Reject The Offer

~Owen Vitmoz POV~

I stood before the shower, the steady rush coming to a stop as I stepped out behind the sheer curtains. Water I bothered not to dry slid from my hair, tracing lazy paths down my temples and along the strong line of my jawline.

Wrapping the towel around my waist, I slid my hand over my head, through the long fallen strands of my spiral curls, letting them fall gracefully on my shoulders from behind.

My skin glistened, damp and warm, catching the light as water clung to me in small, shining beads.

I could feel my chest, my abs, and muscles all dance to the reflex of my movements as I made towards the dresser. I reached for one of the bottles lined on the counter, taking oil.

Deliberately, I walked it over my skin. And when I was done, the mirror reflected someone composed, skin cared for, scent lingering quietly in the air clean.

Done, I poured myself a warm soothing tea.

After the first and second sip, I licked my tongue over my teeth, wiping clean every trace as I took a look at the brand name again, acknowledging the efforts they put in giving my muscles a new strength.

"Come in," Came my deep octave on hearing a knock at the door.

Melvin in his classic casual look, slid through the door keeping his head lowered in a bow before he barely held himself from ogling my features.

I once heard him say, ‘If you were gay, I sure would have done wild things with you. Your framed chest could send even a man drooling over a thousand times.’

Tsk. He knew he wouldn’t say that in days I was in the mood for…

"I can see you sold your tongue that you forgot to speak." I let my sharp tone finally cut the drooling Melvin out of his trance. "What did you find out?"

Melvin swallowed–maybe a sudden lump in his throat before getting his act together to speak. "Boss, she brought another compensation for the debt. The amount this time is indeed reasonable."

"Reject the offer." My dead tone made him swallow hard in discomfort.

“Reject the offer again?" He blinked several times. “This would be the third time you‘re rejecting her offer, boss.”

“If you reject the compensation again, she had planned to put up a scandal for herself just to make sure she doesn't get married to you. Right now, she has hired a man whom she's going to play the game with." He relayed immediately.

A knowing smile appeared on my face.

I knew Elowen Walker. I wasn't surprised to hear she devises ways to stop the marriage from happening. This was making the game more interesting.

I let the remains of my soothing tea sit in my fingers for a while before twirling it, letting the liquid dance in the glass.

"Who is this man?" I demanded, not letting my gaze slacken from the tea, desperate to refill my cup till the brim. Perhaps, someone was going to help me achieve that.

"He is a nobody, boss. A random guy from the studio, probably must have been paid a good sum for him to agree to do that."

The smile on my face broadened, slowly turning into a smirk. Hookers never minded the problem they might be getting themselves into, as long as money played the vital role.

Someone is indeed stirring the hornet's nest. And I will definitely enjoy it this time.

I watched Melvin study my face for a while. It was on this kind of occasion that he had a mouth like a loose cannon.

"I believe Elowen is not going to let herself be a bargain for the debt her father owes. Again, according to stories she had heard about you, stories you made the father and daughter believe in, she believes you to be someone the world is afraid to speak about.

I'm sure she is not going to back down in making sure she stops the marriage with someone like that. Ugly and scarred isn't a sweet description you know," Melvin was saying when the glass suddenly shattered in front of him, spilling the contents on the floor, one that brought goosebumps on his skin. One that made him look up at me in fear.

"That wouldn’t be a reason for her to escape a marriage with me.” If her father were a good man, she wouldn't have perhaps heard the stories. “She should be very grateful I chose to forgive her father with a marriage proposal. She is mine. She cannot escape it.”

Melvin tugged on his shirt smoothing it like it was in disposition in the first place, watching me step casually over the shattered glass as if nothing had happened. As if I had not purposely let the glass slip from my hand.

He knew I could be very dangerous with things even when I looked nonchalant about it.

Up till now, he still doesn't understand why I chose to marry my enemy's daughter, of all people in the world. I would have chosen to punish the man in other ways or accept the compensation Elowen had offered me he had said. But I chose not to and decided on a marriage with his daughter Elowen instead.

Not just an ordinary daughter. One of the country’s A-list actresses.

"So how are you going to stop Elowen's plans from happening? The moment she does it and the news is out, that would be the end of her marriage with you. You wouldn’t want your image to be tainted, would you?"

Hmm. I could only imagine the ruin it would bring to Elowen, one that would destroy her career and reputation if she imposed the scandal.

So the lady could put up such a fight just to save herself from this marriage few days after her father had taken to his social media handles with millions of followers to announce the sudden engagement of his daughter and the wedding date already set to be in a few days.

But does she know that her actions instead of saving the Walkers, could only put them in more danger than she thought to save them?

"Who said I was going to stop the scandal from happening?" I stated, putting Melvin in more shock, this time at my words.

Tsk. There are sweet ways of dealing with the ruthless, and Melvin doesn’t know it. And I'm going to use those ways on the Walkers.

"What...what do you mean, boss? Are you letting her go ahead with the scandal? Are you letting her father go unpunished?”

I scoffed. I knew the best ways to deal with my preys. "Letting the Walkers go is like letting the cheat slip through the cracks. The scandal will happen, but let's see who this is going to turn out to be in his favor."

Melvin's brows shot together as he tried to pinpoint what I meant.

"Let me have the location," I ordered.

Melvin brows etched in surprise as he barely tempered his tension. “There is no way you‘re going there yourself.”

“The location, Melvin.”

“Sure…sure. No one in this world surprises me more than you do, boss.” He quizzed.

"Haven hotel. 340 Sand Hill. Time 9 pm. Room 1001. She had also planned to record the scene and put up the video as a leaked video later." Instantly, he gave all the information to me.

"Interesting," I muttered, processing the information.

"Let's see who enjoys this game more." I mused.

"Bring the maid to clean the mess on the floor. I'll be home late." I ordered, flipping off the half piece of clothing keeping the rest of his skin covered as Melvin almost snapped out of reality.

"What are you still waiting for?" I glared at him.

"I ... Sorry… I will go get the maid now. Do enjoy the rest of your evening." He hushed. This time, he didn’t scream I was indeed a god of beauty. Instead, he flipped his tongue over his lips as if to wet my body with it. He turned, rushing out of the door.

I sighed, snatching my gray shirt from the dresser. This was not one of the good days to pay attention to him. He sure would have gotten a piece from me.

Now, dressed with shirt unbuttoned at the collar, it peeked out from beneath the long, dark jacket slumped casually over my shoulders, sleeves dangling empty like limp wings.

My trousers, a matching dark hue, broke neatly at the ankles, revealing scuffed leather shoes.

I wore back my face. The face with a haunting scar. The face that made people call me a horrifying human.

Time checked. A few hours to 9 pm.

It was time to have some more fun playing with my prey.