A Deal With The Billionaire

EPISODE TWENTY EIGHT

THEME: Who lies the most?

CONNECTICUT, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA

HARTFORD MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

“And there he is talking to my mother like anyone would do with his soon to be mother in-law. How desperate is this man?” Raven asked.

“From the way I see it, he is a 360 degree kind of desperate. Shoot me! I feel like I am daydreaming.” He pointed towards them.

Several minutes passed and they didn’t leave that spot. Just then Christopher walked up to both of them, ignoring their inquisitive stares. He stood directly in front of Raven.

“I already asked your mom for her permission to let me speak to you privately for some minutes and she said it is okay.”

Raven huffed in annoyance. “Really? Am I a kid? Why would you ask for permission to talk to an adult like myself? Also what gave you the audacity to think I would agree to have a private conversation with you?”

Christopher gritted his teeth. He took a step closer towards her, making an eye contact and causing her to move backward briskly.

“Just because you signed a fucking contract and you need to keep up with it. Excuse us, Benjamin.” He said.

Not trying to get involved in whatever was going on, Benjamin did as he was told and he went to join Eva on the waiting bench.

“What did you tell my mother? I did a great job at making up our perfect love story and she believed me. My mom must never find out about this fake engagement.”

“I am not stupid. I only told her what she needed to know. Now that aside, there is something of importance that I need to tell you.”

Raven’s eyes moved in circles so lightly. “Will I hear anything shocking beyond all that I have heard in the last twenty four hours?”

“My family wants to have dinner with you this Sunday.” He told her outrightly without a flinch on that spot.

“What?! Wh… wha… what dinner?” Raven couldn’t help the stutter that escaped her lips which seemed to amuse the cold eyed man in front of her. She had only known this man for a day and had decided that they were in no way compatible.

“Yeah. You heard that right. You are having dinner with my family this Sunday. And it is not just any dinner but it is with the Crawfords. And it would require that you look presentable and a bit sophisticated. I guess you now know why I asked you to go for shopping with me.”

“Oh wow!” Raven faked a gasp. This man just insulted her fashion sense. Presentable and sophisticated? She snorted.

“Well the last time I checked the message you sent again, that wasn’t asking but it was an order. And didn’t I already told you the matter on ground? Listen, I know you lost your heart somewhere along the way of loving someone but you should at least still have a brain and eyes to see the situation at hand.”

Christopher eyes twitched at her bluntness. But he still saw her words so trashy. She didn’t even know him enough. He could be compassionate as ever. Also he didn’t need to explain himself especially because she is a woman like Jessica Campbell.

Christopher balled his fists and lowered his voice. “Now listen up, Miss McKenna, I won’t condone your rude talks to me. You really don’t want to mess with me.” He gritted.

Raven’s breath cut at how close he was to her and the way his eyes bored a hole into her soul. She wasn’t just taken aback by the tone and spite in his eyes but his beauty was a whole lot to behold and she also couldn’t help the way she was feeling. Did her heart just skipped a beat? She thought.

“Got it?” He mumbled.

Raven shook her head in agreement. “Yes.” She replied in a tight whisper.

Happy that she agreed to his words so easily, Christopher pulled at his suit and also cleared his throat. “Since we would be meeting up with my family too soon, there would be a need for us to know some things about each other to avoid misunderstandings or our words going against each other even when we are apart. So this is why shopping together is necessary. It is the only time I have to spare. I am a very busy man.”

Raven arched her brows. “I am not jobless either!” She countered.

She wasn’t one to back down. She would always stand her ground over being rudely approached.

To avoid being seen as resentful, Christopher bit his lower tongue. “I will let today be due to the child’s surgery, which I hope goes well. I will call you tomorrow and this time no excuses.”

As he attempted to move away from her, he remembered that they weren’t alone in the hallway. He turned to see Eva and Benjamin looking straight at them. Thank goodness they didn’t utter those words out loud.

In a swift movement, he turned back at Raven and kissed her on the lips light but long enough for her mother and Benjamin to see.

“They look so cute together.” Eva murmured a little bit loudly.

Satisfied that he had achieved a feat of making their relationship look real to her mother, Christopher moved away from Raven who looked beyond surprised.

She stood in shock, staring into space, expecting herself to react with an outburst but nothing came out. She was blinking her lashes relentlessly.

“Bye Eva. I will see you soon.” Christopher waved at her while Benjamin stood up to join his friend and they walked away.

Her mother nudged at her sides. “Is someone feeling shy now?” Eva teased.

Raven had been so lost in thought that she didn’t notice both men were gone. “Oh…” she uttered.

“Wow! Look at how much you have turned red in minute! I must admit that his effect on you is so cute. It has been long since I saw you this close to a man.” Eva laughed softly only to notice that her daughter wasn’t listening to her.

“Raven?” Her mother called out to her again and snapping her fingers right in front of her sight.

“You were… were saying?” Raven stammered.

Eva sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me you had to hasten the marriage plans because his father was sick and he needed to take over the company as they had some brutal rivals to fight against over a multimillion dollar contract? Christopher said he could only qualify to fight for it if he was married and since his father is so sick then he had to step in. Why did you leave out all of that information making me bother my head on why you are making such a hasty and huge decision without taking your time?”

Raven’s head ached at her mother’s rant. Wait! What did she just say? Christopher said all of that to her? A multimillion dollar contract? Perhaps is that his possession and not the other way round? That was new. She thought.

How could he come up with all of that in just few minutes of getting here? It only affirmed that he was a better liar than she was.

Raven tried to remember the lies she had told her mother but her head was like a blank white piece of paper.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“I am so sorry, mom.” She apologized. It seemed like the best thing to do at that point.

Eva scoffed. “You really are something, Raven. Did it skip your mind? Or you have been too worried about Rowan to look after yourself?” And without waiting for her response, Eva pulled her daughter in for an embrace.

“Forget all that now. Rowan needs us more. And I am rest assured that everything would be fine.”

“Thank you mom.” Raven said.

They locked hands and walked side by side to the operating room area.