Love In Contract | Taekook

Chapter 9

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JUNGKOOK'S POV

I groan as I peel my eyes open. "Why is it so bright in here?"
"Because it's noon."
I jump at the sound of Celeste's voice beside me. "What are you doing here? Oh my God. Did we...? Shit. How drunk was I last night?"
She laughs. " If we had sex last night, you'd remember it. I'm phenomenal in bed."

I push myself up until I'm propped against the headboard. "Where's
Taehyung?"
"He had to leave early this morning, but he didn't want to leave you alone." She shrugs. "So, you're stuck with me."
"I'm relieved it's you, honestly." I cover my face with both hands.
"I don't know if I could face him after last night."

She sits up on her knees and gasps. "Did you two finally fuck?"
"No," I whine. "But I'm pretty sure I begged him to."
She cringes. "Ew."
I bury my face under a pillow. "I know!"
"Well, it obviously didn't deter him because he left you an adorable note
on your nightstand."

I jump up and clutch my head. "Whoa. Too fast."
"Easy, champ. Drink the water with the Tylenol he left you."
I slip the pills into my mouth and wash them down with several gulps of water. Then I lift the notepad and run my finger over the small, neat printed letters on the page.

Good Morning, spitfire...
Sorry I couldn't be there when you woke up, but I wasn't sure how much sleep you'd need to recover after last night (or if you'd want me in your space). You have the room for as long
as you need it. Hoping you remember what we talked about last night.
Here's my number when you're ready to talk. No pressure.
Taehyung

I slump back against the headboard and heave a long sigh.
"He's a gentle giant," Celeste says quietly.
"That he is." A gentle, caring, respectful giant. "I...think I proposed to him last night."
"I heard."
My eyebrows lift. "He told you?"
"More like he asked me to help if you had any questions."
"This is insane right?" I lift my hand and let it drop on the comforter.
"Pretending to marry someone for money."
Celeste turns to face me and crisscrosses her legs. "People enter into arranged marriages all the time. It's not as strange as you think."

"Arranged marriage." I huff out a laugh. "Two words I never thought
I'd be contemplating."
"Let me tell you what I know, and maybe it'll help you make your
decision. If you want to make some good money, this is an easy deal. And
the man in question? He's one of the best guys I know. There is no doubt
that you'd have everything you could ever want and need while you're
married to him. He'd make sure you were well taken care of, and never for a second expect anything in return."
I groan again. "How is this helping me make a decision?"

"Just telling you the facts, babe." Celeste squeezes my knee.
"You just have to decide if one-hundred-thousand dollars is worth being tied down. Because even though you're not marrying for love, you have to be all in. You have to make it look legit-which means playing the part of the committed wife. And I know that's not something you're into."
I frown. "I just...I don't know if I can do this. I never saw myself as a wife."
"Maybe that's because you haven't met the right person yet. Or maybe
you're not into marriage, and that's okay too."
"Are you?"
"I never say never to anything in life. You don't know where life will
take you, or how you'll grow and change, or who you'll meet."

I nod, letting Celeste's words sink in.
She nudges me with her shoulder.
"Do you think you'd be able to do
something like this?"
"How long would we have to be married for?"
She twirls a long strand of red hair around her index finger.
"That depends on his grandfather's will. Taehyung's lawyer would have to take a look at the details. Long enough to make it look legit, I'd guess."
Anger flares in the pit of my stomach. "What kind of person does that to his own grandson? The man is dying. Why does he care what happens to
the villa?"
Celeste grunts. "My parents would sell me in exchange for a villa. Some
of us have shitty families."