4: A Man with Ulterior Motives
931 Words
You know what they say—looks can get you far in this world.
The man she had spent weeks trying to meet had not only given her his private contact number after a single encounter, but he also promised to arrange a team for immediate negotiations.
Serena smiled as she tucked Martin’s business card into her purse, silently thanking her parents for blessing her with such a great face. With this contract secured, her end-of-year bonus was bound to be very generous.
---
Astoria Enterprises had an impressive reputation in the industry. With competitive pricing and a strong marketing network, the only thing missing had been a face-to-face meeting. Once that hurdle was cleared, negotiations proceeded smoothly—except for one issue.
Martin kept stalling. He just wouldn’t sign the contract.
It was unclear what exactly he was waiting for.
One evening, he invited Serena out for dinner. She had no interest in going, but since the contract was still in his hands, she had no choice but to put on a smile and accept the invitation.
She wasn’t going alone. Winston from the business department and a few other colleagues were also attending. On the way, Winston reminded her multiple times, “Serena, make sure to toast Martin as much as you can tonight. If we play our cards right, we might finally get him to sign.”
When they arrived at the hotel, Martin’s group was already there—four men, all dressed in sharp suits.
Serena had chosen her outfit carefully for the night—a one-shoulder evening gown.
She still remembered what Adrian had once told her: Her shoulders were her best feature.
Sure enough, when she approached, she caught the unmistakable flicker of appreciation in Martin’s eyes.
The dinner began with little involvement on her part. She played the perfect decoration—smiling, occasionally raising her glass for a toast—while Winston handled most of the discussions. Everything seemed to be going well, except for one issue.
Martin still refused to sign the contract.
Winston shot her a look.
Serena knew it was her turn.
She rose from her seat, picking up a glass of wine as she approached Martin. The tight-fitting skirt hugged her figure perfectly, emphasizing every graceful curve.
“Martin.”
“Miss Serena.”
“I owe you three drinks.” She smiled, her voice laced with just the right amount of charm. “I interrupted your evening the other night at OMNIA, didn’t I? I never properly apologized.”
It was nonsense, of course. That night was long past, but sometimes, small talk was just an excuse to get closer.
And Martin was clearly more than happy to play along.
“Not at all, not at all,” he chuckled. “Miss Serena gave me quite the pleasant surprise that night. I must say, you’re impressive—so young, yet already a department manager. Quite remarkable.”
“I love compliments,” Serena replied playfully. “And I’ll gladly accept those. Come on, let’s drink these three together.”
“Of course, of course.”
Serena took a seat beside him, toasting him glass after glass. “Martin, your drinking ability is impressive.” “Martin, you’re such a generous host.”
Meanwhile, Winston subtly nudged the conversation back to the contract.
Slowly but surely, Martin was getting convinced.
Just as he was about to agree, his secretary suddenly interjected, “A contract of this size shouldn’t be signed so hastily. Some details still need to be clarified. It’s better to be cautious—wouldn’t you agree, Vice President?”
Martin, who had been just moments away from nodding, hesitated.
“Right, right,” he mumbled, already tipsy. “Can’t be careless… it’s a big deal, after all.”
…
Serena nearly lost her patience.
But just as frustration set in, Martin suddenly changed his tone.
“Well, Astoria Enterprises is known for being thorough,” he mused. “If your team really is as reliable as they say, then I suppose… we could sign the contract tonight.”
Serena immediately jumped in, “Exactly! Astoria has a flawless reputation in this industry, and we’ve been nothing but sincere in our offer. Martin, we’ve gone over every detail already. If you trust us, let’s finalize the deal now. After that, we can all relax and enjoy the evening.”
Martin chuckled, his gaze lingering on her with undisguised intent.
“Your sincerity, huh…”
Serena’s fingers tightened slightly around her glass, but she kept her expression composed.
She lifted her drink, smiling. “They say a person’s character is reflected in how they drink. I’ll have three more glasses—how about that?”
Martin’s eyes gleamed with amusement. “Now that’s what I like—Miss Serena, you’re straightforward!”
Three more drinks went down.
Even with her high alcohol tolerance, Serena was starting to feel it.
“Alright then,” Martin finally said, setting down his glass. “The contract is in my hotel room. You can come with me to sign it.”
Serena smiled, though inwardly, she already knew exactly what he meant.
Their entire team had been working on this deal for over a month. Now that he was finally willing to sign, there was no way she was going to let this opportunity slip away.
Walking into the lion’s den?
Serena had been in public relations for three years.
There wasn’t a single situation she hadn’t handled before.
And not once had she ever come out on the losing end.
So, she agreed.
- Writer
