Chapter 12; My sister

When they arrived at her audition venue, Leon brought the car to a stop. Claire unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for the door handle. "Thanks," she muttered as she stepped out.

"I'll pick you up" Leon said, making her pause mid-step. "Weren't we asked to come home together" he asked his gaze meeting hers.

Claire froze, staring at him in disbelief. He was actually going to pick her? Nodding slowly, she left the car, her mind still spinning.

Inside the venue, Claire spotted her agent, Laura, waiting for her. The moment Laura saw her, she came rushing over, her face full of questions.

"Why did Mr. Leon Yu's assistant contact me?" Laura demanded. "And why did he call you Mrs. Yu? Are you working for them or something?" Laura eyed her suspiciously.

Claire rolled her eyes, Laura had always been extremely curious and she knew she wont rest until she satisfied her curiosity "Later," she said firmly. "After the audition."

Laura pouted but didn't press further. Her sharp purple dyed hair a stark contrast to her expression.

A short while later, a director stepped out and addressed the group of actors and actresses. "We're sorry for the delay," he said. "The meeting for the project's collaboration is still ongoing. It'll be finalized tomorrow. A new investor has expressed interest in attending the auditions, so we'll resume once they're here."

The announcement left the group murmuring in confusion, but Laura couldn't have been happier. She dragged Claire to a nearby restaurant, eager to pass the time.

———

In his office, Leon spent a long time looking at the reports Levy had sent him last night. He had asked Levy to check Claire's background and what he read shocked him—it was her, but she has amnesia.

His mind went back to that scared little girl that was drugged but desperately tried to run away from a group of seniors chasing her, she looked so scared and uncomfortable back then when he saved her and ended up kissing him under the influence of the drug, who'd have thought that later on she'll return the favor and also save him. A smile spread across his face as he thought about it but later fell, due to everything that was happening in his family around that time, he left her without a word and when he tried looking for her, she was gone. Overtime, Leon shut his heart and slowly he forgot about her, until now....

"Aire" he mumbled softly, a name so familiar and sweet in his mouth.

"What are you going to do?" Levy asked him, causing Leon to raise his head from the file he'd been staring her absentmindedly for quite some time. Even when he had found out, he found it hard to believe, was this what they called fate.

"It's dangerous to force people with amnesia to remember things" Leon said more of talking to himself.

"I'll wait and see how it goes, hoping she'll remember me, if not then....at least she's my wife and I'll treat her as such" he added.

"So it isn't a contract anymore" Levy asked eagerly, a smirk appearing on his face.

"You know you can't just go shocking her by saying that you don't want a contract marriage again but you want to make it real, she'll run away, you have to woo her" Levy added, his tone giving away his mischief, totally into the assignment given to him by Old Man Yu.

"Woo?"

"Yes woo, make her less uncomfortable around you, then gradually make her you friend then she'll like you and finally love you, only then will she agree" Levy explained, sounding like a relationship expert. And he was slightly shocked when Leon agreed, he spent the remaining recess guiding his new student who was very keen on listening.

———

Over lunch, Claire finally explained the details of her contract marriage with Leon. By the time she finished, Laura was staring at her with wide eyes, her mouth agape.

"That family is twisted, what kind of brother will do that to his younger brother, you have to be careful Claire" Laura advised, a little worried.

"I know you don't want to ask them for help and neither do I...but this? You could've asked me, I didn't even know it had gotten that serious" she added exasperated.

"They'll never help, you know that and I don't want to put mom in danger by contacting them, besides you know how your parents are, especially concerning me" Claire explained causing Laura to sigh, this was very dangerous.

"Aren't you feeling guilty?" Laura asked her after a while. Making Claire to nod her head, a deep sigh escaping her lips.

"Maybe you can tell him the truth later on" Laura suggested and Claire nodded, but that was easier said than done, she didn't know how he'll react to it.

"Please, promise me you won't tell anyone," Claire said firmly, her gaze serious despite the small smile on her face.

"I'm fine, don't worry about me, just do me a favor and look after mom, I won't be coming often to avoid suspicion" Claire begged and though Laura didn't support her decision she still smiled.

"Isn't she my mom too, don't worry I'll definitely check up on her" Laura assured.

"So how does it feel being Mrs. Yu," Laura teased, her shock and worry turning to playful humor. "You should've at least called me to your bridal shower! And your ring—wow, it's gorgeous". She exclaimed staring at the sparkly silver band on her finger.

Claire chuckled, Laura was a really jovial person just like Mae, all through her school years, she hadn't been close to anyone because they all thought of her as a pauper seeing she was the only student in a private school on a scholarship.

Laura was the only friend she had during those times.

The two chatted for a while longer until Claire's phone rang. It was Leon, calling to ask for her location. After giving him the details, Claire and Laura stepped outside to wait for him.

When Leon's car pulled up, Levy got out and opened the door for Claire.

Laura froze, her eyes widening. "Claire," she whispered, leaning close. "Is that his driver?"

Claire nodded, puzzled by Laura's intense reaction.

"He's gorgeous!" Laura exclaimed in a hushed voice. "Please, get his number for me!" she begged.

In order to get Laura off her, she agreed and Laura watched, waving at 'her' until the car disappeared from her sight.

Claire's brows furrowed wondering where they were going as they headed in the opposite direction, she turned her gaze from the window to look at Leon

"Grandma asked us to get some things from the market for a festival" Leon simply said, handing her the list.

"O....okay" Claire replied, returning her gaze to the window.

"How was the audition?" Leon asked, genuinely surprising Claire.

"W...Well we didn't have it, the directors were still in a meeting so it was rescheduled" she responded, a little apprehensive and still taken aback.

"Mm" Leon responded.

At the market, Claire was startled to see Leon stepping out of the car alongside her. "Are you coming with me?" she asked, her voice slightly frantic.

"Why wouldn't I?" Leon asked, genuinely confused. "Grandma asked both of us to come."

Claire blinked, feeling a little flustered. "Sorry," she muttered. "I just thought… you wouldn't like places like this. And your outfit…" She glanced at his sharp suit, imagining the vendors' reactions.

Leon raised an eyebrow. "What should I do, then?"

Claire sighed, finding his reaction cute "Take off your jacket, roll up your sleeves, and unbutton the top of your shirt," she suggested.

To her shock, Leon complied without hesitation. As he adjusted his clothes, Claire's cheeks turned bright red at the little strip tease she was witnessing but she couldn't look away, more like she didn't want to.

"is it okay now" Leon asked after he was done, staring at her.

Her eyes trailed from his long veiny hands,to his opened button that revealed a bit of his chest region, she blinked to get her thoughts back in order. "Y-yeah," Claire stammered, struggling to meet his gaze. "You look… like a husband accompanying his wife to the market," she blurted and instantly covered her mouth, she only wanted to say something to hide her blush, then why did she say that, how'll this great Ceo feel at what she said.

To her surprise again, Leon shrugged. "Isn't that what I'm doing?" he commented nonchatedly and stepped out of the car, Claire followed suit. Did he know that what he just said sounded so cheesy.

Claire's heart skipped a beat. "I meant… like a real couple in love," she clarified, catching up to him.

"Real or not, we're still married," Leon said matter-of-factly.

As they moved through the market, Leon's commanding presence turned heads from vendors and customers alike. The pair who were still in their own world of conversation didn't notice how everyone turned to look at Leon as if he was god who didn't belong here. Though Leon wasn't wearing his suit, his aura didn't change at all.

As Claire bargained cheerfully and dragged him from stall to stall to get what was on the list, the atmosphere grew lively. She was having fun as she usually did with her mom when shopping. Unaware that, she had transformed the dignified CEO into her personal human shopping cart.