A Deal With The Billionaire

EPISODE TWENTY TWO

Theme: Engaged to the billionaire

CONNECTICUT, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA

CRAWFORD CORPORATION

Raven stood dumbfounded at the man standing in all of his glory in front of her with his eyes as cold as steel. She took two steps backward to create a bit of a distance between them.

Still, she couldn’t decipher his emotions and she waited a few second to check if he might burst into laughter at his expensive joke. But judging by the unrelenting glare on his face, Raven knew he was in no way trying to be funny.

“You… you… you mean… now?” Raven stuttered. She was even more surprised at how dumb she sounded.

“I don’t think you understand how critical this situation is for me. I have to get married to you probably in the next two weeks. So don’t you think you at least deserve to wear a ring?” Christopher stated. It was a matter of fact.

“What? Two weeks?” Raven blurted out again. She stepped aside to look at Benjamin for a way out but instead he glanced down at his cellphone as if he was not in the room.

Christopher lifted his brows and his forehead creased. He wondered why the woman who just seemed so fierce and didn’t fear anything a while ago was panicking right in front of him now.

Perhaps had she forgotten that she already signed a contract and had accepted the terms and conditions? He doubted it. So this shouldn’t come as a surprise to her. He thought.

Christopher hoped that she wasn’t about to back out due to him rushing things. She had just signed the contract few minutes ago and it would be crazy to breach it.

“Your ignorance is beginning to irritate me, Miss McKenna. So are you in or not?” He threatened, trying to sound annoyed but deep down in his heart he prayed fervently that she won’t back out of the deal. He wanted to get the passing of the company over and done and she really seemed like a perfect fit for his plan.

Raven caught a hold of herself. She can’t afford to lose this offer and a great chance of saving her son’s life.

“Oh! Sorry!” She cleared her throat. “I was just taken aback by the urgency. But it is all good.” She said, waving one of her palms in the air.

“Right. This is urgent.” Christopher murmured.

Raven held out her finger towards him. And without being told, Christopher slipped the ring on her finger and it fits in perfectly.

His mind raced back to the night he had proposed to Jessica and she had turned him down. He had spent so much on buying this ring and he got nothing out of it. The thought of it turned his internal walls of emotions and his eyes sparked with anger.

“You should leave now. I will call you. But do note that you would be having dinner with my family soon and I hope for your own interest you would play your part nicely.” He grumbled without looking at her.

Instead, he turned and went back to his seat. He whirled the chair around with his back against the remaining occupants in the office.

“Let me drop you off, Raven.” Benjamin offered.

Raven nodded in agreement before walking out of the office. Benjamin noticed the perplexed look on her expression.

“What hell was all that for man?” Benjamin yelled at his best friend as soon as Raven closed the door behind her.

“What do you mean?” Christopher asked as he turned the chair back to face his friend.

“I can clearly see how you are trying to intimidate her. That’s all so wrong. You both are business partners now in case you are forgetting something.”

“Whose side are you on? Oh please, I really don’t care if you are on her side. Nothing will stop me from believing that she is just like every other woman. And just like Jessica, no woman deserves to be treated right because they are all trash.” He had a spiteful look on his face.

“And that includes your mom and sisters?”

Christopher glared at him. “Don’t piss me off, Benjamin.”

He threw his head back in laughter. “Is that the thank you I get from saving your bloody ass?”

“No. Don’t do that, Ben. I saved your so called long time friend’s bloody ass and she should better be thankful for my generosity.”

Benjamin stared at his friend in disbelief wondering what might have gotten over him. “You know what? This isn’t the right time to banter with you. I have somewhere more important to be and I will deal with your shit later.” And with these words, Benjamin stormed out of the office.

He was very annoyed at how insensitive his best friend had become since the break up with Jessica.

“Jessica! Damn Jessica! That sly! It is always about her!”

Benjamin waved goodbye at the secretary who had told him that Raven already left or she was probably waiting outside for him.

Benjamin sighted Raven waiting impatiently by his car. “I am so sorry, Raven. I didn’t mean to delay you.” He apologized sincerely.

“It is alright. Thank you so much for helping me out, Benjamin.” Raven’s tone was sincere and she embraced him.

“You are welcome. Please feel free to come find me anytime.” Benjamin withdrew from the embrace. “And I am sorry about my best friend’s attitude back there. He is really not like that but things has been really hard on him since he got jilted.”

Raven let out a small smile. “I understand.”

“Let us run through this very fast. I need you to be at the hospital on time.” He said, holding out the car door for Raven to get into it.

Raven got lost in thought again as Benjamin’s car drove off into the street and he brought her back to the restaurant car park.

******************************

THE GOLDEN RESTAURANT

Raven opened the door to get into her car, she inhaled and exhaled deeply for about fifteen seconds. She rubbed her face with her palms for another fifteen seconds, not certain if all she witnessed today was a nightmare or reality.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

How could her life change in just few hours?

Raven rummaged through her bag and brought out the cheque. Fifty thousand dollars was boldly written on it and signed by the man she would soon get married to in few weeks time.

She closed her eyes and reopened it and the cheque was still in her hands. Obviously, she wasn’t dreaming or out of her mind. Trying not to think ill of herself, she reminded her subconscious why she had to do it-her son.

Rowan was too precious for her to lose him. And doing this much to bring her bubbly boy back to life is the least of how far she would go on matters that concerns him.

Without thinking of what the future might hold and how her life was going to be a rollercoaster ride starting from now on, Raven kick started the car and drove off.