Nine
1517 Words
She blinked weirdly, quirking her eyebrows at me. "What? Why glare so much? Have I said anything wrong?" She walked to the other end of the table, staring at the files on it. "I don't like when things are being done slowly. It makes me wonder if you're even interested in having an heir."
I still couldn't think of the right thing to do to her. Should I just get her arrested or something? Or, should I ask my men to get her killed? Or, should I kill her myself?
"In case—"
"That's enough." I tried to be as calm as possible. I hurried over to her, grabbed her arm, and turned her to look at me. "I'm not getting married to you. I'm rejecting the proposal. Leave now. Leave."
She scorned. "What do you mean? You can't reject it just like that. It's something our families want. I didn't come here on my own will. My parents asked me to bring the contract. They're pressurizing me, and that's what I'm doing to you. Let's do this, and forget it. We just have to get married. We don't have to live like an actual couple or something, okay?"
Even more flustered, I gripped her arm tighter, violently pinning her to the wall. I had never been this mean to any woman, but this was overwhelming. It felt so much like she was threatening me. Where did she come from?
"Hey, leave me." She struggled to let go, but I was surely stronger than her. After all, she wasn't as strong as she denoted. "If I scream, you're gonna be in trouble. Don't make me do that, okay?"
"What's your problem? Why is it so difficult for you to understand that I don't want this marriage?" I began.
As she looked up at me, nothing but irk dashed through those eyes. She seemed a bit scared, but at the same time, she seemed confident. "My parents won't listen to that, neither will you aunt! She came to my place this afternoon, and she made me understand that this is what she wants for you. Just do it, so this pressure will be over. Why is it difficult for you to understand that?"
I gave her an intense stare. I couldn't think properly. "How can you marry someone you don't love? What are you?"
Suddenly, as if those words had knocked some sense into her head, her facial expression turned gloom like a frightened bunny's. She obviously let something go down her throat, and just looked down.
"I'm a broken woman." Her voice was faint and scattered. "I lost the one I loved. He didn't die. He walked away. L-Let's get married. I want him to see me married to the CEO of one of the greatest malls in the state."
Frustrated, I chuckled. More like a snigger. I pulled her jaw up so she'd look at me, and shook my head. "That'd change nothing. And, you think you'd be happy when you get married to me?" My lips curled in a sinister smile. I wanted to see her feel intimidated. "No, dear. That's not a better choice. It's better to not venture into something dangerous. Can promise you that I'll never treat you like a wife. You'll be like one of my maids."
"Rae can take any risks," she retorted. Her gaze became intense, intense as if she was holding a grudge against me. She was so upset. Obviously. "I'm not bothered about my future. Just wanna do it now, and forget the shit."
"Marrying me will be like standing in between the devil and the deep blue sea," I continued to threaten her. It sounded more like a warning. I knew she was too pathetic and innocent to deal with me. She surely didn't know who she was dealing with.
She blinked a couple of times. There were tears in her eyes. "You know what? Your threats won't work for me."
"How'd you feel if I play around with other women?" I leaned closer to her. She flinched for some reason, and shot me a glare. "I can't be committed to a woman I don't love. If you see me with other women, you'll have to accept your fate. Before I fell in love, I loved to taste many women. Before I fell in love, I hardly cared about people's feelings. And, you know why my old attitude will be applied to you? It's because the love I appreciated so much betrayed me. Rae, if you like yourself, don't do this. Tell my aunt you wanna back off."
Again, she looked away. Her nostrils flared, her eyes holding a whole lot of seriousness. "It's not just about them. I wanna do it cause I wanna taste what wealth is like. You can do whatever you want. Won't care if you stay with other women. After all, it's a marriage by compromise."
"You won't be a wife to me," I stated.
"Agreed," she gave me a firm response.
"You'll give me an heir, and that's it."
"Agreed."
"My workers will give you the respect you want, but you'll have no control over them."
"Agreed."
"The whole world will know you as my wife, but you have no right to behave like my wife in private."
"I agree." She looked at me.
"And, lastly…" I cleared my throat. "I won't have to be committed to you. If I wanna be with any woman, accept it that way. Cause, you'll be like a mistress to me. I won't treat you like a slave, but, if I don't give you the respect you deserve, don't question my attitude. Cause, I might just see you like my worker. "
She was silent. She gulped, and nodded. "Agreed."
I smirked wider, raised my hand, and caressed the skin of her cheek with my thumb finger. "This is interesting indeed," I remarked. "You wanna step into a dangerous matrimony? Nice. In that case, you'll be a purchased wife. I'll bless you with money, and you'll be my—"
"I get it," she cut me off. A weak smile plastered on her lips, and she nodded. "The point is to have a good life. When I begin to travel around the world and wear the latest designer clothes, I'd forget about the pain."
I shook my head. She was just like the other women. Riches and wealth were always their priority. How disgusting.
I sighed. "Such desperation. Too bad you're not wise enough to know that you can actually opt out now." I leaned close again, still stroking her cheek with my finger. She had such nice skin. "I wonder how it feels to have a wife. Interesting to know that I won't be obliged to her. This is starting to make sense."
She stared blankly. "Interesting to know that I'd have a husband who can buy anything in the world."
We stared at each other. I was trying to observe her, thinking of what was going on in her mind. However, the loud sound of the door made me flinch, and made me step backwards. I sulked at myself, knowing fully well that whoever had come in, which was probably one of my workers, had seen me close to a woman at work. Who in the world could barge in that way?
Glaring, I turned to look at who it was. Immediately my eyes caught the person, the glare disappeared. I swallowed, my hands involuntarily rolling in a fist. My breath felt heavy, feeling as if debris from a rock were leaping in my lungs.
She was my weakness, and I knew it. No matter how much I tried to control my emotions when I saw her, I always failed in doing that.
As usual, she was beautiful. Her bronze hair was styled in wavy curls, falling above her shoulders. Though she wasn't wearing heavy makeup, her nice look was just intact. The brown, off shoulder, pencil gown hugged her body well enough, outlining the curves I used to enjoy touching. The violent, crinkling sound of her black stiletto shoes against the hard marble floor was proof that she wasn't going to be soft with us tonight. Reaching us, she glanced at me, smirked, and set her gaze at Rae.
Hunching a scoff, she dropped her bag on my table, her arms crossing around her chest. "Is she the one? The side chick?" She stood in front of me.
I was silent.
Rae snorted. She stood beside me, her arms settling on her chest as well. "Um, excuse me? Side chick? Well, sorry you think I'm that. Cause, for you information, I'm his fiancée."
Tanya laughed. A cunning laugh. "Yeah, I guessed right." She stepped closer. She sighed out loud, and held her shoulder up. "Okay, enough of the boring talks. Now that I'm here, pack your stuff, and get outta here. I've arrived. I'm here for my man. Mistresses are not allowed in such a moment."
Rae dropped her jaw. Okay, it was time for me to do something.
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- Writer
