The Royal Contract

She was not expecting his answer. She was confused as to why she should handle such a case when he already had David and his team of lawyers to do his bidding.

Besides, she did not think of him to be a man who would owe anyone. He was not a gambler or a man who lacked anything. So, how was he in debt?

"Is this some kind of a joke?" She answered him, finding the entire thing hilarious. 

She called Jacky to take care of the papers, then watched her leave her room. She stood up from her chair and grabbed her bag. She waited for him to follow her lead as he walked beside her.

She believed that Alex was making fun of her, giving her a bogus case. But she could not see any humor in his eyes. Suddenly, she felt the seriousness of the situation.

"I assure you this is not a joke unless you find it funny." Alex moved aside to give way to her as they exited her office.

He assisted her to the elevator that would lift them up to the upper floors. He led her to his friend's office to discuss further the debt he was talking about. 

He trusted that she would understand about the game that he had played. It did not mean to cause harm, but only to assist him during the time.

"I do hope too." She finally uttered as he opened the door to David's office, ushering her inside.

Her boss looked like he was already expecting their arrival as he greeted them both. He offered them a seat on the side of his office, on his black leather couch.

"Then, let us find out." He did not want to keep his secret from her any longer.

He wanted everything he had kept from her to be out in the open. He did not want anything to hunt him in the future when she discovered that he kept something from her.

Whatever the outcome, he was ready to face it now instead of waiting for it in years to come. It would be easier to fix things if they would come from him than learning about it in another tongue.

"Please, join me," David said, knowing exactly why they were visiting him. "It is nice to see you well, Dani." He greeted her.

Alex already had informed him of his plan. He was unsure if that was a great idea, but he supported his friend. He also wanted what would be best in his situation.

"Why do I get the feeling that I will not like any of this?" She gave them a hesitant smile, looking from one man to the other. It was finally sinking on her the gravity of the situation. 

She did not know if she would laugh or be anxious with the circumstances as the two looked at each other as if they were silently communicating.

"Well, it will be up to you on how you would like to look at it," David answered her first as he pulled out a file beside him.

He checked the folder's contents before pushing the file on the coffee table in front of him. He watched Dani as she once again looked at him, then Alex before picking up the file.

He watched her reaction as she opened the file and started reading. He could not read much yet in her facial expression. He turned his attention to his friend, who was also watching her like a hawk.

He could only speculate on what was going through both of their minds as every minute ticked by. As Dani read further in the contract, she could either find it laughable or something that might make her furious, betrayed even.

"What is this?" She finally asked, unsure if she should be flattered they had bet about her or be enraged for using her in such a game.

Her face was unreadable as confusion enveloped her at the moment. She had mixed emotions about her discovery. She would not expect something like this from men such as Alex and his friends.

"It was a silly game made by stupid friends who had too much time and money on their hands. I admit that I participated in the game, not thinking of your point of view." Alex admitted to her, not wanting to wash his hands from any faults.

He was as guilty as his friends for using their agreement in a bet. He should know better than to agree to such an arrangement. He should have listened to his instinct.

But he was as immature as them as he had realized now for playing a game involving her. Even if his intentions did not intend to hurt her.

"I agree with your assessment. No one should be treated in this manner whether the intent was not to make fun of the subject, in this case, me." She responded to his statement.

She was still assessing her feelings about the matter. Reading the contract and the conditions in it. She did find nothing too obnoxious about it. 

If it had not been about her, she could have easily dismissed it as a silly game that stupid men played to pass the time. But it was about her. 

She still felt a bit violated, but the fact that he came clean about it changed everything. It only showed how much trust he had in her to share something like this with her.

If it was another man, maybe he would have buried that kind of secret and never mentioned it ever again. But Alex was no ordinary man. He had always been different in a magnificent way.

"I assure you that I regret being part of this bet. But it is done. Now, all I want is for us to move on from this. That is if that is also what you want." Alex could only plead with his eyes, hoping she would find mercy and forgive him for his childish mistake.

Luckily, he had learned his lesson and acknowledged his mistake before it became too late for them to fix it. Because the worst thing that could happen to a relationship was to break the trust that bonded them together. 

"What about you, David? Do you agree with Alex?" She could not help her boss could have partaken in such a game.

She had so much high regard for a man like him. For grown men, who were successful in their own rights, it was not something she would expect them to do.

"Of course, I felt worse also for being a part of this." He did warn his friend about this entire thing. Well, especially about the confession thing. But he was glad that his friend was brave enough to face his fear.

"Well, I appreciate your honesty and for sharing this with me. But what do you think? Should I feel delighted, or should I unleash my rage right now?" She directed her gaze to her boss before changing her attention to her fiance.

She could not help but laugh internally at the worried look on their faces, especially when Alex did not expect what she was about to say. But being Alex, he could easily control his emotion.

"Maybe delighted." Alex finally answered with his boyish grin as he read something in her expression.. He did not want to jump the gun, but he did see hope in her playful eyes.