THE CEO'S FAKE WIFE

Her?

Luke let out a long sigh,

"You're impossible! I'm saving your life!"

Beatrice shivered with cold, she looked at Luke with narrowed eyes, "Why is everything getting darker and darker?" she mumbled while shaking her head slowly trying to get into her sense. But seconds later,

"Bea! Bea!" she fell on the wooden floor, unconscious.

Luke hurriedly change her wet clothes with the dry ones and carried her onto the bed. He covered her with a very thick warm blanket, his face looked so worried that people might think he was Beatrice's boyfriend.

"She'll be fine, I'll put this warmer bag on her tummy and feet," suddenly the old woman appeared with some warmer bag in his hands.

"Merci beaucoup," said Luke sincerely, he stood by the door, watching the old lady taking care of Beatrice then he felt himself shivering in cold. He looked down and just realized that he was half-wet.

"Here, change your clothes!" suddenly the old man appeared and spoke France not smoothly. Luke took a glance at Beatrice to make sure she was okay, then he moved to the bathroom to change his clothes.

"Come here, drink some wine," said the old lady with a smile on her face.

"No thank you, I'm driving," replied Luke politely.

"Hot chocolate then?" she didn't give up.

"That will be nice," answered Luke, he walked closer to the kitchen and sat on the dining chair right next to the old man.

"I'm Curtis and this is my wife Camille," said Curtis lightly, even though his France was quite bad but Luke could still catch his words.

"I'm Luke, thanks Camille," he took the hot chocolate from Camille and felt better after sipping it. "You guys live alone here?"

"Yeah, no kids, just the two of us!" said Curtis, he put his hand on Camille's and squeezed it gently made Luke smile at that sight.

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Beatrice awoke after almost two hours of sleep. With one slow movement, she got up from her bed and sat on the edge of the bed which was covered with bone-white linen. Her body all hurts.

She looked at the room in confusion, it looked quite ancient with several photos of a man and a woman neatly hanging on the wall. There is one rocking chair facing the window which offered views of the frozen canal.

'Luke? Where is he?'

She glanced at the diamond-shaped mirror mounted on the wall next to the bed.

Gosh! Whose clothes was she wearing? And who changed her clothes?! Her memory was still hazy.

With stumbling steps she walked out of the room, she couldn't find anyone. She started to walk towards the kitchen, and there she saw Luke sitting with an old man drinking something from a large white mug.

Meanwhile, in front of the burning stove, an old lady seemed to be cooking something whose aroma made her starve.

As if moved by nature, suddenly Luke turned his head to the door and his gaze met with Beatrice's.

"Bea! You're awake?" he stood and walked hurriedly to her.

Beatrice grimaced, she looked at the old couple who were looking at her then nodded politely, "Thanks for helping me," she said in fluent Dutch.

"You speak Dutch well! Sit here! We've been chatting in French since earlier because I came from there, but Curtis, his French is terrible! By the way, I'm Camille!" the old lady stretched out her hand.

"Beatrice," she said with a smile.

"Since Luke doesn't speak Dutch, we'll have a chat in French, it's fine even if my language is a bit muddled," Curtis mumbled with a big smile.

Beatrice grimaced, "I'm sorry, he's a slow learner, that's why he doesn't speak Dutch," said Beatrice half-jokingly. Luke glared in annoyance, he lifted his foot and stomped hard on Beatrice's foot.

"Ouch! That's huuuuurt!" yelled Beatrice madly. Both Curtis and Camille just looked at them holding back a laugh.

“Um, sorry again for troubling you two,” Beatrice said with a grin.

"It's okay, we're happy to help. You looked really cold earlier, luckily your future husband quickly helped you, otherwise, you could get hypothermic!"

Curtis said seriously.

Beatrice immediately glanced at Luke, she wanted to say thank you but was restrained by her exorbitant sense of prestige.

"Camille the soup!" said Curtis, pointing at the pot with his eyes. Camille half-ran to the stove to turn it down. "Okay, everyone! Dinner is ready!" said her proudly. She poured the hot Chicken Peas Soup into the bowl making Beatrice gulp in hunger because of the delicious smell.

"It looks delicious!" said Beatrice, sitting on the dining chair.

"Yeah, I hope it tastes as delicious as how it looked like, eat it with bread!" said Camille putting the warm bread on each plate. 

"Are you guys staying?" asked Curtis looking at Beatrice and Luke in turn. 

"We'd love to but we have an important matter to take care of, maybe next time," answered Luke, his hand was busy taking a spoonful of peas soup and putting it inside his mouth. Beatrice frowned, but she didn't say anything. 

"How long will you stay in Amsterdam?" asked Camille curiously.

"Today is our last day, we're off to Bruges tomorrow."

"What? Tomorrow? Bruges? What do you mean?" asked Beatrice, who couldn't help herself from asking the question even though she knew Curtis and Camille were staring at them uncomfortably.

Luke smiled, "Excuse us," he said while taking Beatrice's hand and bringing her to the other room. 

"Can you act normal, please? Look at their faces! They looked confused and uncomfortable!" said Luke almost in a whisper. 

"Then tell me! What was that mean? Bruges? Tomorrow? What was that?"

"We're off to Bruges tomorrow, there's something I have to take care of!"

"No! I have my own itinerary!" Beatrice folded her arms, annoyed.

"This is important! I have to meet someone in there regarding our marriage contract! I have to know her decision..."

Beatrice getting more cautious, "What? her decision? I don't get it..." 

*****