Bab 23: A Deal

On a cloudy Saturday evening, Alex was on his way home from work, and did not realize that a car had been following him. The woman in the car shouted, "Alexander, of The Lavish?" It was an Audi A6 Quattro, he couldn't help but be amazed. "Miss Desmonde," he said in surprise. Vivian gave a bit of a laugh, and told him to get in the car. He did, and for a couple of minutes, Vivian drove her car into the parking lot of Mastro's Steakhouse. "We're here" she said, got out of the car and looked at him, raised an eyebrow, as Alex was still amazed and was unable to talk since. When they got in the restaurant, they were offered a table for two. Vivian immediately ordered, but Alex was having a hard time. He whispered to her, "Ma'am, it is my first time to dine here." She smiled nicely, and told him, "It's alright. I'll order for you." The waiter came back and Vivian ordered for Alex. While they were eating, he finally got the chance to ask her. He said, "Ma'am, I am not used to someone like you taking someone like me out for dinner. Is there anything you want me to do for you?" She wiped her mouth with the cloth and answered, "Don't be silly. This is not a Jonathan-Catherine thing," she took a sip of wine, and continued, "I have been meaning to ask, is there any way that you might like her? Catherine?" He stopped eating, put down the fork and focused on her, "Yeah, I do like her, but.." She interrupted, "But she is dating Jonathan Albertson. I mean, who can battle with him, he is a billionaire in the making." She looked at him, as Alex was enveloped with a thick cloud of insecurity and felt inferior to the woman across the table. "What if," she paused, "I give you a chance to turn the tables around. You get Catherine, I get Jon back." His eyes widened, his face turned pale but was able to ask Vivian, "How do I do that?" She got plane tickets from her classic Chanel lambskin bag, and handed it over to him. "You're not doing Alex. We are." Alex is very confused, he did not understand why this lady has invited him to dinner, and now that he does, she wants him to do everything to take Cathy away from Jon. “I have here plane tickets to an exclusive hotel. You can choose to go with Catherine. I have already contacted the hotel where you will be staying.” Alex took the tickets, and with much confusion in his head, he asked her, “How am I supposed to afford all these?” Vivian reached for his hand and held it. “Alex, I will help you to get Catherine, in return, I will give you whatever you need to take her away from Jonathan.” He looked at her eyes, and said, “It’s a deal.” Vivian took a sip of her wine and smiled wickedly, then replied, " A done deal."