"Celia!" Cole called the long and svelte ginger-haired woman who just walked in the restaurant. 709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOkiOVog6J
She turned her head on the left and spotted him immediately. She grinned at him from afar and marched to his table. She leaned over him, gave him a peck on the cheek and sat down on the chair facing his. She hung her handbag on the chair backrest, took her khaki trench-coat off and beckoned a waiter over. They both ordered their food and waited to be served. 709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVgcXN301mX
"What's up?" Celestina Hart asked him.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF74mIgTEWJ
"Grandma's dying,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGC1GTJ3H3
She kept quiet for a second then said,"Yeah, I know. When I dropped off the kids at my parents' last time, I overheard a conversation. They were talking with your parents about grandma, so I asked them what was happening and they told me that her health was getting worse,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70ngughbG5
"Why did you keep it for yourself? Why didn't you tell me?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6wOv9Hs3E
"Because they made me swear and you know I always keep my word. Moreover, they told me that grandma was about to tell you all so I assumed it was okay. Don't be mad at me," she put her hand on his.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMQhVuELB2K
The waiter finally came back with the dishes and set them on the table.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfn9Apblgy
"Thank you," Celia said.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yqP4zp2dt
The brown-eyed man smiled and said politely before leaving, "Enjoy your meal and if you need anything, just ask."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjqkwhoYkU
"I'm not mad at you," Cole told her honestly understanding the predicament she was in.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4WMmnZpYor
"Are you sure?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItSSQlr56m
"Yeah," he smiled winding his pasta around his fork.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjySRaT2cHs
"Now tell me, what's the matter?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekxkPJ1dJq
"Ah, yes. I almost forgot,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRM0z1q6MaM
Cole explained her how went the family meeting and how he came to lie to his grandmother about his fake fiancée. 709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGBEsZ92Tg
"Why did you do that, you idiot?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8Qt6HVRH3
"I don't know, I just wanted to please her and this idea came at me in the moment. What was I supposed to do?" he defended himself, "You know how much I love her. I'll be ready to do anything for her,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBEqRvrGdSi
"Oh, you're so cute," she remarked making Cole grimace, "So, how are you going to find this wife of yours?" she continued bringing her glass of wine to her carmine mouth, "Do you already have a plan? 'cause you need a super infallible one if you want grandma to buy this,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkuHXnJBI6
"I don't have any plan," he responded cleaning the tomato sauce on his lips with a napkin, "That's why I called you. To help me finding one,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLzpCPut3Cm
"Why don't you ask one of your... bed companions to play your wife?" 709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQ1U34kyO5
Cole laughed.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HOK2sJdbC
"Not even in my worst nightmare,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdCohCkEgV
"Why?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXh5y1O3Nn
"They're addicted to me," 709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpI5YyF6g4E
Celia chuckled shaking her head, "Oh, really?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDFtJ27sAC
"Come on, look at me. Who can resist to this, huh?" he said jokingly pointing at his face.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgRwsYTljy
"Me," 709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGPGBVCQSy
"It doesn't count, we're like siblings,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnH20cRMCnt
Indeed, Cole and Celia were not mere friends, they were family. About thirty years ago, their parents met in their first year of college during a sporting event. Since then, the quartet became inseperable and two years before obtaining their bachelor degree, the two young women of the group settled down with their lovers, got married and years later gave birth to Cole and Celia, Cole being the third child of his parents while Celia was an only child. As they grew up next to each other and went to the same private school, the two children instinctively built a strong and pure fraternal love, but their relationship often appeared to strangers' eyes as a romantic one and to avoid this kind of misunderstandings, they started introducing each other as brother and sister to outsiders.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbaz3eI4Q00
"Right," she nodded, "Well, if they're addicted to you, it should be a good thing for you, don't you think?" 709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL04GLce5oh
"No, they won't be easy to get rid of. I need someone who can keep a cool head and play her role without involving too much of herself in it," he explained.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDbruI9hdOz
"Hire a comedian then,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2emgKQDUjc
"I thought about it but you know how grandma is. She will check her backgrounds for sure. If she finds out that my fiancée is an actor, I'm a dead man. Plus, I don't want to waste my time on making up a new identity,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dwdAyPvwe
"How about Ms. Hamilton?" Celia suddenly advised cutting a piece of her beefsteak.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSuyauRRarw
Cole raised his thick black brows.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiANRuEhXOV
"Are you insane?" he said with an undisguised distaste.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUI4xXdtcM
"Think about it. Ms. Hamilton is working for you for almost a year now. She's smart, pretty, she knows everything about you and you know her quite well too. She's not one of your conquest so there's no risk of her getting clingy. All she'll have to do is faking to love you in front of the family. Can't you see she's perfect for this role?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSt5fE8577a
"No way," he refused outright.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAp3TqUfpW
"Why?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TaVi8tbuB
"Because,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTYJytsKjq
"Because is not an answer,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyy9Y5OYV0T
He smirked.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUoYcV9yuu
"Seriously, what's bothering you with her?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt9lImtnQKz
"Well, first she's my servant. Secondly, this woman is cold as ice. She never smiles, not at me nor at anyone. How could she be able to play the game if she's so overstrung?" he remarked, "No, Ms. Hamilton is definitely out of the list,"
709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WLQAB2RI7
***
After a hectic day, Cole reached home after one hour of driving. The thirty-two-year-old man couldn't stop but ponder on the essential characteristics his future wife should have to be credible to his family. The more he reflected upon it the more his thoughts lead him to one woman ; Ms. Hamilton. Maybe Celia was right, maybe Ms. Hamilton was perfect for the role, but for some reason this conclusion annoyed him. Cole stealthily looked at the hour displayed on the radio. It was almost eleven. Ms. Hamilton was surely already gone by now, she always left his home at half past seven p.m sharp. He passed the gate, parked his car nearby the water fountain and walked to his house, the gravel path crushing beneath his shoes at his every step. As soon as he crossed the threshold, he felt at ease. He immediately took the stairs two by two hastening to his room to take a quick shower and slipped in his comfortable shorts. He went to the kitchen and served himself some food nibbling vegetables on his way to the dining room. To his greatest surprise, he saw his housekeeper there sleeping on the table, her head resting upon a thick opened book. He placed his food on the large mahogany table and stepped toward her. He stared at her, taking a time to really look at her oval-shaped face. For the first time, he noticed how strikingly beautiful she was, from her long eyelashes to her fleshy cupid's bow lips. His hand slowly went to her long golden brown hair tied in low-sleek ponytail falling in a graceful wave to her waist. She seemed so peaceful and innocent while she was sleeping that he didn't want to wake her up. He slid his arm under her legs, wrapped the other around her waist and lifted her up carefully fearing to snatch her from her sleep and transported her in a guest room upstairs. He was walking her to the bed when her lovely ochre eyes fluttered open and their gaze locked into each other. They contemplated one another in silence and Cole realised at this moment how enigmatic and incoherent this woman was. The fire residing in her hypnotising amber eyes contrasted with her calm and collected attitude. Ms. Hamilton was the first to break the eye contact by averting her eyes. She noticed then that her hand was placed against his bare and musclar chest and that the man was carrying her. Bexley didn't ever dare to look back at him and just got on her feet, standing away from him.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0Mwur4Ako
"Good evening, sir,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxme0oeW1G
"You must have been really tired to fall asleep like that,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6api4lcCN
"All my apologies, sir. It won't happen again,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHUxfh0fzU
"I hope so,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzIQlmiKQDl
"I'll go heat up your food, sir," she was about to leave when he grabbed her hand, but she quickly pulled away.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKqxYyCSYM
"No, it's okay. I'll do it,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzVf5gjqAaw
"But-"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9SMczwzuBd
"Please do me a favour," he interrupted her, "Sleep here for tonight, you look exhausted,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5EEF8WbOE
"It's really nice of you sir, but I have to go back home and study for my exams,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqcsievAzJ
"You brought your books, right?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rrmxYstNq
"Yes, sir,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbK7gCEntXF
"Then you can study here or do whatever you want. It's already eleven and the time you reach home, you won't have enough time to eat and study. Besides it's very dark outside, I can't let you go home this late, it's too dangerous,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLEQmds6qCi
"You're right, sir," 709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2lq8tEFUJ
"Of course I'm right. Have you eaten?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hO93FHahO
"Not yet, sir,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRt5Rcxim7l
"Come eat with me then,"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ45aKYb3lEl
"Sir, can I go take a shower first?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtuODXNhId
"Sure. I'll be waiting for you in the dining room,"
L.S
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