By the time they reached the kitchen, her migraine had returned in full force. Christopher placed an empty plate in front of her gesturing to the array of breakfast food set up across the kitchen island as she took a seat at the breakfast table.
She quietly moved the plate back, simply overwhelmed by the thought of eating with a raging migraine and took in her surroundings.
It seemed to be an open floor plan, with the front door leading into a large living area and the kitchen and breakfast nook to the left side. She could see a door on each end of the living room, one of which was the room she had slept in. The door to the room she stayed in led into the hallway where they had just returned from.
"You need to eat something, -"
"I'm not hungry, Now, the contract."
"I'm proposing the same deal, three years. You live with me and for all intents and purposes we portray a happily married couple to the rest of the world. I handle all expenses and help you get your career started as well as compensate you for your cooperation."
Annabelle rolled her eyes,
"I don't want your compensation and I really I don't want to start a career with your help. This whole idea is entirely ridiculous."
Christopher shrugged his shoulders as he moved to the refrigerator to bring a smoothie and a yogurt to the table to place in front of her.
"While it may be ridiculous, with the added complications brought on by the involvement of Michael, it is now a necessity. We had trouble with getting you out yesterday and he only relented once I asserted my rights over bringing my wife home."
Ignoring the smoothie and yogurt, she starting rubbing her temples as she absorbed his words.
"You think he plans to pursue this father thing?" She asked hoping it would be a no but Christopher leaned forward with a smile,
"I am certain that he will pursue this, You may not know this about Italians but they take family quite seriously. He did a DNA test, so it won't be long before word gets out that there is a new Vitelli princepessa. Another reason for you to be associated with me as my wife. I'm concerned about the timing of him reaching out. He may have had ideas about using you as a means to form alliances by marrying you off to another family. If you're already publicly married, that can't be a possibility."
Her mind whirled at his words absorbing the meaning and what it meant for her future and her plans. It seemed there really was no way around making this deal with him, if only to make sure she could keep Michael out of her life.
"Okay, let's be clear on the terms then. I don't need any help with my career or compensation. The fact that this is a contract stays just between the two of us, meaning no affairs in the three years. Absolutely no security team." She started organizing her thoughts out loud,
"No affairs." Christopher confirmed ignoring her other requests.
"I get to stay in the guest room, we keep this professional." She said as she straightened.
Christopher grinned as his eyes roamed over her,
"We keep this professional, you stay in the guest room, unless we have any guests. Anything else?"
She frowned, unable to think of anything else with the state of her current migraine. Christopher pushed an envelope she hadn't noticed across the table to her.
"Your IDs have been taken care of" He stated matter of factly as she opened the envelope to find a new drivers license, passport and a black mastercard with her name as Annabelle Wringer. She raised an eyebrow in question and partially in shock,
"You changed my name already? I had'nt agreed to taking your name, and I don't want your money." She said sliding the black mastercard back towards him.
He quickly swiped the card back into her envelope as he got up from the table.
"It sells much better if you had your name already changed. Also makes a statement to your father. The card is for my expenses. There are some rumors going around that I may be afraid of the reaction from the boards about the tabloids and I need them put to rest. I need you to be seen spending an exoborant amount today and I will then join you for a happy very public dinner."
"Our happy dinner, after me spending your fortune shows that you are couldn't care less?" She questioned.
"Exactly"
"What do I spend on?" She asked as she processed his words.
"You're going to have a lot of media attention, and one of the things I can really use to my advantage will be the image we portray. Since you'll be getting photographed almost daily, you can spend on a wardrobe for you. I want to establish a higher media profile for you so that even if Michael being your father becomes public, your name stays attached to mines."
"You want to portray me as a trophy wife?" She asked in shock.
"I want you to portray a formidable wife. Your background is communications, you can use this opportunity to practice. Orchestrate your media profile."
As she nodded in thought, Christopher placed a black jewelry box on the table in front of her,
"And Off course, you'll need to have this on at all times publicly." Without another word he opened the box, pulling out an elaborate diamond ring surrounded by emeralds in the band and reached for her hand. She let him slip the ring onto her finger in shock taking in the massive diamond on her finger,
"This definitely wont be missed in the pictures." She mused dryly as she took in the ring.
Christopher let out a laugh as he got up from the table,
"I got the sense you would've preferred something subtler but that's a family heirloom, so a lot of the older board members would be expecting that on your hand."
She nodded, looking away from the ring that seemed to only make her migraine worse and got up from the table as well. As she took a step away, her vision blurred and she swayed slightly trying to reach her hand out to the table to steady herself. Christopher was at her side in an instant steadying her by her elbow, studying her face trying to guage what was going on.
"I'm going to call a doctor, you passed out last night as well." He said as he easily lifted her up striding over to the couch in the living room, settling her down as he pulled out his phone.
"No!" She said loudly straighting up and jumping up out of the couch at the thought of a doctor.
Christopher quickly eased her back down, studying her eyes in worry.
"I'm fine, really. I just get migraines when I drink. It should go away on its own in a bit. No doctor. I mean it. No. Doctor." She repeated making sure that he was clear.
Christopher nodded reluctantly as he moved back to the refrigetor and cam back with a bottle of some time of orange smoothie.
"Ok, drink this and I wont call a doctor. Its an Orange tumeric smoothie and really helps with migraines. It also helps to get some food into your system."
She grimaced at the bottle but relented and gulped down as much as she could. Christopher continued to study her in concern and reached a hand out to feel for her pulse, which she immediately swatted away.
Holding the half empty bottle up to him she scowled,
"I'm completely fine! I'm just not as used to drinking nowadays and had quite a bit last night on an empty stomach. It's just a migraine nothing more. Now since you've already had my job taken away, I might as well get started on this media profile
as she started backing up towards her new room,
"Done! Not another word about a Doctor."
As she reached her room she remembered to add,
"And no mention of it to Xav either!"
Christopher reluctantly watched her disappear into her room, with a strange sense of responsibility. The gnawing concern he was becoming increasingly aware of for Annabelle was a new feeling for him. Shrugging it off he turned towards his own room to shower and start out his day.
YOU ARE READING
Deal with a Billionaire
Romansa🥇#1 steamy 12/29/20 "You have to marry me," Christopher stated matter of factly, "Excuse me! What- Marry you? No! I don't even know anything about you. There has to be another solution to dealing with this." She exclaimed as she gestured to the sta...
