I walked into Adrian’s headquarters, an imposing glass tower that depicted wealth and power. I was dressed in one of the luxurious outfits I refused to sell to survive, my mind wandered to how I was sent away and maltreated by my stepmother but I was more fueled to ruin Trevor because he played with my heart.
I entered his private office on the top floor and my eyes met him. He was standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his silhouette sharp against the city skyline. He looked intimidating but the faint smirk on his lips as he turned to me set my nerves on the edge.
“Miss Lily” Adrian called smoothly. “I was sure you wouldn't come”
I shrugged my shoulders “I don't back out of a deal and besides I need this”
“And I need you to understand the terms” He went straight to the point as he gestured for me to sit. His hands opened a document and I wondered if he was always this uptight.
He stretched a paper to me which I believed was my copy of the agreement and my eyes went through it. It was my first time dealing with something like this, my lips parted as I read them to myself,
“I will attend high-profile events together with him or on his behalf, I will live in his penthouse to make the arrangement convincing” I narrowed my eyes at the second term but it was quite reasonable,
“In return, he would give me access to his lawyers, investigators, and funds to help destroy Trevor and Vivian” My lips curled up with excitement, that was the part I had been waiting for but just before I closed the document, my eyes caught the last term.
“No love, just strictly business”
I snarled and raised my eyebrows at him “Of course I know it's just business”
He stared at me for a while “Not my fault, girls flock around me”
“Well, I'm not one of them. I don’t go for looks only” I retorted, my face reddened with anger. He adjusted his sleeves revealing his thick veiny arms “Good then. Now this isn't just about showing up and smiling” He warns coldly “You will need to convince everyone that you are crazily in love with me, I value my reputation greatly”
I raised an eyebrow “And what about my reputation? I'm taking a risk also, Adrian”
He leaned back on his chair, his piercing gaze on me “Fair, I will ensure no one and I mean no one questions your intentions. I will play according to you and make everyone believe you are the player in this relationship”
I sensed a deeper meaning in his words and I decided to let it go but I wasn't the one to be cowed “Adrian, I will make sure to play my part but I won't give up my freedom”
His eyes shone with amusement “I don't expect anything less. Fine, you have your freedom but you will also need to deal with my world….Lily, it can be intolerant ”
He slides a thick contract cover to me “Read it carefully again, my legal team is on standby if you want to adjust anything”
“I will see to that,” I said to him, and he responded with a serious gaze,
“Make sure you use my resources well, I can't wait to see you prevail”
The fire of revenge once again ignited within me, I have resources and I have someone at my back rooting for me. There was no other reason to back out and act like a coward.
I smiled at him faintly “I won’t let you down” I should have stood up and left but my curiosity wouldn't let me.
“I don't understand why you have to get married before you—”
“This is about power,” He said, his tone getting colder, “They want leverage over me and only a stable family man will keep them in check. That is why this pretense must be flawless”
I nodded in understanding “What about us when all this is over?
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he walked back to his window, his back at me “We will sort that out when the time comes”
As I left his office, the weight of the arrangement sunk in. I clutched the contract in my hands, knowing the deal was the only way to regain what I lost —but at what price?
In the elevator, my phone buzzed with a notification. It was a news alert, Vivian and Trevor were photographed in front of Collins’s interior headquarters, announcing their upcoming project. Their smug faces filled my screen fueling my determination.
My landlady's notification further fueled my anger, my rent was due and I needed to pay for some bills. My job hasn't been enough to cater to all my needs, I have received so many humiliating comments and treatment in companies all because I turned into a pauper overnight. I was used to crying myself to bed thinking about my Father, it had been so hard for me, making it difficult to accept my fate and just let go of things. Vivian and Trevor played me, and I never saw it coming.
We were always loving up in public and making people jealous and now I was the only one suffering for it. I glanced at the contract once again and walked out of the building to get a taxi. I looked up to the mighty building and it felt like my backbone. I couldn't wait anymore to wipe those smirks and smiles off their faces, I was the only heiress of Collins and I would be the only one in charge of his investment.
My resolve set back, if Adrian could help me destroy them, I was willing to risk everything. It wasn't just about me anymore, my father’s dignity was on the line.
BACK IN THE OFFICE
Adrian stared at Lily as she left through the glass walls, a tiny unreadable smile curled on his lips. “I can't wait to see what you are capable of, Miss Collins”
