiles.
A question mark seemed to pop out of his eyes. "Ah&h.e.l.lip; sure, sure!" He looked at his cousins. "Excuse me for the moment."
She turned her back first and went out marching towards the mansion"s porch. He followed her. "Ahm, Sapphire, right? What are we going to talk about?"
She faced him. He was smiling and his eyes were also doing the same.
She cleared her throat. "I, I’m sorry for that lunch matter. I ignored you. I was just hungry that time," she said.
"I didn"t mind that so you can just go ahead and forget it," he coolly said. "Is that all you want to say?"
"I have a proposal to make," she followed up in haste. She can"t waste time. No more being embarra.s.sed since she doesn"t care about being ashamed when facing men.
"Is this about business? Alas! I"m actually a teacher. I"m not very interested with things like that," he replied as he shook his head.
"No, no. It"s not about things like that. But you can get a huge sum of money."
He grimaced. "Networking? Lol, more reason to reject."
"No. It has nothing to do with any business. All you have to do is to be a kind, faithful and behaved husband."
"Huh?" he mumbled in puzzlement. His whole face wrinkled in bewilderment.
She smiled at him. "Will you be my husband?"
His jaw literally fell to the ground. His small eyes also grew large.
She can"t help but laugh when she saw his silly expression. She held his chin. She took the liberty to close his mouth. "You look funny."
The man started blinking. "D-did I hear you correctly? Y-you asked me to become your h-husband?"
She once again roared in laughter. "You’re funny."
"You"re the funny one here! Not only that, but also crazy! What"s with your brain and you actually offered me to be your spouse?" In her surprise, he suddenly laughed so loud.
She was called mentally-ill and he even laughed at her proposal!
"Hey, stop laughing!" She hit his stomach which was now quite big since the lunch had just ended.
Johann"s hand went to his stomach. "Ouch! Your hands were heavy!"
"Hah! You don"t have abs!"
"Why? Will society collapse just because I don"t have abs?" he suddenly defended. It was obvious he was quite sensitive whenever the topic was about his abs.
She secretly grinned. She now knew one of his weaknesses. Sapphire folded her arms. "Let me explain everything to you, okay? I badly need a husband for one year. And I want you for that."
He looked at her intently. "I don"t have abs."
"You can be tolerated."
His eyes went large and then he suddenly crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You"re only after my body?"
She rolled her eyeb.a.l.l.s. "I don"t care about your body. You"re handsome, that"s why."
"Hey, thanks."
"You are also an Anderson. You are the son of one of the influential businessmen in the country. Your job is decent. You"re pretty much one of the better people to present to the ma.s.ses, to the alta-sociedad. I will never get embarra.s.sed if I present you as my husband to many people. It"s also very believable for us to like each other and then marry."
"Wait, wait. You"re too fast." He started shaking his head. "You only need a trophy husband? Your reason is so shallow."
"No! That"s not only it! I need your help, okay?" she admitted. She hated seeking help from any man but this time, she really needs their cooperation for her plan. "I supposed you already know about my grandma"s pa.s.sing away two months ago? You even attended her wake, right?"
"What about it?"
She let out some air and then lowered her head. "My grandma actually left a condition in her last will and testament. All of us, her grandchildren&h.e.l.lip; she left us each a huge inheritance. Land, cars, mansions, and money! But, we can"t claim that until we get ourselves a spouse. The deadline is our 28th birthdate. If we turned twenty-eighth without wife or husband, then we will only get the land and houses. The money will go to the charity."
"Haley and my other cousins" deadline is still far away. But mine is only a month away! I"m turning twenty-eight next month but I never plan to marry, as in, never! But, I need to get my inheritance. Especially the money." She looked up at him and met his gaze. "I want to build a huge bookstore. That"s my dream since I was small."
"You will get that as long as you marry?"
"After the wedding, I can only get the half first. The other half, when one year pa.s.sed and I"m still married."
He scratched his nape. "The marriage is on paper only, is that it?"
"Yep!"
He once again peered at her. "You are that desperate for your inheritance?"
"Somehow," she admitted. "Who doesn"t dream of fulfilling his dreams? Once my very huge bookstore is built, I will be very contented."
"Why a bookstore?" he curiously questioned. However, Sapphire knew that Johann was only buying time. He was considering her proposal!
"I love reading books, eh."
"Why not just build a library? And then make that a free-reading zone for youths who don"t have money to buy books."
"My bookstore will have that. There will be a free-reading spot there. But of course, for me to not go broke, I"ll sell books for those who can afford it." Wait, why was she telling her plans to a man?
Just let it slide, Saphi. Johann is the key to your future plans, so it"s still okay to explain everything to him.
"Okay."
"Ha?"
He shrugged. "Okay. No problem. I agree to be your husband for one year. Since I"m not that busy in my life," he said in a very light tone.
"OMG!" she gasped and then covered her mouth. After a while, she started screaming loudly. She also couldn"t her self from hugging him.
Yes! Yes! She can finally get her money. Her bookstore, its opening will be very soon! Reeve and Agatha"s choice was very spot-on when they said Johann was the first prospect. He easily gave in!
"What"s the matter?" Agatha appeared and asked in worry when the latter saw the two of them hugging. "I heard Sapphire screaming so loud." The pregnant woman held her huge tummy.
"Yeah, yeah, what happened?" Lavender and the rest couldn"t stop their curiosity.
Sapphire was very happy. Oh, she could jump in joy. And she did while clapping her hands.
Johann laughed. "My future wife is actually this weird when happy."
Everyone else was stunned.
"Future wife?" his cousin Dylan suddenly chimed in. "Seriously?"
"Courtship nowadays is this fast, after a few seconds, get married! Life is short. Just look at you and your wife, Lana, married overnight." Johann held her hand and calmed her down. "Is it really that joyful to be married to a handsome man like me?"
Sapphire no longer cared to the people in front of her who were yet to digest what they witnessed. She no longer has time to explain to them. They can think what they like. All that matters is to get married to Johann.
She didn"t say her farewell and just pulled Johann out of that place. And he allowed himself to be pulled.
"Are you bringing me home? Wait, I"m not prepared," he jokingly said when she made him enter her car.
"No. We"re going to celebrate. My treat." She started the car"s machine. Since the guy did not make things difficult for her, he was out of her wrath towards men, one of the exceptions among the opposite s.e.x. "Let"s be friends?" she stretched out her palm.
"You asked me for a wedding, and you"re only asking for that now? How fierce!" he complained even though he eventually shook hands with her. "But since we"re getting married, fine. Let"s be friends!" His smile was so wide while shaking hands.
Sapphire smiled widely. It"s not only because her problem had been solved and she could now get her part. It"s also because, finally&h.e.l.lip; she has a friend.