The Contract

Chapter 95- The No-Quarrel Policy

"Here is your invite" I handed Davis the card and he glanced down at it, "you're being unfair, Pearl. The event is tomorrow and I get told today?"

"Maybe try showing up to family dinners more" I replied. "You've been ditching for a week" he pointed out and I chuckled.

"Pearl"

"Alright, I'm sorry. I only heard about this on Monday"

"It's your Mother's birthday" he deadpanned. "And?" I asked and he lets out a sigh, "I don't know, I'm might not be able to attend" he replied, leaning back on his seat.

Just as I was about objecting, Kourtney walked in, "hey guys" her smile widened once she saw him. "Kourtney"

"Good morning, Davis" she greeted and they flew into a world of their own just staring at each other, I cleared my throat and they got off the trance.

"Here are the files you asked for" she placed them on the table, "Yes and what about the-"

"Is there anything I could get for you?" She asked him, "no, I'm good " he answered. "I'll like coffee " I spoke up.

"What about coffee?" She suggested, tucking her hair behind her ears. "If it wouldn't be a lot of work for you" he replied and she smiled.

"I'll get it" with that she left and my eyes shot back to him, "Right! As I was saying, I won't be able to show up tomorrow "

"You don't got a choice, there will be seats placement and Valerie will be pissed if you bail on her, she didn't invite her sister, so you don't have a choice " I gave it to him straight.

"She didn't invite Aunt Lucy?"

"No, Aunt Martha!"

"Do we really want her there?" He asked. "Honestly no but I thought I was doing the right thing but I was obviously not. The point is you can't bail, it's a family event and everyone's gonna be there"

He sighed and leaned back again, "and one more thing, a plus one is necessary " I added and I'm sure you knew what I was getting at.

"You gotta be shitting me"

Just as I was about objecting, Kourtney walked in with the coffee, she handed one to him and took a sip out of the other. "Thank you" he appreciated and I shot her a deadpanned look.

"Oh, did you want one, Pearl?" She asked

"No" I replied through gritted teeth.

________________________________________

I stepped out and was surprised to see him, he stood by the infinity pool while blowing a puff of smoke in the air. "You're back early" I mentioned, stopping beside him.

"Didn't hit the brothel" he answered and I hummed before glancing at him, he had his eyes on the pool. "Are you packed for tomorrow?"

"Unlike you I don't need 6 bags for a 3 days trip" he replied. "Your bags are lesser than 6? It's a 3 days trip!" I reminded again and he shook his head.

I then sighed and took in the night, i've never really gone around the house or been in the pool, I haven't even seen the back or the other rooms.

I haven't seen the house and I knew we all know why, I am busy. Even when I'm home, I'm asleep or up and leaving again.

I'm not even sure if either of us have seen the whole house. "What made you choose this house?" I asked an odd question and he lets out the air of smoke.

"It was in LA" he answered and I glanced at him, his answer was even more off than my question. "Travis..." I cleared my throat turning to him fully.

"...can we be even better at pretending to be a couple?" I asked and he slowly turned to me.

"For the next 3 days, we will be under my family's raider and I know we fight a lot but not in the next 3 days"

"The least we could do is get along, put aside our differences and pretend to be the best couple ever. So please, can you be any less of an asshole?" I pleaded and it took a second before I got a reaction from him.

He smirked, "I love seeing you beg" he said and I huffed. "I'm serious, Travis"

"We get along the best way we could get along"

"We fight all the time!"

"That's the best way we could get along" he replied, taking another drag and I sucked in a breath, controlling myself. "Pearl..." He took a step closer and I was taken aback.

"...if put in a room, we both would tear each other apart. We say things to get on our last nerves and the only way we could survive is being away from each other"

"That's not true, we were best friends!" I reminded, "even back then we almost killed each other" he reminded.

"You knew this and you still came to me to marry you?" I asked, hands crossed over my chest. "That's why you're perfect, we are 3 months in and we still hate each other " he answered

"I also love that for us but this is different, we are gonna be under the public's eyes, people are betting we wouldn't make it past 6 months" I pointed out. "It's true "

"Are we really that incompatible?" I asked, "Yes " he answered without batting a lash and I stared. "Why?" I asked and he looked back at me again.

"We are alike" he answered. We were alike, Was that true? We were self centered, workaholics, we do everything to stay away from family, we both agreed to get into this sham of a marriage.

"We are" I agreed and he took another drag from the stick, "we make a great team and that's why..." I snatched the cigar from his hand before taking a drag.

I let out the smoke before trashing it, "...we are gonna finish this 6 months not changing at all"