Cherish Love

ANNE ALEXANDRIA CHLOE's POV

It's been days since I've finally met the Martinez Family and since that day, I haven't heard anything from that despicable guy. I also haven't seen him since then but I'm glad I didn't because I don't want to see him. Anyways, today we are now here at the cafe to meet Ethan once again to discuss about our contract and to be honest, I'm still against it but just like what I've told my brother and Ethan before… I don't have any choice. After all, that Shin Martinez is a two-faced man.

"I feel so nervous, brother..." I said that made my brother turned to look at me.

"You don't have to, Chloe… After all, this is just a fake marriage that's why we're also having a contract, right?" I heard my brother said while sitting beside me. I just sighed and nodded at him. But even so… I still feel so nervous to the point that I couldn't even fall asleep last night!

"Brother..." I called him again that made him stopped from using his phone before he turns to look at me again.

"Why do I feel like… I'm betraying Christian because I did agree with this setup?" I asked. I don't know why but I feel like I wanted to cancel this and run away from all these problems.

"You're not betraying him, Chloe because you're not going to legally marry Dylan anyway so stop bothering yourself with that and get a grip on yourself." I heard my brother said that made me took a deep sigh as I tried to calm myself down. Brother is right… This is just a contract marriage and this contract will end as soon as Christian finally returns here…

"Sorry I was late. Did you two wait too long?" Our attention was once diverted when we suddenly heard Ethan's voice coming from behind us.

"No. It's fine, Dylan…" Brother said that made me just sighed as Ethan sat across me.

"What's with that sigh all of a sudden, Ms. Chloe?" Ethan asked that made me look at him seriously.

"Because brother is lying to you. We're already bored here waiting for you." I said that made him surprised before he laughs. What's funny with what I said?

"You're really back, Chloe. Anyways, I'm sorry for that because something suddenly came up in the company." Ethan said as he placed his bag on the chair beside him.

"Let's just forget about that. Anyways, let's order first." Brother said before he called for the waiter and ordered. After that, the waiter leave as he gets our order and while we're waiting for him… Brother started to speak once again.

"And now that you two have finally agreed with this… Let's now discuss first about rules first." Brother said that made me just nod.

"Rules?" I heard Ethan said that made my brother just nod.

"Yes and you two can only have five rules to make it fair for the two of you." I heard my brother said that made my eyes grew wider. What?

"Brother, that's too few!" I said. Five only? But that's too few! I saw my brother took a deep sighed before tapping my shoulder. What's with that?

"I know you too well, Chloe… You will demand so many things to him and knowing Dylan, he will just let you do whatever you want." My brother said that made me glared at him.

"But brother, I am your sister!" I said. Is he crazy? Did he just take Ethan's side instead of me?

"I know but I also know Dylan as well, Chloe. He will not do anything to you unless you permits him to do so." I heard my brother said that made me arched my brows. What?

"And what was that supposed to mean, brother?" I asked seriously that made my brother just sighed.

"Nothing. Just forget what I just said. Anyways, who'll start to give their five rules?" My brother said as he avoids my questions but wait! I should go first!

"I'll go first!" I said as I raised my right hand and saw them looked at each other.

"Okay… So what's your rules, my dear sister?" My brother asked as he put both of his hands on his laptop but even before I started speaking, our orders came and as soon as the waiter left, that's the time I start to speak again.

"Rule #1. I don't want you to meddle with my affairs. I want to have some privacy." I said that made Ethan just nod.

"Even if you don't tell me that, I'm not going to do that anyway." I heard he said simply before he ate his cake. I'm just making sure, you know...

"Rule #2. I don't want you to act bossy. Don't order me around." I said that made him nod once again.

"I will not do that even if you don't tell me." He said once again. Oh, really? I doubt that… That's why I also included that in my rules.

"Rule #3. I don't want to see you flirt with some girls out there while we're still under the contract. I don't want to have a rumor that I married a playboy." I said that made Ethan took a deep sighed before he returned his attention to me once again.

"Don't worry about that. I am not that kind of guy. It's not my thing to play with someone's feelings but I can't stop them for approaching me if they want to." I heard Ethan said that made me stopped. W-what?

"You're so boastful." I said that made him shrugged his shoulders before he drinks his coffee.

"I am not. I'm just saying the truth. Right, Xander?" Ethan simply said before I returned my attention to my brother who's just sitting here beside me while smiling at me.

"Yes. If you didn't know yet, Chloe… Dylan is the second most popular student in our school before." My brother said. Oh really but he's still not the first...

"Second? Then who's the first one?" I asked. Okay, I admit that Ethan is also handsome but Christian is still the most handsome in my eyes… No, he's really the most handsome!

"Of course, it's me. You're handsome brother, Chloe." My brother said that made looked at him in disbelief. Oh really?

"Oh, really? Okay, my next rule…" I said that made my brother looked at me with a very sad expression while Ethan is suppressing his laugh. This guy… Don't show me that kind of face or else, I might laugh as well.

"You're so mean, Chloe." My brother said but I just ignored him before I even starts to laugh at him.

"Rule #4. I don't want you to bully me." I said that made Ethan suddenly becomes serious once again.

"For the record, Chloe… I am that kind of guy, okay? I am not a playboy or bully type so don't underestimate me, Miss Chloe Ramirez..." Ethan said that made me just nod. I'm just making sure, okay? After all, this is just rules, right?

"Rule #5. Don't ever dare take advantage of me." I said that made him sighed. What's with that expression?

"Of course, I won't do that… You're not even my type." Ethan said before he eats his cake again. WHAT!?

"What!? Are you blind?" I asked that made my brother burst into laughter. What's with that!? I was about to yell at my brother when Ethan suddenly speaking once again.

"No. You're not just my type, that's all." Ethan said. WHAT!?

"How arrogant! You're not my type as well!" I said that made my brother stopped from laughing.

"Okay, stop fighting." My brother said as he finally calm himself. How rude… You are my brother but you're laughing at your sister...

"It's your turn now, Dylan..." My brother said as he types something on his computer.

"Okay… My first rule is… Don't fall in love with me." Ethan said that made me looked at him in shock.

"What? Of course, I won't fall for you! I already have Christian in my life…" I said. My goodness... What made him think that I'm actually going to fall in love with him anyway? Is he insane?

"Who knows what will might happen, right?" Ethan said as he gave me a smile. Oh come on… That will not work on me.

"I don't care. What I'm sure about is I'm definitely not going to fall in love with you." I said that made him just nod at me before he drinks his coffee.

"Okay, if you say so…" He said as if he doesn't believe me. I just shook my head before I start eating my carrot cake. I can't believe that this guy is so arrogant!

"Next, Dylan…" I heard my brother said that made Ethan just nod at him.

"Rule #2… Don't flirt or date other guys while we're in this contract." Ethan said that made me arched my brows.

"You know that I'm not going to do that…" I said seriously. Hello? I am already in a relationship with Christian, right? So what made him think that I'm going to do that?

"Okay. Rule #3... I want you to cook for me, do the laundry for me and clean our room." Ethan said that shocked me. Wait, did I just heard it correct?

"What do you think of me? A maid?" I asked him as I tried to calm myself. Is he crazy?

"Of course not. You are my soon-to-be fake wife." I heard Ethan said innocently that made me even more angry.

"But those qualities are---" I was about to complain when my brother suddenly speaks.

"Those are his conditions so accept it, Chloe." Brother said that made me stopped. What? Is he serious?

"But brother---" I was about to speak once again when he suddenly speaks once again.

"Listen up, Chloe…" My brother said seriously.

"You can think of it as a practice." My brother said that made me confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked. What was that supposed to mean?

"A practice so that when you finally marry Christian then by that time you can fully devote yourself to him as his wife." My brother said. Brother is right… When that time comes… I already know how to cook for him and take care of him...

"Okay, fine." I said. I can take this opportunity to practice on how to be a good wife as well...

"Rule #4… I want you to get close with my siblings and treat them like they are your real siblings while we're still under the contract." I heard Ethan said seriously that made me just nod.

"That's fine with me." I said as I saw him just nod. I can clearly see how much he treasures his siblings just like how much my brother treasures me and to be honest, those are the things that I admire him the most. His love towards his siblings...

"And lastly… Don't call me 'Ethan' anymore… You should start calling me 'Dylan' from now on." Ethan said that surprised me.

"But why? I'm already used to it." I said that made Ethan sighed.

"But my siblings may find it suspicious." He said. But why? Why do I have to do that?

"Why?" I asked.

"Because he is giving out his name 'Ethan' to those people he just met or he's not close with but on the contrary, he's giving out his name 'Dylan' to those people who are close with him so basically, Ethan's siblings will definitely finds it weird when you still calls him 'Ethan'..." Brother explained that made me just nod. Okay… Now, I understand.

"Fine. Deal." I said but for some reason… I'm still bothered about something...

"So, I've already written everything here. I'll just send it to my lawyer to finalize this before presenting to the two of you the copies." My brother said that made me smile.

"You sounds like a real businessman to me, brother." I said that made him chuckle.

"Of course. Anyways, do you have any questions, my dearest sister?" My brother suddenly asked that surprised me.

"Huh?" I asked. What does brother mean?

"Because you look like you wanted to ask me something so what is it?" My brother said. Oh, that… So, he knew how to read minds now? Hahaha! Anyways...

"How can we tell our parents about Ethan… I mean, Dylan?" I asked because we can't easily deceive our parents especially, dad...

"Hmmm… For now, let's take things slowly since our parents especially dad is very mad at that Martinez Heir after he suddenly disappears without leaving any valid reason." My brother said sternly that made me sighed.

"But I'm still worried." I said. I'm afraid that my parents will know about this… I'm afraid that things might get even more complicated if our parents discovers our plan to deceive them. I was back in my senses when I suddenly felt someone hand on my head and when I turned to look at him, I saw my brother c.a.r.e.s.sing my hair.

"You don't have to about that, Chloe… Just trust me, okay?" My brother said gently. I know that but---

"Just believe in us." Ethan---I mean, Dylan said that made me returned my attention to him and saw him looking at me as if he's giving me an assurance. I just took a deep breath before I started to speak.

"Okay." I said as I smiled at them. We are already here so it's nonsense if I backout now… I just hope that things will work out the way we plan to.