CHAPTER 6

Three days seemed to pass so quickly and the newlyweds weren't even trying to get to know each other.

The two rarely talk because either of them don't know where to begin. Every time they try to communicate, one will say something stupid and they end up fighting like cats and dogs. On their way back to the city, Jayce suggested they should live together.

"What?!" Mae asked.

"We're married. You have to live with me," he said while drinking his wine.

"That's not even an option!" Mae replied.

"Why not? I'm your husband," he smirked. This made Mae more annoyed.

"This marriage... is purely for business only. I married you as a mode of payment. Nothing more," she replied. Jayce felt bitterness in her voice, but he felt pain in his heart as well.

If they have met in a different circumstance, like bumping into each other in a coffee shop or meeting in a black-tie party... would they be good friends? Would they have had a better start?

These thoughts pondered on Jayce's mind.

The flight was filled with silence after that. No one dared to speak. Mae just kept herself busy working on her designs while Jayce was busy signing papers.

When the plane landed, they didn't talk, Mae didn't have a choice when Bryce grabbed her luggage and went directly to the car waiting for them, she quietly followed while Jayce was behind her.

"Straight to the office," Jayce said. Mae looked at him with furrowed brows. "Then bring Mrs Conde to wherever she wants to go,"

Mae looked at him sternly, she wanted to say something but she bit her tongue.

"Bryce, kindly drop me in my office as well?" she said, Jayce looked at her. "It's along the way," she added. Jayce nodded and just looked at his phone,

[TEXT MESSAGE: ALICE]

YOU F*CKING GOT MARRIED?!?!

His brows furrowed at the message he received. Without thinking much about it, he just ignored the message and blocked Alice.

**RING**RING**

Mae's phone suddenly rang, she immediately answered her phone.

"Yo! Ali! What's up?" she asked. Jayce couldn't hear what the person on the other line said but it was obvious that Mae got a bit upset.

"You're pulling out from the investment? Does Aiden know?" she asked.

"I see. It's okay, next time then." she casually responded and ended the call. "Crap!" she exclaimed, this shocked Jayce and Bryce.

"Uhm... are you okay?" Jayce asked. Mae looked at him, her angry reaction turned to a smile.

"Yes! I'm fine," she replied, she tried to mask her annoyance but that didn't fool Jayce.

"You can tell me, I'm a good listener," he said and looked at her in a serious way.

Mae looked at Jayce. "One of our clients, who's also my friend decided to pull out her investment," she said and gave a sigh.

"Don't you have a lot of clients?" Jayce asked. How could she get frustrated over a small thing, he thought.

"You won't understand..." she replied in a flat tone,

"Try me," he said and faced her, he scooted closer to Mae.

"Ali, my friend, got interested in the housing project that I'm working on. It was supposed to be a house designed for people who can't afford to stay in the city. You know, since the cost of living here in Sequoia City is quite expensive," she said.

Jayce looked at Mae and he somehow felt sad. In a short span of time with her, he realized how dedicated she is to her job.

"How much?" he asked Mae.

"Hmmm~How much is what?" she asked confused.

"How much was the investment?" he said.

"100M," she whispered...

"I'll make it 200, would that be enough to start the project?" Jayce asked.

Bryce who was driving the car suddenly stopped, making the two passengers hold on to each other.

"The hell Bryce!" Jayce shouted.

"I'm sorry sir, I was just surprised," he replied.

"Drive carefully," Jayce said, still holding Mae's hand.

"I'm sorry... but... did I hear you correctly?" Mae confirmed.

"Why? We're married Mae. You're my wife and I will help you in any way I can," he said and squeezed her hand.

Mae didn't know what to say. She never imagined Jayce to be this nice. Is it really true? Or is he masking his true agenda?

"What's the catch?" she bravely asked him.

"There's no catch. I'm doing this because I'm your husband," he replied to her.

She wasn't convinced of course, Jayce is a businessman after all. But, she also needs the money to push through her project.

"I'll pay you once the project is successful," she replied and removed Jayce's hand from hers.

Jayce looked at her but Mae tried not to look at him. She just looked outside the window trying to think about why Jayce is being too nice.

Jayce might not know her but she knows him, in a business point of view. He's been their investor for a long time... He's always about the money and the profit he's going to gain. He doesn't usually care about other's welfare and would just be a straight up a-hole to people. This is the Jayce Conde she knows... but the Jayce Conde she's with now is a totally different person.

"Bryce, just drop me off here please," she told Bryce. Bryce nodded and parked at the side of the road.

"You... you work here?" Jayce asked her. Mae nodded.

"Is there a problem?" she asked.

"You work at MP Designs?!" he asked.

"I own the place. It's small but we do topnotch designs big or small. Why do you look surprised?" Mae just said and looked at him.

"I thought you're an employee!" his reaction was legit that Mae couldn't help but giggle.

"Jayce Conde... Keeping a low profile is one of the things I'm good at," she said and kissed him on his cheek... which surprised him once again!!!

Mae didn't give him a chance to react... she immediately went inside the building and from where the car is parked, he could see how the people inside recognized her as their boss.

"Bryce! Give me everything you can find about my wife!" he told Bryce in a very demanding tone.

He never imagined that his wife is the CEO of the company he wanted to buy!

When he arrived in his office, everyone was busy doing their job. Being a financial company, every minute is money. No slacking off, no monkey business.

"Sir, your father is here," Bryce said. Jayce nodded and went to the conference room where his father was.

"What is it dad?" he asked.

"You invested a lot in the BNB of the Pearson's. Are you sure you'll get your money back just by marrying their daughter?" he asked. He's testing his son's integrity.

"I'm sure they'll pay... if not... then, I'll just press for a law suit so I can get the BNB." Jayce replied to his father.

"I wonder what your wife will say if you do that," he said in an amused tone.

"Mae doesn't have to know. Besides, she's part of the business plan," he replied. But in Jayce's heart, he's already confused... his feelings was starting to get out of control.

His father was disappointed with Jayce's answer. How could his son be so heatless? He questioned himself and blamed himself for not raising a gentleman. Where did he go wrong?

"Dad... can I ask you something?" Jayce asked. His father nodded.

"How will I know if she's the one?" he asked his dad.

Jayce's father smiled.

His son is developing feelings for his wife!!!