Party A is responsible for Party B’s meals and household chores, must arrange at least one date a week, spend at least four hours together per meeting, activities decided together.
Outside of work hours, Party A must keep Party B company, provide emotional support, and fulfill the duties of a lover.
Party B’s obligations: None.
If Party A breaks any terms–like hiding things, skipping dates, or not providing company–Party B decides the penalty and compensation.
Term: three years, with renewal at Party B’s discretion.
Aria sat there a long, long time, processing. This wasn’t her selling herself; it was Owen offering himself up.
He really had lost his mind.
Slowly, she looked up at him and asked, one word at a time, “You’re trying to sell yourself to me?”
Owen met her eyes, earnest as ever, and nodded. “You have to take responsibility for me.”
Aria stared at him, almost out of words. “Are you… seriously okay in the head?”
Owen’s tone was dead serious. “I mean it. This is better than dating or marriage–just you and me, no one else, no need to go public, no marriage required.”
Aria honestly had no words. In her mind, if you were going to date, you dated to get married. No marriage, no point in dating.
She’d never expected Owen to pull something like this. Be her lover? What was he thinking?
Owen reached out, gently grasping her wrist. “I never planned on dating or getting married… I was just going to live alone. Let’s just give it a shot, okay? If you’re not happy after three years, we walk away. At any point, you can break it off. If you fall for someone else, same thing. I’ll do the same. Totally fair.”
As long as this was official, he planned to cling to her–no matter what.
Aria wanted to refuse, but when she saw the careful, almost anxious, look in his eyes, she couldn’t bring herself to say it.
She found herself asking instead, “Aren’t your parents going to pressure you about this?”
Owen just smiled. “Not a chance. They’re so open–minded they’d be fine even if I came home with a boyfriend.”
Aria was floored. He added, “If you don’t believe me, I’ll call them right now and tell them I’m dating a man.”
She hurried to stop him. “No, I believe you!”
“So… do you still want to tear up the contract?”
That was his way of asking if she agreed.
Owen’s eyes were filled with nerves and hope as he watched her, like he was waiting for her verdict.
A thousand images of him flickered through Aria’s mind, each one making her heart beat a little faster. After a long silence, she finally said, “I need some time to think. I’ll give you an answer in three days.”
Owen shook his head, firm but gentle. “That’s too long.”
“One day, then?”
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Chapter 420
He still refused, “Not enough.”
Aria hesitated, “Tomorrow morning?”
Owen sat there, looking for all the world like he just wanted her to feel comfortable. “I can wait here while you figure it out.”
He knew that if they let the night pass and the alcohol wore off, she’d probably come to her senses and this contract would end up in the trash.
This had to be decided now.
Aria glanced at him, torn.
He sensed her hesitation and softened his voice. “It’s okay. Take your time. There’s no rush.”
He was exactly her type–flawless, easygoing, a great cook, totally separate from his family business, barely any social baggage. Being with him wouldn’t come with a ton of drama.
That only made her thoughts even more of a mess.
She looked down at his hand wrapped around hers, her gaze following the lines of his wrist, forearm, shoulder, the curve of his throat, his jaw, his mouth…
Her heart gave a tiny skip. “Can I end it whenever I want?”
Owen nodded, serious as ever. “Whenever you want.”
Aria said, “Alright. I’ll take responsibility for you.”
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