Chapter Two

The following morning, Lucy woke up with a pounding headache, remnants of last night's chaos swirling in her mind. She glanced around her luxurious bedroom, trying to piece together the events. It had been a whirlwind of emotions, from Greg's betrayal to her impulsive proposal to Ethan. She wasn't sure what to expect next. 

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, snapping her out of her thoughts. It was a message from Sarah. "Are you okay? Call me when you can."

Lucy sighed and texted back a quick reply, promising to call soon. She needed a moment to collect herself before diving into an inevitable flood of questions and concerns from her friends and family. 

As she made her way to the kitchen, she couldn't help but wonder about Ethan. Who was he, really? And why had he agreed to her crazy proposal? She poured herself a cup of coffee, lost in thought, when her phone buzzed again. Tho time, it was a call.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Lucy," a familiar voice greeted her. "It's Ethan."

Her heart skipped a bit. "Ethan, hi. How are you?"

"I'm good. I wanted to check on you after last night. Are you alright?"

Lucy took a sip of her coffee, the warmth calming her nerves. "I've been better, but I'll survive. Thank you for stepping in last night. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Ethan chuckled, "it was an interesting evening, to say the least. How about we meet for lunch? I think we need to talk about what happened and where we go from here."

"That sounds like a good idea," Lucy agreed. "Where should we meet?"

"There's a cafe called Bella's Bistro downtown. Does noon work for you?" 

"Noon is perfect. I'll see you there."

As she hung up the phone, Lucy felt a mix of anxiety and curiosity. Lunch with Ethan would give her a chance to unravel the mysteries surrounding him and figure out what their next steps should be. 

A few hours later, Lucy at Bella's Bistro, a charming cafe with outdoor seating and a cozy atmosphere. She spotted Ethan at a corner table, looking as composed as ever in a crisp, tailored suit. He stood up as she approached, offering a warm smile. 

"Lucy, it's good to see you," Ethan said, pulling out a chair for her.

"Thank you," she replied, sitting down. "And thank you again for everything last night. I know it was a lot to ask."

Ethan waved off her gratitude. "No need to thank me. I enjoyed the change of pace. But I think we should be clear about a few things."

Lucy nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yes, we should."

They ordered their drinks and waited for the waiter to leave before diving into a conversation.

"So," Ethan began, leaning forward. "Let's start with the obvious question, why did you ask me to marry you?"

Lucy laughed nervously. "I was desperate. Greg, my ex-fiance, humiliated me in front of everyone, a D I couldn't bear the thought of facing pity and gossip. You looked like someone who could grlo me save my face, and I took a chance."

Ethan nodded thoughtfully. " I understand. And I'm glad I could help. But there's something you should know about me, too." 

Lucy tilted her head, intrigued. "What is it?"

Ethan hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I'm Ethan Bennett, CEO of Bennett industries. My company is based in New York, and we're currently in the process of expanding into the west coast market."

Lucy's eyes widened in surprise. She had heard of Bennett industries, they were a major player in the tech industry, known for their innovation and success. "You're Ethan Bennett?"

Ethan smiled wryly. "Yes, that's me. And here's the kicker 

I'm in search of a wife but since I've been busy with work I haven't had time to meet with anybody. That's why I'm more than willing to play along with your proposal."

The pieces of the puzzle started to fit together in Lucy's mind. "So we both had something to gain from this arrangement." 

"Exactly," Ethan confirmed . "But now we have to decide how to move forward. We can either continue with the charade or come up with a new plan."

Lucy thought for a moment, considering their opinions. "I think we should continue,at least for now. It will give us both time to sort out our personal situations. Plus, it might be fun to see how far we can take this."

Ethan chuckled. "I like your attitude, Lucy. Alright let's keep the charade going. But we need to set some ground rules and make sure we're on the same page."

"Let's have a contract marriage, what do you think? Lucy."

"Agreed, Lucy said. "First rule: complete honesty with each other, no secrets between us." 

Lucy nodded feeling a sense of relief that, despite the whirlwind of the event, she found someone she could trust. This might just be something none of them had anticipated.

Ethan's expression softened. "We'll figure it out as we go. For now, let's focus on building a believable relationship. We'll take it one step at a time."

Their conversation continued, filled with laughter and shared stories. Lucy found herself genuinely enjoying Ethan's company. He was charming, intelligent and surprisingly down to earth for someone so successful. As they discussed their plans, she realized that this contract marriage might not be as daunting as she had initially thought. 

As lunch came to an end, Ethan stood up and offered his hand. "Shall we?"

Lucy took his hand, feeling a spark of excitement. "Let's do this."

They walked out of the cafe together, smiling at each other and constantly holding hands. Ethan waited for Lucy's driver to come pick her up. As the driver arrived and Lucy was to enter the car, he held her back and gave her a big hug and a peck on the side of her face and smiled at her, before waving his hands at Lucy.