The Broken Heart Syndrome

CHAPTER 9

HUNTER

The pace with which she switches tones and expressions gives me whiplash.

Before I could say anything, she gives me one last sweetest fake smile paired with her batting lashes and skips to her brother. It's like she couldn't get out fast enough. She practically drags her brother out followed by her mother.

And I'm just staring at the door, no idea about what just happened. I don't know whether to be furious or impressed by her negotiation skills.

I've closed business deals that no one else could because I know how to get inside of a person's head and I use the hell out of it. I am where I am because I know how to read people. I know how to use people's nature against themselves.

This is the first time someone has outsmarted me while a deal negotiation. She knew she had leverage over me and she used it well.

Ms. Desai's voice snaps me back into the present.

"Well, it was a pleasure doing business with you Mr. Adams." she holds out her hand looking amused and very impressed. I'm sure I'm not the one she's impressed with.

I shake her hand with a nod. If I wasn't the one on the other side of this deal, I'd be impressed too.

I run a hand over my face when I hear Michaels starts, "Shut it Michaels, I don't wanna hear it. I just saw how well you were doing your job."

Before he could say anything, my father is already here and I'm sure, it is to bite my head off.

"What the hell is going on here?" he demands.

Taking a deep breath, I drawl, "I told you already. I don't make it a habit of repeating myself." I turn away from him and instruct Michaels as I walk away.

"Get those papers ready by morning."

I need to wash off the last couple of hours.

****

Turning the shower to scolding hot, I try to blank out my mind but all it does is brings out certain brown eyes and all the emotions that went through them at the meeting and how she always managed to block them out. Every minute flashes infront of my eyes like a film.

She wasn't supposed to be this stubborn and defiant and my future fake wife surely wasn't supposed to have such power to get under my skin so easily.

Letting out a frustrated groan, I hop out of the shower and tie a towel around my waist when I hear my phone ring.

I already know who it is and let out another frustrated sigh, I pick up my phone and yup, its him.

Markus calling...

I pick up the call and all but bark, "What?"

And Markus, my childhood friend and business partner, is already laughing.

"Uh oh, I already know but how did it go?"

I roll my eyes, even though he can't see me.

I sit down on a chair near a window and snap, "How do you think it went? She knew she had the upper hand, and she took full advantage of it."

He exclaims in delight, "You are telling me your future wife- "

"fake" I interrupt, but he ignores me.

"-outsmarted you in the negotiation? Holy hell! I never thought I'll ever see this day. I'm going to mark today's date on my calendar."

"I'm hanging up." I warn.

"Wait! wait! wait! at least tell me what she said?" he asks trying to tame down his excitement but failing miserably.

"I don't want to bloody talk about it." I grunt.

"No, if you don't tell me now, you'll never talk about it. So, spill it now before it gets locked in your mental cage."

"I don't have the time to give you the whole run down-"

"Yeah, yeah so just give me the shorter version." He continues without missing a beat.

This motherfucker is enjoying every second of my misery.

I reluctantly give the shortest version of all that went down in that meeting leaving the last part out of it.

"Oh man, wow! I think you just found your match." he says sounding...in awe?

"Oh, fuck off, there's no match for me and I definitely don't need one."

He is quiet for some heavenly seconds.

Then, "What did she ask for?"

"Nothing." I lie, defensively. A little too quickly.

"Mm hmm spit it out Adams. Tell me what she asked for?"

Sometimes it really worries me how well this jerk knows me, but it's also why he's my only friend, not that I'll ever tell him that.

"She said this whole deal was a job offer for her." I grumble.

"Well, it kinda is." He interrupts,giving his two cents.

But I stay quiet after that.

"And?" he asks.

I still stay silent and after a short silence he exclaims in my ear making me wince.

"Holy shit! she asked for a salary, didn't she?" he laughs.

"Yes." I grunt out

"Oh man! I already love my sister-in-law. I can't wait to tell Sarah about her."

"I'm hanging up now." I bite out.

Bloody traitor.

"Okay, okay I'll stop I promise. Just tell me how much?"

"I'm not telling you- "

"Please, please I promise I'll shut up about it forever." He begs like a child.

"50 grand." I bark out.

He sobers up and says, "That's reasonable man, 50k a year is fine when she will not have to spend any of it. Why are you so grumpy about it then?"

"Its 50 grand per month." I grit out.

When his laughter starts anew, I hang up.

She's not what I expected. I didn't need all that she is and all that she's going to bring into my life. We aren't even married yet and she has already misbalanced the stability I've desperately created.

I lie down on my bed, thinking what she's going to bring tomorrow.