Chapter4:MarryMe
1638 Words
ARES
“You can’t do that!”
“Watch me.” He snorted as he crossed his legs in the boardroom. We were the only ones present as the other board members had left. He was having a field day frustrating me.
“Dante…”
“It’s what father would have wanted.” He continued and I rolled my eyes.
“Don’t bullshit me. You’re only doing this to spite me. You’re doing this intentionally. You said I had to get married to get my share of the inheritance—“
“And you stubbornly declined it!” He shot back immediately.
“Because I wouldn’t bend to your will to get what is rightfully mine. Now, this is business and you're trying to sabotage that too, why? Just to prove what?” Dante clicked his tongue and got up, adjusting his tie.
“I am done with this conversation. If you really want this contract, then you know what to do.” He started to walk out.
“Dante, you know you can’t play me. I know too damn much. Don’t push me.”
He turned sharply to me, a frown marring his face.
“Is that a threat, Ares?” He began to laugh hysterically, “You wouldn’t be stupid to rat me out because if I go down, we all go down. We’ve all gotten our hands dirty.” He adjusted his suit and walked out, leaving me alone.
I hit the table aggressively making the coffee cup rattle and the bottle of water fall over.
I seethed in anger and frustration.
Dante is my brother but he has never liked me, not when we were kids, not even now. He always acted like we were in a competition, which is crazy given that he’s way older.
My phone beeped and I grabbed it.
“This better be worth it,” I answered the person on the other line.
“We found her.”
“Text me the details.”
“Okay, Sir,” I hung up.
I had given Stone, my security and most trusted personnel, a job to find the woman who had been in my bed two weeks ago. Stone has worked for the Ravellis for as long as I can remember. His father had worked with my father and Stone took over when he was older.
It’s been two weeks since I woke up to an empty bed and a heavy heart. I just want to know who she is.
I wanted to know who dropped a flimsy amount on my table and for what reason. Didn't she know who I was? Finally, Stone has something. I was already contemplating firing his incompetent ass.
He sent me a file and the address of what seemed to be a studio. What the hell is this? I read the rest of the text.
“It’s a pilates studio. She seems to have a routine. She frequents the studio at six, and at nine, she has coffee at the cafe opposite the studio.”
He filled me in but I was still stuck on the contents of the file. What? How could it be?
“Stone?”
“Yes sir?”
“Is this accurate? Was she supposed to marry my nephew?” I asked, still not quite comprehending it.
He cleared his throat.
“Stone?” I repeated.
“Yes Sir. The wedding was called off because Julian was caught with another woman in his room.”
“Okay.” I hung up.
WHAT THE HELL?
I hadn’t gone to the wedding because I had been on a business trip and I am only just returning. Besides that, I try to stay away from my family as much as I can because I can’t stand them.
But Julian? I was not surprised because he’s always been a spoiled child with no sense of responsibility.
The next day, my curiosity led me to the cafe at seven. I waited for the woman from the club to show up. At ten-thirty, I was irritated and getting ready to leave.
As I got up, I quickly typed a reply to my assistant reminding me about my meeting scheduled in the evening, which I would have to fly to. I didn’t see her until she yelped, spilling hot coffee on me.
“I’m so sorry,”
“What the f**k? Are your eyes behind your head?” I yelled, still brushing the spill off my suit.
“What? You should be apologizing for not looking also.” She said and I looked at the person who had such nerves. My eyes bulged for a second and my lips twitched, moving to the side.
It was her—the girl from that night.
She squinted, probably trying to recall. It was no wonder that she didn’t recognise me because she had been drunk as hell that night.
After she threw up on me mid-makeout, I cleaned her up, let her sleep it off and then I escaped into the bathroom for a cold shower to ease the ache of my arousal. I wondered if she could recall the events from that night.
“Hello to you too,” I said instead.
“Well, it looks like the universe is in my favor.” She mused, a sly smile on her lips and I raised my brow in confusion. My eyes roamed over her body clad in yoga pants and a light jacket over a matching sports bra. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail that highlighted her features, making her more beautiful and sober than she was that night.
“Well, I guess I have to get you another cup of coffee.” I broke the silence and she started to say something but swallowed the words. We ordered two cups and sat beside the window, giving us a peek into the bustling world outside.
We sat opposite each other, saying nothing. Her eyes roamed over my body in a way that made blood rush to my groin. I couldn’t stop thinking about that night. Although we didn’t go far, the chemistry was undeniable.
“So, what are you doing here?” She finally asked.
“Getting coffee?”
“Right.” Almost like she didn’t believe.
A lady walked towards us and stopped by our table.
“Viv?” We both looked up to see who was at our table. I watched as my date’s skin went pale.
“It’s Vivienne to you.” She spat out venomously. The lady chuckled, rubbing her belly.
“Oh, I thought we would be friends by now. We sent a wedding invite to your house, did you get it? Of course, you did. We apologise for rushing things, it just so happens that I’m pregnant. We’re expecting a healthy baby boy, a child who will be the heir to this beautiful empire. You should send flowers soon.” She rubbed her belly and stared dreamily. I watched as Vivienne’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
“I’ll get going. We were supposed to be baby shopping but I was craving a latte and bagels. Take care, honey,” She blew her a kiss and walked away.
“Who the hell was that?” I asked and Vivienne wiped the tears that fell away furiously.
“It’s nobody. It’s a long story. My fiancé cheated on me on our wedding day and after it was called off, they’re planning for a child and a wedding. I can’t believe this. After everything? I just want to get my revenge. I wish I knew how. I’m just tired of the humiliation he’s caused me. I want him to feel some of my pain.”
“So, what will you do?” I asked curiously.
“Marry me.” She blurted out.
“What?” My eyebrows shot up.
“You heard me. Marry me. I know you need a wife to secure your inheritance and I need a powerful husband to take revenge on my cheating ex.” A deep frown furrowed my brows.
“What the f**k do you mean and where did you get that information?” I asked, as the anger grew.
“You’re quite famous. All the blogs keep talking about you so I did my homework. Desperate times call for desperate measures. We could achieve so much together. Think about it.” She peered at me as she sipped her coffee.
“You clearly came prepared. But aren’t you forgetting something?” I smirked and she shifted slightly. Her lips were in a tight line and she was avoiding my eyes. She knew what I was talking about.
“Forgetting what?”
“My nephew?” She blanched, color draining from her skin. She really thought she was the only one who could conduct research. It was part of the file Stone had sent. She was Julian’s bride—the one he had fumbled in his Julian way.
“It doesn’t matter who it is as long as it gets the job done. Listen, your brother is holding this over your head but—“
“You’ve said enough. I have a meeting to attend.” I got up and dusted my suit. I reached for a couple of dollar bills in my pocket and dropped them on the table before walking out, leaving her stunned.
I actually did need a wife. My brother, Dante, was getting on my last nerves and he was playing with me. But if I marry her, half of my problems will be solved. Not only will I finally get my inheritance but I will also get my revenge on my brother and his spoiled son.
I sent another text to my assistant, instructing her to cancel my flight and other appointments.
- Writer
