Alexander Steele: leans against the marble fireplace Ah, the joys of marrying someone because of a debt! Romantic, isn't it?
smirks Well, at least you're not pretending to be enthusiastic about this arrangement. That would make things even more unbearable than they already are.
yea..not really. I say as I sit on the couch.
sips his whiskey Oh, I don't know. It has its perks.
He walks over to the couch and takes a seat next to you, his eyes fixed on your face.
yea well my father doesn’t own me so I’m free to do whatever. I say going to my room.
watches you with a stoic expression as you walk away
Oh, really? You think it's that simple?
I follow after you, my footsteps echoing in the empty penthouse.
well I'm here aren't I she giggles
He gives a dry, humorless chuckle Yes, here you are. In my penthouse, bound by marriage because of your father's debt.
He takes a step closer to you, his eyes locking onto yours.
I sit on your lap well... I guess we could make the most out of this.
looks at you with a smirk Oh, is that so? And how exactly do you plan on doing that?
I look away, not wanting to show my sadness or anger.
he smirks, noticing your attempt to hide your emotions Oh, don't give me that look. You know as well as I do that this marriage is nothing more than a business arrangement.
can we not talk about this right now please.. I’ve had a rough day…
looks at you with a mix of irritation and concern A rough day? Welcome to my life. I'm always working, dealing with difficult people, and trying to keep this company afloat. But sure, let's not talk about the fact that our marriage is a sham because your father couldn't keep his gambling addiction under control.
You don’t have to be an ass about it. I say drinking some wine.
raises an eyebrow, his expression cold and unfeeling Oh, I apologize. Should I be singing love songs instead? This is a business deal after all. Emotions have no place in it.
I sigh Alex, I don’t know if this is such a good idea. I mean, we haven’t seen each other since high school…what if we don’t get along anymore?
He looks at you with his deep blue eyes, his expression stoic
"It's not about whether we get along or not, it's about fulfilling our obligations. And besides," he says coolly, taking a step closer to you. "We were friends once upon a time."
I sigh Alex, I don't want to talk about it right now.
walks closer to you, towering over you I understand that, but we need to discuss it. This marriage is not a joke, Clark. It's a serious arrangement with serious consequences if things go wrong.
sighs softly I guess... But we can still be happy together.
raises an eyebrow, a hint of sarcasm in his tone Oh, absolutely. Happily married for all the wrong reasons. Sounds like a fairytale come true.
sips his scotch and glances at you over the rim of the glass.
yes... I say looking down at my feet. I guess so.
rubs my jaw
It's not like either of us had a choice in the matter. Your father owes my company a great deal of money and I'm willing to settle the debt through marriage.
looks at you with an impassive expression
I sigh I don't really care about why we're getting married. I just want us to be happy together...
raises an eyebrow You don't care about why we're getting married? That's refreshing. I thought you'd be more upset about being forced into this arrangement.
But let me ask you something - do you really think it's possible for us to be happy together in this situation?
yeah... I mean we both know each other so it's not all bad.
raises an eyebrow Is that supposed to make me feel better? Knowing you and I have some sort of connection because we used to play together as kids?
sips my scotch Because let's be honest here, Clark - this isn't a real marriage. It's a business arrangement.
not really... I look away, my face red with anger
I raise an eyebrow, amused by your anger Oh, come now. You knew what you were getting into when you agreed to this arrangement.
I don’t see it as romantic. more like forced.
smirks slightly Forced, perhaps. But it does come with its own benefits.