The future Mrs. Evans

"I wonder what your choice would be if there was a way to save Hargreaves Corporation and all you had to do to ensure it was to marry me. What if all you had to do to save your father's legacy was a contract marriage with me."  Asher dangles the bait in front of Joan, all that's left is for her to bite.

 

Joan was disgusted, she'd played right into his hands, and here she was babbling about her life, and all the while he had an ulterior motive.

How messed up does Asher have to be to throw the word marriage around, Francesca wasn't wrong about him after all.

"This is not a joke or a game to me, I'm serious," Asher said remembering her words at the cafe, "I believe if you agree to my terms, we both stand a lot to gain." 

"The marriage offer at the cafe was not a joke?" Joan wondered how brazen Asher could be.

"It wasn't, I was serious then, and I am now."

Joan was skeptical, however, she couldn't deny her need for help, "tell me, how does getting married to you save Hargreaves? I've heard about some of your wayward acts, you're a rake, and you also spied on me so how could I possibly trust your words."

Asher was amazed, it seems Joan knew a little bit about him, "looks like you've heard some things about me, and I'll admit some of them are true. At the same time, I need you to understand, that there are not many people that can help you with your company, and I'm one of them. If there's anything I'm good at, it's helping a failing enterprise, that is my job."

"I get that you'll help me with Hargreaves, that is payment in this twisted arrangement. What I do not know is what you want out of it, it can't only be marriage with me."

Asher was exasperated, he couldn't remember anybody being this cautious of him. While he has contributed to her suspicions he was curious about whatever she'd heard about him.

"I understand your skepticism about my offer, so I'll explain it for you to understand. You see I have gained my wealth from many sources, however, I'm primarily a buyer, in simple terms, I buy companies for profit."

"That still doesn't explain why you want marriage with me." Joan interrupts Asher, she was growing antsy.

"You said you came to the date to use me, I came for someone like you. Someone with your family background and name. Your family name will open so many doors for my business endeavors. It will help me reach my potential clients," Asher laughed in his mind at his use of words, clients? more like victims.

Asher truly was reprehensible, Francesca told her he is known to do anything for profit, she didn't imagine marriage would be one of them. She couldn't judge him though, as twisted as he is, after all, she also tried to use him, in a way she wasn't so different from Asher.

"I don't think I am someone that can influence your clients in the way you want, what would even endear me to them." 

"Oh you would do well, in a sense you're one of them, your family too, since my clients are society's elite, the beau monde. I have no problems with buying or investing in other businesses except the old money and high society. They have some sort of mistrust for people outside their social pool, but you belong, marriage with you brings me to the table." 

Joan didn't know if she should be impressed or not, it looks like Asher has his scheme well designed, yet everything hinges on her. 

"What if I refuse your deal?" Joan asked, she wanted to know what degree of control she had over Asher's plans.

Asher wasn't expecting mind games from Joan. He suppose it wouldn't be a bad skill to have as they will raise a family together, "in truth, I need you, your family name alone will be of great service to me. If you do refuse, I suppose I can always find a willing lady with an equally prestigious family, what I need after all is a high society bride." 

Asher was bluffing, there was no woman more appropriate for his use than Joan Hargreaves. Losing her would affect everything, especially his acquisition of Hargreaves Corporation.

"I think the question is, will you refuse?"

Asher watches her face crease from the exertion of working the wheels in her head. She was holding out on him, but she'll come around, they always do.

Joan wasn't sure what to do, she shouldn't trust Asher, that she was certain, but it also feels like he was hiding something from her. But could she refuse him, the most promising way to protect her father's legacy, the only real way?

Joan raised her head, and stared into Asher's green eyes, "can you give me some time to think about it?" 

"We don't have time on our hands," Asher was tightening the screw on Joan

"Give me till tomorrow then, I would have made my decision by then."

"Well If you decide to save Hargreaves Corporation with my help, come around to Maven enterprise tomorrow by noon. We'll prepare the contract together, and we can celebrate afterward."

Joan just nods her head, her face gloomy, she'd had a rough day, and it seems it'll continue into the next day. But first, she needs a drink.

"Hey, more colada!" Joan called out to the bartender.

Asher just smiled as Joan was served her new batch of pina colada, he was almost there.

****

Joan lay on her bed drained. She'd returned home from Grey's lounge, late last night, slept through her drunken state and has been awake since early morning thinking. After weighing her options, she's decided to accept Asher's deal.

True Joan isn't ready for marriage yet, not to speak of marriage to someone she does not love. Although she needs Asher's contract Joan decided she was going to put a few conditions on it.

Francesca knocks on the door to Joan's room and enters, she finds her niece on the bed her face blank. She knew instantly something was wrong with her niece.

Francesca moves over to the bed and pulls Joan up, "come on Jo, get up," she suspected something was wrong when Joan came home the night before almost drunk and mumbling disturbingly. 

Surprisingly Joan offered no resistance as Francesca helps her up.

"Hey Fran, thanks for the assist, I have to get ready to go out anyways," Joan said walking towards the bathroom.

"Joan Hargreaves, what's going on with you?" Joan hates whenever her aunt uses that tone with her, it reminds her so much of her mother.

"Oh it's nothing Fran, I'm alright," Joan was afraid to tell her about the deal from Asher, she feared Francesca would ruin it. 

"You know, you can talk to me about anything right?" Francesca truly was worried for her niece and best friend, her face looked pale.

Just before Joan stepped into the bathroom, she half turned towards Francesca, "Of course, I know Fran," she'd better hurry, she shouldn't keep Asher waiting.

"Hello, ma'am. You are welcome to Maven enterprise, how may I help you?" 

The petite brunette behind the curved marble desk of Maven Enterprise lobby said with a smile as Joan approached the front desk.

"I have an appointment here, Mr. Asher Evans?" 

"A moment please" the pretty brunette began to punch in some numbers on her desk phone.

Joan took in the lobby area of the building. She concluded that Maven enterprise must pull in some big bucks for a private company, considering they own the whole building.

"Come with me please," The brunette said this time with a bigger smile. 

"Right this way," the brunette led her to an elevator which she operated for her, smiling and polite all the way, "It's the eighteenth floor, have a nice day ma'am." 

As Joan began her ride to Asher's office she suspects that the brunette in the lobby thought she was Asher's lover and had just given her the best reception to please her boss. Joan wasn't sure if she was comfortable with that.

The ding of the elevator announced her arrival at the eighteenth floor of Maven enterprise building, waiting for her was Mila Hernandez, Asher's middle-aged secretary with a smile of her own.

"Miss Joan Hargreaves?" Mila asked with a clear voice and an accent.

"Yes?" Joan found it odd that the strange olive-skinned woman before her was sizing her up. When her new guide raised her head, Joan found herself looking into the most tender brown eyes she'd ever seen.

"My name is Mila Hernandez, I'm Mr. Evans's secretary, follow me, he's waiting for you,"  Mila flashed Joan a mirthful smile and started across the floor hallway.

 "You don't have to be so polite to me, I'm nobody special."

"Oh, you are. You are the first woman that's not an employee here to walk these corridors, and this isn't me being polite. I'm just doing my job." Mila said with a mischievous grin.

Mila and Joan rounded a corner that leads them to a lobby with a brown L-shaped wooden desk, which Joan assumed belonged to Mila. To the right of the desk was a door that led to Asher's office.

"Here we are, have a great day," Mila said stepping up to the door, and holding it open for Joan to enter.

Asher's office wasn't what Joan imagined, she'd imagined a huge office with an extravagant display of wealth. 

Instead, she found an L-shaped wooden desk similar to Mila's own just outside Asher's office. The only difference was his desk was much bigger and black to his secretary's brown. 

His office also had black leather chairs and a coffee table to the side and a piece of a painting hung on the wall. It was a painting of an infant leaning against a tree, reaching for an unknown fruit.

After taking in the room, her eyes settle on Asher's handsome features at his desk, reading what seems like a report of some kind, his charms making it hard for her to look away.

"Are you going to stand there and stare at me forever," Asher said making Joan's face flush, he lifts his head to look at her, a smile on his face. A smile that didn't reach his sad eyes.

"I wasn't staring at you, I was just taking in the room," Joan said with a nervous chuckle.

Asher stands up from his desk and leads Joan to the leather chairs. "No need to be flustered Joan, it was just a joke, do take a sit."

"I'm sorry I couldn't come to get you myself."

Joan shrugs, "it's ok, I was in good hands," she said referring to Mila and the brunette on the first floor.

"So do you need anything or should we just get started"

 "Yes, let's just get into it, but I have some conditions to the contract," Joan said with a shaky voice.

"Oh, what's that?"

"I was thinking, if we could push the wedding, back a couple of months, I have a couple of thi-" 

"You don't want a quick marriage?" Asher interrupting Joan

"Yes," Joan replied Asher.

"How about a compromise then, we'll get married after I've helped you take Hargreaves Corporations. How about that?"

"Really?" Joan eyed Asher suspiciously, she'd thought he would forcibly go on with the marriage. 

"Of course," Asher wasn't planning on forcing her into marriage with him. He wanted her as comfortable with him as possible. That would also help him with his Hargreaves Corporation takeover, "anything else?"

"Can we not have an engagement party?" Joan asked hopeful that Asher would accept her second demand as easily as the first one.

Now the second condition Asher wasn't sure of. He was going to use the engagement party to invite the high society. A Hargreaves engagement was sure to cause a stir. 

On second thought it was wise to hide his engagement to Joan from the public. That gives him an element of surprise especially if he would go against his uncle for Hargreaves Corporation.

"How about we set a date after signing the contract, and have dinner with some friends and family." Asher reasoned getting acquainted with Joan's rich friends and family would be an asset for the future. 

Joan was more than contented by Asher's suggestion, "that would be great," Joan said and flashed a smile at Asher.

"Now that we've settled that, let's get writing," Asher moves back to his desk and retrieves several sheets of paper and two pens. He gives some sheets of paper and a pen to Joan.

"I have to warn you, once you put your pen to that paper, you can't escape it, you become the future Mrs. Evans."

Joan gulps, she was suddenly nervous by the fierce stare of Asher's green eyes, but she was ready. This is the only way to save her father's legacy, shakily she writes the first words of the contract.