Raymond's countenance darkened "are you calling me old?"
"No! Of course not, why would I do that? I'm just saying she is still inexperienced like the women you use to have" Katherine denied nervously.
"Are you calling me a womanizer?"
"What! Oh no, I'm...I'm.." She stuttered, looking for a better word to pacify him, in as much as she doesn't want to give her niece to him, she still can't afford to offend the devil "sir, please understand. My niece, she is different from other girls."
"Really, how so?" Raymond leaned closer to his desk, his two hands propped under his chin.
Katherine looked around, searching for a way to save her niece from the devil clutches and also to not annoy him and to save her job as well "em, after her parents death, she has been affected in her brain, even though she is twenty four, she is still a child at heart."
Raymond lowered his eyelashes and thought about it "hmm. That's okay, she won't be required to do anything after all. She just needs to stay at home and be Mrs. Baldwin."
"But sir..." Katherine wanted to protest again.
"Name your price McCarthy" Raymond interrupted "you won't be giving her to me for free. I will be renting your niece for a year."
"She is not a property!" Katherine retorted angrily.
Raymond smiled "oh don't worry, no one else apart from the three of us in this room will know, of course, she as well when you tell her, making us four. Her dignity will remain intact."
"But sir" Katherine frowned, he is giving a nice offer, she and Felicity are actually in need of money at the moment but putting Felicity in his care, can she really do that?
"I only need a bride to rent for a year McCarthy, after one year I will return your niece to you with every part in her body intact" Raymond smiled.
Katherine frowned when she understood his hidden meaning, it was also the reason she didn't want to give her to him "can I be given some time to think about this?"
Raymond sighed "of course but I must warn you, I'm a very impatient man, don't keep me waiting."
Katherine nodded and turned to walk away. Raymond looked at Morris and he shook his head at him, he turned to Katherine immediately "I will pay you two million" Katherine froze in her track, what? She wanted to look at him but decided not to be greedy, this is her niece they are talking about after all "five million with a promotion" this time she turned to look at her boss who was calling out money like he was in an auction house.
"What do you think?" Raymond asked when she looked at him.
Katherine bit her lower lip as she contemplated, five million is a huge amount of money and a promotion? She had been dying for a promotion. Will her late brother be angry with her if he finds out she is trying to sell his daughter? Her mind was still calculating in her thoughts when she heard "I will give you one million the day of the wedding, one million six months after the wedding and three million the day the deal ends and of course, you will get your promotion even before the wedding" she looked at her boss who was smiling like he had win her over.
"Think about it McCarthy, what respect and fame will it bring to you among your colleagues when you become my aunt in law? It will be the beginning of power for your family don't you think? And imagine that you are going to will that power for one year" Raymond kept filling her brain with his talks.
"Does it mean after the contract, you will take away my promotion?" Katherine asked doubtfully.
"Of course not, what ever you earn during the period will be solely yours. Your promotion will remain your promotion, nothing will change" he smiled.
Katherine bit her lip as she considered his offer, it's just for a year, Felicity will return back to her unharmed, will she? "You promise not to hurt her?"
"You have my word, it will be written in the contract if that will put you at ease" he agreed.
"She won't lack anything? She has the behavior of crying if she doesn't get what she wants."
"Do you think she will lack anything in my home?" Raymond asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course not" Katherine agreed, she had actually forgotten who she was talking to.
"So what do you say McCarthy?"
Katherine sighed "fine, I accept but in two conditions."
Raymond frowned when he heard the word 'condition' well, what condition can she possibly give him? "Ask away."
"You are to pay me ten million. Two million the day of the fake wedding, three million six months after the wedding and five million the day the contract ends."
Raymond smiled, ah, women with money, well too bad for her and too good for him because if there is one thing he has in excess is money "deal. What's your second condition."
"You must not make her fall in love with you. She is too fragile."
Raymond laughed softly "that is not in my power McCarthy, love is one thing one cannot control. It comes when it wants to, so if your niece falls in love with me, I am not to be blamed. After all, it's not my fault I am born with the charm and looks to make a woman fall in love with me. You should pass that warning to your niece, as for me, I'm not going to fall in love with her, rest assured."
Katherine sighed, he is right though, it won't be his fault if Felicity falls in love with him so she has to tell Felicity not to "then I will tell her. You are to pay me ten million and a promotion."
Raymond smiled, he knew he would get her "deal."
"Fine then. I hope boss will give me some time to get my niece to agree."
Raymond furrowed his brows "get her to agree? Can't you make the decision?"
"No, she has every right to decide for herself. Although your offers are tempting, I still won't force her to agree for my selfish reasons, I don't want to control her."
"Okay then" he sighed "how long do you need?"
"A week."
"Isn't that too long?"
"Not really, I don't want to force her."
"Fine, take your time and yes, it must not exceed seven days and by the way, I will be expecting a positive result."
"But sir, that will depend if she agrees."
"Then make her agree, positive result, nothing more."
Katherine opened her mouth to protest but Raymond waved her off "you can go now, your break is almost over. Go do what you want to do, I won't give you an extra minute."
"Yes sir" she nodded and turned to leave.
"One week McCarthy, seven days" Raymond reminded and she nodded and left the office.
"Well played sir, she is definitely going to agree" Morris praised.
"Of course she will, where is she going to get ten million and a promotion? Even if she worked for five years without resting, she is not going to get such amount" Raymond said in full confidence.
Morris nodded "then we shall await the good news" he smiled and left the office for his own.
Raymond smiled as he watched the closed door, 'don't worry grandpa, I will get you a granddaughter in law soon' he thought.