POV: Raphael
"Follow her and report back to me." I instructed Carl when she left my office to go look for my money.
"Boss, she visited her father to ask him for money for her mother's treatment. Her father is the CEO of K Global Group, they just won a contract from you last week. He was mean to her just now. You won't believe what just happened to her in her father's house, Ralph. She was humiliated and kicked out by her father and stepmother. Even her stepmother mocked and abused her. What should I do about it?" He asked me, sounding pissed. Since I told him about my plans, he is already being overprotective of her.
"Cancel the contract awarded to him, and find out what is going on in his family before we seal the deal. I don't want to get into another family feud, I've got enough on my plate with my uncles and cousins." I ordered him. I was going to let her go if his reports about her family came out badly. But when she came back to me and asked for more money, I knew she needed me as much as I needed her.
She is desperate, and that is the only reason she came back to me. As she tried to seduce me, I saw her desperation in every move she made. She must have realized that she needed an ally in order to face an enemy like her father. I know she is pretending to be tough, but I can see through her pretense. I don't know why I feel like I owe her my protection. I could have pushed her away after I got the report from Carl, I could have called off the deal and come up with a solid excuse for Gramps. But something in me kept pulling me towards her. I couldn't turn my back on her.
"Sign the contract, and then we are officially a couple." I told her firmly, handing her the papers. She wasted no time in signing it and handing it back to me. I looked up at her, looking straight into her eyes, a gesture I'm not supposed to be seen doing. I've tried so hard to maintain my disguise for year's. Everyone thinks I'm retarded, they think I'm still suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
To keep my disguise and find out who had tried to set him up and even attempted to kill him twenty years ago, I had to pretend to be autistic. That's the only way I would get them to show their real character and expose their true intentions. Their plot to kill me had taken my father's life. They killed him just to get him out of the way and get to me. I can't let that slide. I won't forgive the perpetrators. I would find them and make them pay for killing my father.
"I've signed the contract, I'm now your girlfriend. I did everything you asked for. Now it's your turn. I need the money for my mother's surgery now, I need to save my mother's life." She told me, sounding impatient.
"My driver will take you home. It's not your place to deal with bills and transfers. You are my girlfriend now. Let the accountants do their job. I'll give the order immediately and get it done. Just go home and relax, or go shopping if you wish too. Take proper care of yourself and your family. I'm sure you don't want any scandal from your family to tarnish my image," I told her sternly. She nodded in understanding and turned to leave my office. I'm glad she understands that this is just a business deal and not an opportunity to get handsy with me.
"Send my driver to take her home and put a guard on her too. I want to know everything about her. Do not let her out of your sight until I pick her up in the morning." I instructed Carl. Tomorrow I'll be taking her to a few stores to get her try the kind of outfits befitting my girlfriend. I could have held a press conference to confirm the rumors, but I didn't need to. The press keeps following me and my family every minute, looking for juicy news to publish. Once they always see her with me and see that I've taken her to see my grandfather, they'll understand what is going on immediately.
"Boss, the guys are here. They have great news for you." Carl told me, startling me from my thoughts. They are representatives from the state government. I've been awarded a huge contract by the state government, but it needed a few details to seal the deal. I had my guys finalize the deal some days ago. I guess they came to issue me the signed contract and ask us to start working immediately.
This deal is too massive for one company to handle. I was awarded the contract because only my company, Hawkins Groups, fit the standard the government needed. I was going to award K Global Groups of Company a part of this contract. But it seems like he doesn't deserve anything from me. If he could deny his dying wife money for her surgery, then he is worse than a monster and I wouldn't let him earn a dime from me.
"I told you to step down already!
Now, why are these guys here? What did you do?
Did you always look down as you spoke to their bosses. Did you feel shy and scared in the presence of your partners?" He mocked me, laughing hysterically.
You are too weak to lead us, now you've cost us this huge contract. Are you happy now?!" he yelled at me, coming to stand in front of me, glaring at me. I winced and looked away from him, pretending to be scared.
"W… W… What are you doing here, Nate?
Were you not informed that this meeting room is above your pay grade?" I asked him, gesturing for Carl to kick him out before I lost my temper and attacked him. He was taken out immediately, and I was left with my clients as I received the file that officially seals my contract with the government. For a brief second, I thought I'd lost the contract. I picked up my phone to call the guys that made it possible. I did a conference call with our investors, including gramps and I shared the exciting news with everyone. It's my first huge contract since I took over the company. Now everyone can take a deep breath because it has now been confirmed that I can handle the company, despite my health challenges.
By the time I got home, I was too stressed to face mom's nagging about the rumors that I was seeing a girl with no background. She was not happy about the news circulating the Internet. She knows a lot of gold diggers are after me because of my wealth. She never wants to see me involved in a scandal, she has always looked out for me since dad left us all alone. I tried to avoid her when I got in, but there is no escaping from mom when she is pissed.
"You need to get ahead of them before they start posting pictures of that lowlife gold digger everywhere." She yelled at me as she dragged me inside like a child. You won't believe that mom actually stood outside the house pacing and waiting for me to come back home.
"There is no need for all this mom, I have it under control already." I told her firmly.
"No, son, a scandal like this doesn't go away unless you give the reporters something juicy to write about. That's why I called Charlotte over to…"
"Wait a minute mom!
You did what?
You mean, Charlotte is here?
Why mom!
Why did you bring her here without informing me first?" I yelled angrily.
"Would you rather I come over to your office?" she spoke up from behind me, startling me. I sighed in frustration as I recognized her voice immediately.
"Everyone knows about your relationship with Charlotte since you were growing up. She will gladly be by your side and help you clear your name. Your grandfather must not hear about this nameless girl. Call for a press conference and deny the rumors right now. Charlotte will back your story, she will stand by your side as you deny that nameless whore." Mom told me sternly.
"Mom, I'm not together with Charlotte anymore. We broke up a long time ago and you know why. She cheated on me!" I yelled in anger, ignoring Charlotte. She walked up to me and took my hand, forcing me to look at her.
"I already apologized, didn't I?
It was a mistake and I regretted my actions deeply." She said sadly, looking at my mom for support. Mom came over and placed her hand on my shoulder, speaking coaxingly to me,
"Everyone makes mistakes, son, you just have to forgive her and take her back. She is the perfect woman for you. I approve of your relationship with her. Don't forget the family she came from. Her mom is my very good friend, and we want our kids to end up together. Besides, no one will spread rumors about you and a nameless whore anymore if you announce your engagement to Charlotte. All you have to do is to come out there and say the pictures were photoshopped, and the rumors are fake." She told me excitedly, hugging Charlotte and I together.
"I can't do that," I let out with a grim face, trying not to hurt anyone.
"Why son, why can't you do it?" mom asked, more like yelled actually.
"Yes, Ralph, why can't you?" Charlotte asked in a more aggressive way.
"Because it's not a rumor, it's the truth. Victoria is my girl," I confessed to them both, earning gasps of disbelief.