THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 21 – 30
EPISODE 25
“What?” Kimberly asked self-consciously when her gaze met with Eric’s one more time and he still didn’t look away. They were done seated at the dining table having dinner.
“What do you mean by ‘What?’?” Eric asked innocently. He had asked her to go in and freshen up while he cleaned up the kitchen after they were done cooking. And now she was dressed in a simple gown which stopped before her knees. Her face was now bare without the makeup, but she was still wearing her wig.
“You think I haven’t noticed how you’ve been staring at me since we started eating?” She asked with a slightly raised brow.
“Does it make you nervous?” Eric asked watching her with interest.
“Uncomfortable is the word, not nervous. Is there something you want to say to me?” She asked as she dropped her fork and look into his face.
“As a matter of fact, yes. You look very pretty and innocent without your makeup, and I’m scared when you take off your wig you’re going to look like an under age.” Eric said making Kimberly roll her eyes.
“You just love to flatter, don’t you?” She asked dryly as she resumed eating.
“Well I’m being very serious. What do I stand to gain from flattering you anyway?” he asked with a shrug.
“I’m wondering the exact same thing too.” Kimberly said before clearing her throat, “So about the marriage deal…”
“Yeah, about that.” Eric said but continued eating.
“I was able to draft out the contract terms. I’ll just get it…” Kimberly said as she pushed away from the dining to go get it while Eric thought about his conversation with Prisca as he watched her leave.
*Twenty Minutes Earlier.*
“I have been thinking to find a way to have a private talk with you.” Prisca had said immediately she joined him in the kitchen.
“And why do you think I asked her to ask you to join me?” Eric had asked without turning to look at her, while he washed the bowls Kimberly had used while cooking.
“Why?” Prisca asked as she drew closer to Eric.
“I knew you would want to have a private word with me seeing how close you are to her. And I also wanted to say something to you too. But you can go first.” He told her indifferently as he put away the plates and started cleaning the kitchen counters.
“What do you want from her?” Prisca had asked almost immediately making Eric turn to look at her with a slightly raised brow.
“What do I want from her?” He asked, sounding as though that was the last question he had expected from her, and he thought it was a stupid question to ask since Kimberly had been the one who had approached him in the first place.
“Yes. You don’t seem like a regular guy.”
“Oh! Wow! Thanks.” Eric said sarcastically.
“I’m sure you know that wasn’t a compliment.” Prisca said making Eric raise a brow again.
“So it’s an insult then?” He asked making her sigh.
“I only stated a fact. It had nothing to do with a compliment or an insult, and I think it’s best you drop your sarcasm and get right to why you asked me here before she comes out.” Prisca said calmly as she crossed both arms over her chest.
“No need getting all riled up. That was me just getting to know you. Go on with the not so regular guy talk.” Eric said as he wiped both hands on a napkin.
“This isn’t me prying, and I don’t mean to be rude either, but I need to know exactly what you want from Kim in plain terms. Are you here for the money or just for the fun of it?” Prisca asked as she took out the dishes from one of the cupboard drawers.
“What if I say I don’t know? Maybe I want the money, or maybe it is the fun. Or it could be that I want her.” Eric said with a shrug.
“Want her for?”
“For myself.” Eric said not wanting to divulge more information than was necessary.
“You like her?” Prisca asked uncertainly.
“Why do you sound like you don’t want me to?” Eric asked, watching her closely now.
“Why wouldn’t I want you to? I want Kim to be happy, so if you can’t do that I’d rather you leave now so we can find someone more suitable. Cause if you hurt her I’ll find you wherever you are and I’ll kill you.” Prisca promised.
“Don’t make threats you lack the ability to fulfill.” Eric said cautioned her as they both dished out the food together; Prisca placing the yams on the dishes while Eric scooped out the egg.
“I told her I want you out of the house. I wanted you to hear it from me before she mentions it to you.” Eric said making Prisca look at him in disbelief.
“Why would I leave the house for you?”
“Because she relies on you too much, and I don’t think I stand having you around the house for the one year I’ll be living with her, unless of course it’s a threesome kinda arrangement… and I’m not interested in that.” Eric said with a shrug.
“Besides don’t you need your space? Or does your life revolve around hers too?” Eric asked making Prisca sigh.
“I just feel responsible for her. I need to look out for her.”
“And I’m not taking that responsibility from you, trust me. But don’t you think I’ll be useless to her if I let you do everything for her while we all live under the same roof? I’m just saying, we should share it. While she lives under the same roof with me I’ll be responsible for her. When you’re both at the office or elsewhere, you can do your thing.” Eric asked making Prisca narrow her eyes.
“You want to accept her deal?”
“Maybe. So will you do it?” Eric asked again, making eye contact with her this time.
“You’re not abusive or anything right? I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what will happen if you so much as lay a finger on her.” Prisca threatened.
“If she is going to be my wife, I might be laying more than a finger on her.” Eric reminded Prisca, making her look at him in surprise at first, and then she giggled when she caught the message.
“Okay. Fine. I’ll move out once the deal is finalized.” Prisca promised.
“She says you can’t leave the building entirely, so I agreed you can move to the Boys quarter. At least we all get our privacy that way, I hope you don’t mind?” Eric asked in a more friendly tone now.
“Seeing how you asked so nicely, I don’t. If you don’t mind, I’d like to have your contact number.” Prisca said extending her phone to him.
Eric looked at her as though he was contemplating something before typing in his number.
*Back To The Present.*
“So here it is.” Kimberly said as she returned to join him on the table with the documents.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 21 – 30
Eric looked up when Kimberly dropped a document on the empty space beside him on the table, bringing him back to the present.
Eric tried not to look amused as he pushed his dishes away and picked up the document she had dropped. He noticed it wasn’t written in a very formal manner, and there were no much legal terms, “You drafted this out yourself, didn’t you?”
“We both know I can’t give it out to a lawyer or anyone else since it is supposed to be a secret… So I had to find my way around it.” Kimberly explained with a shrug.
“Let’s say I sign this,” He said pointing to the paper, “And then let’s also assume I break the terms of our agreement, you know this paper won’t hold much weight in a court of law since there was no lawyer present when this agreement was made.” Eric said making her frown.
“So what are you trying to say?” She definitely hadn’t expected him to know that much about the legal system.
“I’m saying if you want to do this with me you’ll have to trust me to keep my word. I will sign this, no doubt, but it is invalid. I just wanted you to know it’ll be useless if ever you decide to take me to court.” Eric said making Kimberly sigh.
“I understand. You should just read through the conditions I listed there first, and tell me what you think.” Kimberly suggested.
Eric glanced through it and realized it was the same things with the paper in his pocket with only a few additions.
“I have a question concerning rule one which says ‘Act like a real couple around family and friends, (public display of affection permitted only in the presence of family and friends).'”
“Okay.” Kimberly said, urging him to go on.
“If I understand this correctly, I’m not to touch you when no one is around, am I right?” He asked, looking directly into her eyes to be sure she understood what she had written.
Kimberly looked away before clearing her throat, “Yeah.”
“Okay. That’s fine by me. Another question though, are these one of those rules that are meant to be broken? I mean what if something happens and you no longer want me to keep these rules?” Eric asked again making it clear he believed there was a possibility of that happening.
“We’ll discuss about it IF that happens.” Kimberly said, sounding more confident this time, since she was certain she wasn’t going to be going back on her words.
“Interesting.” Eric said with a nod before glancing at the list.
“Rule two says my family doesn’t have to be involved, (No need for in-law dramas in a fake marriage). I agree. I don’t want them finding out anything about this either. That means no publicity whatsoever for this marriage. I don’t want my pictures on the papers or anything.” Eric said making Kimberly frown.
“Why not?” She had thought he would be happy to appear on the papers so he would gain popularity and fame through the union.
“Because I don’t want to. I prefer my private affairs kept private.”
“But that is impossible! There is no way I can get married, and it will stay private.” Kimberly protested.
“If you were talking about a real marriage, that would have been understandable, but a fake one? There is no way I’m letting my pictures get out! My parents always read the papers and they’re going to find out about this once it gets to the public. That isn’t negotiable.” Eric said with a tone of finality in his voice.
It wasn’t like he was a celebrity or a public figure so why was he being so unnecessarily stubborn? Kimberly mused, “I never figured you for the type to be controlled by his family.” Kimberly said, meaning to get him into doing as she wanted.
“At least I’m not the one sitting in your chair. So what do you say?” He asked, making it clear if she had intended to hurt his ego, then she had failed at it.
“Fine. I’ll talk to my father about it.” Kimberly said in a resigned tone.
“Good. Now down to the third rule, you want sex only when necessary. What do you define as necessary? When you’re horny or what?” He asked bluntly making Kimberly look away in embarassment. If she had thought she was blunt, then he was certainly showing her he was worse.
“Something like that.” She said without meeting his gaze.
“And what about when I am horny? Will you call that necessary too?” He asked making her look at him with a frown.
“I suppose so.”
“And what if I’m always horny?” Eric asked again making Kimberly shift uncomfortably in her seat.
“How is that even possible?” Kimberly asked, trying not to let her imagination run wild.
“Well, like I said, what if?”
“Then rule 4 applies. You can always get other people to sort yourself out.” Kimberly suggested.
“Does that mean you can also get other people?” Eric asked with a slightly raised brow.
“Of course.”
“I won’t touch you if another man touches you. Like I said, I’m a very private person and as such I don’t like public properties.” He said looking at her again in the way that always made her feel uncomfortable, “So I suggest you revisit that rule.” He didn’t allow her to respond before looking at the next set of rules.
“No falling in love or emotional attachment? That’s okay by me as long as you’re cool. No sharing of bedrooms, unless a visitor is around. That’s fine too, as long as that’s what you want.” Eric said with an amused smile. He was looking forward to watching this reality show.
THE MIRACLE I NEED : Episode 21 – 30
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