Chapter Two

Isabella POV

“Mr Deluca. If you could just listen to me” I quickly follow him up the stairs, “I can assure you, I’m not wife material, and I am in no way interested in getting into some sort of marriage with you,” I say, his back turned to me

He pauses, turning around, his bright blue eyes meeting with mine, my breath hitch as he moves closer, the intoxicating smell of exotic perfume filtering into my nose, “Again, Miss Isabella,” he pauses, a smirk popping up on his face, “I am in no way interested in being in a marriage with you either, it’s a simple contract between two families” he pauses, placing his hands in the pocket of his trouser, swinging on his heels, “it’s a marriage of convenience, coming from your background I’m sure you didn’t expect to marry for love did you?” he raises a brow at me, a know it all expression on his face

I ignore him, “We want to spread the payments, I want you to give us three years and we will pay you back in full” I nod confident, we just have to work thrice as hard, “how much could the money possibly be?” I say out loud without realizing

A deep laugh echoes, but it doesn’t seem funny, more like he’s mocking me, “okay, Miss Isabella, he moves to a work table by the side, pulling the drawer open, he pulls out a few pieces of paper, handing them over to me, “your father, owes me three hundred and fifty million dollars, with payments spread across three years, it will come up to a total bill of four hundred million dollars, do you think you can make such amount of money in three years?” he raises a brow at my shocked face

“I_I don’t know what to say, I stare down at the paper in shock, my father's signature signed boldly at the bottom, it would take decades to pay back.

“It's a marriage of convenience Isabella, we get married, you act like you are absolutely in love with me at social gatherings, and in front of cameras and family, and of course bear me heirs and you can do whatever you want, you'll have any amount of money you want at your beck and call, you’ll have a home wherever you want and most importantly for you” he pauses “your family will remain debt free as I’ll pay off the loans your father owes” he finishes in one breath.

“Heirs_ my voice cracks, I take a step back, that would involve being intimate with you?” shock on my face, I’m sure my facial expression is one of absolute fear, It's not like I’m some virgin but the concept of being intimate with a person I just met and with no emotional connection Is a weird concept for me

“You’ll be my wife, yes? Do you plan on letting me sleep with women outside of our marriage? Turn our marriage into gossip? I don’t appreciate being on the news and I’m not interested in being on gossip blogs for cheating scandals, he rolls his eyes walking towards the brown couch at the side of the room, and relaxing like he owns the world, like he already owns me.

“you will have responsibilities, being Mrs. Deluca, and yes one of those responsibilities is being intimate with me, his eyes run through me from top to bottom, biting the side of his lips, making me shiver, I take a step back as he continues, “Three kids, that’s all I want, you will be in charge of my entire home, family, my family’s charity organizations, social gatherings, and what not, my mother would explain better, all you have to do is say yes,” he shrugs his shoulder

“like I have a choice” I mumble under my breath

“What was that? He raises a brow at me picking up a magazine from the coffee table opposite him

“Nothing”, I roll my eyes, I have my own rules I bit my lip.

He turns to me dropping the magazine, “Do you think you're In the position to make rules? You do what I say and that’s it” he raises the magazine to his face completely blocking me out

Standing In silence and confused, I decide to leave, “I need to think this through,” I bit my lip_ “I just can’t get married to a man I know nothing about” I say raising my hands in exhaustion.

My assistant will send you a file with all the details you need to know about me, and you have till tomorrow to give me an answer,” he turns to his watch looking at the time, he sighs looking up at me, he slowly gets up, walking towards me getting up close and personal.

He stares down at me, a mischievous look in his eyes, I almost want to back away but I prove stubborn looking him in the eye

“I would have stayed with you longer Mrs. Deluca, but I have a meeting, you’re free to stay as long as you want,” he says referring to the penthouse, “I’ll need an answer tomorrow before 2 pm, do understand that? He raises a brow at me, stepping back to the couch and picking up his jacket

“I’m not Mrs Deluca,” I say the words coming out harshly as I grit my teeth at him

“Not yet Baby girl” he winks walking past me and down the stairs

My eyes pop open in shock at the sudden endearment

He turns around at the bottom of the staircase, staring up at me, “And next time you want to see me, you don’t need to go through the long procedure, just come in,” he frowns slightly, “I’ll tell my security detail to let you through” he pulls on his jacket simply waking away and cutting me off

What an egoistic bastard” I scream to myself as soon as he leaves the penthouse, how do I marry such a man? “So much pride” I mumble out loud rolling my eyes