Chapter 4 Startling Proposition

• “ Miss Belle. Do you think we can talk?” His voice is desperate.
• “ Now?” I ask, astonishment eminent in my voice.
• “I'd be glad if it could be now. It's urgent.”
• Reluctantly, I push the door wider allowing him into my house.
• Kaitlyn turns to look at us as we walk towards her.
• She looks at me for explanation.
• “ Kaitlyn, that's Nicholas Vanderbilt. He's my…”
• “ Is that dad?”
• “ No, Kait.” My cheeks flush in embarrassment.
• “Oh” Her face drops in disappointment.
• “ Baby, go up to your room. You have to go to school tomorrow.”
• “Okay, mom”
• I give her a goodnight kiss before she leaves.
• “Please sit.”
• My voice is almost inaudible. The only thing I can think about is why Nicholas Vanderbilt is here in my small house to talk to me.
• “ What can I get you?” I ask.
• “ Nothing. I'm good”
• I can't help but wonder if his decision has anything to do with the fact that I can't serve any of the expensive wines he'd love to drink.
• “ I apologize for intruding at this hour”. He sighs.
• “ You said it was urgent.”
• “ Yes. “
• He shifts uncomfortably on the couch and sighs again.
• “ Miss Belle, I have been the CEO of Vanderbilt enterprises for years even before my late father passed away.“ His voice is tinged with tremor.
• I'm not sure if he wants my sympathy but I give it anyway.
• “ I'm sorry for your loss.” I frown.
• “ It's been long.Thank you.”
• Is Nicholas Vanderbilt being vulnerable with me?
• “ And now my position as CEO is being threatened.”
• His gaze drops to his clasped hands between his legs before meeting mine and fear is all I see in those blue eyes. Nicholas Vanderbilt, scared?
• “ I need your help, Aurora.” He sighs again.
• Did he just call me that?
• “ I'm not sure how, Mr. Vanderbilt”
• “ My dad had been training me to take over his company years before he handed it over to me. For some weird reason, his will stipulates that I can only head the company if I settle down.” He pauses and shifts to the edge of the couch.
• I'm still confused.
• “ I understand how you feel,Mr. Vanderbilt. But I fail to understand how this relates to me.”
• “ I need one favor from you, Aurora. Losing this company would jeopardize my career and every employee would lose their job and I know you don't want that. ”
• “ You want me to help you?” My jaw drops in disbelief.” How can I help?”
• “ Yes.” He nods, his eyes pleading. “ I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend.”
• His words resonate in my ears and there's silence. Then a laugh escapes my lips before I can control it. His blue eyes stare at me and then I realize he's not joking.
• “ You….you mean it?”
• “ I do .” He nods again,desperation evident in his eyes.
• “ What?”
• “ I know it sounds unusual and you don't have anything to do with this. I'm willing to give you life changing money, Aurora. You don't have to do much. You just have to make everyone believe we're in love.”
• “ Pretend to be your girlfriend? Forgive me, Mr. Vanderbilt but this…”
• “ No, you don't need to make up your mind now, Aurora. But I'd sign a cheque of ten million dollars for you the second you accept. “
• Ten what?
• “ Ten million?” My jaw drops to the floor.
• “ That's enough money to secure your future and that of your daughter”
• He wants to give me that amount of money for me to pretend to love him? For what? His benefit?
• That amount of money could do wonders for Kaitlyn and I. But he thinks he could go round getting all he wants because he's a rich man?
• “ I'm sorry, Mr. Vanderbilt but I can't be bought” I blurt.
• “ I didn't mean for it to come out as such. You know what I mean, Aurora”
• “ I don't. I cannot be a pawn in your game of deceit just for your benefit”
• “ Aurora, we both win here. You still have your job as secretary, you get compensation and I stay the CEO. It really isn't for my benefit only.”
• His eyes search my face for a reaction.
• “ Think about the hundreds of employees depending on Vanderbilt enterprises for their livelihood. Please consider what's at stake here, Aurora”
• I swallow hard, trying to gather my thoughts.
• “ I understand the gravity of the situation, Mr. Vanderbilt,but I cannot compromise my values for money. I'm sure there's another way we can go about this.”
• His shoulders drop in disappointment and he sighs.
• “ It isn't just about that. The future of the company is at stake. I can't watch this company being drawn into debt because of incompetent board of directors”
• His eyes are filled with worry as he speaks and my heart sinks at his words. I haven't seen him like this before. Never.
• “ I'm really sorry, Mr. Vanderbilt. I really can't do this. I can't compromise my values. I can't” I sigh.
• This is a tough decision to make. He runs his fingers through his hair and takes a sharp breath.
• “ I understand but please think about it one more time. I'll be glad if you do”
• His voice is laced with disappointment as he stares into my eyes for some sort of assurance.
• “ Okay. I will.”
• I probably won't but seeing him like this makes me wonder how bad this could get.
• “ Alright. I'd take my leave then” He stands up and walks slowly towards the door.
• “ Mr. Vanderbilt?” The words fall out before I can stop them.
• He turns around with his hands in his pockets. He doesn't look like my boss now. He's always been so put together and stoic. Now he looks vulnerable and desperate- something that doesn't look good on Nicholas Vanderbilt.
• “ Why me? You've known me less than a month and you're revealing such sensitive information to me and even going as far as including me in your plan”.
• He chuckles and looks down for a few seconds before his eyes find mine.
• “ Aurora Belle” He walks closer to me and I feel my pulse quicken for no reason.
• “ The moment you tripped into my office, I knew you were one employee I could trust”
• “Why?”
• “ You looked genuine.” He shrugs. “ You're the best person for this, Miss Belle”
• With that,he walks out of my house leaving me with more questions than answers. Why was he so mean to me if he knew he could trust me? Or is he just saying it as a way to bait me into accepting this proposal?
• I can't shake the feeling that there's more to his proposal than meets the eye. Why me? Why now? And why reveal such sensitive information to someone he's known for less than a month? As I stand there, grappling with these questions, a sense of unease settles over me, knowing that whatever decision I make will have far-reaching consequences.