I will be giving more updates than usual this time cause I need to finish this story fast and submit it for the Wattys 2022.
You are welcome by the way.

❄️ FARREN ❄️

This is madness. I know Hector and dad are behind this considering how much power they hold but seriously? I can't let him work alongside me and let him ruin my peace.

But before I could say anything, my best friend had to make an entry. "FARREN BABY!"

I rolled my eyes and watched over Elysian's shoulder as Zeke started to run towards me with his arms wide open for a hug and Nora followed behind him, shaking her head.

Elysian followed my gaze and stared at Zeke as he engulfed me in a tight hug. "Aww...I missed you!"

"Can't say the same about you." I replied making Nora chuckle.

I patted his back. "Okay, leave me." And before he could step back, Elysian grabbed his collar and dragged him away while scowling at him.

"Hey!" Zeke protested. "Who are you mister?" And since Elysian's grip around his collar was loose, Zeke yanked himself away.

I opened my mouth to tell them all. "He's my body--" But I stopped abruptly when Elysian wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.

"I'm her husband." He stated firmly, loud and clear.

Aargh! This asshole! They both are going to kill me now.

Nora and Zeke's jaws dropped. "Husband?!" They both exclaimed at the same time and I looked up to glare at that asshole who was still staring at Zeke in displeasure.

"Guys, I can explain--"

"You got married?!"

"When?!"

"Why?!"

"Why didn't you tell us?!"

"Aww, man I missed all the delicious wedding food."

Nora snapped her head and shot a deadly glare at Zeke for that last comment. "Is that your priority right now?"

Zeke held up his hands in surrender and chuckled sheepishly. "Just kidding."

Elysian stood at the side silently after dropping such a huge bomb and whether or not he was enjoying all this, I couldn't tell because as usual, his face remained expressionless except for the way he was still staring at Zeke as if analysing. Wish I could control my emotions so well.

"Okay, okay..." I interrupted them. "I wanted to tell you all but I didn't get the time too plus it's a fake marriage."

Elysian's hand was still around my waist and he squeezed it and he glowered down at me. "It's not a fake marriage."

Wow, he has some serious issues. I patted his chest with a tight smile. "Keep glaring at me like that and we are sure to convince the whole world that our marriage isn't fake."

Huffing, he looked away but kept his hand on my waist. Rolling my eyes, I turned to my friends. "He's my bodyguard whom I had to marry in order to not raise any suspicion. That's it."

"Why do you need a bodyguard all of a sudden?" Nora asked, scrutinizing Elysian from the corner of her eyes.

"Because my father messed up and we are at war with our rival gang."

Zeke for the first time looked serious and concerned. "Are you okay? You sure you are safe?"

I gestured to Elysian. "That's what I have him for. He'll keep me safe."

"He seems to hate you though." Zeke commented. "Anyway..." He stepped forward and held out his hand. "I'm Zeke...and you are?"

Elysian stared blankly at him refusing to answer him or shake his hand. And Zeke looked offended when he didn't shake his hand for another ten seconds and he put down his hand.

"He lacks some basic human etiquettes. Don't mind him." I told him. "He's Elysian though and he will be working with us from today."

Nora grabbed my hand and lead me a little away from them and whispered, "You sure you are not being forced into an arranged marriage by your father?"

"No, Nora. It's just for my protection...I will be divorcing him as soon as all this will be over. Besides I have used this to my advantage."

And I went on to explain to her about the contract I signed with dad.

"That's really clever, Farren!"

I grinned proudly. "I know right. Now let's get to work."

.
.
.

I furiously typed on the computer taking out all of my frustrations on it.

"Keep typing like that and the keys will come out." Elysian commented in a low voice, sitting beside me.

"Do something other than staring at me."

"I am doing my job."

Aargh! I paused typing and swiveled my chair around to face him. He was leaning back in his chair with both his hands behind his head.

"At least pretend to do something, asshole."

"I've heard your boyfriend is the boss here, isn't he? So, me not working shouldn't be a problem."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "Boyfriend?"

He swiveled his and mine chair making me face the glass windows that looked inside Zeke's office where he was working. "That thing. Your boyfriend."

Like I said before, he has some serious issues. "First of all, he's a person, a human, not a thing. Secondly, he's not my boyfriend!"

And right on cue, Zeke lifted his head and his eyes fell on me making him grin widely and much to my luck he blew me an air kiss and when he saw Elysian glaring at him he matched his glare with his own and their staring competition went on for almost an minute untill Elysian pulled out his gun and while pointing it at Zeke, very casually cocked it making Zeke's glare falter and he quickly looked away and picked up his phone and pretended to be on a call.

"Put down the gun, asshole." I scolded him and turned around to face the computer again as he tucked away his gun.

"Let me set some ground rules." I spoke while typing. "First: You will never ever threaten my friends again. Second: Don't ever pull out your gun in the office again. Third: Zeke's not my boyfriend and even if he was it's none of your damn business."

Suddenly my chair was titled back to to the point where I feared I might fall and hit my head on the floor gaining some concussion or worse, death.

When Elysian's scowling face leaned down to me, I realised it was his doing. "You got married to me and I don't care if the marriage is fake not, you will learn to respect it, Mrs Leonidas." He growled lowly.

I had this weird feeling in my stomach on hearing him call me 'Mrs Leonidas' but I snapped out of it as soon as he straightened my chair.

I fixed my hair and picking up a pen threw it at his face making it hit his forehead. "Respect goes both ways. Who knows how many girlfriends you have."

It hurts to admit but he is not that bad looking and I am sure he had or have a number of girlfriends.

Since some people had started to stare at us he pretended to be typing something on the computer and said in a low voice, "I wouldn't have asked for respect if I don't know how to give it back. So break it up with that thing."

"Do you have a hearing problem? Should I buy you an hearing aid? Zeke's not my boyfriend!" I whispered yelled.

"He keeps clinging to you and keeps calling you baby and you say he isn't your boyfriend."

I started to type something too in order to not make people suspicious. "Zeke has been like that since his birth but that doesn't mean he feels something for me."

Besides, I think he has a thing for Nora instead. Elysian doesn't need to know that though.

"I don't care. Ask him to stop calling you baby and maintain a distance or else I will talk to him, personally."

Oh for fuck's sake! I turned around to face him and joined both of my palms. "Okay, fine. You win, I lose, thank you very much for your concern. Now kindly shut your mouth before I throw myself out of the window."

Amusement flashed in his eyes before he blinked and looked away, focusing on the computer again.

Sighing I started to work again and after a minute I heard him mumbling to himself, "Don't throw yourself out of the window because your father will kill me."

My head snapped to him and he looked offended. "What? I am talking to myself."

"Then don't talk to yourself."

He frowned. "That's a violation of the fundamental rights. I have the right to speak--"

I pushed back my chair and stood up cutting him off and shot him a glare before walking away from there and he was on his feet in a instant and started to follow me. "Where are you going?"

I kept walking forward without looking back at him. "To jump off the window. Would you like to join me?"

"Don't be ridiculous. Tell me where are you going."

"I already told you where."

"That's bullshit."

"You aren't supposed to curse inside the office."

"I wasn't cursing."

"Whatever."

"Will you tell me where you are going?"

I suddenly halted outside the washrooms and turned around making him almost bump into me. "I am going inside the washroom. Are you going to follow me in there too?" I asked innocently.

And a flush spread across his face and he looked away, gesturing me to go inside.

Rolling my eyes, I walked inside the washroom and let out a deep breath of relief.

He is crazy.

Chapter completion on: 29/7/22
Published on: 10/8/22