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She wouldn’t be saying that if she knew the truth. I’m the least person that deserves love.
CHAPTER 4
Xander
PRESENT DAY
Iline up for my next swing, trying to get the perfect balance of speed and accuracy to sink a putt. A breath leaves me as I take the swing. Someone lets out a chuckle before clapping.
"Excellent form, Xander. Have you been practicing?"
I turn to look at the middle aged man in his fifties. Graying brown hair, light brown eyes. He’s wearing a white polo shirt, paired with blue gold pants. I shift the visor on my head slightly before shaking it.
“Not really,” I inform Mr. Rojas.
I hate golfing. But when you're in a business that involves having meetings on a golf course with old billionaires who enjoy the sport, you tend not to have a choice.
“Could have fooled me,” he says.
Mr. Rojas is one of my father’s oldest friends and business partner. He’s partnered with us our company on a variety of projects over the years. And I’m here today to try and cut a deal with him for our next partnership.
“So have you heard about our latest project, sir? The one with holographic interface?” I ask, as he gets ready to take his own swing.
Rojas chuckles. "You Steeles are all the same. Haven't you learned not to mix business with pleasure?"
“Considering right now was the only appropriate time I could have met you that fit into both our schedules, sir, I think it’s the perfect situation to mix business with pleasure.”
He smiles before taking the swing and absolutely missing. He doesn’t seem too bothered by it though. He turns to me with a sigh.
"I already saw the proposal. Cutting-edge technology like that could revolutionize the market. But the financials are a tad bit worrying."
“Which is why I’m here. We’d like to ask for your help with financing the project. We’d offer you a competitive licensing deal for it.”
His gaze is thoughtful as he says. “I see the potential but I also need to ensure that our interests align. It’s a big project. And I’m not feeling that pull yet.”
My jaw clenches. What more could he possibly want?
“What do I need to do in order to get you to feel that pull?” I ask.
He places his hand on his jaw thoughtfully before offering me a small smile.
“Remember my daughter who’s around your age?”
“Vividly,” I say dryly, already aware of where this is going.
It wouldn’t be the first time he’s mentioned his amazing daughter who would make the perfect wife for me.
“She recently returned from Chile a couple of weeks ago. Went there for volunteer work. But she’s back now. Would you like to go on a date with her?”
“If I go on a date with her, will you invest in the tech?” I question bluntly.
He laughs. He really laughs way too much. It’s unnerving. No one should be so jovial. Especially not a man who’s built a multi-million dollar corporation. There’s no way he got so far without occasionally getting his hands dirty.
“Careful, Xander. You’re making it out to be like I’m blackmailing you.”
Because you are.
“Of course not, Mr. Rojas,” I say with a disarming smile. “I’ll go on a date with your daughter. It wouldn’t be the first time. But it doesn’t seem to matter how many countries she visits for volunteer work or how many dates we go on, our interests don’t seem to align.”
