CHAAPTER TWENTY THREE
It was past eight thirty, and most of the staff had gone home, while some were preparing to go home.
A few workers were still roaming around, as Chloe packed her things and moved out of the building.
It wasn’t too late, but she was tired already.
She didn’t want to walk even a step, but she had to.
She waited for five minutes to hire a cab, but was frustrated every time the driver refused to take her to the place or the cab was occupied.
Can she get some peace?
A honk of a car made her jump on her place, and she looked sideways only to find Mark’s car there.
She stared at the car for a few seconds before looking away for a cab.
A minute later, he honked again, which irritated her, but she controlled herself to go and lash out at him. But how could he leave her alone? When she continued looking for a cab, he honked yet again, and this time she gritted her teeth in annoyance.
She marched towards his car and knocked on his window. Mark rolled it down and looked at her while she glared at him.
“What is your problem?” She asked agitatedly, while Mark only blinked innocently.
“What did I do?” He tried to act innocent, but she only glared harder, which caused him to sigh.
“Okay fine. Come sit in the car, I’ll drop you.” He stated, but she rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
“No, thank you, sir. I’ll manage.” She replied, emphasising on ‘sir’ and turned around to leave.
Mark knew she was hard-headed and wouldn’t agree so easily, but was he going to give up? Never.
He got out of his car and closed the door to let her know what he was up to, yet she paid no attention to his doings.
Only when he walked up to her and stood beside her did she take a deep breath and turn to him.
“Why are you following me?” She suddenly sounded tired, but he wasn’t the one acting stubborn among them.
“I offered to drop you, and you denied it, so I’ll make sure you get home safely this way or that way.” He declared it without any hesitation, and she felt dejected.
Without another word, she walked up to his car and settled inside.
Mark smiled to himself and followed her behind, settling in the driver’s seat.
When, after two minutes, he didn’t start the car, Chloe looked at him with a frown.
He indicated something with his eyes, but she didn’t understand.
Sighing, he leaned forward, causing her eyes to widen.
“W…. what are you doing?” She stuttered, leaning back, and he ignored it and secured her with the seat belt.
Embarrassed, she bit her lip and looked out of the window while Mark smiled and ignited the car.
“I’m sorry.” Mark confessed looking straight ahead, whereas Chloe turned her attention towards him.
This might be the first time she was observing him from this close.
He had a sharp jawline, thick eyebrows, a long nose, and pink lips.
“Chloe?” He called, and her eyes jerked up, and she found his eyes on hers.
He had chocolate brown eyes, and she watched as his lips stretched and dimples formed on both sides.
“Chloe!” He called out loudly this time, and she came out of her staring session.
Mark very well knew she was keenly observing his face, and it had made him smile.
Chloe cursed herself as she looked away, embarrassing herself for the second time now.
She couldn’t even look at him, knowing he would tease her now.
“So do you accept my apology?” He deliberately didn’t comment on her staring session, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.
Chloe sighed in relief when he didn’t bring it up.
“It’s fine. I was at fault anyway, so don’t worry.” She replied in a normal tone, but he wasn’t quite satisfied.
“No, you were distracted. I agreed, but I shouldn’t have yelled at you. It was my problem to have a headache, but that didn’t mean I would take out my anger on my employees. So please accept my apology, and I promise, I won’t repeat it again.” He sounded sincere, as he kept glancing at her every now and then, and a small smile formed on her face.
“Okay, I accept your apology.” She smiled, and he grinned, finally relaxing visibly.
She wondered why her acceptance meant so much to him, or was he the same with his previous secretary as well?
Mia had been waiting outside Alex’s study for more than ten minutes now.
She was still debating whether she should go inside his den or not.
She had taken the decision regarding their marriage, and now she only had to declare it to him. Then why was she nervous?
She kept a hand on her belly and looked down with a pout.
“How should I tell your father about my decision? I don’t know why I’m so nervous, but I don’t want to go in front of him.” She sighed, caressing it lightly and thinking of some other way to inform him.
“Should I message him? Or mail him? Or could I write a letter and leave it in his room? I think I should go with the third one.” She nodded to herself when the door opened, and she froze.
Alex was surprised to see her in front of his study room, but what surprised him more was the look on her face.
She looked like a deer caught in headlights.
“You need something?” He questioned her, and she blinked her eyes several times before nodding her head.
“Wait.” He called out as she turned to leave. Mia bit her lower lip in nervousness and prayed to God to save her.
“What is it? Why were you standing here?” He sounded like a strict father as he stood in front of her. Mia glanced at him and then around her for any escape, but there was none.
“II just wanted to tell you something.” She finally spoke, and he waited for her to continue.
She frowned suddenly because he didn’t even care about the fact that she had been standing for too long. Not that she needed his care, but he at least had some humanity left inside him, right?
“I want to sit.” She declared, and he raised his eyebrows, seemingly amused.
“You wanted to say this?” He seemed like he was teasing her, but again, that would be just her imagination.
She frowned at him and walked past him inside his study while he followed her.
After she settled down slowly with his help, he stood there, towering over her figure, waiting for her to speak.
“I’ve decided that I’m ready for marriage.” She announced, and his facial expression changed.
He looked more serious and concentrated.
“Have you thought through it thoroughly?” He had to confirm that she was truly ready and not taking the decision in her emotional state.
She sighed and then nodded, not looking up at him. Alex stared at her for a few seconds before sitting beside her.
“Mia, let me tell you that this will be a court wedding only with the necessary witnesses and nobody else. I’ll be keeping the media away and unaware of any of this.” He informed her, and she looked at him.
“I’m doing this only for my child, so I don’t care how the wedding takes place, but I won’t be fulfilling any of the wifely duties.” She had to make herself clear before he assumed anything else.
“Understood. This wedding is only and only to give this child a secured and deserving future, nothing else.” And so they made a deal that day to be only the parents of their child and nothing else.
Alex had ordered his lawyer to do the needful for the preparations of their wedding and also warned George to keep the media away at any cost.
He had then been informed by the lawyer that it would take approximately a month and a half before they would be called upon for the marriage to take place.
Two months more, that would mean that Mia will be seven months pregnant until then.
He had to make sure nothing would complicate her state further.
He sighed and then moved towards her room to inform her about the same.
As he reached outside her room, he knocked on the door and heard nothing from the other end.
Another knock, still nothing. At last, he pushed the door open and found her seated near the window with a book in her hands.
She seemed too engrossed in whatever she was reading to even acknowledge his presence.
He cleared his throat to gain her attention, but to no avail.
“Mia,” Finally, he had to call out her name, and she looked up immediately.
“I’ve come here to inform you that the wedding will take place in two months time. So we’ll be visiting the doctor tomorrow for a checkup to know if everything’s alright.” He declared it, and she could only stare at him.
“What?” He questioned her when he found her staring at him blankly.
“Nothing. It just feels weird when you act like you care.” She blurted out in a trance, and his face hardened.
“I care about the child, not you. So don’t get the wrong impression.” He walked out after that, and she felt like she had said something wrong.
But what exactly had triggered it?