It All Started With A Bet

Chapter 9

Stella POV

"Are you okay? What did your father say that made you this angry?" she tried to calm me down a bit.

"He asked me to marry someone for business collaboration," I told her the words that I was not even willing to believe myself.

"What!! Are you sure that you heard right? Your father loves you so much, he can never do this to you" she shouted from the other end of the phone. She was also unwilling to accept the bitter truth.

"I firstly thought the same but he told me that our engagement is scheduled next week and I can't refuse this. But I don't want to marry a stranger, someone that I don't love. What should I do Ky?" my eyes again welled up with salty water. I could see my sad face in the mirror of my bathroom.

"Who is the candidate that your father selected for you?" she whispered so that I won't be aggregated.

"I don't know!" I grabbed the edges of the sink in the bathroom in anxiety. I was confused as hell. I didn't know what was happening. I just wished that I never heard such disappointing words from my father.

"Talk to your dad, I am sure that he will not force you. He will understand you. Also something must be wrong or he won't take such a desicion in such haste" she tried to console me.

"Meet me for the lunch at our old place, I want to figure out the situation of Aaron," I said and ended the call without listening to another word from her. The bet and the desicion of my father both seemed to be the swords on my head hanging on a thin strand of hair. I was in fear, in anger, in distress and in anxiety. But I knew that this problem had to be solved and solved only by me.

"Everything will be okay! Don't lose faith. You can handle everything" I said to myself and stepped into the hot shower for a morning bath. I hoped that this shower can wake me up totally and provide me the strength for the day.

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I signaled to Kyle as I sat beside the window in the restaurant. Upon seeing me, she took large rushed steps toward me. Placing the purse on the table she sat down in complete silence. Fiddling with her fingers she looked at me with strange expressions. I knew that she wanted to ask about last night but was afraid of my reaction. I laughed at the way she opened it and then closed her mouth before even uttering a word.

"Are you okay?" she inquired in a low voice.

"I am fine, don't worry" I assured her and grabbed the menu to order.

She took a breath of relief and then opened her mouth to speak. But I interrupted her. I called the waiter and ordered our favourite food of burger and fries with coke and then looked back at her.

"No talks about last night. I want to discuss about Aaron. Do you have any plans? What should we do next?" I laid out the problem.

"Just go with the flow. I will find his whereabouts and will arrange your next meeting with him" she said casually as if finding his whereabouts was not a tough thing.

"But I don't think that things can smoothen out with this pace. Time is passing very quickly. Moreover, this engagement thing. If Eva got the whiff of this news then I will lose the bet. My future is at the stake, I can't risk this act anymore." I stated my stand and pulled her attention to the important matter.

"Then what are you planning to do?" she eyed me as if trying to extract the plan from my mind.

"Confront him, I will go and ask him for a collaboration" I declared firmly while leaning back at my seat.

"Don't be a child, Stella. Why do you think that he will agree to your request? He is Aaron Blackford, not your dad who will agree to all requests of yours" she mocked at me and filled her glass with the water on the table.

"Just because I am Stella Blade. The sole heir of the blade enterprise. I don't believe that he would reject the collaboration with me. I can offer him any project that he wants, I can even offer him my shares and in return he will just has to play an act with me. I don't think that he will reject such a good offer. Analysing it from a business point of view, he will see only benefits in my offer" I explained my whole plan to her with proudness and confidence.

She was about to spoke up when the waiter came with our drinks. When she left, kyle begin her train of opinions

"Revealing your identity is extremely dangerous. You are putting all your eggs in one basket. Aren't you afraid that things will go south? And you just had a conflict with your dad, he won't let you use the company's assets. And If Aaron refused then we will have no chance of redemption." I knew that she was worried but this was the best way out. I didn't want to deceive Aaron anymore nor want to have any unusual link with him. I wanted this matter to end soon so that I can get my hands on the land.

"I am afraid too but trust me on this one. I won't let my future be destroyed. Once Aaron agrees, I will handle my father's side. He will give me the companies resources. And as for Aaron, arrange a meeting with him outside the office using my original name. If I am going to disclose my identity then I will meet him in person" I informed her as the waiter put the hot dishes on the table.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked again.

"Yes!" I proclaimed as I took a bite of the hot cheesy burger.

"Stella, I will support you no matter what decision you make. Remember that I am always at your back. If you will ever face any difficulties you can always come and cry on my shoulder. If I can share your happiness with you then I can also share your sorrows with you too." she put her hand on mine to comfort me.

"I know that, Kyle. You are and will always be my best friend" I smiled at her and urged her to eat the food while it's hot.

"Enough with the cheesy talks! I will book an appointment with Aaron's assistant. Tell me when do you want to meet him?" she put a piece of fries in her mouth.

"The sooner, the better" I told her and took a breath of relief as he also agreed with my plan. I was more confident of myself then before.

"Noted, your request will precede soon, please wait till I finish my food!" she joked and change the topic.