Michael’s POV.

“Married?”I said laughing.

I have always known Anna to be some troubled young woman but not a clown.

“Yes.Let’s get married.You have always wanted that power,to see me crawl right?Then marry me.” She said with no flinch.

It was the first time I heard Anna speak with so much certainty.I never had to see her face me this way.

Fate has just handed me chance. A chance to finally get close to Basano.It was the perfect moment. Years ago,the Alonzo and Basano companies reigned side by side. The Alonzo logistics business,a front for money laundering and Basano import company,a front for smuggling in goods reigned side by side.A perfect alliance for their world.

But greed took a hold of Don Basano.

He began hiding some of the shipments and siphoning monies from the deals.My father found out and confronted him,but he denied it all.They fell out and months later,my father was assassinated.

Investigators never found his killer but deep down,my family knew the mastermind was Basano.

And now, his daughter brings his head to me on a platter. To Ann, she thinks she is in control but in reality,she had just handed me the key to my long desire.

“So,what is all this about?”

Then she goes on and on about their debts, failed deals and her father’s threats to marry her off.

“It is a fake engagement.We tell my father we are going to get married.It is just to buy me sometime.” She said leaning in.

I left my seat and circled round her, “So you hate me but you would rather be with me than with someone else.”

She lets out a breathe, “You’re just the devil I know.And yes I still hate you and I am not being with you.The engagement is fake.Read my lips,F-A-K-E,”She spells out.

Under normal circumstance,I would not play fake engagement for a woman like Anna who is feels like she can measure up to me.Bossy, rude and feels she owns the room.But this was opportunity.

I stretch out my hand for a handshake,“Deal.”

She looked puzzled at first. She had not expected me to give in.

She reached out slowly, “Deal.”

I reached for Lore Martini,a kind of drink my father only had when he wanted to celebrate.This drink that had been left untouched in the side bar for years.

My heart finally felt something,something worth celebrating. Not in years had I felt this thrill and excitement. Not even my business deals,but finally,here it was.A chance for justice.

I poured in a glass and handed it over to her, “Cheers to us.”

She smiled.

Then,I went to the Mickeys.

To Matt’s boot.He sat drinking with a lady curled up in his lap.

“Hey man,”He said hinting her to leave.

“You have to be careful Matt,not every woman should come this close to you.”I warned.

Matt had always been the life of the party. The club was his home.

He grew up barely having a meal a day.His mother was barely eighteen when she got pregnant,for a man who Matt never met and she never spoke about.

She had him on the streets before finally getting a job as a waiter here at the Mickeys. And he eventually had to join in as the cleaning boy.

She died when he was eight from drug overdose.

Somehow,Matt managed to build his drink manufacturing business from scratch.Sealing his alliance with the Mickeys.

“I am engaged,” I said pouring a glass.

Matt spat out his drink bursting into laughter, “Engaged?”

“Anna Basano.”

He stopped laughing. Matt always knew about my family history and my secret plans for the Basano family.

“How? When did you get her engaged? When did you even start dating?”

I told him everything.Anna’s visit and her offer.My acceptance to it.

“So what do you want to do?The engagement and then what?Sounds ridiculous man.”

“Well,I know this is a step,it came suddenly but I know I will figure it out.This even makes it easier,”I said gulping my drink.

“I don’t know if it would be that easy.From what you say,she is strong willed and not that easy to bend.She may have other plans.”

“Her reasons are genuine but I will keep my guard up.”

“What about Suzanne?”He asked.

“What about her? She is just a tool for my business. She is not important.She does her job and gets paid.”

“Man I think you should tell her.You warning me about women and you playing with one. Let her know so she keeps her mouth shut.From the look of things,she is taking whatever you have seriously.”

Matt was right. Suzanne already asked for sushi dates,cinema dates,ice cream dates.Buys me gifts and food.But she was just a tool.A tool that could step into places that I couldn’t.The minds and pockets of the men who ran the city.

To make my plans smoother,she had to know.

I drove to Suzanne’s.

I had gotten her a home far away from town. I believe mole’s abode should be kept in secret.For the business.

She wore a lingerie,her lipstick reddish as always.She had a glass of wine in hand and cigar in the other.

She curled up to me and kissed me.

I stared at her blankly.

“Babe, what is it? You look disturbed.You want to have some food and we talk?”She asked.

“I am engaged,”I said bluntly.

“You want us to get married?”She asked with her face lit up.

“I am engaged to Anna Basano.”

“What?”She blinked.

“It’s just a show.”

She dropped her glass,raising her voice,“We have been dating for a month and not even your guard dog has the slightest idea and you want to make the whole world know on some fake engagement to one billionaire daughter?”

“Dating?”I scoff, “We are not dating.We are just business partners.”

She is taken aback. “What do you mean by that? How do you explain you crawling up to me every now and then,the sex,the －”

“Don’t be ridiculous.You are on payroll.”

She looked at me without saying a word.

“Business is business Suzanne.Don’t mess this up.Stick around and play your role.”

“Get out of my house,” She yelled.

“I have warned you,” I said and walked out of the house.