YOUR HOME?

The low, dangerous tone in his voice sent a shiver down Laleen's spine. She felt like a mouse facing a mighty lion about to receive judgment for biting his tail.

Swallowing, she tipped her chin forward, tightening her grip on the table for support.

"Yes, I did," she replied challengingly, refusing to back down. The idea of marriage seemed more appealing than turning tail and running away.

He hummed thoughtfully, swiveling his chair until his back faced her.

Laleen monitored him closely. For some reason, the space provided for him to sign already had his signature even before she arrived.

Meaning the deed had already been done the moment she signed it.

If she was being honest, she signed it partially in a spur of recklessness. But something in her told her that was the right thing to do.

Shane faced the wall tapping soundlessly on his right knee. She had signed it. How dare she?

Looking upwards at a small corner in the ceiling was a CCTV camera where the "mastermind" had been watching them since the very beginning.

Stupid old geezer, he cursed in his mind. If it wasn't for him then...

With a heavy sigh, he rose to his feet, towering over Laleen who remained seated. 

He strode casually past her surprising Laleen who was expecting more than his silence. Wait...was that it? 

She immediately stood up from her seat as her eyes followed him.

Suddenly he paused in his tracks. With his hands in his pockets, he tilted his head to look in her direction.

"Pray we both survive this" he whispered.

His words surprised her and left her with an unwilling sense of dread. Why say that of all things?

He resumed his walk, disappearing from the room and leaving her all alone. Laleen blinked once, still quite stupefied at his words.

Realizing herself, she quickly grabbed the files on the table and rushed out of the room in chase.

To her surprise, the big hotel building was completely empty. She sprinted after him, her flat shoes aiding her further but this man's long gait made him almost impossible to reach. 

She almost lost him disappearing into an elevator but thankfully she was able to squeeze herself in.

With the file clutched to her chest, she glared at the man who stood beside her, completely ignoring her presence like she was air.

"Why did you leave so abruptly? What are we supposed to do now?" She whispered in question, her chest rising and falling as she tried to steady her pounding heartbeat from her earlier sprint. 

He ignored her, striding out of the elevator when it finally opened.

Laleen followed suit with rushed steps as her eyes sparkled with different unsaid questions.

"Answer me" she demanded. What did this man think of himself? 

All she received in response was silence as his gait got even faster making Laleen break into a run to catch up to his side.

"Please" she begged, realizing that he won't budge. 

As if in response to her plea, he finally spoke up, all the while still walking towards the hotel's exit in long strides.

But his words weren't the answer she got. "Just be quiet and follow me" he murmured in annoyance. 

Laleen sneered and immediately hurried towards him. Follow you, my foot!

How was she supposed to do that if he wouldn't slow down?

Almost immediately, she watched him come to an abrupt stop. Instinctively, her legs came to a stop as well. 

She watched him turn around, looking behind her for a second. And then he scoffed in what she read as disbelief.

Slowly, he walked towards Laleen who gazed at him with eyes filled with confusion.

Why was he suddenly getting closer? 

To her greatest surprise, he stopped right in front of her and then took her hand, his movements coming off so naturally that it stunned her.

Laleen's eyes bulged out of her sockets as she made to stammer, "W... what..."

"Fix your expression and stay quiet" he whispered as he led her away towards the black car that awaited them.

She thought that she had seen enough until she watched him—with horrified eyes— as he opened the car door for her to get in.

He still maintained his stoic expression but his actions were too baffling to be ignored.

"Don't waste my time" he murmured, his words heavy with annoyance while his face remained neutral to his surroundings.

Laleen didn't need to be told twice. She quickly got into the car, her heart racing in uncertainty for whatever lay ahead going forward. 

Had she married a crazy man? 

Getting in himself, Shane swiftly fastened his seatbelt and started the engine, driving away from the unusually empty hotel building.

Still utterly confused but turning to her left, Laleen caught a glimpse of a man with a camera in hand just as their car swerved out of the building.

Quickly, she called to Shane, her voice filled with alarm, "There's someone there. He...he took pictures of us!"

Shane only rolled his eyes as he continued to drive. Laleen got even more confused. Was this how he was supposed to act? 

"Well that's necessary" he only murmured, confusing her even further.

"Now our make-believe marriage will be more believable to the public, don't you think?" His words left him with a sour taste on his tongue and he sighed.

Laleen blinked repeatedly as her brain connected the dots. Don't tell me...

"Was this part of your plan?" She questioned in disbelief.

"No" he quickly replied. Taking a turn, he clicked his tongue, visibly irked. 

"My plan was for you to leave"

"Oh," Laleen nodded once in realization.

With pursed lips, she asked again, "Whose plan then?"

"Same person who stuck me with you" he replied blandly, already tired of her endless questions.

Laleen relaxed back into her seat, her brows furrowed in deep thought. So the dress and shoes and even meeting this man in a secluded room...all this was planned.

It made more sense to her when he said it had nothing to do with him. Why would Shane Degavon want to doll her up? Even if it was for the public.

After a few moments of silence, she interrupted, "Where are we going now?"

"A house" he murmured, focusing his full attention on the road.

Laleen interest perked up. "Your home?" She voiced in anticipation. Was she really going to live with this man now?

"My house" he corrected.

Somehow the way he said it left her with a sense of unease.