The Quiet Contract

Rude - Talk

Jennie POV

Lisa shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her fingers fidgeting nervously as she reached for her phone and glanced at it, a subtle movement I immediately caught. She was reading something—a list, maybe? It only made her look more awkward, if that was even possible.

She cleared her throat and looked up at me with a hesitant smile. "So, um... what's your favorite color?" she asked, her voice soft and cautious, as if she were afraid I might snap at her.

I raised an eyebrow, incredulous. Seriously? I fought the urge to roll my eyes. This was the kind of small talk I avoided at all costs, let alone with someone I was supposedly going to marry.

"Blue," I replied shortly, my tone flat, uninterested. "But I'm sure you already knew that."

Lisa nodded, her eyes flicking down to her phone, clearly reading the next question on her list. "Oh. Right. Blue. I, uh... I like yellow." She glanced up again, offering a small smile as if that little fact would bring us closer. I just stared back, unamused.

She pressed on, trying to keep the conversation afloat. "Um, do you... do you have any hobbies?"

"Hobbies?" I repeated, voice dripping with disdain. "You mean besides being the CEO of a company and handling multi-million dollar deals? No, Lisa, I don't exactly have time to sit around and pick up a hobby."

"Oh," she replied, looking down, her face tinged pink. She quickly scanned her phone again. "I, um... I like photography. And... reading. Just... you know, in my free time."

"Great for you," I replied, my voice ice-cold. "I'm sure that makes life so much more fulfilling for you."

She blinked, clearly taken aback, and for a moment, I felt a flicker of guilt. But then I remembered exactly why I was here—being forced into a marriage with someone I had no desire to spend even an hour with, let alone a lifetime. The guilt vanished as quickly as it had come.

"Look," I began, leaning forward, my tone sharp. "I don't want to waste either of our time pretending this is something it's not. I have no interest in this marriage, Lisa. I'm only here because my parents gave me no choice. So let's be clear—I'm not doing this out of any romantic interest or desire to get to know you."

Lisa's expression faltered, her fingers tightening around her phone. "I... I understand," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just thought... well, since we're meeting, it wouldn't hurt to... talk."

I let out a scoff, crossing my arms. "Talk? About what, Lisa? My favorite food? How I spend my weekends?" I shook my head. "This whole thing is ridiculous. I have no idea why our parents even thought this was a good idea. We have nothing in common."

Lisa swallowed, glancing down again, her eyes filled with a quiet disappointment. She took a deep breath, clearly trying to steady herself, and looked back at me. "I know you don't want this, Jennie. I don't want to force anything. I just... thought we could at least try to get to know each other. Maybe make this... less difficult."

"Less difficult?" I repeated, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "How considerate of you. But let me make something clear—I'm not interested in trying anything. The sooner we fulfill this contract, the sooner we can end this farce."

Lisa's face fell, but she nodded, her hands nervously fidgeting again. "Right. I understand."

Silence fell over us, thick and tense. Lisa, clearly trying to salvage whatever she could, glanced down at her phone once more. "So... um, I was wondering..." She looked up, managing a small, nervous smile. "Do you... like to travel?"