Marriage by Business (Darius POV)

Eight

"You both go, I'll join after I come back. I need to email something,"  it wasn't just any email, it was a billion dollar email.

"It's fine I'll come," Ivory commented. I looked at her, her shoes were already off and she was holding the flippers. Besides she spent a solid one hour, thirty minutes and twelve seconds looking at boats.

This by far was the safest option and had the best reviews. "No stay, I'll be back in half an hour" I grabbed my jacket as the boat reached the shoreline.

Ivory said something but when I turned around she was facing the other kid, maybe it was to him. 

Leaving her behind i rushed to the car, dialling Jesse.

"Hello Jesse sp-,"

"Speak. now."

"Oh Darius, hey. Um well, the attachment in the email isn't good. They have a super strong case and it seems like they're going to win."

"They're lying. You need to prove that their tender is on false calculations. There is no way I'm going to let him win this contract."

"Darius. I completely hear you, and I agree. There is no way that the numbers they admit would be correct. They're just lowering their costs so they win the tender, but how are we going to prove that. We have no idea what's in their tender, let alone what they quoted."

"Easy, let's break in and get the tender."

Jesse started laughing.

"I'm not joking." I clarified. 

"Isn't that um illegal Darius?"

Maybe. But what they were doing was worse, quoting a lower price so they win and the government gives them money and suddenly they can't finish the job and need more funding, and they'll pocket the difference. 

I hopped into the car, grabbing the laptop and setting it up. "Can you still hear me?" I asked.

"You're sort of breaking up."

I started the engine, driving up the parking lot to where there were less trees, "Yep you're better now."

I stopped the engine, "Alright, let's crunch the numbers, you are positive our team came up with the safest alternative at the cheapest price?"

"Yes sir."

Our tender application had to be the best option. It wasn't the cheapest as the others were forging their numbers, but it was the safest. We would make a loss during construction but after five years we were going to see a huge return in the Aluminium industry, the prices would sky rocket. 

Sometimes you needed to wait for good things.

"Well let's revisit the numbers."

"Do you have time?" Jesse asked.

"Of course I have time."

"Didn't you ask me to book a cruise for you today? What time is that?"

"That's alright Ivory has gone. Open up the file and share your screen with me. I don't have the database with me."

"Wait."Jesse said, "You let her go by herself?"

"Yes," I shrugged even though he can't see me, "Darius you can't let her go by herself on a cruise all by herself."

"Why not?"

Jesse groaned from the other side, "You can't just trust people."

"I'm sure she'll be fine, he's a teenager. Let alone if something does happen we'll just shut the place it's fine.  I can practically see the boat." which wasn't a lie, i could see the white vehicle in the water in the distance, it seemed to have stopped, so they must be snorkelling. 

"Have you spent any time alone with her?"

"Are we doing the tender or not?"

"I think what you need is some tips on tender loving care boss. You can't just leave your wife alone on your honeymoon."

"Jesse."

"Right, tender. Got it." I watched as he pulled up the files on the shared screen.

Why can't I leave my wife alone on the honeymoon to do something she wanted, isn't that better than making her sit at home while I had to do this. Besides I clearly told our parents to wait another few months before planning anything as I had this deal to go through, but they insisted on not doing that, so again that was their fault.

"So what do you think?"

"Can you repeat that Jesse?" I said trying to refocus on the files. 

* * * 

Things weren't going well. 

Ivory looked angry about the whole boat cruise and I wasn't sure why. Was it because her clothes got wet? Was it her favourite outfit maybe? I'll tell Marge to order a new set.

She was picking at her food and had her head down muttering something.

Things were going horribly wrong.

Why doesn't she communicate? 

She looked up 

"Seriously?"

I paused mid bite, "What?" did i have food on me. I hesitantly touched my cheek, nope.

"You're just going to let them walk off?"

I looked behind her at a table of guys laughing at something. Next to them was a waiter looking annoyed

"Of course they didn't say anything to me,"  why should we start an issue, who knows what was happening between them. 

I looked at the guys as they chucked some money at the waiter. I guess that was a bit rude.

"Well punch them of something."

"So you want me to bash them up?" I asked. That was a weird response. I shook my head, well she did jump to dramatic conclusions.

"You will?"

There was excitement in her voice and that worried me, did I marry a little firecracker that starts fights?

"I don't know how to fight," I shrugged.

And there she was, frowning again.

She was too complicated