Marriage of Convenience

Chapter 1

Caroline thrummed her fingers waiting for the little hand to hit the five-o-clock mark on the wall.Time was going slower than she had liked it, but anything was better than being here. Her prick of a boss still hadn’t managed to come back from his meeting yet and Caroline pondered if she should wait for him to return or leave.

Klaus Mikaelson wasn’t just the CEO of his father’s company; he was on the verge of owning it. Her thoughts were interrupted at the loud bang of the door hitting the wall as Klaus stormed passed her desk and went straight into his office, cursing and mumbling words that Caroline couldn’t make out.

She smiled at the thought of someone making his day miserable. He deserved it, Caroline told herself. She found herself wishing bad luck upon Klaus almost daily. He was a rueful bastard and paid no attention to anyone but himself.

Caroline had been his assistant for nearly three years. It wasn’t that she was a bad one; Klaus was just an arrogant dick that couldn’t be nice to a homeless man on the street. She hadn’t obtained her position because Klaus liked her, her family was close to his and Klaus’s father gave her the position. So far, she was the only one capable of handing him and he knew it. His father constantly encouraged him to be respectful to Caroline, but Klaus didn’t know how. He always stayed far away from her; their conversations were never very long and she was lucky if she saw him twice within a week.

She planned his weekly schedule, ordered his lunch and held his phone calls. It wasn’t exactly what she wanted to do with her life, but it paid the bills and that’s all that she cared about.

The clock finally let out a singsong voice reminding her that it was time to leave. Caroline stood up straightening her black pencil skirt and matching tight-stripped bodice. She collected her belongings, pushed in her leather chair and headed towards the exit.

“Caroline.” His voice echoed from his office. She stopped in her tracks and sighed. This is exactly what would happen to her when she desperately wanted to leave.

She placed her bags back on her desk and walked inside Klaus’s office. She had only been in here three times since being employed at Mikaelson Enterprises. The entire office was draped in black leather. His desk was made of glass and the view from his building was breathtaking. The windows extended from the floor all the way to the ceiling and not a single wall space could be seen where they stood. In front of the glass windows there was a small sitting area. Fresh lilies sat in the middle of the table that was centered in between the armchair and loveseat. Across from his desk were three bookshelves that held every book that involved “money management”. Next to his desk, there was a mini bar that held only bourbon. That was his favorite and Caroline could always smell it on him when he left the office late at night.

She sheepishly stood there as Klaus typed away on his apple computer that stood almost a foot from his desk. After a few moments he stopped typing and looked up at Caroline.

“I didn’t call you in here to fire you, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Caroline let out a breath of air. The thought had occurred to her once or twice before she stepped inside his office. She just tried not to think about it too much. Caroline depended on this job. “It’s not that I don’t want to fire you because most of the time –I do, but I know how much my father adores you and I don’t want to piss him off anymore than I do by existing on this planet.”

Too much information? Caroline thought to herself. This man had just said more words to her in ten seconds than he had in the three years that she worked for him. She remained silent praying that he would get to the point so she could leave. And now that she knew she wasn’t getting fired she was more annoyed than she was scared of being here.

“I have something I would like you to do for me Caroline.” He clasped his hands together and began to fidget. Klaus looked nervous. Caroline still remained silent as he continued to speak. “As you know, my family and I are from Europe. London to be exact and I was not fortunate enough to have been born here like my siblings and mother. I got a letter last week stating that my visa is to expire on my twenty-eighth birthday. I have less than a month to stay here Caroline unless I am somehow granted immunity.” He paused for a second and looked up at Caroline.

She was in all honesty confused. She knew his family background, but did not realize that Klaus was here on a visa. She internally smiled at the thought of Klaus never coming back to New York City.

“What does this have to do with me?” She asked Klaus.

“I’m asking you to marry me Caroline.” He stared at her blankly as if he didn’t put one thought into the statement that he just made to her.

Her mouth opened in shock. She honestly had no idea what to say or do. Of course she would say no. Why should she do any favors for a man who treated her like she was worthless?

“Why would I do that?” She crossed her arms in front of her chest decided to be tough.

He looked up at her, his eyes were pleading. “I would pay you Caroline. My offer is ten million dollars to be married to me for a year. It would be strictly business. I wouldn’t ask you for ah –sexual favors if that’s what you’re thinking. We would just have to appear like a couple in public and in front of my family.”

She remained silent and stared at him like he was insane. She could almost laugh at how pathetic he was being. She shook her head and began to back up to walk out the door.

“Wait!” Klaus called her name, but Caroline didn’t care what else he had to say. Her hand reached for the doorknob, but was stopped by a firm hand grabbing onto it.

“Please Caroline, don’t say no just yet. Tell me you’ll think about it.” His hand remained on top of hers and it almost felt comforting.

“Why me?” She said to him. “You have so many other women in your life that would benefit you greater than I could. Why me?” She pulled her hand back and held it close to her body.

“You’re not like those other women, that’s why I picked you.” He reached for her hand, but Caroline pulled away. How could a man that was so foul to her all of a sudden want to marry her? Of course he would say these things to get her to do what he wanted. She wouldn’t hear it.

“Klaus. I can’t marry you I’m sorry.” She tried to sound sincere, but it wasn’t coming out that way. It almost sounded spiteful.

He stood there silent for a second, contemplating. He sighed and looked Caroline straight in the eye.

“I thought we could do this the easy way Caroline. Now, I’m going to have to force you.” He entire demeanor changed in seconds. His mood returned fully to the same Klaus that she was used to.

“You can’t force me Klaus.” She simply told him. “Your father wouldn’t allow it.” Klaus knew she was right, but what he had up his sleeve left her no chance.

“I don’t think you understand what I’m capable of love.” She flinched at his term of endearment. He stepped closer to her and tucked one of her loose curls around her ear. Klaus was invading her privacy. She remained still.

“You’ll loose your job here. I will pay off any person that tries to speak on your behalf. My father will have no choice, but to believe it. I will ruin you Caroline Forbes. You’ll never get a job in New York City again if you don’t agree to this.”

Caroline was suddenly enraged. She didn’t know whether she wanted to hit Klaus or cry. Was this her only choice? There had to be a way out of this.

“I expect to see you tomorrow in my office for lunch. We can go over all the details. And if you don’t show up Caroline, you’re going to regret it.” He leaned in and kissed her on the cheek; letting his lips linger a little longer than necessary.

She was finally given the chance to walk out of there when Klaus backed away and returned to his desk. She quickly grabbed her things and headed out the door before Klaus could call her back in for another talk.