Shall we?" the lawyer asked, and I nodded my head in agreement.  

"Okay, now I pronounce you..."  

"Husband and wife, yes," he said, cutting the lawyer off, and finishing the sentence. He stood up hastily, looking ready to leave.

"I don't even know who you are," I complained. He paused for a moment, then dipped his right hand into the inside pocket of his suit and pulled out a premium black card. "You're mine forever and ever," he muttered without even glancing at me. "Here's my card. Use it as much as you want; there's no limit. It will never decline," he added, placing the card on the desk before rushing out of the office.

"I don't need a credit card!" I shouted after him.

"I'll be in the UK office for about a year. I'll contact you when I get back," he called from outside the office as he left the premises.

I frowned, feeling completely puzzled by his response. My fingers fidgeted with the pen in my hand. 

"Ma'am, here you go, your marriage certificate," the lawyer said calmly, handing it over with a smile.

"Oh, okay, thank you."

"You have a good day," the lawyer added, still smiling widely.

I left the office, and as soon as I stepped outside, my phone buzzed with a call from Grandma. I picked up in a rush. 

"Hey, Grandma!"  

"Hi, Aileen! Did everything go smoothly?" Grandma's frail voice came through the line.

"Yeah, the wedding's over. We got along really well," I lied, not wanting her to worry or ask too many questions. 

"Okay, my child, take care of yourself."  

"Alright, Grandma, you too. Talk soon. Bye!" I quickly hung up.  

"Phew," I sighed. "Whoever he is, I just hope he won't complicate my life." Then Grandma’s words echoed in my head: "Aileen, Cade is a good man. Cynthia promised me her family would treat you well. I don't have many days left, and the one thing I want to see is that you're married to a trustworthy man." Her warm smile flashed in my memory, and I smiled. "I'll do anything to see you happy, Grandma," I thought to myself.

Just then, my phone buzzed with a message, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked at the screen, and my eyes widened. The message was from Pennington and Price Group. It read, "Congratulations Ms. Aileen Cooper, we're happy to invite you to join our team. Please report to the Pennington office as soon as you can."

"Whoa! This is a dream," I exclaimed, excitement flooding through me. I checked the message again and realized it was real. I’d been searching for a job to help take care of Grandma, who had always been there for me after my parents passed away.

"Yes!" I jumped up, unable to contain my excitement. "I'll take good care of Grandma. Working with Pennington and Price is a dream come true!" I added, my eyes sparkling. I flagged down a cab. "Pennington and Price," I told the driver as I hopped in and shut the door. The cab sped off.

*ONE YEAR LATER*

I had become a well-known member of the Pennington and Price Group. It was a Monday, and as usual, I dressed smartly. I wore a white T-shirt tucked into a black pencil skirt, slightly above my knees, and pulled my silky black shoulder-length hair into a ponytail.

"Hey! Lovebirds, do I look nice?" I asked Stella and Liam when I reached the living room.

"You look good as always," they chorused.

"You know, Aileen, you're so beautiful. Your curves, your hair, your height, and to top it off, you're so intelligent," Stella said with a smile.

My cheeks flushed slightly. "Stop it, Stella, you always make me shy," I replied. "I'll see you both later. Bye!" I added, leaving the house. 

Stella and Liam were my college friends, we were so tight back then at school. I only live with them because the Pennington office was closer to their place Plus I enjoy their company so much. I normally visit my ageing grandmother at weekends. 

When I arrived at the office, I immediately noticed some unusual buzz. Everyone seemed to be rushing around. Piqued by the unusual movements, I called Dean the manager. 

"Hello, Mr. Dean," I greeted.

"Yes, Ms. Cooper, how can I help you?" he asked in his usual calm tone.

"Why is everyone so nervous today?" I asked to quench my curiosity. 

"Oh, you don't know yet? Mr. Price is coming back today." He replied. 

"No one told me that," I said, surprised.

"Well, now you know. And just a reminder—make sure you address him as Mr. Price."

"Thanks for the update, Mr. Dean," I said, then I hung up.

"Phew," I sighed. "Sounds like another arrogant boss," I muttered under my breath before walking to my desk. My colleagues were all engrossed in their screens.  

"Good morning, guys!" I greeted them with my usual warm smile.

"Morning, Aileen," they chorused without even looking up.

I buried my face in my computer, ready to reply to the flood of emails on my screen. Then Suddenly,Mr. Dean’s voice interrupted as he emerged from the main office. 

"Attention, everyone!" he called, stepping out of the main office. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to him. "Mr. Price will be arriving soon," he announced, checking his watch before hurrying out.

Within moments, Dean returned with a tall, muscular man in his early thirties. His navy blue suit made him look even more striking. His piercing blue eyes scanned the room before he stepped into the main office.

My jaw dropped as my eyes narrowed Slowly in suspicion. "Have I seen him before?" I whispered to myself.

"Hey! You're too obvious," Chris, my colleague, whispered next to me.

"What?" I turned to him, eyes widened. "Oh! Sorry," I replied, forcing a tight-lipped smile.

"Be careful, Aileen. The last female employee who tried to flirt with him got fired," Chris warned, his voice low. 

"You know, he doesn't even like people approaching him for his money" Ray, my second colleague poked. 

"Yeah, and Aileen definitely didn’t reject you for your money," Chris teased Ray with a chuckle.

Ray, anticipating more teasing, just sighed and turned back to his screen.

"So, Aileen, I heard Mr. Price is looking for a new executive assistant. Rumour has it that they might recruit internally," Chris ment ioned with a grin.

My heart skipped a beat. "This is another opportunity," I thought. 

"Think you'll apply?" Chris asked.

"Yeah! Why not," I replied, smiling widely.

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