THE DEAL
1574 Words
CHAPTER TWO: THE DEAL
Bryant’s POV
Bryant paced across his office, sweat glistening on his forehead. His chest tightened with frustration. “What the hell is this? How did we get here?” he barked.
His assistant and the PR team stood frozen, eyes wide. On his desk, his phone kept buzzing with notifications, alerts, and calls. The scandal had exploded. The company’s name was trending for all the wrong reasons.
“Who leaked that damn video?” Bryant demanded. “Who gave it to the blogs?”
No one answered.
The phone buzzed again. Stock notifications. Messages from investors. Withdrawals. The numbers were dropping faster than he could blink.
“Sir,” his assistant began nervously, “the news has gone viral. We’re trying, but every major outlet has picked it up. What we need now is damage control.”
Bryant’s jaw clenched. “Were you able to bring it down?”
“No, sir. Every mirror site already has copies.”
“Damn it!” He slammed his palm on the desk.
His team stood stiff, watching him crumble under pressure. In the chaos, one thought flickered through his mind his wife.
Yulin.
He hadn’t called her since the scandal broke. Maybe she’d understand. But then again, why should he explain himself? She’d only make things worse with her emotions. The company came first. Everything else was secondary.
“Contact my wife,” Bryant ordered. “Tell her to go live. She’ll say I was drugged, say it was all a setup, or I’ll do it myself. Just be with the PR team”.
The assistant hesitated. “Sir… you want her to lie on record?”
Bryant shot him a glare. “You think I care how it looks? My company is collapsing!”
The assistant nodded, speechless. Deep down, everyone in the room knew it; Bryant didn’t care about his wife. It was all about pretence; he only cared about his company.
---
Yulin’s POV
For days, Yulin had been trapped in her private suite, the curtains drawn. The paparazzi hovered like vultures outside, waiting for a glimpse of the fallen “City Princess.”
Everywhere online, her name burned.
She finally gathered the courage to check her socials. Her fingers trembled as she scrolled.
> Cullin Stacy: City Princess in the mud. Men are crazy tho.
Billian Jurly: City Princess my foot. Got cheated on by her man AND her bestie. LMAO.
Each comment stabbed deeper than the last.
“This scumbag,” she whispered bitterly. “And that w***e…”
The betrayal still burned fresh.
Her assistant, Chante, burst into the room, breathing heavily. “Boss! We found something.”
Yulin turned sharply. “What?”
“It’s Kris,” Chante said quietly. “Your husband’s business rival. He’s behind the leak.”
A sarcastic smile curved on Yulin’s lips. “Kris… of course.”
Before she could say more, her phone buzzed. Bryant.
For a split second, she hoped for an apology, for shame, any small thing. Maybe he was calling to explain…
She picked up. “Go straight to whatever you want to say,” she said coldly.
Bryant’s voice came through, sharp and emotionless. “Good. I need you to do a livestream. Say I was drugged by your best friend. My image and the company’s reputation are at stake.”
Yulin froze. No apology. No remorse. Just orders.
The phone slipped from her hand and crashed to the floor. Rage boiled in her chest. For days, she’d waited just to hear that? Did his company mean more than his marriage?
“Boss…” Chante whispered, pity softening her voice.
But Yulin didn’t need pity. She needed revenge.
“Contact Kris,” she said quietly. “Set up a meeting. Now.”
“Madam,” Chante said, hesitating, “what are you planning?”
Yulin didn’t answer. Her silence said it all.
---
The next morning, Yulin stood before her mirror. The reflection staring back at her looked like a stranger dark eye bags, pale skin, but fierce eyes. She hadn’t slept for days.
A message buzzed on her phone:
> Meet me at Kristen Lounge. 10 a.m.
Chante hovered nervously as Yulin dressed in a fitted black suit and tied her hair into a sharp bun. “Boss… is this the right thing to do?”
Yulin paused, gripping her car key. “Right or wrong doesn’t matter anymore,” she said coldly. “All that matters is making him pay.”
Her voice was steady, but her chest was heavy. For a second, her resolve faltered. Is this really the right thing? she thought.
Her heels clicked on the marble floor as she walked out. The morning air was sharp, biting against her skin, mocking her hesitation. She opened the car door, sat behind the wheel, and took a deep breath. Everyone thought she was unbreakable but inside, the mask she wore was suffocating.
She started the engine. The BMW roared to life, carrying her through the bustling streets. No driver. No security. Just her, and her vengeance.
At Kristen Lounge, a polite receptionist greeted her. “Good morning, ma. I’ll take you to the private room.”
The woman’s eyes flicked over Yulin curiously, admiration mixed with pity. The city princess… cheated on and humiliated.
Yulin said nothing and followed silently.
---
Kris’s POV
Kris stood by the window, back turned when he heard the door open.
“Guess who decided to show up,” he said with a mocking laugh. “The City Princess herself.”
Yulin stepped in, expression cold. The sight of him alone made her blood boil.
Who would’ve thought she’d ever sit across from her enemy?
Back when she was still hungry, desperate, and unknown, Kris had been the man who destroyed her dreams. He stood in her way at Lumina Models, laughed at her confidence, called her “too arrogant,” and whispered to casting directors that she was “difficult.” Every lost campaign, every closed door, every humiliation she endured had its fingerprints on it.
“You haven’t changed,” Yulin said coldly. “Still as lousy as ever.”
Kris chuckled, eyes gleaming. “ Tell me, how does it feel that your husband cheated on you with your best friend?”
For the first time, Yulin had no words. His words hit like acid but she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her break.
“Let’s get straight to business,” she said, cutting him off. “I’m not here for your childish talks. I want revenge. I want Bryant humiliated. I want his company to crumble.”
Kris’s smirk widened. “Interesting. Because that’s exactly what I want too.” He leaned back, voice lazy but sharp. “But there’s one condition.”
Yulin’s eyes narrowed. “What condition?”
“We get married,” he said.
Yulin blinked, stunned. “What the hell did you just say?”
Kris shrugged. “Relax. It’s simple. You want to rebuild your reputation, I want to clear my name. The world thinks I’m gay, thanks to Bryant’s little rumor. A fake marriage fixes both our problems.”
“Fake or not, I’d rather die,” Yulin spat.
“Oh, cut the crap,” Kris said dryly. “You need this more than I do. Or do you want to keep being the pitiful wife everyone mocks?”
Her fists clenched. He was insufferable, but he wasn’t wrong.
She glared at him. “We both want the same thing: to destroy Bryant. But don’t you dare think I don’t know your real motive. You want to use me to clean up your scandal.”
Kris didn’t deny it. He only smirked. “You’re smart. That’s exactly what I want. So, what’s it going to be?”
Yulin’s mind raced. Revenge or pride?
Finally, she said, “Fine. But on my own terms.”
Kris raised a brow. “Go on.”
“A year” she said firmly. “We’ll stay married for one year. When both scandals die down and Bryant is finished, we go our separate ways.
“Fine,” he said. “But we’ll live together. Otherwise, no one will believe it.”
“What? Live together?” Yulin nearly shouted. “No way!”
“Then good luck convincing the world,” he said smugly.
She took a deep breath. One year, she repeated silently. Just one year.
“Fine,” she said finally. “But you won’t touch me. We’ll have separate rooms.”
Kris rolled his eyes. “Who wants to touch you? I have better things to do.”
Her eyes flared. “Jerk.”
He smirked and pulled a contract from his briefcase. “Sign this.”
Yulin looked at the papers and then at him. Without hesitation, she took the pen and signed.
Kris’s grin deepened. “You didn’t even hesitate. Desperate, as always.”
Yulin met his gaze, fury burning in her eyes. “Cut the crap. Between the two of us, who’s more desperate? You already had the contract ready.”
He bit back a retort, trying to stay composed.
“Fine,” she said, standing. “Keep this between us. I’ll handle the divorce first before we announce anything.”
Kris tilted his head, amused. “And then what?”
Yulin smirked coldly. “Then I have a plan.”
- Writer
