Chapter 2 – One dinner

By Hector Marques

"It seems that those who are moving the business world are the young heirs Hector Marques and Catherine Castro. After the news that the companies of the Castro and Marques families, would be unifying their business interests starting a new era to become one company sharing the same goals, now the news is bombastic. Hector and Catherine would be together dividing the command of the company, thus assuming the presidency and vice presidency respectively. That’s right, the administration of one of the largest business empires in the country is giving something to talk about this last week. However, the rumors that have shaken the structures and caught us all off guard, go far beyond business interests. According to our sources, the heirs Hector and Catherine were living a romance. We don’t know if the rumors are true, but they cause us at least strangeness if we take into account that until two weeks ago Hector Marques printed the main headlines where at the time the young heir of twenty-eight years would once again be accompanied by a beautiful unknown woman, but that we know to be more your many nightly achievements after leaving a nightclub in downtown. So our only question is, since when has the possible romance between the business heirs gone unnoticed by the press?"

By: Anonymous

I finished reading that headline questioning me as the news as confidential as they were, always leak quickly in this new technological era.

"Damn it, Hector. Will you close those curtains? I want to sleep!"

Stella grumbled sleepily still lying on the bed where the thin sheet of white color covered only half of her body, showing the scratches I made on her back in one of the many moments of the night before showered with pleasurable sex.

Stella was what I used to call colorful friendship since college. She was the only one I used to go out with more than once, but there was no feeling between us that surpassed desire. We always made it clear that those moments were just fun, and swore that we would not let anything hinder our friendship. I enjoyed the company of Stella, who was an interesting woman. And I even admitted that in bed, she could drive me crazy like no one else could. No one but Kaique, my best friend, knew of my involvement with Stella. In fact, he promptly this involvement, because he said that one should not mix friendship with relationships because the probability of something going wrong was enormous.

"It doesn’t start with freshness, Stella. You know today is the day I’m having my first dinner with Catherine. I can’t be late for work, let alone organize everything for later."

All that clowning was driving me crazy, but the truth is I couldn’t say no to the marriage proposal. I could easily find a way to get along with Catherine, but I couldn’t live without my inheritance. Although I was not the dream son of my father, but I was always raised to one day take his place in the company, and was not willing to miss it. Even if I had to marry a stranger for that.

"I still can’t believe you’re really going to do this madness. Getting married was never in your plans, Hector. Especially with a woman you don’t even know or love. A marriage arranged at this point seems crazy to me."

"We’ve talked about it and we know I had no choice. My father saw in the proposal of Benicio De Castro, a great opportunity to cover our business. And of course, it was the way he found to punish me for what he calls the family shame."

"I always said that your rebelliousness would still get you into trouble." grumbled the redhead who was now more awake.

The truth is that everyone knew that my relationship with my father was never the best. I always blamed him for being an absent man in my life, an absent husband to my mother. There was only one thing for which the powerful Alexandre Marques lived and prioritized... his company and wealth!

"Anyway, there’s no turning back now. I don’t love her, but I’m going to marry Catherine, Stella." I said with conviction.

Later

I went home after leaving the company building that was now run by me and Catherine. She had been in charge of the commandos of the civil constructions, businesses that previously belonged to her family, after all, she was already more familiar with the matter. As long as I was in charge of the administration of the company.

I knew Catherine was hating that idea of being my fiancée, and even after she gave up her father’s orders, she had refused to be alone with me so we could have a conversation about it. However, he gave in to my request to accompany me to a dinner, when I argued that it would be difficult to live together without at least tolerating the presence, or knowing nothing about each other.

Truth is, I thought Catherine was a shallow woman, and other than her physical beauty, there was nothing interesting about her to attract a man. Not to mention that it was visible that this woman simply hated me, which left me with a mixture of irritation and confusion, after all, she was the first woman who seemed not to want me, and this was intriguing.

After arriving home soon I started getting ready to go to meet Catherine, which in passing was something proved by my father. Not that I cared what he thought, but it was something new to see him say I was doing something right.

I said goodbye to my family and headed to Catherine’s house to pick her up. That day we had not seen each other yet. Even if we now worked in the same building, it wasn’t like we were looking to meet during office hours.

After honking in front of her house, it wasn’t long before she appeared at the door. As soon as I looked in her direction, I came to the conclusion that if there was one thing I could not complain about would be having an ugly bride, because Catherine was completely the opposite of that. That night she was dressed in a lacy dress in the color black that only up to her knees. Her hair caught in a bun leaving to show all her white neck. Her makeup was not flashy, but the nude lipstick on her mouth left her lips well marked and appetizing.

"At least you’re on time."

She grumbled as she approached the car. Personally, I hated that debauched side of Catherine. I never met anyone who dared to face me like that, and that was annoying.

Ignoring her provocation, I went down and opened the door so she could enter, and it was then that I could feel her perfume invade my senses. I might not like her, but I was a man, and I couldn’t be indifferent to her femininity.

"I be many things, Miss De Castro. It’s not like you know me." I returned the pin, but she just smiled disdainfully, making me roll my eyes.

"Could I ask where you’re taking me?"

"It’s a secret! But don’t be afraid, you’ll like it. Besides, I’m not an evil wolf that will eat you. Unless you order, of course." I provoked.

"Don’t be rude, you idiot."

I answered nothing, just smiled satisfied with the goal achieved. At the time I had nothing to give me more pleasure than annoy her.

I just kept driving in silence towards the restaurant where I made a reservation for both of us. No doubt that would be a long night.