DARK SECRETS

27. Irony.

Don’t bother tugging at it,” Erick said as he watched as she tried to frantically open the door. “It won't open. It automatically locks after 30 seconds.”

He watched as she quickly whipped her head at him, with horror written evidently all over her face. To be honest, he was actually enjoying this. And for the first time, he was glad his bedroom door lock had been installed that way.

“So, you're telling me I'm stuck in your room and I have to watch you change out of your clothes?!” She half yelled.

“Well, you don't have to if you don't want to,” Erick smiled impishly. “Just sit down and when I'm done with looking at your contract, you'll be free to leave. Unless you'll be comfortable with it if I come to your room later on instead.”

Yasmine didn't know which one was worse, having to watch him undress himself right in front of her, or come to her room while she's in comfortable clothes, about to sleep. And by comfortable clothes, she meant in her underwear.

“It shouldn't be so bad,” she thought to herself. “I'll just close my eyes and tell him to tell me when he's done so I'll open them.”

And without saying a word, she hurriedly went back to the sofa she was sitting on and closed her eyes.

“Please tell me when you're done,” she said calmly.

Erick watched her, amazed by how quickly she changed her mind. What prompted her to do so, he had no idea, and he wished he could find out.

“You don't have to shut your eyes,” he chucked. “I have a walk-in closet.”
“Oh,” came her response. “Why didn't I think of that?” Yasmine thought to herself.

Erick, still chucking, walked to his closet as he kept unbuttoning his shirt and he disappeared from Yasmine's sight.

Immediately he left, Yasmine has a chance to take a closer look at his room. It was indeed very spacious and neat. Very befitting for the owner of the masterpiece he called a house. There weren't many clothes in the room that made it look bright and cheerful. The room was painted in gray and apart from that color, every other thing was in black. From his room door, to his bedside cupboard to the marble tile on the floor and even his bedspread. Only the rug at the edge of the bed on the floor was gray and had the tiger stripes design. Yasmine wondered how someone could be born into a luxurious life like this and for others like her, they were born living from hand to mouth.

Life really wasn't fair.

But the chances of her meeting a rich guy and getting into a very serious contract with him felt very unreal. She felt like she was walking into a movie. She didn't like her situation, but she just had to smile to herself.

Imagine that! She was like a character in the other stories she read, but this time, she was in her own story. And somehow, Yasmine felt if this was her own story, then she had to write it the way she deemed fit.

And she would start with this contract reading she was probably about to do it with the billionaire, Erick Dunn.

“So, let's see that contract of yours,” she heard Erick's voice approaching her, distracting her from her thoughts. She immediately stood up and Erick looked at her.

“You really don't have to stand up just because I walked into the room,” he said calmly to her. Watching him say those words calmly, she felt the sincerity in his voice and sat quietly. But if she was being honest, she didn't mean to stand immediately when she saw him. It was like a reflex. She couldn't stop herself.

“First of all,” Erick started; “Before I read this contract of yours, I want you to do something for me.” He looked deep into her eyes and tried to read her emotions. Her face was expressionless.