Chapter Four: First Date? No Feelings Attached

Eveline's POV

My phone vibrated in my purse. I frantically fished for my phone which was still vibrating like crazy. Someone had called me and I did not know who it was for I did not have the number saved in my contacts. I clicked on the small green button on the screen and rested my phone near my ear, clipping it between my shoulder and ear as I listened to what the opposite party had to say while looking for my bus card.

"Don't bother going home or anywhere," Axel's deep and husky voice instructed. I stopped looking for my bus card and inquired why. The voice sighed and then replied, "I've already booked us a table at a restaurant. Come quickly. I'll send you the address." And with that, the call ended.

I could only sigh in defeat as I looked at the new message that popped up when I retrieved my phone from between my ear and shoulder. The attachment showed a detailed instruction to the restaurant. I followed it closely and before I knew it, I had already reached. The receptionist lady beamed at me brightly and then asked whether I had a reservation. Coincidentally, I got another message from Axel that included my reservation number. I flashed the screen at the receptionist and she squinted her eyes slightly before bowing and leading me to my table.

The restaurant I was in was lavish and everything within the infrastructure was worth a minimum of thousands of dollars. I did not fit in at all and I knew it. A waitress glided by my table and settled two cups of liquid refreshment in front of me and my partner. I picked up a teaspoon and stirred the content slowly, careful to not spill a single drop and showing no sign of consuming the beverage before me. My partner however, had already begun lifting his cup, tilting it as the liquid flowed into his mouth.

"Why do I have to meet you now, I thought you had to work." I mumbled, the hand that I used to stir my drink had not stopped. Axel looked up and placed his cup down. "I got my friend to fetch me my work documents as I thought that maybe I should take time to engage in dining with my fiancee." He smiled.

Perhaps he was trying too hard to impress me but I did not mind. I haven't even decided on what to eat yet so he was just doing me a favor. I nodded, accepting his response and then picked up the menu. My jaw almost dropped. The prices here were insanely high and I don't think I'll ever be able to eat at such a restaurant without saving a minimum of a few thousand dollars. I shuddered at the thought of going bankrupt just by dining here frequently.

"I dine here frequently and find this place pleasant and to my likings, I hope that you'll like it too. Don't worry too much about the bills, I can cover it easily. I nodded weakly however still hesitant to point at a dish and tell the waitress my order.

"You must get used to eating at such high-class cuisines if you are to be my wife." Of course, this was still part of shaping me into a top-quality lady suited to be his lover. I should not hold back if that's the case. I scanned the menu once more and confirmed my order internally before asking whether Axel was done.

"I'll just have whatever you have. If I am to live with you, I must be accustomed to your eating habits and preferences." So this meal we share together is just for him to know more about me, if so then I should not fall back either!

"Why don't you order what you usually have. I'll eat what you ordered and vice versa. That way, I'll get to know you better as well." Axel closed his eyes and nodded in agreement.I called for a waitress and then placed our order.

The tension in the air was disturbing and there was awkward silence between the two of us. Neither of us spoke and we depended greatly on each other to start the conversation.

"So, why did you and David break up?" Axel inquired. I gulped, still not at all prepared to answer such sensitive questions.

"I completely have no idea. He just announced it out of the blue." Axel nodded slowly.

"Any other dating experiences?"

"All ended within a week so I won't consider it true love, more like relationship of convenience. Actually, it's rather similar to this one."

"Not really. I won't discard you in any way. You'll be with me forever and we both have already rejected true love and settled with a marriage with benefits. Don't worry too much, I'll treat you well."

"Likewise."

The food arrived. The same waitress walked by, placing my spagetti and Axel's steak down. When the waitress walked away to another table with two plates of salad, Axel and I quickly exchanged dishes and then pretended that nothing had happened. I small chuckle escaped my lips and I prayed that Axel did not see it.

"What's so funny Ms Lennox?" Axel demanded, shoving a mouthful of spagetti into his mouth elegantly.

"The fact that both of us are acting like children, exchanging food. And also the fact that I'm doing that with my boss who's known to be cold and cruel to women. It's sort of entertaining I suppose." I shrugged.

Axel sighed and then pointed his fork at me. "Don't listen to such rumours. Just know that I will treat you with respect from now onwards. The other women does not matter to me as much as you do."

I did not know why, but whatever he said had struck my heart and caused my heart to flutter slightly. For someone who was faking a relationship, he was an expert at sugar-coating his words of reassurance and comfort. If he was already this lovely to someone whom he had chosen as a candidate in his contracted love plan, I wondered just how kind and how considerate and how much he will love the person whom had stolen his heart like how he did faintly in the moment.

"Eat your food. Quickly now, we don't want the food to get cold now do we?" Axel commented, making his way through half of his meal. I noticed and then quickly picked up my fork and knife, cutting myself a small piece of meat, stabbing it with my fork and then finally into my mouth it went. I watched as Axel's plate gets emptier and emptier as he continued to munch through his food. I sped up the chewing process that occurred in my mouth as I rushed to finish eating before Axel.

Once the both of us finished dining, I nodded towards Axel as he beckoned towards the receptionist, signalling that he was going to pay. We both got up from our sits and I rubbed my lower back slightly as I felt a short and sharp pain due to sitting down for too long a period of time.

I swiftly limpered over to Axel as he pulled out one of his few credit cards, swiping the small rectangular shaped object across a device, producing a small 'beep!' sound. The transaction was complete.

"Let's go my dear." Axel suddenly smiled at me, stretching his hand forward, waiting for me to take it. I mentally looked around, there were people watching and I knew that Axel was putting on a show for everyone. Might as well go along with it.

I beamed and said nothing, only gently placing my hand on his and then we walked out, hand in hand, no feelings attached.