The Deal Novels & Stories

''So, do we have a deal? My gaze shifted from his lips to his eyes and back again. Licking my own lips, I pressed my forehead against his, giving him a peck on the lips. ''Deal...'' ****The End****

The question came out simple. But it carried everything. Adrian didn’t answer immediately. Because there was no easy answer. No clean version. No way to make it sound better. Finally— he said— “I needed the deal.” Aurora’s fingers curled slowly. Of course. The deal. It always came back to that. “And I was part of it.” Not a question. A statement. Adrian didn’t deny it. “Yes.” Aurora nodded once. Almost like confirming something in her mind. “Leverage.”

I yelled at him as anger surged through my veins. "I am not making fun of anything and I am interested in doing so. I am simply making a deal, you know as a businessman," he said with a smirk. "What kind of business deal consists of a slavery contract?" I was getting frustrated. "The deal is simple, you will sign the first two letters. Then I will sign the third one for you. This cheque can cover your father's surgery and post-operative treatments. Also, you will get a huge amount each time you have sex with me," he stated like it was a simple business deal. For God's sake, he was talking about my life.

James's plan was quite clear, he was desperate, "Fine, I'll do it. But I need to know a few things first, it's part of the job, just basic data." "God," he sighed relieved: "You don't know how grateful I am." "I need to prepare some papers... and some other things." James nodded. The large, white office was quiet compared to other days. Jamie Steel, the agency owner, was rereading the contract. She liked to make sure everything was correct. It didn't take long to finalize and close the deal, and based on the paperwork and everything that went with it, she could safely say it was a sure thing and reliable.

If I continue to be nice to people then they will think I am weak and will take me for granted. Well, I am good as long as I don't take innocent people for granted and I don't take innocent lives. I carried my laptop on my palm and headed to my well, large furnished office on the third floor. I sipped my coffee as I sat down to finalize the deal with Dwayne & Co properties. "Is that the final price for the hotel? Look, Mr. Dwayne, I already have people who are disturbing my emails every day for me to buy their hotels. I am just waiting for you to talk over it."

"That's good. Next time, if my budget allows, buy a television for the kids. They always go to the neighbors' house just to watch TV." "Oh, here we go again with the bragging," I heard Ate Cynthia's voice in the background. Dad immediately scolded her. "Where are Ambet and the others?" I looked for my nieces and nephews, but Annika hesitated. "Uhm, Ate Cynthia doesn’t want to show them to you," she whispered. "Oh, I see. That’s okay," I said, my smile fading. "By the way, Lyrica, my child, Kanor is selling a carabao for a cheap price. I really want to have one to help with our livelihood," Dad said.

I don't know why I asked my mom about it, but I was just curious, and until now, it never left my mind why my parents chose him. "Well, Ace, his father is our business partner. Your father helped them before when their business was about to fall, and your father found out that Hendric Vasco has a son, so he made a deal that Vasco could pay by just letting their son marry you." It made me think for a moment. So my dad already made the deal before? "Did Father make that deal when I was first involved in a scandal, mom?" I asked, still confused. "No, ace, you were seven when your dad made that deal."

The kind of place where deals—both legitimate and otherwise—were struck daily. "We'll need to consult with our attorney before agreeing to any meeting," Luca said firmly. "Of course. Take your time." Blackwood's confidence was unsettling. "But I should mention that my offer expires at noon tomorrow. After that, well... I can't promise the situation won't become more complicated for everyone involved." The thinly veiled threat hung in the air even after they ended the call. "It's a trap," Maya said immediately. "He must know about Daniel coming to us."

Julian adjusts the cuff of his shirt, uneasy. He stands at the head of the conference table, Adele by his side in a crimson suit and pants. Julian's voice rings out, calm and commanding. "Our quarterly projections show a potential increase in stakeholder trust, provided we maintain our momentum in Southeast Asia. The Madrid deal is still being reviewed—" At the end of the table, Alex’s phone buzzes. At first, he ignores it. Then it buzzes again. And again.

Stefan It felt like a trapdoor had opened up underneath me. I stood there holding the phone to my ear, trying to make sense of what she'd just said. The buyer had a representative, and all the paperwork was being done over wires and faxes—as old-fashioned as the latter sounded. The buyer had been missing one legal document that was necessary for the sale to be acknowledged by Italian law. That holdup was the only reason I hadn't signed over the property today.