Hia guys! As promised another chapter in a week! I'm so proud of myself...hope I can keep this up. School's getting tougher so I'm not sure... wish me luck. Now to honor those die-hard fans of my writing. Today we honor ChildishVampire, cagalliyulaattha4ever, Star-Moon-Angel, drey (Mucho Thankos!), ToboeKibeTsume, zala123attha, CagalliYulaAtthaZala, AsuCaga01, SacredBlade, Hades.Throne.Heiress., Aki Kaede, AsuCagafan, Minatsuki, shiloah18, Milisate, An Instant King, cara410, 3fi-pina3, Tsukiko Hitsugaya, oh bonita, i love hershey, and Canadian-Girl. THANKS TO ALL! I'm really impressed..22 reviews first chap...almost makes me think you guys like me. Anyways on with the story.
Now for another minty fresh chapter of Heart: Liability or Asset...
Chapter 2: The search for Cinderella
"Excuse me?" said the blonde narrowing her eyes at her boss who had so rudely barged into her office, "What do you mean "a girl"?"
"Well..uhhh…" Now that Athrun had gotten himself into this mess how was he going to get out! No wonder he couldn't find her in the database he'd only done searches for men.
"What cat got your tongue, sir?" asked Cagalli one of her eyebrows lifted up in curiosity. Had her boss of six years mistaken her for a guy!
"Uhhh well I thought…"
"You thought."
"I thought…"
"Wow a girl," exclaimed Dearka barging into the office, "Don't tell me you choose her to play your wife." Cagalli's eyes widened play…a…wife…
"NO WAY IN HELL!" she yelled at the two now arguing males, "I'm not being the wife to this jerk!" Athrun blanched and turned towards the fuming female.
"No one asked you to!" he yelled angrily. Like he'd want this rude person to play his equal! He must have a death wish.
"Then what the hell are you doing in my office!" growled Cagalli, "I have work to do, boss. If you don't have something productive to do, go bother some other woman to be your lackey."
"That's not what I meant at all! I have no interest in having you in any way associated with me, I genuinely thought you were a male who equaled my sense and wit."
"Like you! The day I start acting like you is the day I jump out this window!" Dearka looked on amazed Athrun was actually talking to a girl…well yelling to be more precise but he was never comfortable with talking to them. This girl however seemed to make the words pour out of him…too bad she wasn't particularly pretty.
The brunette secretary joined him at the door. Sighing she walked into the office and stood between Athrun and Cagalli.
"Cagalli calm down," she sighed pushing the blonde back behind her desk, "I'm sure he didn't intend to mistake you for a boy, he just didn't get a clear view of you." Looking at Athrun her eyes demanded that he agree with her,
"Ah, yes. What she said," he stuttered grabbing onto the hint, "The elevator yesterday was dark and you were wearing pants than so I just assumed-"
"Is it a crime now to wear pants?" asked Cagalli icily as she turned towards her monitor ignoring her boss entirely, "Than I must say you're wearing the wrong attire."
"Look you," Athrun hissed as Dearka tried to drag him out of the office, "You could at least wear a more feminine pair of pants instead of ones that look like they came from the men's section." He was happy to have to last word as the girl's retort was lost behind her office door closing.
"Sorry about her sir," said the brunette addressing Athrun, "She's just not very comfortable in those types of situations."
"She seemed pretty comfortable to me." Pouted Athurn glaring at the doorway.
"He's just licking his wounds," joked Dearka moving closer to the secretary, "Hi there I'm Dearka the hottest guy in town."
"More like the most stupid guy around," responded the girl icily glaring at him. Obviously she was less than impressed with Dearka hitting on her, Athrun could definitely relate to this girl. Dearka sputtered and gaped as Athrun dragged him towards the elevator,
"Now is not the time for your stupidity," he growled at the prone blonde, "I have to find a way to get out of this marriage thing!"
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The screen crackled to life as Uzumi Nara Attha appeared with a serene smile,
"Hello, Mr. Zala."
"Hello, Mr. Attha."
"What is it you needed to talk about?" the 45 year old said into the screen noting that Athrun did not seem at all comfortable with talking to his soon-to-be business partner, "I am arriving this week. I hope I will not be a hindrance on you and your wife."
"Uhh no, but about that…"
"About what?" Athrun paled how could he break this the family-orientated businessman,
"Speaking hypothetically what would happen if I wasn't married?"
"Mmmm I probably wouldn't do business with you, and for lying to me all my associates would stop doing business with you…speaking hypothetically of course. So why did you really phone me on Earth?" asked Uzumi looking closely at Athrun. Boss Zala wouldn't make this kind of phone call unless something was really wrong, he didn't want to pay the bill for a call from PLANTS to Earth.
"Uhh nothing, just wanted to know the exact time I'm to expect you at my home…"
"Oh 5 o'clock Saturday. Good bye."
"Goodbye." The connection clicked off and Athrun banged his head onto his desk he was screwed. Utterly and literally screwed. If he messed with Attha he'd lose all his business on Earth he couldn't let that happen! He's company would totally collapse!
"Hellooooo Athrun!" smiled Dearka clunking a laptop down in front of the depressed man, "I'm your host Dearka Elsman here to take you through, 1000 women who could play my wife!" The screen flared to life and about 50 pictures were displayed of different female employees in the building, "Now just click the picture you like to find out about the girl."
"You're joking right." Groaned Athrun not at all amused with the idea of a random draw for someone who could make or break his career.
"Look this is the only way you'll even go near the women in our business," sighed Dearka, "So just pick one and get it over with." Athrun scanned the women, sure their resumes seemed okay but none really seemed to match him.
"Well?"
"Well what?!" snapped Athrun frustrated with computer.
"Anyone peak your interest? If you want I could invite a couple to your office and you can meet them for yourself."
"What!"
"Hey ladies come on in!" yelled Dearka as about 20 women entered Athrun's office.
"DEARKA!! DON'T USE ME AS AN EXCUSE TO HIT ON WOMEN!!!"
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Cagalli groaned as she left her office. Another hard day of work, surprisingly all the women on her floor had disappeared so it had actually been really quiet even Mir had vanished. As an accountant she needed the quiet to concentrate on her numbers so the silence had been a welcome change from all the noise the occurred outside her office. Glancing at her watch she sighed. It was past midnight if her brother knew how late she worked she knew that she would have dragged out of Zala Corp. hours ago. Getting in the elevator she fiddled to find her car key on the keychain,
"So many damn keys…" growling she gave up and enjoyed the lonely ride to the parking garage. It was amazing to her that in their time of modern technology they had created space colonies but had yet to create hover cars; people still drove around in gas fuelled cars, some things she'd just never understand.
Her car was easy to spot. By the time she left the office there was only one other car left and her car was the only red one. Getting into her red convertible she drove quickly out of the garage.
"God, what a day." Besides yelling at her boss and probably getting herself fired she was now confused as to what was going on with her company. She had never even heard of Athrun Zala dating before let alone needing a wife, why now? She knew enough to know that Zala Corp. was about to make a big partnership with Uzumi Nara Attha owner of Orb Corp. down on Earth but it didn't make sense for Zala to need a woman.
Her eyebrows creased together in concentration, it just wasn't adding up… parking her car she slipped out of the seat tugging at her skirt. She hated these things. Always riding up, always creating problems, so what if she bought men's clothes and looked like a guy! Zala was two times more a girl than her. With his feminine frame and temper. She'd have her revenge. The next time she saw Athrun Zala she'd call him girl!
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Athrun gritted his teeth as Dearka tried to pry him from his desk.
"Athrun you have to pick a girl."
"No. No, I don't."
"Yes, yes you do Athrun it's already Thursday. Attha arrives Saturday you at least have to have your makeshift wife familiar with your mansion," sighing Dearka looked at Athrun. It was well past midnight and guy looked totally beat. All week he had been dragged from woman to woman in search of a suitable wife. With Yzak finally well again both Dearka and Athrun had to have their ears check for damages…twice. It seemed more than likely that they were never going to get the Attha account.
"Dude, there has to be one girl you can handle?" said Dearka almost pathetically. Someone he could get along with… Athrun envisioned that blonde girl in his mind from early that week. Didn't the secretary say her name was...
"Cagalli."
"Who the heck is that?"
"The blonde girl." Dearka gaped at Athrun, had he lost his mind. That violent woman was the one he wanted!!! How on earth would that help his image with Attha.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!" yelled Dearka trying to shake some sense into Athrun, "That girl, woman, it... is not a good choice for a wife! Attha will not buy your relationship for one second. All you two do is argue!"
"But it's the closest I've gotten to talking to any of these girls we've looked at."
"That's just because you're not used to it," supplied Dearka, he knew he was lying he'd only ever seen Athrun act normal with that blonde woman. All the employees Athrun had meet over the week who were single, had all come on pretty strong and he'd only been able to muster a few sentences or words with them, not enough to convince anyone that he actually liked the girl let alone was in love with her.
"They do say arguments make a relationship stronger," laughed Athrun trying to lighten the mood. Dearka just rolled his eyes at is friend's stupidity.
"Fine I'll go look up her address."
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Brushing her teeth Cagalli couldn't help but wonder once again about what was going on at her office. All the women seemed so excited over something disappearing than all reappearing crying. Cagalli didn't care no one invited her to whatever it was they were doing. Mir didn't tell her either though after her first disappearance she didn't vanish again. All she told Cagalli was that it was pointless.
Looking at the clock she noted that it was two in the morning and her body was screaming at her to sleep.
"Ok, ok I get it," she would have to learn to stop talking to herself…tomorrow. As she was about to drop the toothbrush into the sink she heard…
Ding. Dong.
She felt her temper flare as she marched down the stairs her toothbrush still in hand.
"It's 2 o'clock in the morning this had better be God!" she yelled at the door as she opened it. She meet the pleading gaze of her boss, Athrun Zala,
"Oh my God!"
"Put down the toothbrush Cagalli we got bigger problems than gingivitis." Gaping she watched as her boss walked into her apartment followed by the rude blonde man from before and a silver-haired man. Taking a seat on her couch he seemed to have an air of superiority as he surveyed the apartment.
"Who the hell invited you into my house," snorted Cagalli taking the seat opposite the three. Throwing the toothbrush somewhere behind her, "And no I will not be a good hostess and bring you something to drink."
"I have a proposition for you," began Athrun placing his fingers together in a businesslike fashion.
"Like hell he does," retorted the silver haired man, "Look girly this guy has a problem with women."
"Oh really that seems highly unlikely considering the number of admirers you have just in your company," stated Cagalli uninterested in lies.
"Trust us," sighed the blonde, "We tried to get him to talk to them…he well failed couldn't put even two words together."
"You appear to be the only girl he can talk to in more than two words besides his mother," groaned the silver haired man, "So you have to, help him, us, and the company…OR ELSE!" Yzak's temper was wearing thin as the girl seemed to just brush off their comments. Yzak wanted this account to work out having Attha join with their company would be like a dream come true…even though they were going to ridiculous measures to do it.
"Let me get this straight you're comparing me to his mother?" hissed Cagalli her eyes narrowing dangerously towards the three men, "That's no way to flatter someone into helping you."
"What they're trying to say," said Athrun rubbing his temples, "Is that we, I desperately need your help to get the Attha account."
"Oh… you need an accountant to do the paperwork, well I'm your girl!" she laughed, "Phew I thought you were going to say something ridiculous-"
"Will you marry me?!"
"EH!!!!!!! WHAT…what are you… NUTS!" stuttered Cagalli backing away from Athrun and his colleagues, "I have no intention of marrying YOU!"
"It's just hypothetical," sighed the blonde man, "Only for a month."
"You're joking," said Cagalli sarcastically, "I wouldn't do it for a day."
"Stop being so obstinate," growled the platinum glaring at Cagalli, "We wouldn't ask this type of ridiculous request unless we absolutely had to." The glare he sent at the other two occupants of the sofa told Cagalli that he was just as thrilled with idea as she was. The blonde man seemed to be the only one genuinely happy with this situation.
"And why pray tell must I fulfill this request?" she asked her curiosity taking over her common sense.
"Because we'll pay you handsomely," offered the blonde.
"You get to live in a mansion and be pampered by maids," supplied the platinum.
"You land us one of the biggest accounts on Earth," stated Athrun not trying to sugar-coat the truth, "And you get to live out every woman's dream being married to me."
"For the record that was never a dream of mine," growled Cagalli, "And I have no interest in helping you get the Attha account through lies."
"How did you know that!" sputtered the blonde.
"Please all I have to do is type in Uzumi Attha and the first word that appears is "family man." Not to mention there's been a rumor since September that you were trying to make a deal with him, " said Cagalli, "Besides if you wanted the account so badly you should have just hired an actress."
"We couldn't," sighed Dearka. Glancing at Athrun he sighed louder, "This moron couldn't speak to the women…like we told you before you're the only girl he can speak frankly with."
"If that's some type of comfort you need to recheck what I consider a condolence. Knowing that the great Athrun Zala can't even see me as a girl to get nervous over is not exactly a big joy to me."
"But it should be. You have no interest in him he has no interest in you. Everything is perfectly simple," stated Dearka extending his hands dramatically, "You fake love for one month, collect a fat paycheck, and the company improves to the point of complete efficiency everything works out fine."
"For some reason that is not at all comforting. I'm an accountant not an actress I deal with numbers not manners," she glared at Athrun recalling one of their previous conversations, "I honestly have no interest in entertaining an old man for company gain." Athrun sighed. Standing up he approached Cagalli, noting that she stiffen when he leaned down beside her ear. Whispering something into her ear Yzak and Dearka watched amazed as Athrun moved away and returned the couch. Neither Cagalli or Athrun spoke for a good five minutes, but Cagalli's face held a look of shock the whole time.
"So…when do I start?!"
Alot of you guys said you liked my idea for this story. I'm glad to hear it. I thought the idea was so strange that you guys wouldn't like it. Overall I'm very pleased with story so far, I'll try and tone down Cagalli...mmmm I think some of my anger towards things going on in my life is feuling her anger so I'll definetely try to control that. Well anyways PRESS THE BUTTON OF POWER! GIVE A REVIEW DONATION TO A STRAVING AUTHOR! Sighs..another chapter done. Now on to the next!
Ciao from the slowly going crazy
OVP