Chapter Two THE MEETING

Dad, don't you think I'm smart enough to know when to run away from trouble?" Emily said confidently, her voice laced with determination, on the phone with her father.

"Be careful when you're with him; he's a beast," Mr. Jones uttered, his voice barely above a whisper yet urgent. He couldn't let go, but Emily remained adamant about doing it to save her sick mom.

"Bye, Dad!" She ended the call on a beeping tone when the car screeched in front of GREYSONS COMPANY LTD, and the cabman stopped.

As he hangs up the phone, he muttered “what kind of father let's his daughter pay the price for his sins.”

She stepped down from the car, reached out for a $20 bill, and stretched it to him. And turned her back to the main road, facing the transparent glass of the company.

Emily rushed into the sleek, modern lobby of GREYSONS COMPANY LTD, her mind preoccupied with the upcoming meeting with Richard Grey and how it will turn out.

“If he's the only way, can I really say no? But at what cost?”

As she turned a corner, she collided with a tall, imposing figure unknowingly. The impact sent her bag flying out of her hands.

The man, Alex Grey, is the only son of Grey Williams. Who died five years ago in a car crash alongside his wife? The police and the investigative department declared that his father was drunk. But Alex never believes their declarations.

Alex steadied her by the elbows, his piercing gaze meeting hers. "Watch where you're going," he said, his deep voice tinged with annoyance. "Beautiful damsel!"

‘He mutters, not the usual type uncle invites in… who is she really?”

Emily, still disoriented, didn't even notice his identity or register the irritation in his tone. She jerked her arms a few times and quickly gathered her papers, muttering to herself. Without a word of apology, she hurriedly passed him, her eyes fixed on the reception desk.

"What kind of lady would do such a thing and not apologize? Is she a new staff member who doesn't recognize me? Who the hell is she?" Alex whispered to himself as he watched her walk away from him without uttering a word.

The receptionist, noticing the brief encounter, smiles sympathetically at Emily. "Can I help you?" She asked her voice friendly. But the other tall lady beside her wasn't pleased by her appearance; instead, she approached Alex.

Emily took a deep breath, composing herself. "I'm here to see Mr. Richard Grey. I had a meeting with him"

The receptionist with the tagged name, Lily Bach, nodded swiftly, her eyes flicking briefly to Alex Grey and the other strange lady. Who was watching with an unreadable expression before turning back to his phone? "Right this way, please." She said, leading Emily to Mr. Richard's office since she had tried reaching him on the telephone, but he wasn't picking up.

As Emily walked towards Mr. Richard's office, she couldn't help but notice the sleek, modern decor and the hum of productivity in the air. The receptionist left her with the instruction to knock on the door, and a deep voice will bid her to enter.

"Knock-knock!" She knocked softly as suggested, but eventually the door was opened halfway, revealing two figures, both half naked. "Aha!" She exclaimed aloud, Emily froze. She muttered, if I go through with this, am I next in line for his games? Or worse.

What she saw couldn't be unseen. This wasn't just business anymore - it was war, which jolted the young lady, dressed in a short skirt, which she quickly drew downward on seeing her, and then rushed out of the office.

And Mr. Richard Grey also unzipped his trousers and put his shirt back inwardly. He seems to be enjoying his moment; his facial expressions show this isn't the first time he will be caught by someone.

"Emily Asher!" He called her name while settling on his black leather chair, with a calming smile glued to his face.

"What have I gotten myself into?" Emily whispered inwardly to herself. As she slowly walks to two chairs in front of Mr. Richard.

"Have your seat, dear," he mused thoughtfully, his voice low yet firm.

Emily's eyes adjusted to the dim lighting in the office, and she saw a distinguished yet disgusting man in his late 50s behind the desk. As he extended his hand, she spotted a used condom on his table. Without hesitation, Mr. Richard's hand danced on his wooden table, removing a used condom into the waste bin beside him.

"Welcome, Emily. Sorry for the confusion earlier on." He was referring to the hot mood she met him and the supposed staff of GREYSONS COMPANY LTD.

What did he tell or give them to submit their body to him freely? What if my obey is involved? Emily's mind kept on reeling on this, and she couldn't take what she saw 20 minutes ago from her mind.

"I think I'll come later!" She uttered, stood up from the seat, and headed towards the entrance door without hesitation.

"Yes, leave; that's the way you'll save your mother from untimely death." His words hurt. His words send a shiver down her spine, and she freezes, her hand still holding the door handle tightly and not letting go.

But what if she stepped out and her mother died because of her? She will blame herself till she hits the grave.

"Mom, I promise to do anything to save you, but this is taxing and difficult to accept." Emily stood there, whispering to herself inwardly.

Mr. Richard Grey knows when prey enters into his trap, as he sits down confidently, turning his chair 360 degrees where he sits.

"Alright, please, we need your assistance, Mr. Richard." Emily spoke sternly, with her voice barely audible yet urgent.

He turned his face back at her immediately he heard her soft, tiny voice. He smiled, and while he reached for his drawer, he chuckled on bringing out a brown envelope, which had a white paper in it. He placed it on the table before her.

"Emily, I'm willing to help you and your bankrupt father," he mused thoughtfully, testing her anger. "Oops! Sorry, my bad."

Emily's heart skipped a beat, and she clenched her fists together in anger as she awaited his response. Meanwhile, her phone was vibrating in her bag. She dipped her hand inside the bag and checked the screen, revealing her father was calling. She clicked the red button to reject the call.

"I plead for your help, sir, please." Emily's eyes dropped and deepened in fear of the unknown; he's making her feel he's not ready to assist in her condition while at the same time maintaining his composure while gazing directly at her cleavage.

"Emily, you see, if I help you today, it's because I want you to help me tomorrow, like I told your father earlier on." Richard tried to pull up an explanation. "I need you to know that I'm willing to grant you the money right now, but you'll have to sign a marriage contract with me, and you will..." He said, and Emily didn't allow him to complete his sentence before she interrupted.

"I'm ready, sir. I understand everything; just give me the money to save my mom." She replied with an uneasy tone, anxiety having gotten a grip of her heart and her curiosity heightened.

"Alright, then let the signing begin." Richard Grey stretched the contract paper towards her; she stared at the pen like it was a loaded weapon. Her fingers trembled. “If I sign this… I'm no longer free but Mom will be alive.

Her mom's laughter echoed in her mind. Is saving her worth loosing myself?

Then she saw the image of her mom connected to a dialysis tube, eyes pale and fading. Her grip tightened.

Yes. For her, I'll do anything.

She took the blue ink biro on it and signed the first signature space to the last one without reading through it. Then passed it back to him immediately.

"Let me have your account, and I'll send the money to your account."

She didn't read it. she just signed it.

Whatever was written in there… she had no idea and it was already too late to turn back.

On hearing this, she wrote it on a piece of paper passed on to her. As she filled in the account details, her deepest thought was of her mother, imagining her smiling and rejoicing on her two feet.

After a few seconds, her phone beeped. When she checked the screen, it was the sum she needed from Richard Grey's personal account.

"Thanks so much, sir; I really appreciate your kind gesture." She said, and without further instruction, she stood up to leave the office. Unfortunately, Richard also stood up and walked up to her way.

"You've just signed the contract, and you are legally mine!"

His voice dropped to a whisper filled with venom.

“Now we're just getting started. I've waited years for this.”

Emily froze.

Waited?

For what?

,

“She thinks this is just about money… poor girl”.

“Let's see how your father feels when I ruin his daughter the same way he ruined me”.

He declared sharply and raised his hand towards her open cleavage, trying to rub on her nipple's fragility, gradually unwrapping her bra from behind, before she pushed him sideways.

"I'll resume when my mother is saved by the money first!" She demanded, her voice audible and menacing.”

But he wasn't ready to let go of her, so he approached her again, but this time Alex Grey, his nephew, stepped inside. "Uncle Richard, I'm ready for the meet... meeting." His eyes widened in shock as he saw the same lady that bumped into him and never apologized with his uncle.

"I'll take my leave now," she spoke confidently, then stormed out of the office, leaving the two gazing at each other.

Richard smirked, his hand still on the contract.

“Checkmate,” he muttered.

Then he opened a locked drawer then slid the contract beside a pile of others each with a woman's name.

But Emily's was marked in red.

One down. Two to go.

"Is she one of his call girls? I haven't seen her before. I need to find out the kind of contract they're having" Alex whispered to himself and never bothered to ask him.

Alex stared at the woman storming out of the office. Something about her didn't fit.

She wasn't just another victim.

She had fire in her eyes.

And somehow, he knew… this was only the beginning.

“This isn't the first time I've seen a woman leave his office looking broken. But this one… she's different.”

“I need to find out what deal she just signed. It might be the proof I've been waiting for.”

She signed the contract with her hands, but her soul was already screaming in protest.

And Richard Grey hadn't even begun to break her yet.