Chapter Forty One
Subtitle: My Contract Marriage
Written by : Marvy Hyacinth
“Phoebe?!”
Anderson yelled shock evident in his voice tone.Material © NôvelDrama.Org.
He turned to face the three people behind him.
“What’s going on here? Isn’t this room supposed to be for staffs only?”
Anderson asked.
“Ughm, son you see… Like your dad said earlier on, we have something important to discuss, that’s why we decided on letting my daughter in here.”
Mr. Greg spoke.
“And what’s that?”
Anderson asked.
“Come sit dear.”
Mr. Patterson told Anderson.
“I’m not sitting, Just tell me what’s going on!”
Anderson demanded half screaming.
Simon quickly took an initiative to shut his son up and make him obey.
“Shut up Anderson! You do realize you’re talking to your father in law, right?”
Simon snapped at his son.
April smiled, crossed her hands on her chest, changed her smile into a smirk and relaxed into the chair she was seating on… Enjoying the drama playing out in front of her.
Phoebe meanwhile, was still standing behind Anderson confused.
“What?! Father in law?”
Anderson questioned wrought with confusion.
“You heard me right.”
Simon replied from his seat.
“What father in law?”
Anderson asked with his eyebrow raised.
“The one sitting beside me.”
Simon said.
“You mean Mr. Greg Patterson?”
“Exactly son.”
“What? No. Last time I checked, Mr. Greg was just a business partner.”
Anderson said.
“You see son… I’m too old to go on working. I’ve decided to transfer 45% of my shares to you while I hold onto 5%.”
“But if you do that, you’ll be kicked out as CEO and I’ll be the CEO instead.”
Anderson said.
“That’s the point of it all son. I’m stepping down from my position and is going to hand it over to you.”
Simon explained.
“Wow Dad… That’s great, I’ve been waiting for this day since forever.”
Anderson exposed all happy.
Simon smiled, but his face soon changed into a serious one.
“I know son. That’s why I want you to get married within a week before I can trust you to be matured enough to handle the company as CEO.”
“Married?”
Anderson’s jaw fell open and his dad nodded.
“In a week?”
Anderson asked and his dad nodded again.
“But dad, you know very well I’m not seeing anyone right now.”
“I know… That’s why I’ve found the perfect girl for you.”
Simon said and with a smile on his face, he started walking towards Anderson.
“A perfect girl?”
Anderson quizzed and trailed his eyes on his Dad as he got past him.
“Come, my jewel.”
Simon said with a bright smile and Anderson turned to look at who his father was referring to.
Anderson froze in horror as his father led the person he was referring to to Anderson.
“She, my son, is your wife to be.”
Simon said with Phoebe’s palm locked around his arm.
Phoebe bit her lip.
How did Anderson feel about this?
She didn’t have to wait long, because Anderson’s reaction came ringing loudly in their ears.
“What?!!!”
He screamed.
Simon and Greg frowned.
“What’s it?”
Simon asked.
“You expect me to marry phoebe?”
Anderson asked with shock.
He was surprised.
Who wouldn’t be?
Phoebe was surprised too.
Her father never mentioned any of this to her.
Wait, but he did.
➡ Flashback, YESTERDAY ⬅
“How’d you feel if you got married to Anderson sweetheart?”
Greg, her father had asked her the evening before.
“Oh dad, that’d be my dream come true.”
Phoebe had replied, her eyes dreamy.
“And what’s wrong with marrying my daughter?”
Greg, who’d been silent for a while now, asked bringing Phoebe back to the real world.
“Everything. Like literally everything in the world.”
Anderson said.
“Could you state them?”
Greg challenged.
“Well first of all, your daughter broke my heart three years ago. She dumped me!”
“… so?”
“So? Are you really asking me that Mr. Greg?”
“Of course I am. What’s wrong with phoebe leaving you for some years to pursue her career and then coming back to you?”
Greg asked.
“Now you’re twisting the whole story. What you’re saying right now is a similar situation to your ex wife who already divorced you years ago coming back to say she’s done playing with the men she wanted and she wants you back.”
Anderson said and paused a little before continuing, leaving no space for interruptions.
“Now tell me you’d accept her with open arms, kiss her and then go make some nasty love to her.”
Anderson folded his hands on his chest and rested on the nearest wall, waiting for a reply from Greg.
“Now this is exactly what I dressed up to come see from the front row.”
April said to herself as she smirked more, dipped her hand into her purse, brought out a gum and threw it in her mouth.
“Anderson… Ughm…”
“No ughms, Mr Patterson. Just give me a straight answer.”
Looking at his friend and seeing he had no reasonable answer in his head to reply to Anderson’s question, Simon decided to step in.
“Stop it Anderson! You will not disgrace your father in law before me.”
Simon rebuked sternly.
“Oh really? But you watched him rebuke your son.”
“Because I’m standing with him on this matter.”
Simon answered.
“I WILL NOT MARRY PHOEBE OR ANYONE ELSE YOU CHOOSE FOR ME.”
Anderson said firmly.
Thinking his son would do nothing but surrender since he wasn’t dating anyone and wanted to be CEO, Simon spoke.
This time to Anderson’s favour, unknowingly!
“I give you five days… Five days Anderson to present to me a suitable wife… If not, your sister becomes CEO.”
Simon threatened.
“Five days you say? Oh wait here father.”
Anderson said and dashed out of the conference room.
“Where’s he going to?”
Greg asked no one in particular and his daughter answered.
“I don’t know.”
But in fact, she knew…
“No. Anderson wouldn’t do that right?”
She questioned inwardly.
Anderson got into his car and hit the road, at TOP SPEED!
His father was trying to corner him, but today he’d show him that he was now wiser and more experienced than he was before.
Pulling his car into the driveway, Anderson got out of his car, walked towards his house door and unlocked it.
Alexa who’d been watching TV since about forty five minutes ago after finishing up her work was startled, thinking a robber had broken in.
Grabbing the nearest thing, a remote, she threw it at the door’s direction.
“Oh, its you sir.”
Alexa said in realization.
“Yes its me. You just ruined that remote. Now I have to buy another TV.”
Anderson stated, obviously infuriated.
“You could just buy another remote control, you know?”
Alexa quizzed.
“Yes, I do. But do you also know the control of this particular TV is rare?!”
Anderson yelled and Alexa flinched.
“How could he yell at her like that?”
Alexa thought and soon enough, tears dropped down her cheeks.
God!
How she hated this weak side of her.
Anderson immediately felt bad.
“Heyyy… I’m sorry. I just had the worst day I think I’ll ever have at work.”
He explained.
“Its OK.”
Alexa replied and wiped her tears away.
Anderson moved towards her.
“Are you OK?”
He asked.
Alexa nodded in the affirmative and Anderson grabbed her wrist and dragged her.
“Good. Now let’s go”
Anderson said as he dragged her out of his house.
Alexa managed to stop him from running.
“Where are you taking me to?”
“Just get into the car first.”
Anderson said, opened the passenger seat, closed it and went over to the driver’s seat.
Alexa clasped her hands tightly on her laps, showing she was a bit scared.
Anderson noticed this and thinned his lips.
“I’m not gonna hurt you.”
He assured her, and with that, he hit the road again with top speed.
“Where’s Anderson?”
April asked obnoxiously, but no one replied to her.
No one knew where in the goddamn world Anderson took off to.
“Its been ten minutes already. I’m leaving, got some work to do.”
April announced.
Truth was that, she was lying.
She had no work to take care of over at Green cosmetics.
She just didn’t want to stay here anymore since the fun was gone.
She stood up from Her seat and when she was almost close to the door, the door flung open.
“Anderson!”
Phoebe yelped in excitement thinking he’d come back for her.
“I knew you’d come back for me baby.”
Phoebe said and was already wrapping her hands around Anderson, but the latter stopped her.
“Get your filthy hands off me.”
Anderson commanded in a cold tone.
“So son, where did you go to?”
Simon asked.
“Dad, everyone… Meet my bride to be.”
Anderson announced and walked out of the conference room.
“Huh?”
Everyone said confused.
The confusion on Phoebe’s face wiped off when she saw who Anderson led back inside.
“Dad, meet my soon to be wife, Alexa.”
…