EPISODE TWENTY ONE
Theme: A deal with the billionaire
CONNECTICUT, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA
CRAWFORD CORPORATION
Raven tapped her feet anxiously on the marbled floor. If her nails ever come alive they would have her teeth ripped off. She had chewed on her nails unconsciously and out of nervousness and her breath hitched each time she heard a door open.
The thoughts of leaving that spot and heading to the banks nagged at her. But the idea of her getting more than the amount she needed made her curious to know more about this deal.
Her mind drifted to the man whom she was sure would be the intended fake husband. He looked cold, his presence had made the room standstill and he walked with grace and triumph that came from having this corporation for himself. He had a charismatic aura that would make any woman attracted to him.
Raven shook her head to get rid of such thoughts of finding her fake husband to be attracted. She chided herself for getting distracted by such thoughts.
“Are you sure you are okay, ma’am?” The secretary who had been watching Raven with curious eyes asked for the umpteenth time.
It took every living nerve in Raven to not tell the lady to mind her fucking business.
Raven smiled but with her lips tight as she responded. “I am perfectly fine.” It sounded more like an angry growl.
The lady seemed to get the message and she went back to her work not bothering to ask Raven anything anymore.
“Hey Raven, are you okay?” Benjamin asked as he walked towards her.
For the first time since Raven has bumped into him she was deeply glad to see Benjamin.
Raven stood up abruptly. “I am fine, Benjamin. What’s going on?” She queried with an anxious look on her face.
Benjamin grinned widely exposing his perfect dentition as he reached out to cuff her hand in his arm.
“Let us go and get Rowan back on his feet.” He whispered and led her to the office.
If Raven thought she had seen the man from the other space completely then she must have been mistaken. The first hit she got was from his strong manly perfume. The whole office smelt like wood and coffee put together.
After being ushered a seat directly in front of Christopher, she had enough view of how good looking he was at that point. Raven has seen many good looking men all her life, but if she was to be sincere the man in front of her was beyond handsome with his side parted silk looking brown hair which would be really nice to play with in bed, slender eyebrows raised up slightly, shiny black eyes that scrutinized her whole being with all seriousness and to cap it all he had a pointed nose and thin lips.
Raven almost uttered loudly, how can one person posses so much beauty without trying so hard.
“I am Christopher Crawford, the soon to be chief executive officer of Crawford Corporation.” Christopher introduced, breaking Raven out of reverie.
Raven called herself back to order and she cleared her throat. “I am Raven McKenna.” She pulled out a hand to shake him but was ignored. And with her reserved dignity, Raven returned her outstretched hands to her laps and she fiddled with her fingers.
“Like I said earlier I am the soon to be CEO of this corporation that you are in right now which can only be achieved with your cooperation. I really don’t have much to say.” Christopher searched through some files on the table and he grabbed one in a brown folder. “Here, this is the contract with its terms and conditions. Read through carefully and let me know what you think of it.”
The moment he heeded the advice of his best friend, Christopher had drafted out a simple and easy contract marriage terms and conditions which he found online after googling for a whole day and it didn’t take long for him to finalize it.
Christopher had read the contract about a hundred times and he was glad that he had prepared it before now.
Raven gulped at his abruptness and the fact that he didn’t make any attempt to make her feel comfortable. Ignoring her inconvenience, Raven opened up the file.
The contract stated that, she was to get married to him as his legal wife with a wedding that would only be in the presence of a few family members. Her agreement now would provide her a down payment of fifty thousand dollars and after the contract was done which is meant to last for six months then the rest of the money which is fifty thousand dollars would be paid to her.
It was a marriage with no sex and she was not to expect it. They wouldn’t be sharing a bedroom except a family member was around since they would need to show the world that they are a happy couple.
If she breaches the contract she would give everything he gave to her back in triple.
Raven gasped at the information. Where would she get three hundred dollars if something was to go wrong?
She kept on reading. It also stated that if Christopher failed to pay the remaining fifty thousand dollars after two weeks of completing the contract then he is subjected to paying her triple of the money.
Lastly, after six months each party would sign a divorce papers and they are never to cross path again.
“Wow.” Raven muttered, glancing at Benjamin who sat watching her keenly.
Seeing her face, Benjamin nodded towards her with a reassuring look on his face. The terms and conditions in the contract didn’t seemed so hard to do aside the triple payment but she couldn’t stop working not even for a million dollar.
Thinking for a moment, Raven decided to give her own conditions. This man has to take it seeing how much they both need each other at the moment.
“Mind you no one else is meant to know about this aside us, not even your parents. We need to be discreet as much as we can be on this matter. So what do you say?” Christopher’s voice boomed in her ears.
Raven sat up right and stared at him. She had to chin up if she was to have a deal with this billionaire. Despite his status, she wasn’t going to let him trample over her. If she was doing him such a favor the he would have to listen to her own conditions.
“I don’t intend to expose myself to the whole world. This is good.” She muttered and pointed at the contract. “However, I do have my own conditions.”
Her words got Christopher and Benjamin perked and they exchanged glances for a second.
“And what are your conditions?”
“I am a chef and I have a son…”
“So?” Christopher cuts in sharply.
Raven held up her right palm. “Please don’t interrupt me.” She cautioned.
“Oh! That’s so fierce of you, Raven McKenna.” Benjamin murmured.
He was amused by how blunt Raven sounded and it caused him to earn a glare from his best friend. And immediately, he turned his attention at his cellphone.
“I don’t allow such insolence, Miss McKenna. But I would let you finish.” Christopher said.
“Thanks.” Raven nodded. “My conditions are simple, I won’t stop going to work since I don’t want to be out of job after the completion of the contract and I would like to always see my son on a daily basis. I don’t want to get him dragged into this deal.”
“I also wouldn’t want an extra involvement as it is in this deal. So is that all of your terms and conditions?” Christopher asked.
“Yes.” Raven replied.
“Then we have a deal.” He said.
“Really?” Raven questioned, surprised at him complying so easily. “So can I get the down payment now?”
“Yes. But as soon you sign the contract. I will keep every of my promise.” He stated.
Without thinking twice, Raven whipped out a pen from her bag and signed in the necessary places. And she handed the documents to Christopher.
Raven had just signed six months of her life to save her son’s life and help this man gain his possession.
Benjamin clapped his hand in excitement. “This is what I love to see!” He beamed.
Christopher eyed his friend who stood up and pat Raven lightly on her shoulder.
“Don’t make me regret this, Miss McKenna. It is only for six months so I hope that I can trust you?” Christopher asked.
“Of course you can count on me.” Raven assured him.
Christopher took out a cheque from the drawer, he wrote fifty thousand dollars on it and gave it to her.
Raven couldn’t believe her eyes. “Oh my God! Is this real?” She muttered, staring at both men.
“It is real, Raven. I told you, didn’t I?” Benjamin said. He was happy that he had met her. He knew she deserved the money better than anyone else.
“I should rush down to the bank to cash the money and then drive back to the hospital after making the payment.” Raven said facing Benjamin directly before dropping the cheque in her bag. She stood up without looking at Christopher. “Thank you, Benjamin.” And with these words she motioned towards the door.
“Wait up! You can’t leave just yet. Not so fast, Miss McKenna.” Christopher called out.
Raven stopped on track and turned to face him. “What else do I need to do here?” She asked.
Christopher took out a black box from the drawer again. He walked towards her and she stared at him with a wide eye. He stopped in front of her and they both stood face to chest.
Christopher opened the little box and showed her the diamond ring that was worth thousands of dollars.
“Wouldn’t it be weird that my wife to be doesn’t have a ring to show our engagement? I need you to put this ring on your finger right at this minute.” Christopher said with a cold smirk grazing his expression.