"Good afternoon, sir," Charlotte said calmly despite her inner turmoil. She felt a surge of mortification, wishing she could sink into the floor. Her lips trembled as she met with Sebastian's gaze, noticing his unmistakable smirk.
"Pretty Rose?" he called Taylor.
"Yes, sir?" Taylor immediately looked up, darting her eyes between them.
"Leave us, please," Sebastian instructed, his gaze still glued on Charlotte and Taylor nodded and quietly left the room, leaving the two alone.
The office immediately fell silent as Taylor left.
"I told you we'd meet again soon, didn't I, Orchid?" Sebastian started, his voice cuttinv through the silence, as he gazed at her while he toyed with her wallet on the table,
Charlotte felt rooted to the spot, her desire for the contract to be hers suddenly was overshadowed by her willingness to leave. Now, she wanted nothing more than to take her wallet and leave the room.
"Come, have a seat." Sebastian beckoned her closer with a casual gesture, as he pointed at the chair across from him.
As Charlotte approached the chair, she stammered, "I-I didn't know you were the Vice—"
But Sebastian cut her off, his lips curling into a sly smile. "Now that you do, will you give me your contact info?" He knew he now held the upper hand.
Charlotte traced her gaze on the chair before shifting it to Sebastian and her eyes met with his with fierce seriousness. "Only for business reasons," she clarified firmly. "I came here for one thing: to get my wallet. That's all I intend to leave with."
Sebastian's sly smile immediately faded, and he adjusted himself in his seat, clearing his throat. "Alright, why don't we discuss business then?" He motioned for Charlotte to sit, his tone slightly shaken.
Eyeing him closely, she sighed deeply and sat down reluctantly.
"I heard about the mistake my company made considering the proposal and..." Sebastian started speaking but soon his words trailed off from her ears, as her thoughts drifted back to the possibility of getting the contract. After some seconds, she snapped back to attention, realizing she hadn't been listening.
"So, do you agree?" she watched him asked with an expectant gaze, with his hands clasped together.
"Huh?" She paused, tilting her head slightly to the side as her brows knitted, confused to what he was talking about.
"Hmph..." Sebastian chuckled, his tongue darting out to caress his lower lip, "Perfect," he murmured, seemingly to himself. His gaze seemed to gleam with satisfaction, as if he'd discovered exactly what he was looking for. "She's the type who loses her train of thought mid-conversation... just what I need."
Charlotte began to apologize, her words spiling out in a flustered tone, "I'm sorry, I trailed off, you..." But Sebastian cut her off, his voice suddenly taking a serious and direct tone."I'll secure that contract for your company, if you agree to a 100-day dating arrangement with me."
Charlotte's face lit up with excitement at the words "Secure that contract for your company", but it was swiftly replaced by a look of stunned disbelief as the rest of Sebastian's proposal sank in.
"What?" she blurted out.
******
CB EVENTS LTD
Natalie's hands danced in the air as she asked, "So, what was your answer?" She asked in utmost curiousity. Charlotte had just narrated her ordeal with the flirty Vice President.
As Natalie asked, Rachel leaned against her desk, crossing her arms with a neutral expression, while waiting for Charlotte's response.
Charlotte, however, seemed lost in a daze. She sank into her desk, her face pale and her eyes still wide with confusion and astonishment.
"So the president asked you out on a 100 days date in exchange for the contract to be given to us?" Natalie continued, not quite believing Charlotte's story.
Charlotte's hands rose to her temples, her fingers massaging away the confusion. "It's not the president," she said, her voice shaking. "It's his brother."
Natalie's eyebrows shot up in disbelief. "He has a brother?"
She strolled over to the table, her eyes scanning the surface before landing on a magazine. The Elite Group's logo gleamed on the cover, and Natalie's fingers walked the pages until she found the one she wanted. A photo of a handsome man named Daniel Grande, smiled up at her.
Natalie placed the magazine in front of Charlotte, her finger tapping the image. "This guy? This isn't the one who asked you out?"
Charlotte's hands dropped, her eyes rolling slightly as she pushed the magazine away. "I told you, it's his brother."
"Wait." Natalie's eyes glazed over, her mind thinking. Then, her face lit up with a sudden realization. "Hold on... The Playboy!" she exclaimed, her hands grasping Charlotte's shoulders.
Charlotte smiled faintly, almost hesitant. "It appears so."
Rachel, who had been quiet until now, spoke up, "So, what was your answer?"
Charlotte darted her eyes between Natalie and Rachel, uncertainty pasted on her face. "Um, I didn't accept as..."
But before she could finish, Rachel cut in, her tone rising sharply. "No, you didn't, Charlotte."
The sudden intensity in Rachel's voice took both Natalie and Charlotte aback. They exchanged a surprised glance, their brows furrowed in unison as they turned back to Rachel.
"What's wrong, Charlie?" Rachel continued, her words dropping in a rush of anger. "Afraid of his playboy reputation? Newsflash: this isn't the most reckless decision you've ever made. Remember that massive loan you signed off on for your boyfriend? The one who left you high and dry?"
Natalie's face flashed with shock, her voice ringing out in protest. "Rachel, that's crossing a line!"
"Oh, of course, Natalie, always the voice of reason. But let's be real, you're thinking the same thing I am. Charlie's mistake has put us in this predicament, so she needs to own up to it and fix it, no matter the cost." Rachel countered.
Natalie's eyes met Charlotte's, who stared at the floor with a slumped shoulder. "I'm sorry, Charlie," she sighed.
"I'm sorry too, Charlie," Rachel's hands shot up to her hips, her eyes flashing with anger. "But my mom's hospital bills are piling up, and I don't know how to pay for her surgery." She continued,pointing at Natalie. "And I'm sure Natalie hasn't told you that her sister is being chased out from school because she can't afford the tuition."
Hearing this, Charlotte immediately snapped her gaze at Natalie, "Is this true? Why didn't you tell me?"
But Natalie didn't reply, instead she averted her gaze and silence took over the office.
Just then, a car horn blared outside, shattering the tense silence and in order to avoid Charlotte's gaze, Natalie rushed to the window, flinging open the curtains to reveal a sleek Rolls-Royce La Rose Noire Drop tail parked outside. "What in the world...?" she trailed off, her eyes fixed on the luxurious car.
Charlotte also joined Natalie as she rose from her seat, her eyes scanning the intern standing awkwardly beside the vehicle. "He wasn't joking," she whispered, awestruck.
Rachel's eyes widened as she stared at the car, "What's going on?" she asked, pursing her lips.
Charlotte's gaze drifted back to Natalie and Rachel with a straight face. "He said, if I don't give him an answer within two hours, it means I've accepted."