The Engagement | COMPLETED

ONE.

ALEX

It's been one month into our engagement. One month feels like an eternity to me.

Being in an open relationship with a multimillionaire was already enough to make my face and name in the headlines. It didn't help that we were in fact, two guys getting engaged.

"Multimillionaire Nathan Chia, gay and engaged."

"Nathan Chia's latest and worst investment."

"Asia's 30 under 30, off the market."

The articles were getting out of hand, mainly because Nathan didn't do much to address what was going on. One went as far to call me a gold digger, or even a leech. Maybe there were worse names called but I decided not to torture my eyes anymore and shun these articles away.

It was even worse at school.

I was one of the popular students at campus due to my good grades and looks (not bragging here but one could do with a little self-praise once in a while). The situation did an entire one-eighty turn when the news broke out.

The day after we signed the papers, Nathan just had to make his grand appearance right in the middle of my lunch break, in the center of the canteen. As if him coming to our school was not attracting enough attention, he down-right proposed to me. I'm talking flowers and rings and all that jazz. Are you fucking kidding me right now? was all I could think of at that point.

I became the talk of the town. I could hear the whispers that people were saying, feel the fingers being pointed at me. The 'friends' that I had all decided to shun me away one by one. No one gave me a chance to explain, so I decided not to. It's like I was some sort of criminal living in broad daylight.

Damn it, I liked attention but this was not what I was asking for.

"Come on, cheer up a little," Vanessa nudged my side by the shoulder. "It's not as bad as it seems."

Out of all this, I was thankful that I still had Vanessa by my side. She was the only one that was unfazed by the whole situation. Though, she was in her 'fan-girl' mode, shipping the both of us. God damn, what does shipping mean? Apparently it has nothing to do with the ship or the cost to bring things over by sea.

"How does one cheer up in this situation?" I asked while packing my bag, getting ready to leave the lecture theatre. "I'm engaged against my will, engaged to a guy to boot. I have to stay together with him for a year, work at his company and see his face all day!"

"Technically, you signed that contract personally. It's not exactly against you will." Thanks Van, you just had to point that out for me.

I rolled my eyes. "If it were not for my dad, I would have never signed that. You know that."

"I know. So stop bitching about it and just.... I don't know, enjoy the process. Who knows? Maybe you'll fall in lo...."

"Oh no," I said, cutting her off before she could finish what she wanted to say. "No way that's happening. Stop it with your fantasies, whatever they are."

Vanessa laughed sheepishly while pushing the door to the from of the school open. "A girl can dream, right?"

We walked a little further till we reached the carpark. I fumbled around my satchel for my keys before opening the car door and hopping into the driver's seat. "Guess I'll see you tomorrow."

"Let me know how working as a secretary is like!" She said before walking towards the bus stop.

"There's nothing to tell you!" I exclaimed.

I sighed as I watched her leave, shut the door and started up the engine. Honestly, I didn't own a car to begin with. This was all on Nathan and it happened about 2 weeks into our engagement.

"I do not want my fiancé to be taking the bus and squeezing with other people. Plus I'm sure you do not want to be hoarded by people asking you questions. You can take one of my spare cars."

So that's how I ended up driving on of his cars. Fucking rich bastard. 

I looked at the digital clock and it told me that I had to get to work quick. He didn't like it when I was late, so I'd rather spare myself from the nagging.

I pressed down on the accelerator and drove down the highway.