The proposal

Leif thought seriously and shook his head no. He was as emotionless as a block of wood.

Amalie was honestly starting to get worried now. She did not give up, instead, she pushed on. "How about a few days ago did you have any sort of disagreement even if you think it was small?" she said and Leif thought about it carefully.

That's when the food war came to his mind. The food war and the words he said to her that night telling her to know her place. That was when it all changed. She was just doing like he asked and his mother in law thought they had fought and hadn't reconciled.

Leif finally opened his mouth and said, "We did... How do I fix it." He had never sought help from his mother hence this was the first time he asked an older person for help.

Amalie sighed as she took out a small notepad but when she realised his cleanliness issues, she put it back and chose to type on her cell phone instead.

She listed everything that her daughter liked and what put a smile on her face whenever she was upset. When Leif received a message he was a little surprised.

"That is everything she likes. Let me know if you need me to talk to her," she said with a caring smile like that of an elder.

Quinn returned with the same polite smile as before. The dinner went quite well, well enough for Quinn but not for Amalie. She was ridden with worry.

When they left the restaurant, Amalie took her daughter to the side to speak to her. "I know he probably did something to upset you but this is not the way to solve it. You cannot stay upset for long. It's not good for your marriage, okay?" she said and Quinn had on a stupid look on her face like she had no idea what she was talking about.

"I am talking about the fact that you two are not like before. Do you think your mother is blind? I can see it all," said Amalie before hugging her daughter goodbye.

"You will be married soon thus you will need to learn to compromise," she said again and Quinn was even more confused. When did she get the idea that she was upset about something?

After her mother left, Quinn turned towards Leif only to find that he was staring at her really hard. She was startled for a moment before asking, "Do you know what that was about?"

Leif didn't answer. He pointed to the car door and said, "Get in."

Quinn didn't quibble with him. She just got into the car and didn't even say a word as the car drove through the busy streets. "Mr. Lance, change driving coordinates to this place," he said and the driver answered simply,

"Yes sir."

Instead of turning to the apartment street, they kept driving straight. Quinn raised her head and noticed the change in direction but she didn't ask. She had her head lowered while playing a game on her cell phone.

Leif glanced in her direction from the corner of his eye but he didn't say anything. He was nervously rubbing his thumb and forefinger together with slight anxiety though he did not show it on his face.

When the car stopped Quinn had just made the little man in red fall into the fire pit by mistake. Upset, she fiercely poked at the cell phone screen venting out her anger.

When she raised her head she saw Leif looking at her thus she touched her face while asking, "Is there something on my face? Where is it?" but Leif answered,

"No, let's s go," with the usual unapproachable aura heavy and thick around him.

Quinn didn't dare disobey. As she touched the car door to open it, the door was opened from the outside and to her surprise, it was Leif who opened it. Thinking they had to showcase their fake love to someone she naturally reached over to touch Leif's hand.

When their fingers touched, it was like he was struck by an electric current turning his entire muscles stiff. He had the urge to withdraw his hand. Quinn could feel his discomfort but she gently squeezed his hand letting him know that he should endure it.

Leif tried to relax his mind as he led her to the small garden of the country club he partially owned. It was because of this that he chose to bring her here.

The beautiful garden was filled with bright fairy lights hanging in the trees giving a fairy tale like feeling. Quinn never had a chance to experience beautiful things in her life thus she was more susceptible to lovely things like fireworks, fairy lights, sparkles etc.

She was immediately dazzled to the point that she let go of his hand and walked forward her smile reaching her eyes. Leif brought her to this place because like her mother said she liked this sought of thing. Unlike what Amalie said though, he wasn't here to coax people.

He was here to complete an important task. Making her happy was like a secondary side effect. Well, at least that's what he kept telling himself.

"Why is there a cushion over here?" she asked looking at the velvet cushion with gold tussles all around. At a glance, she could tell it was too expensive to be left out here.

She looked back at Leif and found him spraying sanitiser on the cushion before setting his knee down.

Quinn, "…"

Never never in her entire life whether fake or not had she ever thought a man would do that for her nor did she expect that. If it did happen she just thought it would be like a casual babe do you want to get married she would say maybe, yes sure and they live as happy as they can for however long it would last.

Now seeing Leif, a very powerful figure kneeling before her with a ring box, Quinn was at a loss. She knew it was all for show but she was a little moved. Just a little bit.

"Quinn, from the first day that I saw I knew you were going to be my biggest headache but it's a headache I can tolerate and would like to marry. Will you marry me?" he said and Quinn's eyes widened even further.

What kind of proposal was this? Even if it was for a show at least the word headache shouldn't be in there.

The flash and sounds of a camera shuttering sounded and Quinn knew she had to bring out the actor within her and show a myriad of emotions.

"Oh my gosh… I I I yes of course. I will marry you," she excitedly said but her internal self was making choking gestures before swaying on the ground and her eyes tuning into Xs playing dead.

Leif even tried to put on a very stiff and ugly smile as he slipped the ring on her finger. "Psst, should I cry?" she whispered genuinely asking.

Leif, "…"

How was he supposed to know? Did girls cry when they got proposed to? It was obvious these two were clueless as fuck.

Quinn looked at the sparkling gem in her hand and tried to summon some tears but dang she couldn't cry on cue.

"Pinch your thigh hard if you want to cry," he said and Quinn looked at him with a bewildered expression.