Ivory

“Ma'am, you can't go in there!“ Axel's secretary, Klin says running after me as he tries to stop me from barging into Axel's office but I don't give into his pleas.

Even if I was strongly aware of the fact that interrupting Axel while he worked could get Klin fired, I didn't give a shit at this moment.

Bursting through Axel's office door, I find my husband seated behind his desk with his desk telephone over his ears.

Slamming the divorce papers on his desk, I snarled. “Sign it“

Axel's gaze moves from me to his secretary—who already well believed today was the last day of work.

“Excuse us, Klin“ Axel commands. Returning back to his phone call, he says. “I'm sorry, Mr Monroe but I'll have to call you back some other time. My wife just paid me a visit“

Hanging up, Axel glanced down at the papers in my hand. “What are those?“

“Divorce papers“

“And I should sign them because?“

I scoffed in disbelief, “Are you going to pretend as if you can't remember that we had a deal in the first place? I get married to you because you need a wife for a year. After that, we get divorced“

“Oh, it's been over a year already? I didn't know you've been keeping track of time“

“I have“

Because back then I didn't realize what I was getting myself into when Axel Muller, one of the biggest conglomerates in town and a multimillionaire approached me with a deal I couldn't resist.

At that time, I was just a worker at a washed up restaurant. The salary they paid me was barely enough to eat a proper meal in a day.

I had to always chime in my monthly salary to pay the house rent since I was living with my parents or paying my siblings tuition fee.

In short, the money never lasted. So when Axel Muller approached me with a contract marriage to be his wife for a year in exchange for 90k$, I'd embraced the idea—at the expense that we'd get divorced after a year.

The past year as Axel Muller's wife hasn't been a bed of roses. I couldn't do whatever I wanted to do because the press always had their eyes on me. It was restraining to the point that I missed my freedom. My life before this marriage.

So, I counted down to this very day; the day our contract marriage comes to an end.

“I see no reason to deny you off this divorce since we clearly had a deal“ He says. “But, do you remember section 2B of our contract?“

Section what now? I didn't even read the contract at that time.

“Of course, I do“ I lied.

“Then you do understand why I can't sign these divorce papers, right?“

I blinked, confused. “No. I don't understand. Walk me through section 2B again, will you?“

“Section 2B clearly stated that our contract becomes null and void when one party falls in love with the other“ He clearly explains. “Thus, I can't sign those divorce papers“

My frown deepened. That made no sense.

“But I'm not in love with you“

“True but I am“

“What?“ I chuckled, “That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard“

It was really hard to believe. Ever since Axel and I got married, yes we did move into a martial home together to make our marriage seem "believable" to the press and his family.

But within the four walls of our marital home, we were still nothing but strangers. We slept in separate bedroom, ate breakfast at different times because he always had to leave home early for work and by the time he was back, I'd already slept off.

We lived the past one year of our lives together barely saying a word to eachother and to be honest, I preferred it that way.

Because if we'd gotten closer—even just a little bit, I might not have been able to carry out my divorce plan.

Axel shrugs, “As ridiculous as it sounds, it was on the contract“

“Are you saying you scammed me?“ I questioned, taken aback by the turnout of events. “I mean why is it called a contract marriage if I can't get out of it?“

“You can get out of it“

“How?“

“If I fall out of love with you, that is“

I let out a low groan of frustration. “You're impossible. Do you hear yourself right now, Axel? For the past one year of our marriage, this conversation is probably the longest we've ever had“

Then, something hit me. Axel had mentioned that the only way to get out of this marriage was to get him to "fall out of love with me"

Should I just work towards doing that? I could totally get on Axel's nerve if I put my mind into it since this conversation doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

Yes. I'll do that instead. Getting Axel to divorce me? This was going to be as easy as stealing candy from a baby.

“You know what, Axel? On second thought, I'm sorry for interrupting your work“ I apologized. “You were having an important call earlier right? You should get back to it. I'll just be leaving“

He quirked his brow, surprised at my sudden change in character. “What about the divorce? Don't you want me to sign those papers anymore?“

“These papers?“ I asked, waving the divorce paper in the air and tearing it apart—even though it hurts me to do so. “There's no need for that anymore. Do have a good day at work, honey“

Strolling out of Axel's office, I pulled out my phone and called the first reporter whose name appeared at the top of my contact list.

He picked up almost immediately.

“Is this reporter Kim for daily news?“ I asked.

“This is he. May I know who is calling?“

“No, you may not but I have news that might intrest you“ I say. “I just saw Axel Muller's wife stroll into a stripper's club. If I were you, I'd get down there as fast as possible“

Axel

No sooner had Ivory exited my office had Klin strolled in.

“I apologize for earlier, Mr Muller“ Klin says.

“It's alright. I understand my wife can be quite strong headed if she wants to“ I respond. “I didn't summon you so what brings you by?“

“Reporter Kim just called. He said he got a top from an unknown caller that they saw your wife entering a stripper's club“

I froze. Was this what Ivory was succumbing to now since I didn't sign those divorce papers?

Springing up from my seat, I ordered Klin. “Push back every meeting I have scheduled for the rest of the day“

“Mr Muller, where are you going?“ Klin asked, nervous.

“To bring my wife back from the stripper's club, of course“

“But if you're found in a place like that, sir..“

“It would affect the company's reputation, I know“ I say, stating the obvious. “But what can I do? That's the game my wife decides to play“

Pulling out my phone from my pocket, I called Chris, my chauffeur.

“Chris, get the car ready. I'll be downstairs in 10“

“Yes, sir“

Hanging up, I turned to Klin. “Right. Did reporter Kim give you the name of the stripper's club?“

“HEADLEY“

HEADLEY was one of the lost notorious stripper's club in town as most of it's client were known men in the industry.

Thus, to hide their identity they always wore a mask inside the club but their names were never kept secret from the club owner himself.

Reporters like reporter Kim whose news company weree crashing and desperate for some dirt on men like myself usually hung around HEADLEY to bribe the club owner into releasing the names of clients that visited the club.

Then, they spread rumors for destroy their career. The only difference would be that in my case, it wasn't a going to be a rumor.

Because one, I was sure as hell Ivory was at the stripper's club. She was that daunting. Two, I was going in there to get my woman out.

“We've arrived, sir“ Chris, my chauffeur announces as the car comes to a stop in front of HEADLEY.

Pulling out my cat face mask, I placed it over my face. Then, climbed out of my car and strolled into the club.

The bodyguards out front stopped me. “Your name, please?“

“Axel Muller“

They exchanged glances between themselves as if wondering if they should believe me or not.

“Sorry, but we're going to need you to take off your mask for verification“ One of them says.

I complied with their requests. “There. Have you confirmed your suspicion?“

“Yes, sir. You may put your mask back on“

I do.

“You may go in, sir. Do have a splendid time“

Strolling in, I noticed how ridiculously filled up the club was.

“Don't these men have anything else better to do than to watch some random woman dancing around a pole?“ I muttered in disbelief.

If not that I was here for Ivory, nothing would have ever brought me to a place like this.

Taking to a random seat, I searched around for any sign of Ivory but I didn't see her. It was unlike her to lie about being in a stripper's club so where on earth was she?

“Gentlemen, we would now have the beloved Miss Sinclair take to the stage and show us her wonderful performance“ The MC announces. “Please, give her a round of applause as she takes to the stage“

Applause fills the air as the light seems and a lady dressed in a red gown takes to the stage.

She wasn't just any lady but my wife.

I stared in awe as Ivory seduces the pole before her=, spinning around it like a pro. My fist tightened as I fought the urge to pluck out the eyes of the men watching her.

After what seemed to have been forever, Ivory's performance comes to an end as applause fills the air once more.

The light comes back up as the MC comes to the stage, chuckling with excitement. “I can see you all enjoyed yourself with Miss Sinclair's performance. Now, shall we start the bidding?“

I froze. Bidding?

“YES!!“ The crowd shouts. It was as if they were all informed about the bidding except me.

Turning to a gentleman beside me, I asked. “Sorry, what's the bidding for?“

“Are you new here?“ He asked.

“Something of the sort“

“The bidding is for who gets to spend a night with Miss Sinclair“

I quirked my brow, “Spend a night with her? As in have sex?“

“Of course. What would you do if you had a hottie like Sinclair in your bed? Talk about the weather?“ The man shakes his head. “Sinclair is HEADLEY's most precious jewel. Everyone is dying to have a taste of her so I'd advise you to sit out this bidding“

“Why?“

The man chuckled as if he'd just heard one of the most ridiculous question ever. “Because you're obviously going to lose“

“Let the bidding begin!“ The MC announces.

A man far off raises up his paddle. “2 million“

“Ooh, we're off to a strong start“ The MC acknowledges. “Do I hear a 2.5?“

Another man raises up his paddle “3 million“

As the bidding number kept on rising, my gaze lingered on Ivory on the stage as I burned with an uncontrollable anger within me.

Not only did she come to a stripper's club but now she was being bidded off to spend a night with a random stranger?

If I hadn't showed up tonight, was this how she would have ended up in a total stranger's bed?

“Do I hear a 50million?“ The MC asks, his voice snapping me out of my thoughts. “40 million. Going once! Going twice!“

No one gets to go home with my woman except me. For now, let's just get her out of this mess.

Raising up my bidding paddle, I declared. “15 billion“