"Continue your work," Daniel ordered the staff, who were starting to show interest in their conversation. His commanding tone quickly redirected their attention back to their tasks.
Anastasia and Diya were still stunned, their faces pale with shock. The sudden appearance of Daniel had rendered them speechless. They exchanged looks of disbelief, unable to utter a word, their only reaction was the sound of their deep, startled breaths.
"So… Miss Anastasia, how much do you think a branch manager could offer?" Daniel asked, a smile tugging at his lips. The smile, however, was anything but reassuring to Anastasia and Diya—they couldn't quite figure out its meaning.
"No… I meant…" Anastasia mumbled, scratching her neck awkwardly, struggling to find the right words.
Daniel leaned in, getting uncomfortably close to Anastasia's face, making her instinctively step back. "If you agree to what I told you earlier," he whispered, his tone low, "you can name the amount. Well…" He paused, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "I have quite a lot of savings…"
Anastasia blinked rapidly, trying to process the situation. When reality hit her, she quickly shook her head. "No, Mr. Daniel. We were just joking with each other." She forced a smile, but it was clearly fake as she struggled to cover up the awkwardness she felt.
"I am not, though…" Daniel's eyes locked onto Anastasia's, his gaze unwavering. "Think about it tonight and tell me… tomorrow? Is that enough time for you?"
Anastasia's lips parted, but no words came out. Her mind was still racing, trying to process everything that had just happened. Before she could gather her thoughts, Daniel turned and began to walk away.
"Wait," Anastasia blurted out, unconsciously reaching for his hand to stop him. "I don't need to think about it. There's nothing to think about."
Daniel glanced down at Anastasia's hand gripping his, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Are you sure?" he asked, his tone gentle but firm.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Anastasia quickly said, releasing her hold, embarrassed by her impulsive action.
"Let's meet after work, in…" Daniel checked his watch, "one hour." His eyes scanned the room, noticing the silent yet curious eyes of their coworkers. Although the room was quiet, he could sense that everyone was still sneaking glances at them. "This isn't the best place to discuss this."
Anastasia hesitated, unsure of what to say next. But in the end, she nodded. Her mind raced with a lot of thoughts.
"Where should we meet?" she finally asked, trying to sound casual despite the tension in her voice.
Daniel looked at her for a moment, then responded, "I will message you the place." He paused, noticing her unease. "Don't worry, it's just a conversation. No pressure."
Anastasia gave a tight smile, the heart beat like crazy even though she tried her best to relax. As Daniel walked away, Diya, who was standing still a few steps behind, rushed with her eyes wide with curiosity.
"What just happened? Did you… agree to meet him?" Diya whispered, almost bouncing with excitement.
Anastasia sighed, "I don't know what I agreed to. I just… panicked."
Diya grinned, nudging her friend. "Well, whatever it is, you've got an hour to figure it out!"
Anastasia let out a loud sigh and then slumped back into her chair. Every few seconds, she glanced at the clock. Her heart raced as the seconds ticked by. All she could do now was wait for that message.
=====
'Can we change the meeting to tomorrow?'
That was the message Anastasia received five minutes before she thumbs out from work. Sighing, she didn't know she was glad or frustrated. Part of her was curious, eager to hear what Daniel had to offer. After all, this could be her chance to save Flynn's company. But another part of her screamed that this whole idea was madness. What kind of person even considers such an arrangement?
The messy thoughts made her shake her head. She quickly typed back, "Sure, no problem," and hit send. As she slipped her phone back into her bag, she couldn't stop the uneasy feeling. With one last glance at her phone, Anastasia took a deep breath and headed out of the office, trying to push the whole thing out of her mind, at least for the night.
Meanwhile, Daniel, who had been ready to head to the restaurant where he planned to meet Anastasia, leaned back in his car seat, frustrated. His father had called him urgently, insisting he come home tonight. As much as he wanted to settle things with Anastasia regarding the marriage, he knew that meeting with his parents needed to happen as soon as possible.
"I'm home..." Daniel announced as he entered the house about twenty minutes later, heading straight for the living room. His father, Edward, was sitting there, engrossed in something on his tablet. As for his mother, she was likely in the kitchen as she loved cooking and often prepared dinner herself.
"Sit," Edward said in a low tone, setting aside his tablet. He looked up, watching as Daniel took a seat. "Did you come straight from the office?"
"Hmm..." Daniel responded with a short nod.
"I'm sure you have some idea about what I want to discuss..." Edward continued, his voice steady. "Diana," he called for his wife, then returned his gaze to Daniel. "It's about your marriage." He paused briefly, glancing at his wife as she hurried in from the kitchen. "We need to push it forward, even though you haven't agreed."
Daniel remained quiet, his expression unreadable. He decided to let his father speak first, curious about where this conversation would lead.
"I understand that arranged marriages aren't common these days," Edward continued, his tone serious, "but Flynn's family needs our help urgently. Their company is on the brink of collapse, and this marriage could be the lifeline they need."
Daniel gave a slight nod, still processing his father's words. If it weren't for the fact that Anastasia was the one involved, he knew he would've exploded with anger. Was his father really willing to arrange his marriage just to save a friend's company? The thought gnawed at him, but he kept his emotions in check, waiting to hear more.
"I know this sounds insane." Edward looked down. "No, I didn't help them just because he's a friend." Sensing his son's thoughts, he continued, "Flynn's wife…her first husband, I mean…the one before she married Flynn, a part of his liver…" He smiled faintly. "It's inside here…" He pointed to his chest, where it was supposed to be.
Daniel leaned back in his chair, the weight of the revelation sinking in. "So, this isn't just about business or friendship... is it personal?"
Edward looked at his son with a smile that conveyed both sadness and determination. "Exactly. This marriage, this alliance... it's the least I can do to help the family of the man who gave me a second chance at life."