บท 7: A Deal
Rain felt like her head was about to explode when she woke up late the next morning. She was suffering from the worst hangover of her life, but she couldn't let it stop her for now. Last night, Sanya had told her everything she knew about Alexander, so Rain then quickly drafted a sample marriage agreement for him.
Quickly, she got up and got ready, remembering that she had to meet with Alexander over lunch that day. After getting ready, she didn't waste any time and drove to their designated meeting place. It was a traditional restaurant with private rooms, something that would be useful for their coming talks.
Upon arrival, she mentioned her name to the manager who then escorted her to the room where Alexander was already waiting, casually sipping his tea.
Entering, Rain politely greeted him. "Good afternoon, Mr. Lancaster."
He simply nodded and gestured for her to sit on the tatami floor in front of him. "Let's eat first," he remarked before signalling for the waiter to serve their meals. Rain smiled, appreciating his consideration. She was starving, after all.
Once their food arrived, they ate in silence, and Rain could feel Alexander's eyes landing on her every once in a while. Still, that didn't bother her as she enjoyed her lunch, seeing as delicious meals were practically her weakness.
After a moment, Alexander broke the silence. "I'm glad you're enjoying the meal. Should we talk about the divorce then?"
Rain looked at him and nodded.
Alexander nodded back. "I want a divorce as soon as the Civil Affairs office opens on Monday," he firmly stated.
Rain had a mischievous smile on her face as she jested, "And here I was thinking you'd appreciate a wife who doesn't complain about your late-night work hours."
Alexander's brow furrowed, clearly not in the mood for jokes. "This isn't a joke, Miss Clayton. I want this marriage annulled immediately."
Rain sighed dramatically. "Alright then, Mr. Lancaster. However, before you march me down to the Civil Affairs office, hear me out." She then leaned forward, her eyes staring closely at him. "You need me."
Alexander scoffed, "And why, exactly, would I need you? What can you offer that I can't do on my own?"
"To dodge those endless blind dates your father keeps setting you up with," Rain replied, hoping that things would work out like Sanya predicted. "Imagine, a whole year without being paraded in front of every eligible bachelorette in the city. Think of all the free time you could save!"
"How do you even know about that?" he questioned with a deep frown.
"Does it even matter? We both had this marriage just sprung on us, so it's only natural that I check on my sudden husband," Rain pointed out. "Besides, I believe you already did the same with me. By now, I'm sure you would have already conducted an investigation about me and this surprise marriage."
She then took a deep breath as she continued, "What matters is how we can both benefit from this arrangement. You get a year of peace, and I get to avoid my father's ridiculous arranged marriage to Michael Astor." She gave him a playful wink. "You can even set any conditions you want, and I'll agree to them. Just one year, and then we part ways. Deal?"
Alexander held a stoic expression as he stared at her, making it hard for her to tell what was going on inside his head. He simply frowned at her for a long while. Then, his eyes narrowed, a hint of amusement flickering within them.
"One year is too long," he argued. "Four months. On my terms."
"One year," Rain countered, her voice unwavering. She then firmly added, "I want my own freedom from my own family, and this marriage will help me achieve that. I need at least a year."
A deafening silence engulfed the room, long enough that Rain started biting her inner cheek as she waited for Alexander to speak.
"If it's for one year, then that will include fulfilling all wifely duties, especially consummating our marriage and sharing my bed," Alexander challenged, a smirk forming on his lips.
Rain's eyes widened in disbelief. 'Is this man a pervert?!' she thought while staring at him. Her face then fell as soon as she realized that Alexander was purposely doing this so that she would back down. That victorious smirk of his said it all!
"I guess we won't have a deal at this rate… Let's just end it by filing a divorce tomorrow," he commented before standing up. "It was nice to have this lunch with you, Miss Rain. I'll have my lawyer contact you-"
"Fine, four months. I'll do all wifely duties except sharing your bed," Rain suddenly blurted out. "I'll make sure to give your father a good performance to show a happy marriage with you."
Alexander stopped in his tracks. Turning around, he frowned at her. This time, Rain could tell that he was caught off guard by her answer.
"Do we have a deal now?" she further asked him, doing her best not to show her nervousness. "Should I finalize the contract and send it to your office?"
She could feel her heart drumming against her chest as she waited for his answer.
'Please… Please agree to it!' she inwardly chanted.
"Like I said, I want it on my terms, Miss Clayton," Alexander finally remarked. "I will call you once I finalize things on my side."
Rain gave him an awkward smile. "Of course."
Alexander then promptly left, leaving Rain to slump back down onto the floor with a heavy sigh. It was the best she could hope for, she supposed. Still, until there was a signed agreement, everything was left uncertain. Alexander could still change his mind and push for a divorce. "I need another backup plan, just in case things go south," she mumbled to herself.
Meanwhile, Alexander was deep in thought as he entered his car and drove away.
"So, Boss, how did it go?" Tyron, sitting in the passenger seat, curiously asked. "Are you going to file for a divorce tomorrow?"
"I agreed to keep the marriage for four months," he casually answered.
"That will at least give you a four-month break from Mr. Chairman. Not just for you, but for me too!" Tyron beamed. "I'll finally have four months without the Chairman calling me every time about your blind dates!"
Alexander remained silent, lost in thought. He couldn't understand why he had agreed to the deal when he could have simply pursued a divorce and avoided getting involved with Rain's issues in the first place.
However, he couldn't dismiss the fact that the arrangement might benefit him too. His father's health had been suffering due to the stress of arranging blind dates for him, and maybe this could offer a respite from their constant arguments about marriage.
Adjusting his spectacles, he mumbled, "Or it's probably pity too."
He wasn't going to lie. He also felt slightly bad for Rain, thinking that she didn't deserve to become prey to someone like Michael Astor. Four months should be enough for her to handle things on her own. He certainly didn't want to be entangled with her for too long after discovering how messed up the Clayton family could be.
"Tell Eric to meet me in my penthouse," he instructed. "I want him to draft a contract for me."
"Understood, Boss," Tyron nodded before handing him a tablet. "By the way, we already have a lead on the investigation. I sent the report to you. How should we proceed?"
Grabbing the device, Alexander checked the report. Immediately, his face darkened. "Find out where he is right now!" he hissed authoritatively.
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Eustoma_Reyna
Eustoma_Reyna July 17, 2024 A/N: Thank you so much for checking out this book. Don't forget to add this to your library guys and leave a Book Review. Hope you enjoy this one. It's been a while since I wrote a contemporary story, I think it has been 4 years ago. Hahaha Please feel free to leave comments and suggestions... Always take care everyone and have wonderful and blessed days always! Stay strong and keep fighting! *kisses and hugs*
บท 8: Go Undercover
After leaving the restaurant, Rain bought a basket of fruit and headed straight to Clayton University Hospital where her Aunt Melanie was currently staying. Unfortunately, she only got as far as the entrance before the security guards stopped her.
"Seriously?!" She hissed under her breath.
"I'm sorry, Miss Rain, but Mr. Tim strictly instructed us to not let you inside until you've produced a divorce certificate," the security guard said apologetically.
Rain took a deep breath and grabbed her mobile phone to call her father to demand an explanation. The call connected, and her father's gruff voice answered, "What do you want, Rain?"
"Can't you let me see Aunt Melanie now?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.
"I have not received news of your divorce from the Civil Affairs Bureau," was her father's cold reply.
Before she could even reply, her father abruptly ended the call. Rain could only grit her teeth. She was tempted to give in, but she promised herself she would never bend to his father's threats again.
Calming herself down, she let out a heavy sigh before handing the basket of fruits to the guard. "Can you please give this to Aunt Melanie?"
The guard nodded with a smile and Rain turned around to leave with a heavy heart. It wasn't the first time her father used Aunt Melanie to manipulate her into doing his bidding. However, it would have to be the last time. If she caved now, she would lose the chance to leave the family for good.
With her phone still in hand, Rain began typing a text message to her aunt.
Rain: Aunty, I'm sorry I won't be able to see you in person for now. It may take a while, but I'll definitely find a way to see you.
Aunt Melanie: It's fine, my dear. I understand your situation. Like I always tell you, don't let my brother use me to bend you to his will. You know I'll always support you and would want you to focus on living your life well. We can just do voice and video calls, so don't worry. I am well, and I hope you are too. If you need anything, don't hesitate to tell me, alright?
Rain: Yes, I will, Aunty. Thank you so much. I'll see you soon.
Faced with her aunt's understanding nature, Rain felt like crying. Aunt Melanie was real family to her; a comforting presence she often turned to for solace from Sylvia and Dina's bullying and her father's cold treatment of her.
With her business done, she was on her way to the car when her mobile phone rang again. Fishing it out of her pocket, she saw that her detective friend, Brandon, was calling her.
Shrugging, she answered her phone, "Yes?"
"Rain, are you free tonight? I need your help on a murder case I'm working on right now," Brandon remarked. "And I can't find anyone more suitable for this than you.".
Rain frowned at his words. The only high profile murder case she could think of was the one reported in the news recently. There were at least three women found dead and stripped naked in an alley, causing fear and panic in the city.
"Tell me where I should meet you," she answered. If Brandon was asking her for help, things must be dire.
The call then ended with Brandon messaging her about the place. Coordinates acquired, Rain drove to his hideout directly. All the while, she found herself thinking about how she and Brandon became good friends.
Brandon Russo was a forty-year-old righteous but quick-tempered detective. Rain met him seven years ago when she was in high school at a gambling den. Back then, Rain often disguised herself as an older woman to gamble so that she could get money for school.
However, when Brandon's team raided the den, she was captured. Obviously, Rain did everything to get away, and he eventually let her go since she was a minor. He became her life mentor, and good friend, and soon she started volunteering to help him out with most of his cases.
And somehow, since she was good, she became his regular lackey in the shadows. He paid her well too, and her experiences with him inspired her to pursue criminology in college.
Eventually, her musings were cut short as she arrived at her destination. Brandon was waiting for her, with his board of images. Rain clenched her teeth as she glanced at the photos of women and children. Were they all dead?
"It's been a while!" Brandon greeted her with their usual fist bump. "Thanks for coming."
Rain frowned despite the greeting. It seemed that Brandon wasn't aware of her situation yet. Knowing him, he should've teased her about her unexpected marriage by now. Or perhaps he was simply trying to get down to business.
Well, her marriage news could wait. She should just let Sanya do it later. There were other, more important things to worry about.
"What do you need my help with?"
"This case is a lot more dangerous than the others. Hear me out first, then I'll respect your decision if you don't want to do it," Brandon said. "Recently, we've been trying to find the culprit for the recent spate of murders, but we've hit a dead end."
"The only lead we have is that all of them have ties to The Gentleman's Club, but we don't have enough evidence for a search warrant."
"So you need me to be your insider?" Rain guessed.
"Exactly. Because this club is prestigious, they won't hire average-looking girls. I don't have anyone else that could pass their screening except you," he said with a wry grin. "According to our source, their entertainers are the only ones with privilege and access to every room. I need you to plant spy cameras so we can gather evidence."
Rain shrugged, snorting softly, "Do you even know if I can dance?"
"I'll have someone train you," Brandon confidently replied. "Besides, you're always a fast learner. And as always, I'll set you up with a solid disguise and ensure your safety," he reassured.
"Of course, that is if you agree," Brandon said. "Like I said, it's very dangerous. The women found showed signs of drug overdoses, abuse, and rape. And most are from poor families. We believe they are targeting these women on purpose."
"Those bastards… Fine, I'll do it," she firmly declared.
She hated injustice the most. It was why she pursued law despite her father's lack of support in the first place. She wanted to protect others, even if it cost her.
"Let's get you ready then. You'll go undercover tonight," Brandon casually remarked. "There's a stag party booked, and security won't be tight since the guests are from high society."
"What?! You'll have me train on short notice and go undercover tonight?!" she burst out, her eyes wide with shock.
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