chapter 10: She can't move on that fast.

He reached behind me and slightly tugged on a rope I hadn't seen there and the corners of the room became lit.

I blinked rapidly and just then the ringing of my phone cut through the silence like ice forcing us to break apart.

I took hurried steps toward the mini flight of stairs where I dropped my bag and took my phone from it.

It was my Stepmom. I stared at the screen for 10 seconds before declining the call and putting the phone on DND.

“Now, where were we? And can I get another glass of wine please? Preferably bring the whole bottle.”

I said trying to mask the sourness on my face with forced confidence.

Luckily, he didn't argue that I couldn't finish a bottle by myself without getting drunk and just brought it over.

He wanted to pour me a drink. I collected the bottle from him,poured it myself and took a sip, savouring the sweetness.

“I'm accepting your offer, but first I need to know why you choose to come to me? And what made you so sure that I'd accept.”

“Seeing as you decided to hear me out, it seems like you're a man of great taste who knows value and well, your looks aren't that bad either.”

“My looks? That bad? Really? That's the best description you could come up with?!” He looked like he couldn't believe his ears.

“This contract would benefit both of us anyway. If you get married, you get your parents and grand parents off your back and get your grandmother to invest in your company too. While we're married, I'll leave you alone and we won't get on each other's nerves. We'll keep our finances separate too and get divorced after a year. Does your answer still remain the same?”

“How’d you know so much about me? It makes me curious about you and how much you know. Prepare the legal documents and send it over for me to sign.”

I smiled and offered my hand for a handshake.

“Let's be business partners.”

“You're the most convincing person I've met in a while and you're pretty interesting too.”

“Things are about to get more interesting” I smiled and glanced at the small clock sitting on the working table, it's almost midnight. 11:34 pm.

I thought about how hell would break loose if I went home right now and decided to stay.

“I don't really feel like going home right now, let's have a celebratory drink shall we? I'll leave after we celebrate.”

“Ah. A celebratory drink. I think you should just have water or juice. Can't have you driving home drunk.”

I smiled back at him, walked over to the cellar and grabbed another bottle. The first one was already halfway gone.

~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Serena stood outside the hotel waiting for Kara to come down and in the meantime, she called Aiden.

He rushed over and met her standing outside, the cold air creating a blush on her cheeks.

“Serena, what were you saying over the phone?”

“Do you have a company line or some way I could contact Pierce? You work in his company and his number isn't connected, neither is Kara's.” She frantically rushed her words with expectant crazed eyes.

“Calm down. I think you're misunderstanding something. Kara just called off the engagement, it's less than 24 hours. There's no way she moved on that fast and that too with my boss. She just broke off the engagement because she was angry.” He said, trying to convince her and somehow himself.

“A misunderstanding huh? They left in an embrace like they were showing off. They're not picking and they haven't come down in over an hour! So what do you think a man and a woman would be doing in a hotel room at this hour?!”

Realization and disbelief slowly started forming on his face when he put two and two together.

Meanwhile, in the suite…

“C'mon pierce, don't be such a buzz killer. Now you can tell me why you brought me here instead.”

“It's kinda like my second workplace, I own this hotel so I just use it whenever I can't focus at the office to work. I brought you here since we're discussing a business kinda thing and to help you rile your sister up. You looked very pleased as she was raging.” He smirked at me.

I chucked at his last remark and took another sip from the newly opened red wine.

“We're you thinking something else” he narrowed his eyes.

“You're the weird one for suggesting we go up for a negotiation!” I scoffed.

“If you look nervous or scared when negotiating, it'll be easy for others to step on you. It's common sense in business, ma'am.”

“I won't lie and say I didn't like the look on her face. Growing up Serena always got her way, it felt nice seeing otherwise for the first time and you can imagine my joy for being the reason.”

“That’s surprisingly…wholesome of you.” He replied sarcastically.

“Hold on. Why are we talking like life long friends? I just realized you've been calling me little pet names the whole night, we just met!”

“Maybe your memory’s lacking but you started speaking to me casually first.”

“We're going to be married anyway so I guess it's fine.” I said looking up to the ceiling, trying to recall the moment I spoke to him casually.

Nothing came to mind so I shrugged and brushed it off.

My phone buzzed beside me. A text came in. From Serena.

“ I'm going to wait downstairs till you come out! I'm not going anywhere.”

“Might take a while” I thought to myself and gulped everything left in my glass.

“You should sleep here. I'm not going home tonight.”

I said to Pierce and dropped my phone, face down.

“What makes you think I'm just going to sleep? We're getting married anyways so let's check…things.” He said suggestively, smirking.

“Honestly…you're not my type.” I said, scratching the tip of my nose.

“What?! Why'd you suggest marriage then?” He looked confused.

“You could try to seduce me although I don't know if we'll feel the same way.” The stubborn defiant look in my eyes was back and I looked at him tauntingly.

“What? You're not going to seduce me?”

He bit his lips and locked eyes with me.

“This confidence of yours. That's what made me listen to you at first.”

“Hm, sure sure.” I smirked at him and looked down at my empty glass, poured myself another drink and continued drinking while he continued watching me.

“You're an interesting person, Kara.”

In the next 15mins, I was totally drunk and started slurring out words.

“Have you ever had your whole life play out in front of you like a video tape?” she suddenly asked, looking and me seriously. My heart skipped a beat.

Is she aware I was the one who was driving the car that caused her accident? Did she see me?