Bound To The Seduction

Chapter 40: Business Gathering I

Sarah was about to fall asleep on the couch when a phone rang. She fumbled with the things on top of a table and finally picked up the phone before it stopped ringing.

"Hi Sarah, are you free tomorrow night?"

"Umm... maybe, maybe not. That depends on what you are going to say next."

Henry gave a soft laugh. "It's like this, there is a business gathering tomorrow night, and my assistant applied for maternity leave. Could you attend as my partner?" Henry raised his head and saw Andy, his assistant, entering the office with a cup of coffee in his hands.

Andy, "..."

This was the first time Andy heard about him being on maternity leave. He placed the coffee on Henry's table before glancing at Henry's handsome face which was smiling brightly without any trace of guilt. He sighed, turned around, and left the office.

"Maternity leave?" Sarah drummed her fingers on the table as she thought of something. Henry could have found any other lady within his circle and they would be perfect for that role. Why her? "Let's see, I'm short-tempered, poor, and definitely not a world-class beauty. For an event of such caliber, I think you should reconsider."

"Nope." Henry's smile widened as he toyed with the pen in his hands. "As you've said, you don't fit into any of my previous partners' categories. You can consider it as a change in my palette."

"Heck no!" Sarah banged her hands on the table. "You know damn well I'm not that kind of a person—"

"I'll pay $1000."

"Deal." Are you kidding? That would be enough to cover her rent for the next two months. Sarah changed her attitude faster than a flip of a coin. "When and where handsome?" she said in that flirty voice, "what persona do you want me to adopt? An innocent little lamp, an arrogant young miss, or a feisty boss lady?"

"Whichever you like," Henry said, grinning like a fool. Her voice was sweet and seductive which made Henry rethink his future. Her natural voice was already sweet and gentle, but with her flirting, it became ten times sweeter. "You only need to be there. Don't worry about the rest."

Henry couldn't stop smiling even after Sarah ended the call. He had prepared a few more excuses but didn't expect her to agree that fast. Money is indeed a good thing.

He placed the phone on the table and resumed his usual demeanor when he heard a knock on the door. Henry glanced up and saw Andy walking in with a green file in his hands.

"How come I did not know I had applied for a maternity leave?" Andy asked as he placed the file on the table. "Boss, don't you think you should give me some mental comfort?"

"I don't mind finding an assistant that requires a maternity leave," Henry said indifferently as he skimmed through the file before signing it. "If you are too idle, you can redo the Eastern Manor renovation project plan."

Andy's smile collapsed in an instant. As expected, capitalists who exploit workers are too hateful. A light bulb went off in his head and his eyes lit up. "Boss, someone caught your interest?" he plopped on a chair opposite Henry, beaming. "Which girl requires you to spend so much effort?" it was rare for Henry to listen to Andy's blabber.

Andy continued, "Listen, women need to be coaxed, taken care of, and most of all, women need to feel secure..."

Henry placed his pen on the table and clasped his hands. "Do I need you to tell me all that?"

Andy snapped out of his reverie and dashed out of the room.

***

Tonight's event was organized by the business association committee and at the grandest hotel in the city. This was an informal, but fancy event where the top business elites gathered and interacted with other businessmen casually without an appointment. People could exchange ideas, present their proposals, and even collaborate with various companies if they had what it takes.

The men in expensive suits walked in with their partners in gorgeous outfits that cost a fortune. Most participants consisted of the younger generation, perhaps the sons and daughters, who hoped to take over various companies after their parents retired. This gathering had what they needed the most; networks and connections.

Sarah walked hand in hand with Henry across the neatly arranged red carpet into the bright spacious hall. This majestic and luxurious hall had floors covered with intricate patterns and simple yet elegant marble. The two walls had gorgeous floral wallpaper that could hardly be found on the market. A few crystal clear crystal lamps hung on the snow-white ceiling and the room had mahogany chairs, placed in strategic locations, that emitted an ancient fragrance.

There was a lot of room and most of the guests preferred not to sit down. The main objective of this event was to build meaningful networks, and no one would do that while seated. Men in expensive crisp suits and ladies in the most beautiful dresses full of elegance tried to be on their best behavior.

Sarah scanned the room filled with unfamiliar faces. Cold sweat soaked her back and her knees weakened from all the attention of the people who had the power to affect the economy. She was just a small former corporate employee, who got dragged into a gathering of big shots. Sarah felt like a little lamb parading in front of a pack of wolves, defenseless and clueless. Indeed, earning money was hard.

Even though she was nervous, none of that showed on her face. Henry must have felt her discomfort because he gave a reassuring squeeze. She smiled and took confident steps forward, grateful that Henry was walking beside her.

Brandon was there too. As the only son of the Lee family, and the current heir to the Lee Foundation, he could not afford to miss this gathering. Taking his private life out of the equation, Sarah had to admit that Brandon was indeed a good and capable businessman.

The Lee Foundation has been growing since he took over. He was currently chatting with two middle-aged men—both of them were representatives of the Northern Chamber of Commerce— while sipping a glass of red wine. Those men would nod and laugh from time to time. It seemed they were impressed by whatever he was talking about.

Waiters dressed in black and white uniforms would occasionally walk past, carrying a tray of champagne and other fancy drinks. Sarah was tempted to grab a glass but her sixth sense kicked in at the right moment. She knew this wasn't a place she could afford to find out how her body would react to the Champagne.

Sarah watched the actions of those women in amusement. Thankfully, she did not see Clara and breathed a sigh of relief. Sarah did not know how Clara would react if she saw her here, and she really did not have the strength to deal with her. They hadn't seen each other since the last time at the reunion party. 

"Hello there, Sarah." A familiar voice startled her and she turned around, only to see Clara standing behind her with an elderly woman.

"Oh sh*t," Sarah muttered under her breath. Talk about the devil and she appears. Sarah really wanted to bang ahead on the wall but decided it wasn't worth it. She had a deal with Henry and could not afford to lose the $1,000. She plastered a fake smile that made her cheeks hurt as she extended her hand to Clara for a handshake. "Nice to see you, Clara."

Clara ignored Sarah's outstretched hand and walked past her in Brandon's direction. Curious glances were directed at her and Sarah's stiff smile stiffened even further as she retracted her hand.

Brandon's confident demeanor cracked when a fair arm linked with his own from behind. Clara rudely interrupted them and extended their hand to greet the gentlemen. "Hello gentlemen, I am Clara Grant, Brandon's girlfriend. A pleasure to meet you."

The men present returned the greeting out of courtesy as the situation got awkward.

"Gentlemen, she is a little excited to meet you. Please don't mind her." Brandon tried to diffuse the awkward situation. "We'll be leaving first. Please excuse us," he said with a stiff smile as he led Clara to an isolated corner.

When they were finally alone, his amicable expression disappeared completely. His expression turned frosty as he spoke through grit teeth. "Clara, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Of course, I'm here for the same reason as everyone else," Clara said in a matter-of-fact voice as she admired her ombre-manicured fingernails.