First of all I really want to thank everyone who is helping me in writing this harlequin. It all started when I became obsessed with harlequin mangas and became a member of Shojo Manhwa Scans' forum. I started a topic there about writing original harlequins and 3 people responded to me so this one was made by 4 people including me. Hope you will enjoy~
I will add the story here after we discuss it on the forum topic and after aerysa-san edits it (lucky me).
There are a few names I want to thank again here
sherlover, jeannemiki and aerysa, love you girls all!
Well enough of this talk
Enjoy the first chapter of
LOVE CONTRACT
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------CHAPTER ONE
The phone was ringing very early in the morning. Julie Craford was used to this feeling. The melody, like her life, started with an elegant violin sound. For sometime it seemed very comfortable to listen to, but in the end, she always had to answer the phone or it stopped ringing after a while. Julie had some serious issues when it came to waking up. She had found her solution by making her alarm tone the same as her ring tone. Then everyday she could wake up on time just to check if her boss called, her beloved boss.
Christopher Conrad, the most desirable bachelor in Manhattan, NY, had stolen her heart when she first gazed into his eyes. It was shortly afterward that she obtained the opportunity for her first job interview after she had come to America from Europe. Perhaps fled was a more appropriate word for her action, leading her to despair because of the hardships she understood she had to face.
Because of her beauty, people never took her seriously and she wasn't able to find a job. Wandering aimlessly due to her disappointment, she strayed from the sidewalk and blindly entered a darkened alley. She learned later on that the alley she wandered into was the most dangerous one in the city. It was unsafe to walk there alone, especially as a woman after sunset. There men ogled her with lustful eyes, mentally undressing her in their minds. It was no surprise when they pursued her like hungry wolves. All she was trying to do was to find a safe place in this big city, a city in which she thought a thousand opportunities existed. Eventually, she bumped into a tall stranger. What a glorious accident that was!
Without seeing who she bumped into, she slowly said, "Help me..." The stranger embraced her. With a smile that could be seen from the end of the street, he said, "My Love, Kate. I didn't know you missed me this much. I'm sorry I was late, baby."
The other men knew that they couldn't compete with this guy so they left in silence. After a while, he gently released her and said, "You're safe now. Please be careful next time. These streets are very dangerous at night. If I weren't here to help you, who knows what could have happened to you..." It was then that she raised her head to thank her saviour. Her eyes met two alluring green ones, shining even at night under the street lights. "Thank you," she slowly said. "How can I ever repay you?"
It was Christopher Conrad who saved her. It was soon after where she learned that he owned his own company, Conrad Enterprises. Also, he was in need of a personal assistant whom he could trust. Christopher had taken her to dinner, but she had paid for it in thanks of his help. It was there that she told him about her circumstances, how she was looking for a job right then. As a result, they had reached an agreement where she would be his assistant on a trial basis.
She worked. She worked very hard. She worked almost every day and every night and slowly became someone Conrad could never replace at work; she became his right hand. Naturally, she loved her job, but the secret for her undying motivation was the feelings slowly growing in her young and inexperienced heart, the redness she tried so hard not to reveal on her cheeks. She could never express it in words because the only bridge that connected her to Conrad was business and nothing else. That was very saddening, but being next to him was enough for her.
After several months of hard work, one and a half years actually, he assigned her to a very important project. He called her almost everyday; it was nothing but pleasure to know that the man she loved was calling.
But that day was very different. Julie knew that he wouldn't call that day, on the day of her rest. She thought, "Cecilia Rose, you should wake up now. You have to get up, get dressed and go shopping! Today is your big day..." Her face pucker into a frown at her thoughts. She was thinking out loud and she was using the name she should have forgotten two years ago. With mixed feelings, she got up from her inviting bed and went to the bathroom to wash her face.
The mirror reflected a very beautiful young woman's wet face when she raised her head from the sink. Julie was a natural blond blessed with two azury blue eyes, like a reminder left for humanity about bright days ahead.Her eyes would draw you in and you would never want to go back. With her wavy hair flowing around her shoulders, she resembled a Greek goddess.
However, with every move she made, the goddess image began to fade away, leaving only bits and pieces. First, she tied her hair up in a very unfashionable way. She put on a worn-out t-shirt and dirty looking jeans. That was all she had to wear as casual clothing. Her closet was filled with suits as her work was her life.
Since the day she started working, she never bought one piece of unnecessary clothing. She saved all her money for a day like this; all for the day where she could buy an expensive party dress. To her, buying the expensive dress was proof of independence and with that, she could confess her love. Although these two things were not related, for her, they were closely associated.
"Time to pretty up," Julie said to herself as she left her apartment with a melody on her lips.
She was a humming a song she learned when she was a child, the one she would always sing when she was happy. On every street, there were still one or two heads that turned her way. Despite her frumpy attire, she was still beautiful.
When she arrived where the most expensive brands' stores were, she pondered which one she should enter. After reaching a conclusion, she opened the door of the store she had decided on. All the saleswomen stared at her. Eventually, one decided to help her.
"Welcome. Can I help you?"
"Oh, hello. I'm looking for an evening gown. Could you recommend something?"
The saleswoman understood from her voice that she was willing to pay a lot and she brightened up.
"Absolutely madam. Let me show you some pieces from our current season. What kind of style are you looking for?" she asked.
Julie blushed a little. "Well, how do I say this...? It's an important night of my life. I want to be -what do you call it- a head turner, but I don't want to wear something too revealing or too suggestive..."
She was going to continue with her demands, but she noticed that the saleswoman was gazing at her intensely. After a minute of silence, she replied, "Please come with me madam. I have some pieces in mind." With that, she led Julie to a room at the back of the shop.
She had to wait for a moment while the saleswoman gathered up some dresses. When she returned, she pointed to four evening gowns she had chosen and said, "Dear madam, I would recommend the color red, but because you don't want it to be too sexy, I'm not considering it. Besides red, these three colors are very popular this year: coral, lilac and turquoise. I think with your eyes and hair, all these colors would look enchanting. Please do try them all."
Julie nodded, knowing that she could trust this saleswoman. She tried on the first dress. It was a coral colored dress with a strapless sweetheart neckline, fitted under the bust, and a pleated A-line skirt that ended just above the knee. The dress had a silver chiffon top layer that added dimension to the dress. It also added a sense of modesty as the chiffon was tied over the shoulders, creating an illusion of straps and partially covering more skin.
shoulThe first dress fit her well since she had a physique better than some models out there. She always looked good regardless of what she wore. However, she was turning twenty-six this year. She wanted something that looked more mature, rather than sweet. Though she did like it, it wasn't what she was looking for. Returning the dress to the saleslady, she took the second dress.
The second dress was more daring as it was a knee-length, one-shoulder dress in a lilac color. It fitted like a sheath dress where the skirt flared right below the hips. Ruching brought in on the left side by her waist helped to accentuate her curves. The dress also had a chiffon top layer the same color as the satin fabric which added dimension and a hint of sophistication. Her favorite touch was the use of the chiffon as an off-shoulder draping that drew her eyes to her bare shoulder.
That was also not the look she was aiming for. The knee-length dresses that she tried on made her look more cute rather than mature. She took off the second dress and moved on to the next.
The last two dresses were both turquoise. The next one that she was about to try on was also an one-shoulder dress. It had a puffed sleeve and it was floor-length. It seemed daring as the upper portion was fitted; wrapped around her chest and torso in ruching, accentuating her waist with a clear jeweled pin on the right side. It was like it was tailor-made for her. The skirt flowed loosely like a beautiful waterfall; somewhat transparent, it teased the viewer's eyes about what she was hiding underneath. The color matched her eyes perfectly, but she wasn't sold on it because of the one-shouldered design. It was somewhat like spoiling the view. However, she decided she would buy this one if the last dress was not to her liking.
The last dress was similar to the third dress as it was also floor-length. The upper portion was like a wrap of two-layered folding of the chiffon material, fitted at the waist. This created an elegant V-line in both the front and back that highlighted her flawless skin. The two small butterfly sleeves balanced the proportions of her body as the skirt flowed loosely down along her hips. Extra flare was provided with the ruffled layers of chiffon along the left side that started at the hem of the skirt and gathered at her waist, elongating the length of her legs. A jeweled oval pin on the left side of her waist gave the illusion of pinning the material in place, emphasizing her slim figure as the eyes were immediately drawn to the accessory. The dress swayed gracefully with her every movement.
When she was checking the last dress, every single person in the store was gazing at her. She could feel herself glowing. With a satisfied smile, she said to the saleslady, "I'm absolutely buying this! Can you also find me a purse, a coat and a pair of high-heels that will go well with this dress?"
"Absolutely madam, I will be there in a second." she answered, smiling.
When Julie finally exited the store, she was almost ready for the night. The remaining touches were her hair and makeup.
Julie didn't know where to get her hair done so she returned to the store again and asked the saleslady if she knows a good hairdresser and makeup artist. To her surprise, a store near there was the best but you had to get reservation before. The saleslady offered to try to get an open space for her. She was delighted and felt relieved.
After waiting for 15 minutes saleslady came with a smiling face. "Right now Angelo doesn't have an appointment so he will deal with you. Let me take you there."
The beauty shop was spacious, cosy and bright. The employees were also smiling and it gave Julie a comfortable feeling. The saleslady introduced Angelo to her.
"Angelo, this is the madam who wants to become the fairest of them all, she needs an angel's hands for that. I hope you will become the angel she was looking for." Angelo looked at her from head to foot once and asked "Jenny what kind of dress did you sell her?"
Julie answered before her, "Do you want to see it?"
"I certainly would madam" said Angelo while nodding.
"I will help" said Jenny, the kind saleslady.
Angelo waited patiently for 15 minutes. When Jenny opened the curtains he held his breath "I didn't think a dress would become a person this much. You, madam, certainly need angel's hands, to be specific Angelo's hands."
They all laughed to this light joke and Julie sat on the chair which Angelo showed to her.
Angelo said, your curves look nice on you but you can use a little effect and nothing much. Do you know what, I think 40's hair style would suit you the best, with big waves... and he kept talking.
Julie somehow trusted this man and left herself in his hands. She closed her eyes and started about dreaming what would her boss do when he saw her like this. Would he fell in love with her? She spent every minute happy like that until Angelo said "it's done"
She opened her eyes and looked in the mirror. What she saw in the mirror was like an angel or a goddess much more beautiful than the one she abandoned every morning.
