CHAPTER 3

　VINCENT

　　“This is Vincent Baker. Put me through to Ryan,” I ordered to the female voice on the other side of the line.?

　　My mind wandered to the bike-riding girl from this morning as I awaited Ryan’s response. Her presence drew me in and piqued my curiosity at the same time.

　　I took a chance and got her paintings, though. They were here under my eyes. As a reminder of her clumsiness. I found myself grinning slightly in the corner of my mouth.?

　　“Vince, my man! What the hell are you doing these days?” Ryan greeted me, sensing his mocking smile on his face. “Forgot about me and the foundation?”?

　　“Cut the crap! We need to talk. I did it!” I told him shortly and then hung up the phone. He would not resist and would come here. This business was profitable for him, too.?

　　I knew Steven Glare from my teenage years and I knew what a loser he always was. My father was always pleading with him and watching everything he did. The bastard refused to give him the money, despite his dire need. Every single one of Steven’s workers, including my father, received terrible treatment. That left my life with a far too terrible mark. Despite my father’s passing, I was still here. He’d be proud of me, I was sure.

　　It didn’t take ten minutes, and the phone rang again.

　　“Mr. Baker, Mr. Lee is here to see you,” my secretary said in a formal tone.

　　“Let him in!” I ordered.

　　Ryan stormed in just as a tempest on a summer day.?

　　“I am here. Give me the good news!”?

　　I took a brief break and laughed as I watched him. I then requested two coffees from the secretary. “Wow, what a good woman you have here, man, and you, nothing, “he remarked as his eager eyes followed my assistant.

　　“Knock it off! That’s not why I called you here. Steven Glare fell into my trap”

　　There was a brief period of abrupt silence. Ryan hardly comprehended what I was saying as he stared at me in confusion.

　　“Are you serious?”?

　　“Of course, I am. When have I ever joked about this? You know, I’ve been hunting him for a long time.” So great was the satisfaction that I throbbed with delight.?

　　“What did you do to him?” Ryan asked curiously, already leaning back in his chair.?

　　“I gave him a bad idea, and he took it for granted. You know I’ve been wanting to get my hands on those spas of his for a long time. He trusted me blindly and fell for it like a na?ve, stupid child. Now I’ve got his company and... his daughter, Tiara.” I related with great joy I had finally finished what my father had started.?

　　“Why his daughter? I don’t follow,” Ryan asked me, narrowing his eyes.

　　“Because I wanted to. And because I could. You know my father’s past and how Steven refused him the money that would have saved her. Now the tables have turned and Steven has lost not only his money but also what was most precious to him, his daughter.”

　　“I admire you, man. But what are you going to do with a wife? A woman you don’t even know.” Ryan pushed further.?

　　“I only saw her once, about ten years ago. That’s when she was about twelve. She stirred nothing up. Anyway, don’t think that if I have a wife, I will be faithful to her and to our marriage. It will be just for business,” I continued, laughing to myself, proud of how far I had come. “This is just a very well thought out and put together plan. Nothing more”

　　“If you say so. I presume you will meet her soon, right?”

　　“I left that part in the hands of that useless Steven. I hope he doesn’t screw it up.”

　　I focused on the backyard of the consortium while thinking about Steven Glare and his millions. With stupid Steven’s assistance, this commercial district’s already rapid growth was about to speed up.

　　My imagination suddenly flashed back to the face of a little girl with freckles. Eyes as big as deep wells but sparkling like polished diamonds, a broad, innocent smile. Tiara Glare’s visage.

　　In order to inherit the wealth from my mother’s long-lost aunt, I needed her as my wife. Even though I was unaware of her existence, I needed the money to carry out more study at the foundation. Getting married was the only way I could get possession of it. Piece of cake! The will didn’t specify how long I had to be wed or that I had to be in love with my intended life partner.

　　“So, how did you make this business profitable for you and wasteful for Glare?” Ryan’s voice interrupted my train of so vivid thoughts.

　　“He was already in big trouble with the company and I offered to help him,” I said, turning to face Ryan. “He doesn’t know I’m Baker’s son, the same Baker that he mocked all his life while working under him. I took the opportunity and when I saw he was sinking, I came up with the idea of setting up a shell company to get him out of the shit. Only when the time came, the company set up at my suggestion didn’t produce any money to help him, so Belle Beauty Spa went into total bankruptcy. He didn’t even get the chance to declare it before the IRS agents came after him for setting up a fraud. The stock dropped to a few cents per share, and I took advantage and bought it all,” I finished in triumph and with a mad smile in the corner of my mouth.?

　　“Oh wow! Does Glare know who the buyer is?” Ryan asked.

　　“Of course, he doesn’t. What are you, nuts? All he knows is that I was the right man at his wrong time. He asked for my help and I was there to help him”?

　　“So, what is the deal with his daughter? I presume you will not stay married for the rest of your life”?

　　“Tiara Glare is another story. She is just my personal vendetta. I’ll satisfy my cravings with her, but I won’t be able to leave her soon, to her despair. Her father needed money and sacrificed his daughter. I need a wife, but I’ll tell you the reason some other time.”?

　　“Okay, you know what you’re doing! I, on the other hand, have an important meeting that I don’t have to miss for the world. It will be good for your foundation. But let me admit that you pleasantly surprised me with what you said. I expected nothing less from you,” Ryan concluded, and after shaking my hand, he walked out of the office.?

　　I remained by myself with my thoughts. And the kinds of visions I had! I had so many things swirling around in my head for the upcoming time period that I did not know where to start.

　　I might start interacting with my future bride. Unlike most men, I wasn’t the least bit excited about getting married.

　　It was just a business deal.

　　No woman was going to force her way into my heart, with or without my permission, because love was a feeling so foreign to me. I was certain that Tiara Glare wasn’t overjoyed about marrying a man she couldn’t even remember. In reality, she didn’t think she knew me, in her opinion.

　　She was part of a different agenda, one that involved me. As far as I was concerned, she was no more than a pawn on the chessboard.

　　I still had the image of my father in my head. That face shattered by burdens. His pleading eyes filled with fear that he had nothing to feed us in the days when things went from bad to worse.

　　Because we lacked the funds to continue my mother’s treatment, I could only see her consumed by cancer.

　　All of this kept me afloat, and I made a commitment to hold Steven Glare accountable. And the person who would suffer the most would be the woman in his life. I would crush him in the same manner, and I would force his daughter to marry me against her will. One eye for the other!