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“I’m open to negotiations. I’m willing to sell for the last offer you gave me of a million dollars along with something else.”
“A million dollars is more than your business is worth and we both know that,” he replies, as he sits forward with interest.
“It still isn’t enough for me to sell, that’s why I want something else as well,” I tell him.
“And what is that?”
“Your daughter’s hand in marriage,” I say.
His mouth drops open while he stares at me before speaking, “You’ve got to be kidding.”
“I’m quite serious.”
“Why on earth would you want to marry my daughter?”
“Why not?” I ask, not wanting to show my hand too much. I have a feeling Mr. Philips here has no idea that I know Sophia or that we went to the same school.
“So what? You’re trying to buy my daughter’s hand in marriage?” he says, his voice raising.
“Don’t act like you haven’t been trying to use your daughter as a pawn in your political games. I’m sure you already have a few people lined up who you could gain from if they married her. I’m just here throwing my hat in the ring,” I tell him.
“Apart from your shop, what would I gain from you marrying her?” he asks, confirming what I’ve always thought. He’d sell his own daughter to whoever could give him the best offer.
“You’d win. You would get your shopping centre, more money to add to your ever-growing bank balance and last but not least, a happy daughter. But who knows if her happiness is important to you,” I reply, crossing my arms over my chest.
Laughing, he stands from his desk before replying, “I must say Mr. Moretti you either have the biggest pair of balls or you’re the dumbest idiot ever to walk into my office and accuse me of such things.”
I stand watching him, waiting for him to continue. He glances down at the photo on his desk of a much younger Sophia. She sits upon his lap, looking up at him like he placed the sun in the sky for her. I wonder where it all went wrong for them. He tilts his head as he looks back at me, clenching his jaw.
“I’ll make you a counteroffer, Mr. Moretti. The same I’ve offered several others, shall we call them contenders,” he says, as he places his hands behind his back.
“And what is that?” I ask, my brows scrunching.
“Have you heard I’m throwing Sophia a masquerade party for her birthday on Saturday?”
“Yes, I have.”
“Good. I’ll take your deal to sell the business for a million dollars.”
“What about marrying your daughter?”
“Well, that is up to you. Or should I say, it's up to Sophia. You see I’ve given this deal to the other contenders too. If you can find Sophia at her birthday party and you can convince her to accept your marriage proposal, then I won’t stand in your way and you can marry her. But if you don’t find her or she doesn’t agree then I get the business regardless and you don’t get my daughter.” The twinkle in his eye should tell me something about his deal isn’t as straightforward as I think it is, but I don’t pay attention to it. I’m too busy trying to tamp down the excitement building inside because my plan might work.
“Deal,” I say, before I can stop myself.
“Great. I’ll have my lawyer draw up a contract today for you to sign. Now if that is all, I have other meetings to get to,” he says, dismissing me.
“Thank you for your time,” I politely say, as I turn to leave.
“Oh and Mr. Moretti, good luck finding your needle in a haystack,” he says, his boisterous laugh following me out as my brows scrunch harder together. What does he mean by that?
Chapter Thirteen
Lorenzo
“How does this one look?” I ask, holding my hands out to the side as I wait for Niko’s response.
“It looks as good as the last five you tried on,” he murmurs.
