Chapter Three

Dinner Date.

   

  Sebastian’s POV

   

  “Is there a reason you didn’t inform me you were engaged?” Maria asked.

   

  I smiled as I could hear the anger in her voice even through the phone. I had hoped to tell her eventually even though I didn’t see that bit of information as important.

   

  “Good day to you too, fiancée.” I greeted knowing it would irk her. “Who told you?”

   

  She scoffed.

   

  “Your ex fiancée just visited me.” She answered. “Cassandra Kidman.”

   

  I hadn’t bothered telling her about the engagement because it had been a match planned by my father and it wasn’t important because nothing had been done, at least on my part.

   

  If the Kidman’s had thought I would agree to the match they had truly overestimated their worth because while they did have an impressive reach with their shipping company, in the last few years they had secured such terrible losses under Cassandra’s leadership that they had become a laughing stock in the financial world.

   

  I was watching them closely, bidding my time till I could buy them out of the company as were most other investors. There was no way I could bring someone that unprofitable into my family.

   

  Even worse, the few times I had had to interact with Cassandra Kidman, I had seen her as nothing more than a whiny brat with an irritating clinginess.

   

  It had been all too easy to scorn her and propose a marriage deal to Maria considering her company, Syntech, was currently in public eye and looked like it would be a good investment with impressive returns. Then there was the fact I had spent the better part of two years looking for her since our first meeting five years ago.

   

  She had been that unforgettable that I was constantly haunted by the memories of our first encounter. She had been beautiful. Drunk and upset over something she didn't want to talk about and I had listened to every other thing she had talked about, even though I had been celebrating just being voted as CEO. The conversation was easy but it was her appeal that had kept me there.

   

  She had danced without a care, moving her hips seductively on the dance floor and I had been entranced by her, staring until she caught me. She had walked up to me brazenly and asked what I had been staring at.

   

  "You." I had answered honestly. "You're beautiful."

   

  She snorted and tripped over her own feet and I caught her, relishing how soft she felt in my hands. Usually I dated tall waif thin women with long legs but something about her curvy frame had me moving my hands up her body boldly, savouring how she shivered at my touch.

   

  I had nearly wept with joy when she had indirectly begged me to take her to my bed and I did.

   

  "Help me forget." I remember her say.

   

  I had been all too willing.

   

  “I will handle it.” I told her.

   

  “See that you do.” She told me. I could almost see her glaring. “I do not appreciate scorned lovers interrupting my business meetings.”

   

  I smirked.

   

  “Always the business woman.” I teased, unable to bury my smile even when my best friend Keith walked into my office.

   

  “I thought it was part of my charm?” she asked.

   

  Did she just flirt back?

   

  It seemed I was making progress thawing my fiancée’s ice cold personality.

   

  Good.

   

  She might have been thinking she would be able to divorce me after two years but I would do all I could to make her fall for me before then.

   

  Since I had seen her son, who had interrupted our first meeting three weeks ago, I had known deep in my bones he was my son. He looked too much like I had at that age and I intended to find out the truth but I would only be able to do so if he was close enough.

   

  “Indeed it is.” I answered. “I would like you to have dinner with me tonight, Maria.”

   

  “Why?” she asked.

   

  “My father wants to meet you.” I answered. “But it isn’t entirely uncommon for couples to have dinner together.”

   

  She scoffed.

   

  “I will come for your father’s sake but if I suspect foul play…”

   

  “You know I’m not one for games, Maria.”

   

  “Where are we going?” She asked with a sigh.

   

  “I’ll text you the address.” I answered. “Wear something beautiful.”

   

  She ended the call and I laughed shaking my head.

   

  “What happened?” Keith asked as soon as I ended the call.

   

  “Cassandra Kidman paid Maria a visit.” I answered.

   

  “And?”

   

  “Nothing happened.” I told him. “She only tried to scare Maria off but the woman knows how to handle herself.”

   

  “Your father really overstepped announcing the engagement too early.” He laughed shaking his head. “Now every one of your scorned lovers know her office and will most definitely be paying her a visit to know how she successfully trapped the billionaire bad boy Sebastian Bolt.”

   

  “I doubt anyone would apart from the one I literally didn’t date.” I said rolling my eyes.

   

  “Still you’re pushing things, Seb. Dinner?” Keith warned. “You might end up revealing your hand too early.”

   

  I waved away his concerns.

   

  “I know how to play my games.

   

  “You should be careful. You barely know her.”

   

  “I know enough.” I defended.

   

  “You could simply just ask if the boy is yours and be done with it.”

   

  “She didn’t say anything even though I stood there with an exact replica of me.” I said angrily. “I doubt she would be willing to answer that question honestly.”

   

  “That says a lot about her character or that you could be wrong.”

   

  “Please stop.”

   

  “You know I am only concerned.”

   

  “I do know that but I assure you, if I see anything untoward I will pull the plug on this.”

   

  He nodded and didn’t push the subject.

   

  “What are you going to do about the Kidman’s?” he asked leaning back in his seat.

   

  I picked up the office phone from the receiver and dialed my private secretary.

   

  “Yes, Mister Bolt.” She answered at the first ring.

   

  “Get me Mister Kidman’s office.”

   

  “Right away sir.”

   

  “What are you going to do?” Keith asked with a naughty smile.

   

  “Something you and I will enjoy rather dearly.”

   

  Is Sebastian really aware of how well to play his games?