Elana
"You look super excited today. What's going on?" Cherry crossed her arms and stood before me, obstructing me from the washer.
I chuckled. "Nothing. Can't I just be happy and do the laundry?"
She moved out of the way. "No. Of course you can, but knowing you, you're a huge over-thinker so it's crazy for you to be super happy like this when you have something on your mind."
"True. But I also might have learned to follow your way, don't you think?" I stood to my full length and turned to face her.
Cherry tilted her head and squinted as if trying to read through me. "Well, if you say so."
After a little while of staring at me, she turned and left.
"Whoo." I heaved a sigh of relief.
I hadn't realized that I seemed so happy; otherwise, I would have tried to smother it. I didn't want Cherry to start asking questions because I really didn't want to tell her what I had done. I felt like she would have been disappointed in me.
Last night, I had asked Xavier to be my boyfriend for a while, just for the fundraising gala and the family dinner after that, and to my surprise, he agreed.
I had no idea why he agreed, seeing as Xavier Salman is known for not doing anything without a reward or something to get from it, but then again it's possible that there was a strange power at work that night because I don't even know what got into me to ask him that. I feel like if I were sent back in time right now, I would never have asked him. I mean, come on. It's Xavier Salman.
He had emailed me last night to come to his office today, whenever I was ready, so that we could draft out the contract of our relationship. I would have gone quite a while ago, but I've been stalling because I was nervous.
But I had to go through. I knew that I had to go; otherwise, I would lose what I had already gotten.
********
I arrived at Salman Enterprises HQ and made my way to the penthouse where I knew Xavier Salman would be waiting.
"Hi," I called to the secretary who seemed engrossed in whatever it was she was doing on her laptop, her blonde hair reflecting the light, "I'm here to see Xavier."
She snapped her head up so fast it was almost a blur, and her red painted lips strayed so far apart that I felt like her jaw was about to unhinge.
"Who did you say you want to see?" She asked in a soft tone.
"Xavier. You know, Xavier Salman?" I was wondering at this point if she was crazy.
"You're Hayes right? Elaine Hayes?" She smiled widely.
"Elana. Elana Hayes." I snapped. "Y'all get it into your numb skulls."
"Oh, sorry. I need to inform Mr Salman though." She flashed a scared smile at me.
"Fine." I huffed and folded my arms across my chest, rolling my eyes as she punched in his office line.
Shit. Now I'm acting like all the other entitled Nepo babies.
Fuck.
"You can go right in, Miss Elana." She smiled and kept her head down.
"Thank you so much," I said sincerely, hoping it would be enough of an apology without me actually apologizing. "Your hair looks really pretty, by the way," I said and walked away.
"Oh. Thank you." I could hear the smile in her voice without turning to look at her.
"Hi," I said, trying to hide my nerves as I walked into the office.
"Hello, Elana." He flashed a smile at me, his amber eyes gleaming and his perfect set of teeth on full display as if trying to mock my bunny teeth.
"So I'm here now. Are we getting this wedding going or what?" I joked in an effort to lighten the air.
It worked too as Xavier burst into laughter.
"Well, seeing as you're the one who proposed, don't you think you should have come a bit earlier?"
I laughed at the shared humor.
We were going to be very compatible. I'm a very joking person, and once you can take a joke, it's going to work out well between us.
"I'm being very serious though. I was beginning to think you won't show anymore." He said in a more business tone as he motioned for me to take a seat on the opposite side of his desk.
"Okay, I won't lie, I was beginning to get quite nervous." I smiled, feeling very comfortable and free with him for some reason.
"I knew it." He guffawed like he had just won a bet. "Don't worry, darling. You don't have to feel too embarrassed. I mean, who won't feel nervous around all these good looks?" He gestured from his face to his body, temporarily stunning me.
"You wish." I rolled my eyes and leaned into the seat.
I was trying to act cool and nonchalant, meanwhile, deep down I was shocked at how funny and talkative he was. This was not the Xavier I thought I knew, and I'm pretty sure a lot of people don't know this side of him, either.
"No, darling. It's just the facts. Anyways, I've already drafted out our contract." He slid a paper towards me. "You can go through it and tell me what you don't like and what you would want to add. I've got all day."
Saying that, he leaned back on the chair and flashed me a very charming smile.
I knew that if I didn't look away immediately, he'd see how red I was turning, so I put my head into the contract and started reading like it was an exam.
He agreed to act like couples in public gatherings, we'll take pictures together for my Instagram, we'd hang out sometimes in private and get to really know each other so that things won't start getting weird — which I really agree on — and we'll keep it between ourselves and not tell anyone. At all.
It was a very good deal, and I was so grateful that I hadn't told Cherry, otherwise, what would I have told him?
"I agree with all of these? It's a very good contract."
"Good. Now sign here in your copy and my copy, and I'll sign, and that will be it." He passed a branded company pen to me.
I took a deep breath and signed it hoping I was not signing my life away, even if it didn't feel like that at all.
"Why are you doing this?" I stared at him curiously. "I mean, I have my reasons. What could yours be?"
"Maybe I just want to help a damsel in distress." He shrugged and went back to signing the contract.
Maybe. Although I highly doubt that.