3|Business Proposal

“Good morning, Heather. I hope I didn’t surprise you by coming,” Cullen said as he sat back down.

“We haven’t made small talk in a while.” I sat down on the couch in front of him. “What is it? As I recall, we don’t have any business cooperation.”

He chuckled. “Is it because your sister and I are divorced that I can’t come as a friend?”

“We’re not friends, Cullen,” I reminded him. “You’d rather hang out with a woman like Darcy than me, who doesn’t believe in myself.”

I would never forget all those words he said that were demeaning to me, even though I had no malice towards him. I was getting along with him because he was my future brother-in-law. Yet he thought I was trying to snatch him away from Darcy.

Who else poisoned his mind if not Darcy? He shouldn’t have just trusted my sister without asking for my side of the story.

“I would like to make an offer of cooperation.” He sat back and looked at me seriously. “I know you and Blaze are getting divorced. They have betrayed us. Do you want to repay them with me?”

“Betrayed?” I asked in confusion. Darcy said they decided to part ways peacefully. “So, you know about their betrayal?”

He smirked. “You don’t know? Are you that naive? Don’t tell me you believe Blaze is working every time he isn’t with you,” he mocked.

I clenched my fists, holding back my anger. Who else knew about Blaze and Darcy's relationship? Was I the only one who knew nothing?

“If by retaliation you mean marriage, I refuse,” I said firmly.

“You haven’t heard my offer, and you’re already refusing?” he asked casually. He held up a folder to me. “We are both businessmen. So, I’m not offering a normal wedding. It’s a business wedding.”

“If you’re offering a partnership that has to do with providing flowers for all events at your hotel, then it’s not a partnership, Cullen. Without you, I can do that.” I pushed the folder back to him. “Once again, I refuse.”

After leaving Blaze, I didn't want to get involved with a man who only wanted to use me. Even though his offer was tempting, it wouldn’t do any good. Darcy didn’t love Cullen, and Blaze didn’t care about me.

I blinked and breathed in slowly when I felt my eyes heating up. I still felt the sting of his rejection and coldness yesterday. No. I couldn’t cry in front of this man.

“Do you know your father offered me his seat in his company?” He smiled mysteriously. “That stupid Blaze accepted it without even thinking.”

“What do you mean?” I didn’t know Dad offered him the CEO position.

“Your father’s construction company was on the verge of bankruptcy. That’s why he asked me to marry Darcy. My family’s company is stable, and we can support his company to survive. I refused. Luckily, he had other options.” He smirked.

He was lying. Dad’s company was fine. If there was a problem, I would have known. My father wouldn’t have hidden such a big problem from me. I didn’t hear any rumors from reporters or employees either. A company on the verge of bankruptcy couldn’t go unnoticed by the media.

Blaze was busy with his business. How could he possibly have time to handle Dad’s company, too? Darcy was the CEO because Dad decided to retire young. He and Mom were planning to travel the world while they still had the strength to do so.

“I’m surprised Blaze Knightley would marry you and save your father’s company.” He looked at my face intently. “And he lasted for a year. Heather, you’re going to lose everything shortly. You’ll regret turning me down.”

He stood up and buttoned his jacket. “You should be grateful that I threw away my pride and came to propose to you. No man would accept you as a wife with your imperfections.” He scrutinized my left cheek, covered with hair and a scarf.

“Unfortunately, I misjudged. You are just as arrogant as Darcy.” He deliberately stood still as he said all those nasty words to patronize me. “The difference is, she has something worth bragging about, while you don’t.”

That sentence pierced me deeply. I wasn’t as beautiful as my sister, but I had qualities that were not inferior to her. Just because I was ugly, it didn’t mean I was jumping for joy when a perfect man proposes to me to be his wife. Those words of his were so evil.

“I’m getting more confident rejecting you, hearing your confession.” I returned his gaze. “What will become of me if I marry a man who doesn’t know how to appreciate me.”

He laughed slyly. “I hope your arrogance collapses in the near future. I’ll be the first to laugh at Bailey’s downfall.”

He picked up the folder on the table then left my office. The handsome man I once admired would not do such a careless thing. Darcy was indeed an extraordinary woman. She could make two men fight for her attention.

I and all my achievements could not make a single man fall in love with me. The one I thought loved me sincerely and wanted to be with me forever was using me to get my sister.

I was on the way to deliver the last of the flowers when my phone vibrated. The news from someone on the other side was shocking. Without thinking, I turned the car in the opposite direction. No, no, no. That couldn’t be happening.

Arriving at my destination, I couldn’t help but watch as my hard-earned building engulfed in thick smoke. The firefighters had tamed the flame, but the fire destroyed everything. I sat limply on the pavement among the people watching.

“Are you the owner of this building?” one of the firefighters asked. I just nodded. “Someone set fire to this place on purpose. We found oil puddles on all three floors, making the fire spread rapidly and difficult to extinguish.”

What? Oil puddles? Could it be that I had an enemy with a grudge against me without realizing it? Who had done that? Even thinking for a long time couldn’t make me find the answer. Who was angry with me to the extent of burning down my shop?

I was woken up by the vibration of my cell phone that morning. I groaned at the interruption as I had just fallen asleep before sunrise. Not knowing where to go, I decided to go home to my parents’ house. Dad and Mom would be back shortly from their brief vacation.

Reading Mom’s name on the screen, I sighed softly. I knew what she was going to say. After taking a deep breath, I grabbed my phone and answered it.

“Why are you and Blaze getting a divorce?” Mom asked, demanding honesty.

“That news spread fast,” I complained softly. My head was suddenly throbbing.

“Your father has a lot of lawyer contacts, one of whom is handling your files. What happened, Heather? Is Blaze cheating on you?” Mom asked.

I was tempted to say yes, but I managed to restrain myself. It would be better Mom find out from Darcy or Blaze than me. Mom would be furious, and I didn’t want to hear her anger. I was not the guilty party.

“We don’t talk anymore, Mom. Blaze is busy with his company on the verge of success, and I am with my flower shop. We can’t continue this marriage.” I managed to say without emotion. “I’m sorry I let Mom and Dad down.”

“Heather,” she persuasively said, “Blaze is the highest shareholder in your father’s company. If you guys divorce, the company your grandfather worked so hard to build will go to someone else. You must prevent your divorce.”

What? I didn’t know Blaze was a shareholder in Dad’s company, let alone the highest one. “What do you mean?” I asked in confusion.

“Do you think a guy like him will marry you if there’s no big dowry from us?” she said, surprising me. “Do something. Persuade him. Get down on your knees if you have to. Don’t let your dad’s hard work go to someone else!”

Cullen was right. Dad had something to offer Blaze. He might not sit at the top, but he held the most shares in Dad’s company. That made Blaze more powerful than Darcy or even Dad. Why did they keep this a secret?

Was that why Blaze was so close to Darcy? They must have met often and discussed company matters together. Cullen was aware of their affair. Did Dad and Mom know about it, too? Um, no. They were surprised when Darcy announced her divorce.

Which was the real Blaze? Was he the one who loved me? The one who married me to be close to my sister? Or the one who married me to get our family company? I suddenly didn’t recognize the man who was my husband for a year.

“I was almost late!” I heard a maid’s voice in the corridor as I walked to the study. “There are tons of reporters outside.”

“What’s going on? Why are they talking about Bailey’s company?” another woman asked.

“Sshh. Keep your voice down.” The first woman hissed softly. “Mr. Bailey’s construction company is in big trouble. I heard they were embezzling taxes and bribing officials to grant building permits. Worst of all, the company is heavily indebted to loan sharks.”

What!?? Dad didn’t say he had financial problems. Why would he borrow money from a loan shark? He knew well the interest would never be repaid. No way. My father couldn’t be this careless.

I rushed to the family room and turned on the television. After searching around, I finally found a channel that was showing news about Dad’s company. I fainted, knowing that the rumors were true. My father’s company had collapsed.

That wasn’t a coincidence. Blaze divorced me, and then, Dad’s company was collapsing. He could have saved it because his company was stable, and spending a few million dollars wasn’t a problem. What had Darcy done? Why didn’t she prevent this from happening?

I had to pass through a swarm of reporters as I drove the car to the gate. It was time to meet the person who had caused all this havoc. Why did he do that? I hardly understood the situation. What did we do to deserve that?

“Good morning, Miss Bailey” greeted the security guard kindly. “Would you like to see Mr. Knightley?”

Miss Bailey. I’m thankful to forbid everyone from calling me Mrs. Knightley. Our breakup didn’t feel strange because people around me didn’t change their greeting towards me.

“Yes. Is Blaze in his office?” I asked impatiently.

“Please put this on, and one of the officers near the elevator will escort you to the Boss’s office.” He handed me an ID.

I draped it around my neck and then strode to the elevator. An officer scanned the gate and opened it for me. He invited me to approach the elevator. I waited impatiently as the number on the upper right blinked every time we reached the higher level.

“Good morning, Miss Bailey,” greeted his secretary, who walked to the CEO’s office door. “Mr. Knightley is waiting for you inside.”