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My face flushed red with anger and embarrassment. I shot a cold glance at Luke before whispering in a low voice. while trying to control my anger,“Luke, what are you doing?”
But Marcus just chuckled. His eyes were glinting with amusement as he said, “I like your brother’s style, Rosaline. He’s a true negotiator.”
I shot Luke a warning glance, but he just grinned, seemingly oblivious to my frustration.
“We’ll consider it,” I said finally in a firm voice.
Marcus’s smile was like a razor’s edge as he said in a deep voice, “I knew you’d see it my way, Rosaline. Let’s shake on it.”
As our hands clasped, I felt a shiver run down my spine. We’d just made a deal with the man most people feared to even have a
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meeting with him.
When we came out of the room, I pinched Luke’s cheeks harshly before saying in a dramatic voice, “How could you easily sell me in front of a devil just to crack a business deal? Are you even my brother or just the CEO of Coopers‘ group?”
“Even if I sold you over there, I sold you to the right person. That guy is crazy about you. I can vouch for that!” Luke said excitedly.
“Don’t talk nonsense, Luke.” I cut him
off.
“Nonsense?” Luke chuckled, “We didn’t offer him anything other than the local employees that he could easily attract on his own, yet he signed the deal with us. It’s quite obvious he signed the deal only. because of you.”
“Do you really think that way?” I raised my eyebrows. Luke’s words made me wonder as well. He immediately nodded
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his head, saying, “Or else why would he propose such a demand in the end? Don’t tell me you believe he only wants business partnership from you.”
I rubbed my forehead. I indeed was doubtful about Marcus’s intention behind signing the deal with us. But, I didn’t want to believe Luke’s calculation, especially when he didn’t know anything about my entanglement with Marcus through David’s company.
While we out of the building,
were co
my legs came to an abrupt halt as my gaze fell on a familiar figure, standing right before my eyes.
It was David!
His hair was in a mess, his shirt was wrinkled and he looked thin. But, his expressions were as cold as before. He walked up to me while staring at Luke. Sensing something odd in him, Luke immediately covered me behind him and said in a cold voice, “Stop, right there.
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David ignored Luke and looked up at me, asking in a cold voice, “Did you leave me for him?”
I was speechless. He was still taking Luke as someone I had an affair with. But, Luke didn’t know anything about him. He instantly turned to me and asked, “What’s going on, Rosaline? Did you not tell him that
you are going to overtake your family business?”
“And you, Mr. David Williams! My sister has left your company. You have no right to assault her privacy and chase after her.” He warned David in a cold voice.
I bit my lips as I turned to Luke, saying in a requesting tone, “Luke, I’ll explain everything to you later. How about you wait for me in the car?”
But, Luke stood still between me and David, saying in a stern voice, “I’m not
leaving you with anyone. I’m here. Talk whatever you want.”
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Luke left me with no choice. Meanwhile, David was stunned. His expressions. softened as he blurted out, “Luke Cooper is your brother, not boyfriend?”
But soon, his eyes darkened as he complained, “Why didn’t you tell me about your background earlier?”
I briefly explained everything to Luke. I also made sure to make everything sound less intense than it really was. However, his expressions kept growing colder towards. David and it looked like he could begin throwing fists on David any second. But, I held his hands tightly as I turned to David, saying, “I don’t think I should explain anything to you, David. I left you a letter.”
“You want to break up with just a letter?” David chuckled, “You can’t end a
relationship of eight years like that. Rosaline, You loved me, didn’t you?”
“That’s right, David. I loved you. But,
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that was in the past. Now, I‘ m over it.” I replied in a flat voice. David’s face sank. He immediately asked, “Is it because Cynthia had been texting you for the past few days? Don’t believe her, Rosaline. I have fired her. She was a mole, trying to ruin me from inside out.”
David’s words caught my attention for a while but then I let it go. Even if Cynthia was doing everything for ulterior motives, his concerns and worry towards her couldn’t be fake. I had seen it in his eyes. He couldn’t deny it.
While David and I were arguing, Luke suddenly came between us. He seemed to notice something and immediately asked, “Is Marcus Smith also your Ex, Rosaline? That’s why you knew him earlier?”
“I must say, he is a better choice. If you are going to reconcile with any of your exes, be with Marcus.” He added, leaving me speechless.
“Marcus Smith?” David chuckled, “Are
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“Does it matter to you, David?” I asked in a cold voice. He stared at me for a while. His expression softened as he said, “I’ll let everything go, Rosaline. Let’s go back and talk things over, okay?”
I laughed at his words, asking, “Go back to where, David?”
“Our home, Rosaline. We have lived eight years together. I don’t believe that you have passed over all that time. I know you still love me.” David said in a hoarse voice.
“You are living in a delusion, David. I stopped loving you a long time ago. It’s just. that I took a really long time in making my final decision. I don’t want to be with you anymore.” I replied in a stern voice.
David wasn’t intending to let go. He held my hands and tried to drag me away with him which infuriated Luke. He didn’t wait for my response and immediately threw a
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fist on David’s face.
David’s eyes turned dark, but he still held my hands, not letting me move. Luke began losing his calm and hit him again.
“Luke…” I tried to stop my brother because I knew how dangerous it could be. But, Luke wasn’t listening to me and kept hitting David. David then finally let my hands go as he turned to Luke, saying in a cold voice, “I wanted to take Rosaline by her will. But, you just forced me to use other methods,”
Just then a bunch of men appeared on the site. A few of them held Luke‘ s hands on either side and the rest began hitting at his face.
“You scoundrel,” Luke spat, “Taking others‘ help to do your job, are you not a man to fight your own battle?”
David ignored Luke and turned to me, saying, “If you don’t want your brother to be beaten to death, come with me,
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Rosaline,”
“Are you going to blackmail me now?” I asked in a stunned voice.
“You have left me with no other option, Rosaline,” he said, “Come with me or your little brother will suffer more.”
I looked up at Luke. He had been struggling to free himself. But, David had brought really tough men. However, Luke wasn’t letting anyone hit him either. His hands. were occupied but he was kicking all the men who were trying to go near him. He then turned to David and said, almost in a mockery, “Do you think it’s only you. who have got men to do your dirty
works?”
Just then Luke whistled and another bunch of men appeared in his defence. Two men. hit the men who where holding Luke captive and then Luke, along with his men, began fighting with David’s men. I was surprised to see sight soon changing into a wrestling ring of youngsters. I glanced at
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Luke, asking, “You didn’t tell me about these men? Who are they? Don’t tell me you always bring them with you to fight?”
Luke chuckled, “No way! I hired them only today. Since we are going to work with Marcus Smith, I thought we should
consider our safety first. But, I didn’t expect that I would have to utilize their strength on someone else.”
Both Luke’s and David’s men engaged themselves in a serious fight. But, Luke took it personally. He chased after the man who had hit his face. At one throw he made
him fall on his knees and then he kicked. on his head, yelling, “How dare you hit my face? Do you know how hard it is to impress girls with your looks nowadays? What if my girlfriend refuses to see me because of my ruined face, huh?”
I chuckled at Luke‘ s tantrums. Seeing him like this, I felt nothing had changed. He was still my immature younger brother. The expensive suits and the men around.
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him were just a facade to make him look like a serious and demeanouring man. But, from inside, he was still a kid. I was glad that I didn’t miss my brother’s adolescence because of David.
David saw Luke being busy with his men. He took it as an opportunity and walked closer to me, saying, “Rosaline, I’m sorry for all this. I didn’t mean to hurt you or your brother.”
“But, you did anyway. Then why bother apologizing?” I smirked at him.
“Can’t you just forgive me and come back? I promise I will not see Cynthia anymore. It will be only you and me.” He said in a desperate voice.
“It’s too late, David. I don’t love you anymore.” I replied flatly, “Please take your men and leave before I call the police and have you arrested.”
David stared at me for a while before he said with tearful eyes, “I’m sorry for
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David turned back only to find a man taller than him standing behind him, glaring at him with a pair of cold eyes. He hesitated for a moment before he asked in a cold voice, “Who the hell are you to command me?”
The man slowly walked closer to us and then said, his words carrying a lot of weight, “Let me introduce myself. I’m Marcus Smith, the name that is very popular among your circle.”
“Marcus?” David chuckled. Marcus being very mysterious hadn’t appeared before most of the businessmen. Not most people had seen him, and David was one of them.
He remained still for a long while before he recovered his senses and put me down. He then stared at him with a pair of cold eyes, saying angrily, “You are the one who planned moles in my company. How dare you act so virtuously before me. Besides,
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Rosaline is mine. I can do whatever I want with her. You have no say in it.”
I saw Marcus s knuckles tightening on David’s last sentence. He bit his lower lips while saying, “First of all, I hadn’t planned any moles in your company. It’s your employees who are desperate to sell your company s secrets for money. I’m a businessman. Why would I refuse the
secrets that were served on my plate? Blame the people you hired, not me,”
He paused for a while as he took his final step towards us and held my hands tightly before he pulled me away from David, saying in a cold voice, “You don’t own her. She doesn’t belong to anyone. She belongs to only herself. So, Mr. David Williams, consider it an advice or a warning, Do not ever try to hurt her. Never!”
I didn’t see David’s expression on Marcus’s words. I could even feel the chills running down my spine while listening to his cold warning. David dared not argue with
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Marcus. He turned to me and said in a hoarse voice, “Don’t believe him,
Rosaline. He put the moles in our company. He is trying to create misunderstanding between us so that our company suffers and he reaps the benefits. through it. Come back with me, Rosaline. I really need you. Only you can help restore the loss our company has suffered.”
“So, you aren’t here because you missed me and wanted me back?” I chuckled,
“You are here because you realized how important I was to your company and you can’t handle it alone?”
“I…” David was at a loss. He was finding words to defend himself. But, I had seen. through him. I didn’t need any explanation
from him.
“Rosaline, it’s not what you are thinking. I
can explain…
“Enough,” I cut him off, “I think I have given you enough time, David. I’m letting you off considering our past relationship.
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But, if you ever cross my path, do not wish any concession from me. I wouldn’t be soft on you.”
David still tried to come near me. But,
Marcus came between us. After receiving a cold gaze from Marcus, David understood. he couldn’t have his way with Marcus while being present. He then took his men and left while throwing out his last words,
“Don’t think it’s over, Rosaline. I’ll
come after you again.”
After David left, I thanked Marcus. He smiled gently and said, “Don’t be so formal with me. You are my partner now. Your issues are my issues.”
He shot a glance at Luke who was still busy in chasing after David’s men and then whispered, “Can’t believe I took him as your boyfriend,”
“What?” I blurted out in a shock. He then smiled, saying, “I guess you don’t read. newspapers. You are pretty viral nowadays. People are coupling you with your brother,
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thinking you are his girlfriend since you two hugged each other in the airport.”
“Oh.” I chuckled, “I was really not aware of that. But, I didn’t expect you to be very aware of people’s gossip.”
“I’m really not,” he chuckled, “It was just your picture that got my attention and I couldn’t help wanting to know more.”
The next few days passed in a whirlwind of activity as we worked to finalize the partnership. Marcus’s team was ruthless and efficient, pushing us to move faster and harder.
I found myself working closely with Marcus, our banter and arguments. masking a growing attraction between us. It was impossible between us, but I couldn’t deny the sparks flying between us.
One evening, as we worked late in the office, Marcus turned to me with a deep gaze, saying in a soft voice,“Rosaline, I think it’s time we celebrate our
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partnership.”
I raised an eyebrow, my heart racing. “What do you have in mind?”
Marcus smiled wickedly while saying, “Dinner, at my place,”
Before I could say anything, he added,
“Just the two of us.”
I hesitated, knowing I was playing with fire. But I couldn’t resist the trap of Marcus’s charm.
“Alright,” I said finally, my voice barely above a whisper.
Marcus’s eyes shined brightly, and I knew I
was in trouble.
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