Romance Contract with A CEO

1.

I had been with Brennen Spencer for two years, as his nominal girlfriend.

I was clean, pretty, obedient, and never said no to Brennen, whether in bed or out.

The night his first love Caroline Campbell returned, I bawled my eyes out, declaring he was the love of my life and that I couldn't live without him.

After hearing the cold sound of the door closing behind him, I sat cross-legged and started tapping on my calculator:

"+1+1+1... "

A mansion, and two sports cars...

Ha-ha... I could retire...

"What are you doing?"

Brennen's voice from behind startled me so much I nearly dropped the calculator.

My ex-boss, Brennen Spencer, glanced at the calculator in my hand, then at my uncontrollable, wildly grinning mouth, and raised an eyebrow, "You're this thrilled about breaking up with me?"

2.

I always thought Brennen was quite satisfied with me over the years.

I was obedient, sensible, never pried into his affairs, and my flattery skills were maxed out, fully satisfying his male vanity.

"Brennen... I think I've fallen for you."

"Brennen... how am I not as good as her?"

Every time I absentmindedly repeated his name, Brennen believed I truly loved him.

Well, he gave me so much money.

If I didn't overact, I couldn't take the money with peace of mind.

If he hadn't unexpectedly returned just now, I could have continued playing the role of the unrequited, lonely substitute for a hundred episodes.

At this moment, Brennen, with his long legs and narrow waist, leaned expressionlessly against the door frame, watching me:

"Didn't you say you loved me the most?"

"Yes, yes, yes... "

I nodded like a chicken pecking while inadvertently pressing the calculator under the pillow. "Reset, reset, reset... "

Shut up!

"Breaking up with me makes you this happy?"

... Not particularly happy, really.

Our eyes met, and the atmosphere was a bit awkward.

I watched him warily, carefully hiding the warranty deed of the villa under the pillow. And I tried hard to act like a damsel in distress devastated by lost love, pounding the pillow in a crazed, sickly manner.

"Brennen! Brennen! How can I live without you, Brennen!"

He was speechless.

"Alright, cut the theatrics, Jennifer White."

Then... I cautiously looked at him.

Why did he come back? Wasn't his Caroline supposed to return today?

Brennen tossed his coat onto the sofa: "The whole area is on lockdown."

I hurriedly looked out of the window. Damn, the entire villa area was quarantined!

"So... Caroline... "

"She's at the airport, just got off the plane, taken into quarantine."

Well, she just got back and was already quarantined.

"So you're staying here now?" I touched the warranty deed, which now had my name on it.

"Yes."

Uh... should I continue acting?

I cautiously watched Brennen. He sank into the sofa, clearly a bit troubled, probably he worried his rival would win his beloved's heart first.

"Then... Mr. Spencer, would you like to sign up as a volunteer?"

It was probably too late to get a certificate in professional nursing, but being a volunteer could be a way to save Caroline.

"Jennifer, you seem eager for me to leave?"

... If you didn't want to volunteer, just refused to do. Why revealed my true feelings?

"I... I'm just worried you would be anxious."

"Jennifer, our contract has ended. But I can't leave now, so I'll use the study on the second floor. Once the quarantine is over, I'll go. During this time, we're just roommates."

Brennen looked up, his eyes cold behind his gold-rimmed glasses:

"And don't play any tricks, don't harbor any illusions about our relationship."

Ah... that wouldn't happen, unless you had another villa for me.

3.

True to his word, Brennen slept in the second-floor study that night. When I rubbed my eyes and got up to make breakfast in the morning, I heard movement upstairs when Brennen just finished his work.

Compared to work, Caroline might rank second in his priorities.

Brennen was a Capricorn boy, and it seemed the horoscope was quite accurate.

As I sat in the kitchen having breakfast, Brennen came downstairs.

He opened the freezer, reaching for the coffee beans on the cabinet, and glanced at me, momentarily stunned.

"Jennifer! What are you wearing?"

"This... I have no suitable clothes to wear."

I looked down at my skimpy attire and nonchalantly blew on my hot Americano.

The washing machine's sound reminded Brennen that he had called me over on short notice two days ago, so I hadn't brought enough clothes to change into.

The wardrobe was filled with his clothes, except for the short skirts and dresses I bought to please him, which hadn't been used since Caroline returned.

Brennen took his iced Americano upstairs, and ten minutes later, two unopened shirts were tossed onto the sofa.

When Brennen came downstairs at noon, a meal was already set for him on the table.

It was quite a feast.

There were cans of braised beef, spicy beef, chicken stew with mushrooms, and pickled cabbage.

For the sake of these two shirts, I spared him three flavors.

Brennen clearly wasn't used to this kind of canned food. He knocked on my door, and after I responded, he pushed it open.

Holding the cans, his expression seemed to say, "Is this what you call love? Aren't you supposed to make several dishes and a soup, making me regret not being with you?"

Why would I waste food making a big meal for a man who wouldn't come back?

I sat at the table, headphones still on, looking up at him.

Behind his glasses, his gaze briefly lingered on the hem of my shirt, a patch of pale skin.

Oh, I couldn't fit into Brennen's pants, but the shirt was long enough to be a dress.

Before he could speak, I said, "Hey, cooking requires extra salary, you know."

I used to sweetly call him Brennen, but with no more love, now I just said "Hey."

Choked by my words, Brennen didn't get angry.

"How much?"

For problems money could solve, he had no extra emotions.

I smiled, showing him a number and giving him my bank account number.

Wearing his shirt, I hummed a tune while frying eggs, and Brennen sat in the living room for a video conference.

I noticed his gaze occasionally drifting towards me, probably annoyed by me.

After all, I used to profess my love for him so earnestly.

When I bent down to open the fridge, I heard his assistant in the video conference lightly cough, quietly reminding Brennen it was his turn to speak.

I turned back, meeting his eyes, and Brennen quickly averted his gaze as if shocked.

Brennen, the workaholic, distracted during a meeting?

It seemed like he was really pondering how to deal with me.

I bent down, placing the sandwich in front of him, and mouthed behind the computer.

Remembered to wash the dishes.

Then I returned to my room to study, headphones on.

4.

My relationship with "my boss" Brennen was purely accidental.

His first love Caroline ended up with his nephew Ellis Marshall, whom he never got along with, and this incident hit him hard.

Brennen, the sophisticated yet eccentric man, held himself in high regard and refused to be outdone.

I was serving fruits as a part-time job at a karaoke bar when I caught Brennen's drunken gaze, and he was surrounded by a group of ladies on the sofa.

He was leaning back on the sofa, his lips were sharp as knives, and his well-defined fingers casually removed my glasses, then he wiped his hands nonchalantly:

"Strip."

His tone was casual, as if he was commenting on the pleasant weather tonight.

Seeing my hesitation, he questioned.

"Why aren't you moving?"

I noticed his expensive gold-rimmed glasses, and the usually aloof karaoke hostesses were fawning over him, yet there was always an awkward barrier of air between them.

Much later, I learned that Brennen had a peculiar quirk-he hated being stared at directly. Even during our intimate moments, there was minimal contact, and I never saw his face filled with passion.

His gaze fell on my lower back, where a small red mole was.

"Your underwear is so worn out."

"And it's not even a matching set, haha."

The young girls nearby whispered, mocking my embarrassment.

What could I do? I was poor.

Brennen set down his glass filled with ice cubes, the amber light reflecting in his sharp eyes and adding a hint of wild danger.

"I choose you."

Brennen fell in love at first sight with nineteen-year-old Caroline at a family banquet. However, Caroline and his distant nephew Ellis were childhood sweethearts. Their families were from long-established, prestigious families, like something out of a novel-a perfect match.

In terms of seniority, Caroline had to call Brennen "uncle" because of Ellis.

In terms of age and romance, he couldn't compete with Ellis.

Caroline wore a white dress at the banquet, and the night Brennen and I left the karaoke bar, his assistant brought an identical white dress for me to wear.

He blindfolded me, asking me to call his name repeatedly in the dark.

Sometimes I secretly wondered what Brennen, who was always focused and stern in his suit at the office, would be like when moved by emotion.

Would he loosen his tie, like a lone wolf howling at the moon, with a drop of sweat rolling down his throat?

I once saw a photo of Caroline hidden on his desk. She was wearing a cheerleader's outfit, the blue and red skirt reflecting light. She was confident and dazzling like a small sun that would never set.

The photo was clearly taken secretly because her face was a bit blurry, but there was also a small mole on her lower back, just like mine.

In front of Caroline, Brennen was tender and protective as a boy who fell in love for the first time.

But with me, he was absurdly indulgent, tearing off the appearance of gentility hid in his shirt and tie and acting like a violent thug.

5.

Brennen was dressed in a blue silk pajama set, even the gold trim on the cuffs was perfectly pressed. The top button was undone, revealing a well-defined collarbone, and his skin was pale from being a workaholic.

I just finished my shower and came out wrapped in a towel, and saw Brennen sitting on the sofa, propping his head up while looking at his computer, seemingly deep in thought.

His hand, with its distinct joints, was especially attractive when he signed checks for me.

What was he thinking?

Did the situation change?

And which company was he planning to bankrupt next?

As I pondered, my phone on the table rang-it was a video call from "Mr. Warrior".

"I heard you were isolated, Jennifer. When are you-oh my! Answering a video call right after a shower, you are challenging my moral limits, aren't you?"

Mr. Warrior was someone I met during my part-time jobs. He stood up for me when customers gave me a hard time and insisted I was like a sister from a past life, making us close friends who considered each other siblings. With his protection, my days working on the snack street were much better.

He was a handsome playboy, and he owned a tattoo shop, with plenty of girls chasing after him.

"Wait, is that a man behind you? It is, isn't it!

You're cheating! Jennifer, you heartbreaker!"

I stiffly turned around to see Brennen looking at me expressionlessly, his gaze clearly saying.

"The contract states that Jennifer's multiple relationships count as a breach."

I was so scared and I interrupted Mr. Warrior's complaints.

"Brother! Stop joking!"

Then, considering the bright future of meeting young boys with Mr. Warrior, I turned back to Brennen with a smile.

"Don't think too much! This is my uncle!"

Brennen's smile froze.

I quickly assured Mr. Warrior that I'd call him back later.

"I never heard you had a brother."

There were many things you haven't heard.

"I was bullied at work before, and Mr. Warrior helped me."

To prove it, I lifted my bangs, showing him the scar on my forehead. "See, someone hit me with a plate."

I didn't expect Brennen to actually look closely at my scar.

His high brow bone, under the crystal chandelier, cast a shadow in his eye sockets, making his gaze seem gentle.

"Who bullied you?"

To be honest, he was quite charming when gentle, but Brennen was still Brennen. The next second, he returned to his true nature.

"I thought you were the one doing the deceiving."

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of deception.

... Brennen, surely he hasn't discovered anything, right?

If he found out I deceived him, with his capabilities, he'd make me pay dearly.

6.

The summer in this city was rainy, and by evening, it started to pour.

For several days, Brennen and I had no conflicts. I prepared meals, and he appeared on time to eat.

But tonight was different. The milk beside my hand had gone cold, and he still hadn't come down.

I was woken up by the sound of the coffee machine in the early hours, seeing him in the kitchen, lost in thought, drinking coffee, with dark circles under his eyes.

Did he lose a bid? Did Caroline dump him?

Whatever happened, you shouldn't waste food.

I carried a tray of food, knocked on the door, but there was no response. The door was ajar, and I pushed it open.

Brennen was asleep at the computer desk in the dark, the raindrops on the floor-to-ceiling windows casting golden spots on his inexplicably lonely profile.

I checked his forehead, no fever, but his hands were cold.

Probably because he stayed in the air-conditioned room for too long and was exhausted.

I turned off the air conditioning, dragged him to the sofa, and covered him with a jacket.

Brennen was deceptively charming when silent.

He seemed at peace lying there, his breathing much more even.

Brennen woke up in the middle of the night, my room light still on, and he knocked gently on the door.

I opened a crack, looking at him warily.

What now? Was the boss making the employee cook in the middle of the night?

Brennen's gaze wandered several times before settling on my eyes:

"... Thank you.

The food on the table, I reheated it. It was delicious.

... You should sleep early too."

I nodded and closed the door.

I closed the door, but felt Brennen didn't leave, still standing outside.

These days, Brennen had become quite strange.

The next day, I mentioned I wanted to make spaghetti, and after brushing my teeth, I found Brennen was preparing the ingredients in the kitchen.

The pink apron looked a bit awkward on him. Noticing me behind him, Brennen explained.

"Just do you a favor."

After dinner, the neighbor's son, a high school student came over to pick up a workbook, and Brennen learned I was tutoring the neighbor's kid in exchange for ingredients. The greens in his bowl today were what I got for staying up late solving problems.

That evening, he surprisingly invited me into his study, and we worked together on the last bonus question.

I scribbled on the scratch paper, and when I got the result, I looked up, catching him watching me.

Brennen was so focused that my sudden movement startled him.

"I wasn't looking at you!"

I didn't even tease him yet, and he confessed first.