The Billionaire's Secret Contract

chapter 3

Golden light streamed into the huge windows of the living room of Carter house. Emily had caught sight of such wonders masquerading as houses countless times before, but never so isolated from the world. Memories of last night haunted her; they gnawed at her in her head like a sour leitmotiv. It had been disconcerting enough to be receiving an introduction to Adrian's life, but to be receiving one to hers was the most disconcerting aspect of it all. There was something in Emily that there was something in Emily's goofy side just couldn't manage to get worked up, a notion that this woman had secrets that would complicate the already delicate part into which she had acted herself further.

Getting an idea, Emily already made up her mind to remain present. She had invited Adrian to meet up with her in order to haggle about sealing the wedding contract, and even included writing down the Blackwood Corporation details. Preparing for it tensed her, though, then she was excited too. She'd know her husband whom she had married and the empire which he had built on a day like today.

Walking still further along the way to Blackwood Corporation headquarters, Emily could not help but be impressed with the grandiosity of the complex. Steel and glass, this was a showcase building to present for strength and power that the Blackwoods symbolized. Entering the antiseptic high-tech lobby, she walked directly into the vision of flawlessly coiffed professionals on the hunt. The massive woman was loaded with the aroma of high stakes with the aroma of efficiency beyond her purview.

Directly across from him was Adrian's in-house full time attorney, Henry Caldwell. "Good afternoon, Miss Carter. Mr Blackwood awaits," he bowed his head politely. He did not glance up at the elaborate and multitudinous employees of the complex with furtive looks, as each succeeding floor was more colorful than the one before it, until their step came to a halt before one of the executive floor doors.

They entered after having pushed the door open and ending up in Adrian's office which appears to put Emily's heart racing. What they were leaving behind was a huge, gigantic, empty office with glass divisions from floor to ceiling with city view. Behind his massive mahogany desk stood Adrian in his office exuding power and authority. They notice how their eyes intersect stubbornly and intensely after Adrian had raised his face from his bed of papers.

"Come on in, Emily," he told her; he smiled sheepishly. He motioned her over to one of the comfortable chairs in front of his desk. "I thought it would be a bonus for you to take a look at where I spend most of my time. It's gotta mean something that you get to see what work I have and what the requirements are."

Emily observed as he sat. Adrian's office was much like him, practical, forceful, and tastefully decorated. He leaned back in his chair, never once breaking his stare from hers the whole time, as if he were actually measuring her up for this glimpse into his life.

"Blackwood Corporation is not a company; it's an empire," Adrian began, his voice unflinching and commanding. "We have our fingers in many pies, tech, property, finance. My dad built this company from the ground up, and now it's my time to continue his dream."

Emily smiled; yes, believing what he said was believing. No one could dispute that Adrian was talented and ambitious. He spoke so believably that there was no way to argue. Due to his work ethic and commitment, the words well fit a committed, maybe larger-than-life character, of a man committed to his family's tradition.

"I thought he bored your ears talking about running a conglomerate of this size, the negotiation, all the strategic partnerships one must make and general vigilance to stay competitive in a competitive market," continued Adrian. He detailed things of public opinion were simply required when business was being conducted; this merger would help them with both sides of that and give them individual satisfaction. This, while maybe personal, was business in service to a higher good.

Astonished and stunned, yet simultaneously fascinated, Emily admired Adrian's world as a show world of power and stakes. It was a world where what came out did not get translated into millions but into material domino effect. Being in his company was intimidating: an adamant confident will and a head-reeling combination of confidence. He was not seeming to be a puppet on the throne but a man in the middle who quite possibly could do something.

No sooner had Adrian started to map out their own public personas when the office door burst open and Robert Blackwood walked in, Victoria Ashford behind him. He was a giant of a man, a towering figure of menace, and he smiled at Emily with eyes that measured her up and nodded in approval.

"Oh, Miss Carter, a pleasure at last to meet you," Robert bellowed in, smile-large. "Adrian, hope you're getting her caught up?"

Adrian rose to his feet, deference-faced. "Yes, Father. I was simply going over our need to maintain our public relations and Emily's strategic participation."

Victoria smiled, looking at Emily and Adrian with interest. "Yes, that is so very interesting," she cut in with her silken voice, "how one small consensus could mold so dramatically the destiny of this company.".

Emily winced at Victoria's tone. There was a knife-edged sensitivity to what she said, something that made Emily think Victoria spoke not of business propriety. Adrian's face went rigid, a small tightening of his posture as he stood staring at his father.

Adrian growled more harshly, "Emily knows her place and needs. We are all involved. Sir if you would be so kind, we have other things to attend to."

Robert easily agreed, though Victoria did not waver in her smile, her eyes not yet willing to let go of Adrian. "Yes of course, man. We shall trouble you no more. Victoria what do you say?"

As they left the office together, Victoria's exit line to Emily had been one of those nice closing teasers which would stay in the reader's mind as a come-on question sometime if ever, really, this was a question. The door closed, and Adrian sat again, a mystery suspended in mid-air.

"Don't let them frighten you," he said less of his earlier bite, his tone softer, nigh tranquil. "My father needs force, and Victoria. she's just another move on the board."

Evidently, life was taut inside Blackwood's home, and Victoria saw undertows beyond Emily's world that left her ready to respond in an inverted universe but mindful that it was taking her into a field of treachery and deception.

Along the way, Adrian had shown her the reality of their marriage: the forays into society, oblivion and glory to spill their way. Truth fell into place step by step for Emily, the part which required more than docility but even aptitude and resource.

When they had finished, Emily was seething and strangely revitalized. Adrian's world was sweeping in scope, but there was one aspect to his work that did something in her make her shiver. Standing to depart, he escorted her to the door, then stood waiting to open it.

"I understand this is hard for you," he said softly. "But we do it as a team. Whatever the decision, we weather the storm together as a team."

Emily looked up at him and was surprised by the gravity with which his eyes opened themselves. For a moment, briefly, she saw another Adrian lurking beneath the facade of the flying businessman, another Adrian aware of what it was that was being risked. And if anything, that was a snapshot, but even then, it had sown in her the first real glimmer of hope that in this business proposal, there was more than a kernel of sincerity of understanding.

Walking towards the elevator and leaving as she was, Emily was beset by the restlessness that all that had happened all day long was only a dress rehearsal for something bigger. She was wondering if it was even possible to dishonor the authority that radiated from Adrian, or ever take away from the domination that he radiated. Behind the wafer-thin facade was a possibility of vulnerability and a multilayered combination that fascinated her.

The elevator doors close, and as it makes its way down to the lobby, Emily's heart is filled with a spasm of fear and excitement. The autocratic powers that were riding her hard were all within grasp; but she was ready to steamroll her way through over it all, unflappable. She has no idea that the real tests were yet to be endured, which revealed the true natures of the yet-to-emerge people, barefaced to their very faces.

The elevator bell creaked open on the lobby level. Emily stepped out and into the lobby, where Victoria was standing by the door, not at all modestly concealing her face. "Already going?" she asked with a face of curiosity. "I had thought we could have a little talk."

The very manner in which Victoria sized her up gave Emily's heart a jolt, a calculating gaze, nearly predatory. It was an impression thick with a gravid unspoken mood and unspoken burdens; briefly, Emily knew it was not going to be one of those simple, uncomplicated talks.