Married At First Glance: I Am Not Ugly

“I never expected you would come here and sign the contract with the clients, but you did. I must say that I am impressed by your determination Alexander.” A voice spoke.

Marissa and Alexander looked up to see Jaimie Fernado.

Alexander rolled his eyes immediately.

“What are you doing here, Fernado?”

Jaime scoffed.

“Same thing you are here for, Alexander. To get the contract, but I see that you beat me to it and got it again. But it’s not the end of it.”

Jaime turned and looked at Marissa who was confused as who the individual was.

“And who would this lovely beauty be?” he asked.

Marissa gave Jaime a polite smile, trying to maintain her composure.

“I’m Marissa, a business partner.”

Jaime raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued.

“A business partner? You certainly seem more than that. Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Marissa.”

Alexander didn’t appreciate Jaime’s attention toward Marissa.

“Cut to the chase, Jaime. What do you want?”

Jaime leaned in, his voice low.

“I have my own offer for the clients, Alexander. A tempting one. I just wanted to see my competition.”

Marissa couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease as she watched the exchange between the two men.

“It’s no use, Jaime. They have signed the contract with us and you know they can’t breach it unless they want to be sued and forced to pay a huge amount of money for damage and breaching of contract.” Alexander said.

Jaime scoffed and looked at Marissa.

“But my curiosity is how you were able to convince them when you’re not married because I remember very well that you had to be married to secure the contract as they don’t trust a single man with their money.”

“Well, it’s none of your goddamn business Jaime.” Alexander said.

“Actually, I’m getting intrigued and curious about this lovely lady who happens to be your business partner. Who is she really to you?” Jaime asked as he assessed Marissa which made her uncomfortable and Alexander mad.

Marissa felt uncomfortable under Jaime’s gaze but tried to maintain her composure.

“Marissa is my wife.” Alex revealed which surprised Marissa. “And I would really appreciate it if you don’t stare at her like that for she’s mine.”

Jaime’s raised an eyebrow in surprise, clearly not expecting that response.

“Your wife? Well, that’s quite the twist, Alexander. I had no idea you had such a charming wife.”

Alexander’s declaration took Marissa by surprise, and for a moment, her mind raced, trying to catch up with the new development.

She had thought that they were keeping this whole fake marriage thing a secret from everyone else aside from the business clients but now , he introduced her as his wife to this person.

It felt like one more layer of complication in their already intricate situation.

Marissa couldn’t help but wonder why Alexander had chosen to reveal this to Jaime, a man who was, apparently, a rival in the business world.

There was tension in the air as the three of them continued to exchange glances.

“Now, if you’ll excuse us, Jaime, we have important business matters to attend to.” Alexander said as he turned to face Marissa.

“Of course, Alexander. I’ll leave you to it. But this won’t be the last you hear from me.” he said and then turned to face Marissa.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“It’s a pleasure meeting you, Marissa. I hope we meet again.”

Marissa nodded and with that Jaime walked away, leaving Marissa and Alexander with a mixture of relief and lingering questions about the unforeseen consequences of this new development.

As they continued eating, Marissa couldn’t help but turn to Alexander with a curious look.

“Why did you tell him I’m your wife?” she asked. “I thought we agreed to keep the whole marriage thing a secret from others except the clients so that they would give you the contract?”

“It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to keep him from probing further. We need to avoid unnecessary complications. And I know that Jaime is one curious son of a bitch. He won’t stop asking questions, so I had to do that.” he said, while playing with his food.

“But what if Jessie finds out about us? What would happen?” she asked him.

“Let’s not think about that for now okay…? let’s just enjoy the victories we have won and prepare to return back.” he said.

Marissa nodded, still processing the abrupt change in their relationship description.

“I understand, but it just added another layer to our charade.”

“I know, Marissa. We’ll deal with it. Let’s focus on our goals.”

Marissa nodded, realizing that their web of deception had just become even more serious.

After they had finished their food, Alexander paid and they left the restaurant.

“Since today would be our last day here, why don’t we go somewhere nice and site see. What do you think?” he asked, waiting for Marissa’s reply.

“Hmmm…. that sounds like fun.” she replied, with a wide smile on her face. She wanted to spend more time with Alexander and site see more places in Switzerland for she might not get such an opportunity again.

Alexander’s suggestion brought a sense of relief, a chance to escape the seriousness of their charade.

Marissa appreciated the idea of enjoying the beautiful surroundings and creating some lasting memories of their time in Switzerland.

Alexander hailed a cab, and they headed to a famous nearby landmark. The scenic beauty of Switzerland was a balm to their thoughts, helping them momentarily forget the issues they had started to cause.

They strolled around, taking in the breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps. Marissa couldn’t help but be captivated by the natural beauty, and she even tried to capture some photos to cherish the moment.

As they walked and talked, Marissa felt a sense of connection with Alexander beyond their fake marriage, a genuine friendship that had developed over the course of their shared experiences.

It was a comforting feeling, a reminder that even amidst the deception, there were authentic moments.

The day passed by in a pleasant blur, and they explored various landmarks, from historic sites to picturesque gardens.

It was a much-needed break from the weight of their charade, and Marissa couldn’t help but appreciate Alexander’s company and the unexpected feelings that had grown between them.

As the sun began to set over the Swiss landscape, they found themselves at a cozy café, enjoying some Swiss chocolate and coffee.

It was a moment of respite, and both Marissa and Alexander felt a sense of contentment as they watched the colors of the sky change.

“I’m glad we took this day to unwind a bit. It’s been quite the journey.”Alexander said, while sipping his coffee.

“Yes, it has. And it’s been… interesting.” Marissa responded.

Alexander smiled warmly, and for a moment, Marissa realized that amidst the complexity of their fake marriage, they had both found a genuine connection, one she couldn’t quite define but certainly appreciated.

As the evening drew to a close, they headed back to their hotel, but as they were going, Alexander felt that someone was following them….