The Blackmail Bride

Chapter 14

This is the story where I want to make the characters fall in love an instead, I find every reason why they're not in love with each other. I'll give them time.

Dress

Habit is a scary thing. You fall into a pattern and accept it as your norm. It was a neutral which rarely took account of the right and wrong of a situation.

And as I looked across, to the man deeply engrossed by a pile of paperwork, I sat back on the sofa and looked at the lunchbox I had prepared for the fifth time in a row. It had been a week since this routine started. My subconscious was already warning me of the reality of out setup. This could not be healthy for me.

I should be a normal teenager, going to school and taking my final exams and applying for college. Instead, I was his medieval maid in waiting.

Fingernails tapped the glass table in front of me.

I blinked twice. My eyes lifted to gray ones curiously looking down at me.

"You're zoning out." Jace pointed to the lunchbox, "Are you going to feed me or not?"

And there was that too. I don't think I was the only one falling into habit. Jace Black acted like what we did on a daily basis was as regular as breathing. He wasn't questioning my everyday presence in his office. He ate the food I prepared, talked to me about mundane things while doing so and afterwards, took me to the parking lot where his personal driver waited to take me back to my house.

He was... nice to me.

I normally arrived at eleven am. And the guy took his lunch somewhere between half past twelve or one after he sorted through reports. That was enough time frame to observe the person.

Jace Black was different when it came to work. He seemed dedicated, intelligent though one I would not consider for a boss. Aside from that previous scene with his father, he'd early bitten off the heads of at least three middle managers and called one board member a moron. I'd sat on my perpetual sofa and looked out at the city, pretending not to notice simply because in those times, I'd hear enough to realize Jace had a point.

The kind of point for which my father would make sure the receiving end was fired within the day.

"Are you going to be mute today?" His voice was held at a mild note, no trace of sarcasm as he grabbed the food and went to his desk. Jace always offered me his swivel chair while he pulled another chair beside me and ate in silence.

I stood up and followed.

"We're scheduled for the final fitting this afternoon."

I frowned, watching him open the soup canister. The smell of chicken immediately filled the room. Jace gave a slight nod as if approving. A corner of my mouth lifted at that unconscious action.

He turned to me expectantly, "Well?"

"Huh?" I felt dumb today.

"Clothes fitting. This afternoon."

My mind went on auto-search and came back blank. "For what?"

A shaped eyebrow arched at me, "Engagement party? Next week? Are you okay?"

I blinked, "I think my mom mentioned something like that to me this morning. I wasn't paying attention."

He shrugged.

Engagement party. I eyed him and quietly added, "You seem... well adjusted to the idea."

Hands paused from pulling out utensils. And his body fully turned to me. I didn't expect the surprise at his suddenly widened gray orbs, as if he didn't realize it himself. Before they darkened, covering up with a sarcastic smirk.