Contract Marriage With My Bestfriend (ON HIATUS)

2 - You're My Husband

It was past midnight when she finally reached her condominium building. Exhausted from an entire day of interviews, show guestings, photo shoots and appearances for the movie promo, Maisey barely dragged her tired feet from the elevator to her penthouse unit. 

After getting in, she kicked her shoes off beside the shoe rack and dragged her feet a few more steps to the living room where she sleepily yawned as she tossed her purse towards the couch. What she expected as a soft thud to tell her that her bag safely landed on the cushioned seat turned to a low grunt and a mumbled curse. 

The sleepiness and exhaustion were momentarily shaken away from her body as she quickly turned in surprise at the man who made the sound. "Mrs. Farris, is this how you greet your husband?" Ryder grumbled as he sleepily rubbed the side of his head which was hit by her purse.

"Oh my God! Ryder?" She instinctively walked towards him and checked the part of his head that he was rubbing to see if there was a bump or he was badly hurt. 

When he saw how concerned she was for him, he smiled and caught her hand which was still feeling his scalp for a bump or a cut. He knew how caring she was that way. Sometimes too caring that he felt undeserving of her. She had done too much, given too much for him. She always thought of him first and he always felt that he couldn't keep up, that he could never do enough to give back to her. "I'm fine, Maise." He told her softly as he pulled her hand to his chest and looked into her eyes. 

With the resonance of his gentle whisper, in the dimly lit room, with him standing so close to her, his deep eyes locked onto hers, Maisey's heart stilled in her chest for a moment and she forgot to breathe for a second before her heart restarted and thundered inside her. Ryder always had that effect on her and no matter how hard to fight those feelings back, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that she can't have them lest she loses her heart, no matter how much she hated herself for being so weak, she still lost. She still felt them. Yet she knew she couldn't so she still fought albeit meagerly. Two years, just two more years and it will all be over. He wouldn't have to be stuck with her and she wouldn't have to be in constant pain of her unrequited love.

With a sigh, she looked away and stepped back. "Why are you here, Ryder?" 

Suddenly feeling empty and cold when she moved away from him, he sneered as he folded his arms over his chest. "Why can't I be here?"

"Because this is my house." She told him. She had bought and moved into the three-bedroom penthouse unit a few months ago because it was more convenient for work and she wanted a space to be alone after a long and tiring day. They once shared a house after they got married, which they happily lived in until they both got busy separately with their projects and she often came home to an empty house when he also bought a condo unit that was closer to work. 

"OUR house, Mrs. Farris." He said as he stepped closer to her. "Article II of our marriage contract states that any properties we acquire, any businesses we start and any investments we get into, individually or together, after the date of our marriage are conjugal. So… OUR house." He smirked as he fell back on the couch and put his feet up on the coffee table in front of him.

She gaped at him in disbelief and felt the urge to drill her finger into that darned dimple on his left cheek and see just how smug he could still look. 

Right. The contract. They did sign that and they both agreed to the mutual benefits the contract secured for both of them at the time.

It was three years ago. They were at the height of their fame together. Their projects together were instant hits. All the products they endorsed were all sold out almost instantly. They held a world record for a phenomenal event dedicated to them on national TV. Everyone loved and rooted for them. They got offers to work with different companies non-stop. Everything seemed right around them and between them was a flourishing friendship.

It started as a joke. In the first year since they both shot to superstardom, they have amassed multi-millions in income. They were both young and in need of guidance with their finances so they went to several successful people for advice. Who knew that everyone they met also shipped them to each other and left them with the same joke. "What would really be great is for you two to get married and combine your assets. You can invest in bigger businesses. Imagine just how much wealth and stability you could both acquire then." Of course they knew that advice wasn't serious but somehow it did make sense. 

They never really thought much about it until he needed a hundred million to invest in his dream business. He had money but he didn't have that much. She did. Backed by an already wealthy family, she had already established her own corporation with her earnings. She offered to loan him the money he needed but he couldn't accept such help from a friend. No matter how close they were, he couldn't afford to owe her so much. He was willing to let the chance at his dream business pass but she wasn't. 

So… She proposed the marriage, a five-year contract marriage. 

They were going to get mutual benefits plus they would be marrying their bestfriend? What could possibly go wrong?

Three years into the marriage, they found more than enough reasons to think that they may have acted too imprudently at the time and she always felt responsible for putting them in their current situation.

"Fine. Make yourself at home then. I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed." Maisey said to avoid argument. 

When she was turning to leave, he hurriedly jumped up from the couch and caught up with her. "Maise, wait!" 

She stopped and looked at him. "Yes, Ryder?"

"I brought your favorite foods from the restaurant. Have you had dinner yet?" He said.

"Ryder, it's past midnight and I've had a crazy long day. I'd rather sleep than eat." She sighed. "But thank you. I'll just heat the food tomorrow for breakfast. Goodnight."

"Okay." He responded and she turned around to walk to her room. 

When she reached her door, she noticed that he was still following her. She turned to face him again. "Aren't you going to bed yet?"

"I am." He smiled and reached forward to open her bedroom door. 

"Ryder…" She was about to protest when he placed a kiss on her lips to mute her argument.

There was a soft smile on his face when he broke the kiss and cupped her blushing cheek. "I was just thinking that you might be too tired from work today. I saw you dragging your feet. Your legs and feet must be sore. Your eyes also look exhausted that you seem to be drained physically and spiritually. How about a foot rub after you shower? I promise I'll move to the other room after I cuddle you to sleep. Those used to totally recharge you after a long day." 

She sighed and smiled back at him. "Ryder, you don't have to do that anymore."

"I want to. You always do a lot of things to make me feel better too, Maise." He said.

"I'm not asking you to pay me back. I want you to always be happy, Ryder. You're my bestfriend. It's normal for me to do those things to make you feel better." She told him.

"Maise, you and I both know that not all of those things are normal bestfriends things." He smirked and she blushed. "So why don't you tell me who you're really doing those things for? Who am I to you?"

"M-my husband." She whispered as she felt her insides melt in his stare. "You're my husband. And also my bestfriend."

"Good." He smiled and pulled her into a tight hug. "I missed you, Maise." He whispered and pressed a kiss on her forehead.

It's been months since they had time alone together and he felt that more than their insanely busy schedule for their individual projects, it was because she was avoiding him. He didn't know why he felt that way because he couldn't think of a reason for her to do that but the feeling was too strong. He was relieved that she let him hold her like that just like before. Maybe things weren't as bad as he thought and he was just overthinking. 

He heard her sigh then felt her hug him back. "I missed you too, Ryder." 

His smile became wider as he lifted her in his arms while she nuzzled into his chest and closed her eyes to hide her tears.