Chapter 5: A SINCLAIR'S TERMS

JAY SINCLAIR'S POV

I was standing in front of my penthouse office's tall glass windows, staring out over the vast city that extended beyond. Though the world below was bustling with life, and the lights from the skyscrapers twinkled like stars, my thoughts were far away from it all. With the Sinclair name being associated with riches, power, and influence, my empire was booming.

However, when I looked out at the city, I didn't care about any of it right now. There was just one thing on my mind: Arielle. That night, I watched her from a distance rather than expecting to run into her. She had seemed almost too perfect, sitting helplessly next to her wrecked car, had been almost flawless.

She held the secret to the carefully thought out plan I had created, one that would fulfill my desire for revenges as well as my commercial interests. I tightened my hands behind my back, remembering the term I detested the most. Ethan. A snarl curved my lips. The individual who had betrayed me years prior, a treachery so profound that I would never forget.

Ethan had underestimated me, thinking me little more than a privileged kid pretending to be a businessman. It seems like destiny had presented me with the ideal chance to return the favor. Arielle used to be Ethan's fiancée. A woman who, moments before, had been abandoned by the man I hated.

A tiny smile pulled at my lip's corner.

Even though the merger was still significant, it wasn't the only thing. No, this was a private matter. I would be hitting Ethan where it stung the most by marrying Arielle and bringing her into my life. I wanted Ethan to experience what it was like to lose something valuable, something that would follow him for a very long time.

My assistant, Nathan, rapped lightly on the door before coming in. "Sir, we are about to begin the board meeting. The final Hanover merger arrangements are available for examination." I didn't look at him.

"I assume everything is in place?"

Nathan took a time to think before he answered. Yes, but there have been whispers that Hanover is apprehensive due to your... private circumstance. Their desire is stability. a powerful public persona." My jaw became tense. steadiness. They would not stop calling me that. As if my success in business was influenced by anything in my personal life.

However, perception was important in the world of billionaires, and the boardroom vultures wanted me married, tied down, and settled. I therefore required Arielle. She made the ideal pawn. She wasn't a woman from his world and wasn't involved in the social games that society played. She was broken, plain, and most importantly, desperate. Her life had broken all around her, and she needed to get away.

My smile grew wider. Arielle provided something none of the other ladies could have: the ideal means of exacting revenge on Ethan. Of course, I could have picked any number of women who would have jumped at the chance to be Mrs. Sinclair. I said, in a calm, low voice, "Send her in." Nathan had earlier told me that Arielle was present at my company. With a nod, Nathan hurried out of the room.

At last, I looked away from the window and adjusted my tie while tightening my expression. I mean, this was business. Additionally, sentiment had no place in business. Arielle was hesitant as she walked inside the office a few moments later and took in the opulent surroundings. Her modest attire stood out against the lavish surroundings. Though I could sense the determination seething just beneath the surface, her hesitation was evident on her face.

She was as dependent on me as I was on her. I pointed to the leather chair that was in front of my workstation. "Sit." After some hesitation, Arielle lowered herself into the chair. I kept a tight eye on her, noting every little change in expression that came across her face. I was aware of her vulnerability since I knew she was still in shock about her separation with Ethan. Perfect.

"Permit me to be clear," I said in a cool, smooth voice. "Love and affection are not the foundation of this marriage. This is business-related. You'll do your bit for the cameras as my spouse.. I'll take care of you in exchange. You will have what you require in terms of finances. Your obligations? Vanished. You will reside on my estate, go to events with me, and carry out all of Mrs. Sinclair's responsibilities."

With her hands fumbling on her lap, Arielle blinked. "But why me, exactly? Anybody might be yours." My eyes grew gloomy as the image of Ethan flickered through his thoughts.

I leaned forward and touched my desk with both hands. "Because you are everything I need." Someone not in my universe. Someone unconnected to my competitors. And," I stopped, allowing the significance of my following remarks to linger, "someone who will assist me in resolving an old grudge."

Arielle uttered. "With Ethan?"

A icy smile twisted my lips. Indeed, Ethan. The name stuck in our throats like venom. I noticed the recognition and the coldness in Arielle's gaze. "Your former fiancé. You would be aware that I had a past with him. To put it simply, I'm doing more than just protecting my business when I marry you. I'm striking him in the painful area."

"Why're you doing this?... all for revenge?" I stood up upright, my face incomprehensible.

"I have numerous motivations for doing this. Getting even is only a bonus." I moved around the desk to put the contract in front of her and gave her a pen. "Arielle, here is your exit. Once you sign the deal, Ethan's background becomes unimportant. You'll be powerful, wealthy, and secure. You’ll have security, wealth, and power. More than you could have imagined."

Her pen lingered over the dotted line as she paused. Her eyes were displaying a battle between the crushing weight of her circumstances and her pride. She realized that she needed me. In proportion to my need for her. She finally put the pen to paper and wrote her name across the line after what seemed like a lifetime.

The transaction was completed. My smile grew wider. I said, "Welcome to the deal, Mrs. Sinclair," with a tone full of delight. Arielle straightened, a taut tension in her body.

She said, her voice hardly audible above a whisper, "What now?"

I turned to face the window and stared at the skyline. "Now, carry out your duty. Outside the automobile is waiting. Tomorrow, you'll move into my land."

My phone rang on my desk as Arielle moved toward the door. I quickly hardened my demeanor as I took a quick look at the screen. The screen briefly displayed the name Hanover. My heartbeat became faster. Now, the merger was not the only thing on the line. There was more going on here than I had realized, something far more hazardous.

As the door behind Arielle clicked shut, I looked up. My hands became clenched around the phone.

The game was far from over yet.

And I, Jay Sinclair, was unsure of the winner for the first time in a long time.