Seducing Mr. Perfect

Chapter One

Rafael slammed his hand a little too hard on the table. He hardly lost control but this was beyond what he could take. He replied coolly to his father,

"I simply refuse to agree to this."

His father glared up at him and responded in a dangerously cooler tone.

"You think you have a say?" he snorted "everything to the last penny will be given to charity if you don’t marry her. Those where his final wishes, WISHES he f*****g made legal.’’

Rafael had almost never heard his father yelling when he was sober. The slight rise in his father’s voice made him tense up, as a kid that meant he or his mother would receive a beating. His abuelo (grandfather) the great Marcus Castell-Salva had just died at the age of 89 and while he hated his father, he had adored the old man. He had been a father to him in every way his father had never been and he was only here because he wanted to honor the old man. Not have his hidden agenda slammed to his face like a boxer losing in the ring.

The lawyer sat a few feet away, quietly watching the exchange. He knew better than to intrude in their discussion. He had handled tougher families but no one came close to the Castell-Salva’s.

"So if I don’t marry this Ms.…" Rafael started, addressing the lawyer

"Isabel sir"

"Thank you James. So everything goes to charity if I don’t marry Isabel right?’’ he needed to be clear, his business mind was already making calculations on all the possible ways to avoid this.

"And the marriage has to last for two years sir"

Two years. Two freaking years. Rafael swore under his breath. He looked at his father. He had gone silent. Too silent for a man who always has words pouring out his mouth. As much as he wanted to gloat that his grandfather had left him 95% of everything, he couldn’t quite celebrate yet since he had the most difficult clause to agree to.

He signed deeply and ran his hand through his hair.

"I guess I’m left with no choice than to marry this Isabel" he announced.

He knew his father expected him to disagree. Not even Carlos would believe he had agreed to this. He was a billionaire and even his great grandchildren wouldn’t need a cent of his grandfather’s money if they decided not to work. He had too much money and he didn't know what to do with it. However he needed to best his father at something. No matter how much he made, his father seemed to make double; as if taunting him.

His grandfather’s empire and his put together would finally help him stop being second fiddle to a man he wasn’t sure he could seat with at a dinner table without wanting to kill him. If he had to inconvenience himself, get married and stay so for two years to achieve this, then he totally would.

Both men were shocked, James even had his mouth open and Rafael’s father clenched and unclenched his jaw in anger. He had expected him to walk away, that way he could manipulate the distribution charity.

"Gentlemen…" Rafael began as he rose from the chair adjusting his suit "I guess we have a wedding to plan."

"Awesome sir, awesome… I’ll arrange a meeting with you two on Monday. I’ll send the details to you."

"I can arrange my own meeting, thank you James. Forward her details to me and I’ll do just that"

James nodded vigorously and gathered his files from the table. There is no reason to be left with the angry Castell-Salva. He gathered them and tailed after Rafael who barely nodded his head in acknowledgement of his fuming father.

***** ****** ************* *************** *************

"An actual wedding with the vows and stuff?" Carlos asked.

They were sitting in Rafael’s office drinking soda, since he couldn’t hold alcohol, he was glad Rafael indulged him. Rafael nodded, sipping from his glass.

"Are you sure about this Rafael?... You've proven yourself enough."

"It doesn't feel enough Carlos. Dios mío, I sat at that table and felt him mocking me with his gaze. I want him to regret ever treating me like that."

Carlos raised his eyebrows in response.

"I know you don't approve of this Carlos but this is my life's mission. I'm not going to let something as trivial as marriage deter me. It's barely two years of my life."

"So let's say you eventually accept this clause, how do you explain it to abuela when you get divorce? All she has ever wanted is for you to be happily married."

"You haven't thought about that yet right, Mi amigo. I'm sure you don't want to hurt her like that" Carlos continued when Rafael remained silent.

"Cruzaremos ese puente cuando lleguemos a él." (we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.) A deflated sign escaped his lips.

"Fine, fine. I'll support you Rafael. I don't want you to say I didn't warn you. If this doesn't work out."

Carlos raised his arm in surrender, but his mind wasn't at rest. He could understand Rafael's obsession with getting back at his Father. He had buried himself so much in work and avoided women like the plague. Whilst he was no virgin, he had never had a girlfriend or even a scandal. The tabloids had labeled him the ‘gay', even though women were dying to just be caught in the same space as he was.

He was probably the only one who knew that Rafael was damaged goods; he hadn’t had the typical perfect home. With an abusive and bad tempered father and a negligent mother, Rafael practically did not exist.

It had taken his father two years to start searching for him after he had left home at 14. The first few years he stayed with his family, he was terrorized by nightmares, and he often slept in the closet. The doctor had to prescribe him sleeping pills so that he could at least get a wink of sleep.

"What's her name?... Your wife I mean."

Rafael crinkled his eyebrows in concentration.

"Isabel… Isabel Gonzalez. She's adopted."

"Adopted?" Carlos snorted

"Yes. Is there something wrong."

"No. None at all… you may realize that it's not such a bad idea after a few months."

"I have plans… plans that do not include been saddled with a wife who probably waits to be woken up to a bath already prepared for her Carlos.’’ Rafael lamented

"I'm going ahead with one focus in mind. I'm not going to let anything distract me."

A few moments of silence went on before Carlos smiled slyly and said "at least the bloggers would have a field day trying to change a 5 year old narrative about you."

Rafael chuckled. "I've been investigating who started this rumor and all roads lead back to you, mio amigo. Te arrepentirás si eres tú (you'll regret it if it's you)

Both men laughed.

Rafael looked at his best friend; he was two inches off his 6 '1, his eyes always gleamed with delight, with a bright smile. He walked with so much grace even though he limped. They had met a few days shy of his tenth birthday and they had been inseparable since then. He couldn’t envisage a time where they were separated from each other for longer than a month. His parents had had to adopt him when he ran away from home; a very tedious process since he still had parents. His abuelo had signed off on it.

"It’s just two years buddy, you blink and it’s over. I promise." Carlos reassured

Rafael was the one to raise his eyebrows "I hope so Carlos. Sinceramente lo espero (I sincerely hope so.