A business deal to them

**CHAPTER 3**

**Jason's POV**

What is she doing here? I questioned in my head as I stepped into my mansion.

The woman I had a one-night stand with is my employee. It's indeed a small world.

Come to think of it, what would make a woman who has a job as a waitress turn to something as desperate as prostitution for her end-of-month paycheck?

Women, I thought aloud, do they ever get satisfied? I reflected on my ex and my past relationship with a woman I loved deeply and committed so much to.

What didn’t I do for her? What did she ask for that I didn’t fulfill?

I would go to any length to make sure she was satisfied and happy.

Was it sex? I gave her that.

Was it money? I had plenty and gave her direct access to my bank card.

Was it attention? Darn it, I gave her all of that. She was my first love—the only person in the world I've ever shown my vulnerability to.

I guess she saw all of me and then took advantage of my weakness.

Tears fell from my eyes at the thought of her betrayal.

It's not like I was the first person to get betrayed, and I won’t be the last.

After all, Samson in the Bible was betrayed by Delilah and handed over to his enemies, powerless and defeated.

That’s exactly what happened to me. I promised myself never to be that foolish and open with any woman again.

My phone rang out loud, pulling me from my thoughts.

Speak of the devil. Diana was calling. For the past few days, she had been calling incessantly. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was about rekindling our relationship and getting married.

That’s the only thing my parents have talked about every time we meet. They don’t seem to understand my point or care about my feelings.

For goodness' sake, this woman cheated on me—not with just anyone but with my business rival. As if that wasn't ruthless enough, she even divulged my company's trade secrets. All for what?

This is the same woman they want…

The ring of my phone interrupted my train of thought. Oh come on, Diana, this is not the time.

I picked up my phone and stared at the screen. It was my best friend Dave calling.

“Yo, Jason! I heard from your assistant that you've arrived. You didn’t bother calling or even texting,” he whined over the phone.

“You're not my girlfriend or wife. Why should I call or text?” I replied coldly.

“Speaking of wifey, we met two nights ago over a couple of drinks, and you didn’t tell me the conditions your parents gave you.”

“What conditions?” I asked, sitting up in my chair, confused about what he was driving at.

“I wasn't given any conditions the last time I visited. I went there solely to tell them about my trip but ended up storming out in anger when the topic of getting married to Diana came up.”

“So, you weren’t told about the conditions?” Dave asked uncertainly.

“No, I wasn't,” I replied. Then I heard a beep; the call was disconnected.

I slumped back into the chair, gathering my thoughts. What conditions is he talking about? Did I hear him say "wifey"? This must be important, I concluded, deciding to call back.

I picked up my phone, only to realize it had died. I had no choice but to wait until I could charge it.

______

**Nelly's POV**

How could it be him? Jason Wilson, CEO of the restaurant where I work as a waitress, and not just that.

He owns a multinational company. The cold, alluring man is a freaking billionaire with whom I ended up having a one-night stand.

“Are you okay?” I heard my grandma’s weak voice beside me. I turned my head toward her, and in that instant, the reality of my situation came crashing down.

“Grandma, you're awake,” I said, trying to sound cheerful, but who was I kidding? Grandma saw through my façade.

“I know it's overwhelming and hard for you this whole time,” she said with a croaky voice. I handed her a glass of water.

“I see the efforts you're putting in to make sure I get through the surgery, and I'm sure your grandpa and parents see it, too,” she said, raising her frail hands to the heavens. “And one day, you will smile, and everything will go back to normal. Everything will be okay, Nelly,” she said, reaching out her hands toward me. I held her hands in mine, doing my best not to break down in front of her.

“Nelly, always remember that I love you, and I'm praying for you every single day.”

I nodded, smiling at her. Her words brought tears and happiness. Memories of when we were all together flooded my mind, and I couldn’t help but hug her, missing the warmth I had grown accustomed to while growing up.

Trying my best not to squeeze her too tightly, I pulled back and stared at her. She had fallen back asleep.

“I love you too, Grandma, and we’re going to pull through this together and live happily once again.”

______

**Jason's POV**

I just finished going through some paperwork I had brought with me. I checked my phone—fully charged. Time to have that discussion.

Scrolling through my contacts, my mom’s call came in.

“Mom,” I called out. 

“What happened to your phone? We've been trying to reach you!”

"It was flat, so I left it charging."

"Your dad and I have decided that you must meet a condition," she said impatiently.

"Our word still stands: you're to marry Diana. If you refuse to do so, you must bring your bride and introduce us to the woman you want to marry. And you have just one month to do that."

I was wide-eyed at what I had just heard. To them, this felt like a business deal.

Where am I supposed to find a bride in a month?