Contract Marriage with My CEO Boss

Chapter 4

Half an hour later, she was back in an SUV with Oscar, waiting for Kylan to make his appearance. Every two weeks, she had dinner with Keith, Kylan's uncle. He was an angel investor for Ross Corp, and the only thing he asked in return, was to have dinner with Kylan. Keith was someone that Kylan could tolerate slightly more than others, much like Ryan and herself. Sometimes, he asked her to go to dinner too, and other times he let her go home instead. She wasn't surprised he would want her involved today, with the extra prevalent Kylan finally made his way into the back seat of the car. He sat next to her, with only the middle seat in between them. She gave him a small smile, and he nodded his head at her.

shadow hanging over his head.

"Did you-" he began.

She knew what he was going to ask. "Your dry cleaning was picked up and taken home," she told him calmly.

"And what about-" he added.

"Your suit for the gala this weekend? Pressed and tailored. It's at your home, too," she said with the same calm tone.

Kylan nodded at her slowly, eyeing her carefully. "Right. Good work," he said curtly.

It was the closest her boss ever came to saying thank you, and she smiled at him again in response.

Twenty minutes later, Oscar was dropping Katrina and Kylan off at the latest upscale restaurant Keith chose. Kylan had the decency to hold the car door open for her, and she nodded at him in thanks as she climbed out.

Keith was already waiting inside when they walked in, and the two of them made their way over to him, Kylan on her heels. She sat down across from Keith, with Kylan on her right.

"Ahh, my dear Kate. You're still working for this grumpy little shit?" Keith asked her, lifting his glass of a far too expensive Cabernet Sauvignon, and taking a long drink from it. She laughed and nodded. "I am."

Kylan scoffed and lifted the glass of whiskey Keith had already ordered for him. "I wanted it neat, old man," he complained about the ice in his cup.

"I'll take that one if you don't want it. I'll order you a new one," she offered her boss.

Kylan eyed her curiously before he handed her his whiskey. Katrina drank it easily, wincing as the fiery liquid skirted down her throat.

Dinner went as it always did, with Keith poking and prodding at Kylan relentlessly, and Kylan responding with less and less patience as time wore on.

Katrina entered the conversation where she felt it was relevant, but she spent the majority of the time enjoying her steak and vegetables quietly. It was really the only true draw from these fancy dinners: the expensive food.

She noticed that Kylan was looking at her more so than he usually did. She couldn't read his expression, as always, but it was making her increasingly more on edge as time went on. She didn't know what was on his mind, and it was making her nervous. Finally, she finished dinner, and Keith stood to say farewell. "I still don't know why you're working for this one. You could do a lot better, Kate. Does he even pay you well?" Keith asked her, putting on his jacket in the process of speaking.

"He pays me well enough. I'll forever have a mountain of student debt, but that's not his fault. It's just what happens when you have to pay your own way through school."

Katrina shrugged nonchalantly, avoiding Kylan's gaze. She didn't normally discuss her pay with anyone and especially not in front of her boss.

Keith laughed and shook his head. "Give your assistant a raise, you damn brat," he chastised Kylan.

you for the dinner, as always," she told

ruffled his hair, before he

her again, and she met his stare this

to stare at her for a moment longer, and she began to

on my face?" she asked him, grabbing a

go," Kylan said quietly, standing from his chair and

especially tense for the entirety of the ride. When Oscar dropped her off

behavior,

exhausting day, she kicked off her cursed heels and drew a

promptly stripped her clothing and soaked in the warm, inviting soapy water for a long time. By the time her skin was properly wrinkled, she had got out and dressed in her usual nightgown. She brushed her teeth and removed her makeup. She finally

when she received a text message. By this point,

more when she saw the message from Kylan. He never communicated with her this

to discuss with you at our usual meeting, first thing in the

right, Sir?" she

"Go to sleep."

was he acting so strangely? What did he have to talk

"Yes, Sir. Goodnight."

and she was left feeling restless for a long while

~0~0~0~

that stopped just above her knees. She chose a pair of black heels and paired the ensemble with a pair of

She finished her makeup with

doing her best not to be nervous about what

that Kylan finds someone to publicly date to marry, no

office. She squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and then finally walked

tea down in his usual spot, and then took

hands in the pockets of his black suit pants. He turned around to face her, and she was surprised to see he was only wearing a white button-down shirt. It was wrinkle-free and tucked in, as usual, but

the first two buttons of his shirt were undone. He looked... different, and

was attractive, and she knew that everyone else noticed it too. It wasn't a surprise, but she never paid him any mind in that regard. It was highly inappropriate, not to mention the fact that Kylan was a difficult man,

her. He came to a stop in front of Katrina, leaning back on

at her for a long, drawn-out moment, and the

schedule?" she finally

throat. "Stand up, Katrina. Over there." He gestured

rose from her chair and walked to where he pointed.

her. She followed him with her eyes, every

felt entirely too exposed like she was under a microscope. Of what kind, she wasn't certain. Katrina only knew that Kylan was looking at her, all of her. Was something wrong with her choice of clothing? It was no different than how she had

she asked him slowly, swallowing against