I looked at the most handsome man I had ever seen. I had always heard his name and read about him. I had never seen him in person and the pictures were no doubt badly done. He looked gorgeous. He wore a suit that seemed tight for his slightly huge arms and he had the most symmetric face. My mouth fell open as I looked at him. There stood the business devil in all his glory. I looked at my father and Bill who had panic and fear written all over their faces.
"Why—why is he here?" I asked slightly feeling panicked.
"Your father, Step- father owes me money. 36 million pounds to be exact." Stefan said as he buttoned his suit and looked at file on the desk.
"Well we don't have that kind of money." I said as I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked at my fathers.
"They need more time to pay it all off, it is true. I thought they will be able to pay it. So, I gave them five months. The third months can't be paid. They don't even one third of the annual payment. I believe you will a talk about my offer to them very soon." He said as he was walking towards me.
"W-Wh-Why?" I asked as he approached me as I looked up at him.
He was tall but, I was not very short either. He must be 6 feet but I was 5 feet and 7 inches. With my heels I was 5 feet 10 inches. His intense gaze on me made my chest warm.
"You are part of it." The devil said in low voice as he stood next to me. I couldn't move or think for a few moments. His hot breath fell on my neck and it sent a shiver down my spine and make my breath hitch.
I looked at my fathers shocked.
"See you soon. Gentlemen." The devil said as he walked out. As soon as the door shut Dad and Bill came over and made me sit on the sofa as they sat on the coffee table opposite me.
"What was he talking about?" I asked as I looked between the two of them, "Please tell me he was lying." I said as I feel shiver going down my spine. My heart racing in fear and anticipation that he was playing a cruel joke on me.
"I am sorry Sweetie he was not lying. We do owe him that money." Dad said as he rubbed my knee.
"I will see the contract and everything. I did law and business." I said.
"You can't change anything. We already signed the deal and also what are you going to do?" Caleb asked. He was standing at the window with whiskey in his hand.
"I will find a loophole in the contract. I can do that. Why didn't you ask me? Why do we owe him this money?" I ask.
"We should talk at home." Bill said as he got up.
"Bill?" Dad asked confused.
"It is too late alright. Everyone should know. We can't hide this any longer." Bill said as he gathered the files and put it in his bag.
Dad hung his head low and started packing up as well.
All of us got up and went home. As soon as we entered the living room. Mom and Damon were already sitting there watching the tv.
"Hey. Why are home so late and sad?" Mom asked as she came over and kissed Bill and hugged Dad and me.
"Mom, I think you should sit down." I said.
Mom and Damon looked confused and switched off the tv. Bill and Dad explained everything to Mom and Damon.
"You did what?" Mom asked angry.
Damon had stayed quiet.
"It was our only choice Liz." Caleb said.
"This was not the only choice you had. Plus you are the reason this all happening." Damon said as glared at Caleb.
"Some of that gamble was Bill's." Caleb said.
"Which I do regret. But, it was 50, 000 pounds which were affordable." Bill said as he looked at Mom.
"You sold your company?" Mom asked directing the question to Dad.
"And his assets." I added.
Mom gave Dad a pointed look. He just hung his head low.
"So, is there a way to get out of this debt?" Damon asked as he looked at Bill and Dad.
"There is one way. One where we sell the company." Bill said.
"And the assets." Dad said.
"Or marry off darling niece over there to Black." Caleb said as he looked at me like I was an object. Dad and Bill looked at him angrily.
"What was that?" I ask Caleb as I heard the other part of the deal for the first time.
"The devil is fine giving us more time but, he needs leverage and he wrote a clause that said he can take our houses, cars, jewellery, off shore offices and family members." Caleb said.
"If it is family members why is only she in it?" Damon asked through gritted teeth.
"He wants her hand in marriage or we are homeless and bankrupt." Caleb said.
"Can you just stop?" Bill asked Caleb angrily.
"I will sell all my jewellery." Mom said.
"I'll sell the cars." Damon said.
"We can sell our house and live with Aunt Alice's old house. She left in our care." Mom said as she looked Dad.
"That still won't add up to the 11 million we owe him this month." Caleb said.
"So, our only option is selling the company and assets. We can start up again some other way." Damon said.
"Without a house and the way our company falls I doubt anyone will give us money Damon." Bill said.
"So, what our only option is to give..." Damon didn't finish the sentence.
"Get me married to him." I finally spoke up. I looked at my family who were all giving me sad eyes.
"What if he is some stalker that is why he wants her? I will not allow it?" Damon said.
"Don't you think as fathers that was our first thought as well?" Dad asked.
"I think he had never seen her before. He seemed a little surprised to see her. Or possibly her mediocre beauty that is apparently the high level of standards he has in life with women." Caleb said.
"I swear to God one more word out of your filthy mouth and I will punch you in the face." Damon sneered.
"It is no point in fighting. I will look over the files. I will see to what I can do." I said, "And don't say that you want to help, the three of you. I know you have tried your best but, now with no hope you all have I will see all of this." I said as I picked up all the files and took them to my room. I sat the entire night as I looked through all the files. Damon came over and helped me look through it and brought me coffees.
It was early in the morning and sitting all night in my room was not helping so I decided to go out to a café and read through the files. A change in place might clear my head.
I was sitting and reading it peacefully as I held my head in my hands.
"Can't find a solution?" I heard a man's voice say. I looked up and saw an old man on my right.
"Not really no." I said.
"Mind if I sit?" he asked.
"Sure." I said.
"So, what is your problem?" the man asked.
"I have to sell an important asset to a really good business man looking at his contract or my entire company forcing me in a bad position financially forever. Bankrupt and possibly homeless." I said.
"Well, let's if this asset is really important and can learn from the business man, I think you should give it away. Who knows how he treats the asset could be lesson for you? If he is such a good business man that he got a pretty girl who seems really successful running company like yourself pulling her hair to figure a solution to this problem. You can learn to benefit your company. The asset will also be learning about the great ways in which he runs his business. It will be like sharing ideas. Instead of one man having one idea what if you can have two smart people sharing their ideas with each other they will have two ideas." The man said.
"That is really great advice. Do you have a business card I could get?" I asked with a smile on my face.
"Here." He said as he handed me one.
"Business professor I see." I say with a smile.
"Yes." He said as he nodded his head at me.
"Thank you so much for your help." I said with a smile as an idea struck me. I packed up my bags and left. I walked into my office and began writing up a contract.
"Are you sure this can get you out of the marriage?" Bill asked as we walked into the lobby of the devil's office.
"Yes." I said confidently and walked up to reception area.
"Hi, the Townsend's appointment with Mr. Black." Dad said.
"You can come with me." The devil's bodyguard said.
We followed him. We reached the 35th floor which was the highest that was here.
"David, who are these people?" Another man asked.
"They have a meeting with Mr. Black Cal." The bodyguard said.
"They are not on the meeting list so, they are not invited here." Cal said as he glared at us.
"Why don't you explain to Mr. Black as to why their meeting with the Townsend's didn't happen as scheduled?" The bodyguard asked.
"Fine. Let them through. But, if he gets angry know that he will be killing you first." Cal said as he walked off.
"I doubt that." The bodyguard muttered and walked towards the door.
"Three minutes late." Mr. Black said as he looked at the view outside the window as his back was to us.
"Blame your assistant out there." Dad scoffed.
"So, what is it?" The devil asked without turning.
"A merger instead with the two companies." Bill said.
"Can't happen Ms. Martin. I assume it was your idea. Correct?" he said as he turned around.
"Yes. Look the business can go in two ways. We merge and we continue to use the extended time given to us to pay you back the money. Even after the entire payment we can continue to work together and make profit. Or you take the company." I say.
"I have a question did you ever read the contract regarding leverage?" The devil asked.
"I rather not even breath the air in the room where it is present." I said.
"Well, I think that is really bad. Because you see just before you came here I was surprised to receive this wonderful file this afternoon." The devil said as he walked up to the desk and pick up a file. He walked over and handed it over to my Dad who was standing behind me and next to Bill.
"We never signed this!" Bill said as he looked up at Stefan.
"I wonder whose signature that is then." The devil said.
"What is it?" I asked confused.
"The leverage deal signed and shipped to my office." Stefan said. I snatched the file and looked at the signatures. The three signatures were quite clear. I looked at Caleb who was standing there with a straight face behind Stefan's bodyguard.
"How could you?" I said angrily.
"Your marriage can help the company later on and I made sure of it." Caleb said.
"When did we sign this?" Dad asked Caleb.
"I might have lied when I said the signatures for the fabric manufacturer was needed." Caleb said. Dad tried to lunge at him but, the bodyguard and Bill held him back.
"She is my daughter and you tricked us! You used the fact that we were stressed and tense against us. How could you think of selling her to the devil?" Dad said as he struggled in their grip.
Caleb just stood there. He looked at me and smirked.
"I would like a private word with Mr. Black." I said.
All the men looked at me.
"You..." Bill said with sad eyes.
"I will be fine. Besides you will all be waiting outside." I said. Dad looked at me.
"Really. I will be fine." I said as I nodded my head at him. All the men went away.
"How long?" I asked.
"How long what?" Stefan asked.
"How long have you stalked me? How long do I have to be married to you?" I asked.
"I never stalked you Miss Martin. I had not even heard of you until, three months ago when I was building up the contract. I had not seen you until last night. Besides you be will a business deal I won't even be seeing you that much. You are not my type." He said.
"Lucky me I guess." I said as I scoffed at him. I took a deep breath, "If I do get married to you how long do I have to stay married to you? Because I don't care about you and I don't care what floozies you will fuck because that is something you will definitely do. Or at least have the reputation for." I said.
"Yes. I will do it happily. I became generous and I will give your fathers enough time they need to pay me back. I doubt they will do that with another few months. But, I am most amused by the fact that you researched about me." He said as he crossed his hands across his chest and leaned against the table.
"So, they have a long time like they had asked for before?" I ask.
"Absolutely." He said.
"And if they can't?" I ask.
"I still get their money, the company. Excluding the assets because I will their most precious asset." He said as he advanced toward the front of the table and stood in front of me.
"Can I have your word you will not play anymore games with the contracts?" I ask.
"Yes. If you get married to me." He said.
"I would also like to discuss something about the deal we will make before the wedding." I said.
"Your input is welcome." He said as he walked over to me.
"And for the record I didn't research you. The media and newspapers and the women who cheated on their husbands with you spread enough news to let Earth know and aliens on Mars." I smirked at him.
"My reputation precedes me if aliens have heard of me." He smirked back.
"Do you think they were impressed? How sad. I remember distinctly that they put you under their list of arrogant, self-entitled jerks who trap fathers into selling their daughter to save their company and make sure that she is not homeless along with their son and let you complete your stalking process of this girl like the asshole you are." I smiled at him sweetly. He narrowed his eyes at me for a second before he smiled at me.
"I am on their list are you?" he asked sassily. I scoffed.
"Of course. I am the female power boss bitch who can stand up to the devil with her knees closed and her pussy dry and with the strength to not puke at the sight of you. Self- controlled too. Since you are still standing and breathing and not lying on the floor chocking on your blood. Because she has no interest in you what so ever. Therefore she can stand straight and tall to challenge you in whatever manner and move you make next." I said. The smirked and nodded his head.
"That sounded brave. You can panic later when you have to sign the deal too." Stefan said.
"Well, it is going to a pleasure to business with you Mr. Black you know without the tricks and---" I was cut off with a crashing sound. I furrowed my eyes at him and then looked at the door. I looked back at him and he walked over to the door and opened it. I followed him standing close to him and I saw my father sitting on top of Caleb as he punched him. I looked at the other end and saw a broken table. I saw Bill trying to get Dad off Caleb.
"Dad!" I said and he stopped to look at me. Caleb took his moment and got on top of him as he began punching Dad. I was about to walk into the fight when I felt a tight grip on my wrist pulled me back and Stefan walked in front of me and picked up Caleb and threw him in the direction of his bodyguard.
"You will not a pick a fight in my building." Stefan said as he looked between my Dad and Caleb.
"He tricked us into selling my daughter. I think I have the right to bash his face in." Dad said angrily as he glared at Caleb.
"I am all for violence." Stefan said.
"I am not!" I exclaimed as I glared at Stefan who so easily said that.
"But, I prefer it not in my building." Stefan said as he ignored my comment.
"What are we doing? Are we merging?" Bill asked.
"In holy matrimony yes." I answered sadly.
"But, we can't." Dad said.
"Dad, this is the only way. After you pay all the money it will be all fine. As sad I am to say this but, he is really good when it comes to building contracts and there is no way out of his trap." I said as I looked the devil who was smirking at my compliment, I gave, I guess.
"Are you sure?" Dad asked.
"Yes." I said as I took in a deep breath as I lied to him. I had make sure he knew I was brave.
"Well, I will see you in a few weeks Miss Martin. We can discuss the plans for our wedding then." The devil said with a smirk. I rolled my eyes internally and gave him the most fake smile.
"See you then." I said.
"I will see you in two weeks then." He said.
"Great." I said with no enthusiasm.
"In a month you will be all mine." He whispered. I looked at him shocked but, he smirked and walked back.
"Wait!" I said and stopped as he turned around.
"Can we not pay for the coffee table that Caleb was thrown on my father?" I ask.
"Sure thing wifey." He said with smirk. I rolled my eyes and walked off as I dragged Dad and Bill out of his floor and the building. Wifey made me smile. I had always thought of that as a very sweet endearing thing a husband would call his beloved wife. But, I realised I wasn't exactly being given a really proper choice. A one asked out of love for me and not for business reasons and money.