The Business Proposal

Chapter Five

Footsteps echoed in the hallway and immediately his attention shifted to the door. The strides were purposeful, and Ethan stood in anticipation.

The footsteps barely paused before the door was thrown open and Charles Thorn entered.

He regarded Ethan with suspicious eyes that would have made a lesser man cower in submission. Too bad for Charles Thorn that Ethan wasn't the type of man to be intimidated easily.

"Mr Thorn, thank you for inviting me to spend dinner with you and your family." Ethan raised his glass to the man in front of him. He took a sip of his whiskey and felt it burn down his throat. At least the man has good taste in alcohol, Ethan thought.

"No need for formalities, Ethan, I'm sure you can call me Charles after all in a few short weeks we'll be family. Please make yourself comfortable." Charles gestured to the two chairs with a sickly sweet smile on his face.

Ethan wondered what the man's game was. His sharp mind played through various scenarios as he watched Charles cross the room to a hidden drinks cabinet.

It wasn't long until both men were seated and sipping their drinks in silence. To an outsider they would have looked the image of relaxed, but a true observer would see the stiff way they held themselves. They resembled two vipers coiled ready to strike at one another.

"So I understand you spent your afternoon in the company of my daughter. I hope you found her agreeable." Charles smiled coldly at Ethan and took a sip of his drink.

Ethan wanted to react to the way Charles regarded his daughter. He barely knew Ivy, but he knew enough to know she didn't deserve to be talked about in that tone. He obviously didn't see just what a woman Ivy was.

It caused Ethan to wonder what Ivy's life was like, what her childhood was like, what she wanted for the future. He knew so little about her, but he was determined to find out more.

He made a non-committal gesture and shrugged his shoulders. He would not dignify Charles' question with an answer.

"Yes, I understand she can be difficult but she'll make a good wife. I have no doubt of that. The papers are ready to sign so I expect a proposal soon, Ethan."

Ethan's skin crawled, and he felt a sliver of shame at what he was doing. If he wasn't so desperate he'd never consider it.

"I'm ready to sign the papers whenever you and Ivy are available." Ethan ignored the proposal part. That would at least be between him and Ivy.

"Actually, Ivy has signed her contract. So it will just be you and me signing the other. We may as well get this done before we join the girls for food." Charles got up and left the room swiftly.

Ethan could hear Charles climb the stairs, apparently heading to his office upstairs. He relaxed back into his chair and digested the information. So apparently Ivy was not to be included in this deal.

He wondered whether she even knew about the second contract but surely her father would share the full details with her. He consoled himself with that thought. Not even Charles Thorn would keep the details a secret from his daughter.

Charles scurried back into the room, startling Ethan. The man had been fast, he was impatient for the deal to be officially complete. He passed Ethan the two documents and went to pour himself another drink.

Ethan reviewed the details diligently. The contract between him and Ivy wasn't a lengthy document which he was grateful for. It contained just a few details concerning their marriage in return for a very large investment in Thorn enterprises.

He quickly went to add his signature next to Ivy's but drew back as he looked at the few added caveats that hadn't been in the original document his brother had drafted for him.

"What are these additions?" He inquired, noticing how Charles tensed.

But the old man just shook his head as if the details were unimportant to him. "Just a few additions made by my daughter. Nothing much."

Still, Ethan ran his eyes over the brief paragraphs making sure he wasn't being lied to.

"A month?" He wondered why Ivy wanted to wait a month to marry him. He looked up to see that Charles Thorn looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"My daughter expressed the need to get to know you before your betrothal."

Ethan nodded his head. He didn't feel displeased with that information. Perhaps Ivy was just as intrigued to find out about him as he was her. A month would be enough time to ferret out some of her secrets.

Deciding that he could accept her few minor alterations, he signed his name and turned to the second contract, which was much less personal.

This contract contained details of the takeover of Thorn Enterprises by Carter Holdings. The initial cash injection he provided from the contract with Ivy would keep the business floating until Carter Holdings could buy Charles Thorn's majority shareholding of his company.

He'd been watching the signs that Thorn enterprises was in trouble for months and he knew he would take it. When he'd seen Charles Thorn drowning his sorrows in his favourite bar, he hadn't been able to resist going over to him.

His presence hadn't been particularly wanted since even Charles Thorn knew Ethan had held his business in the palm of his hand. He would have lost everything, and he'd been desperate. Desperate enough to offer his daughter as long as Carter Holdings paid him four times what his shares were then worth. It was a deal Ethan hadn't been able to resist.

He would get what he wanted. Charles Thorn would get more than enough money to live off for the rest of his life. But Ethan couldn't help but wonder what Ivy was getting out of this deal.

Ethan pushed away his discomfort as he bent over to sign the bottom of the contact right next to the scrawling signature of Charles Thorn.

Once the contract was signed Ethan let go of the breath he didn't even realise he was holding. The deal was done but the transfer of money would only take place upon his proposal to Ivy.

The way the company was in trouble he realised he would have to make his move and fast.

He was brought out of his planning by Charles offering him another whiskey. Ethan rose to accept the glass from him, wondering if he had done the right thing.

"A toast. To the future and good business." Charles raised his glass to Ethan and downed the entire contents. He felt it burn down his throat, and it made him feel alive. Things were finally turning the way Charles Thorn wanted them to.

Ethan sipped the drink rather than follow in his host's enthusiastic steps. He always liked to have a clear head when he was around people such as Charles Thorn. The man may have passed his good old days, but he was not a man he could trust.

The clock chimed in the hall.

"Well, we best join the ladies before dinner is served." Charles motioned for the door and then eased himself out of the room. He had an air of a man who had just won the lottery.

Ethan took one last look around the room and drank the rest of his whiskey before placing his empty glass onto the table. His eyes fell again on the picture of his future wife. He hoped they would both get through this intact, but he had a feeling they were only just entering the battle. He would do what he could to protect Ivy from whatever fallout would happen. He owed her that at least.

Smiling to himself, he left the library and followed the sound of voices. He was looking forward to seeing Ivy again, and he did his best to shut up the little voice in his head which made him question why.