When they arrived on his floor, her face is still red and she is still embarrassed about what just happened in the elevator. Colton opens the door of his office and lets her in. He gestures to the chair in front of his wooden table. Looking at him, she realized he was all business now. He took a folder in his cabinet before sitting down on his throne.
"Thank you for the wonderful morning, Ms. Jones." His face is serious but he's eyes are dancing with joy and playfulness. She was sure that he knows how she felt but there he is playing with her. "We have some business to discuss. So, I suggest professionalism at all costs." His tone is irking her. She closes her eyes to stop herself from talking back. She wanted to finish this meeting as fast as they can so she can leave and be at home alone.
"I'm all ears, Mr. Black. Let's start then." She said while looking at him and she noticed how he bites his lip to stop himself from laughing. While she feels irritated by his playfulness, she still can't deny the fact that she also likes this other side of him.
"Here's the contract of our deal. Since it began with your property, I am now giving it back to you, as a token for agreeing to my proposal. I already bought the majority of shares of your friend's family business, but rest assured that I will authorize my partner to handle it. I will also send people to help manage it. The winery business is good but the management isn't. I am planning to expand it," he said while nodding his head "it's a good investment." He continues while looking at her. "Lastly, I know some publishing companies have been sending you proposals. At first, I thought that was a good idea but I realized it will be so much better if you'll have your own publishing company so I bought one, which will be in charge of your books. I named it after you so it's yours. You don't have to look for publishers anymore because you have your own now." her brain couldn't take all the information he was saying. She's speechless. So instead of thinking of words to say, she grabs the paper in front of her and started to look at it. And she couldn't believe her eyes when she read the other details of the contract. She couldn't stop herself from reading it loud.
"She will be entitled to a monthly allowance amounting to ($100,000.00) for her personal expenses. She will have her own car with driver and security personnel." She stops and looks at him. "What are you thinking?" she said "Do you think I will agree to these terms? I don't need your money. I don't even need a car." She looks at the contract again and gasped "You want me to move in with you?" she was shocked by all the information written in the contract.
"Yes." he simply said
"What?" she whispered. "I can't just move in with you, that's dishonorable. We're not even married, for God's sake" She is now pacing back and forth. She couldn't believe she has to endure all this.
"Then let's get married." He said which make her stop pacing. It's clear how this man is very different from her. All her life she was taught that marriage is for people who love each other but for him, it's just a word that has no true meaning. She shakes her head, she can't argue with him, and she respects that people have a different upbringings. But marriage is non-negotiable. "Please be seated and read the contract first." He must notice her hesitation and he was relieved when she took her seat.
"Can I borrow a pen please?" she will take care of the moving-in issue later, for now, she wanted to be clear that she wants nothing from him. "You have to eliminate the monthly allowance and the car, please, I don't need them." She said while striking out those terms. "I only need my property back and my friend's family business. I am not also accepting the publishing company. I am a writer, not a businesswoman." She said while striking out the unwanted terms. She continues to read the contract when suddenly she puts the paper down. She looks at him with confusion written all over her face. "Why do we even need a contract in the first place? I just want everything back to normal, that's it." She asked. She doesn't know why he needs to complicate things like this. All she needs is for him to stop harassing the people around her. Why does he need to complicate everything?
"You have to understand that I also want you to have something out of this agreement. And I want it to be legal so I asked my lawyer to create a contract." He calmly said and she sighs. She scratches her neck.
"You, paying off the property's mortgage loan is already enough for me. Expanding my friend's family business is already a bonus. You don't have to give me money or a car or anything because I don't need it." It's still morning but she's already tired from their steamy encounter up to this moment, she already reached her limit. "Look, can we discuss this some other time again? I don't feel really well now. It feels like my head will explode any minute now." She said with her eyes close. She wanted to be alone to think things over.
"Okay, I understand." He said and he walks closer to her. He took her hand and led her to a door. She thought it was a pantry or a conference room but she was mistaken when she saw a bed inside. "You can take a rest here." He pushes her inside but she shakes her head.
"No, I can just go home. I don't want to bother you here, you have works to do." She was ready to leave when he pulls her inside and puts her on the bed.
"We'll go home together. For now, you rest here and I'll finish my work as fast as I can." He said leaving no room for argument so she just nods her head.
'We'll go home together.' Those words from him keep rewinding in her mind. The thought of going home with someone soothes her heart. She has been living alone for a few years now. She doesn't want to dwell on the fact that at times, she's lonely living all by herself, looking back, she is sad…and lonely. And those simple words, calm her heart and mind.
He's been living all his life working, worrying nothing but his empire. All he cared about were his projects and business ventures. He didn't even care much about his family. As long as he can give them all the things, they want from him, that was already enough. But now that a woman has come into his life, a woman he knew nothing about, he became restless and keeps on worrying about her. He worries that she might run away from him. He worries that he couldn't give her the life that she deserves. He worries that he might just ruin her. He had thought of letting her go because he knew that she was different and rare and that she cared less about material things. But just thinking of her, walking away from him, is already making him fuming with madness. He can't let her go. He can't just let her walk away from him. He wants her. He doesn't know why he was so drawn to her when in fact he had just met her a few weeks ago. He has no idea because he has never felt this way before. Women for him are just a temporary distraction, he never considered them as a significant part of his life. But it's different with Merry and he still can't comprehend why.
He knew that she will not agree to move in with him. But what can he do? All he thinks about is her. Before he goes to bed, he'll imagine her beside him, smiling at him. When he woke up in the morning, he imagines her cooking breakfast for him. And when he goes to work, all he could think of is to get his phone and call her so he could hear her voice. It's as if he was addicted to her. He's even willing to compromise now even if all his life he wasn't a fan of marriage, he will still do it, just so he could be with her. But can he persuade her?
'What are you doing to me sweetheart?' he thought while watching her sleep. It was already 2 o'clock in the afternoon. He intends to wake her so they could have lunch together. But watching her makes him sleepy as well so instead of waking her up he removes his jacket, tie, and shoes and put his body beside the sleeping woman. "I hope you don't freak out when you wake up." He whispers as he fell asleep beside her.