CHAPTER FOUR- Finalised

RACHEL’S  POV

“What did you do?” Leo asked, his tone platonic but I could sense the underlying annoyance in his voice.

“I did what I could. If we both act as a married couple for just 100 days, then Max Zenin will either invest in my company or yours at the end of it,” I said, folding my arms defensively. I had hoped he would understand, but his expression told me otherwise.

He came outside to meet me where I stood beside my car, the morning light casting a shadow over his furrowed brow. I could see the frustration in his eyes as he approached. Yesterday, I received a message from Drew, where he told me Leo was warning him that the article should be taken down before 8 am, or  he  would sue. I had no choice but to step in.

His  jaw clenched, and I could see the tension in his shoulders. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply.

“I will make sure he enters the show at whatever cost, and I will put my plans in motion,” I thought, steeling myself for the confrontation.

“I am not interested, and I don’t care whether Max Zenin invests in my company or not. I am not taking part in any so-called variety show,” he said, stressing each word, his hands buried in his pockets.

I could sense the seriousness in his tone, but I needed to show him that I was determined to make him do it. His resistance was expected, but I had to push through.

“Well, Mr. Leo, here is my plan. If you do not agree to be in the show, I will change the headlines to ‘Leo is actually a coward who refuses to be in the show simply because he thought I would win.’ And that will be the least of what I will do compared to the other plans I have in mind,” I said, hoping my words would knock some sense into him.

This time, his  eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger crossing his face. His jaw tightened, and he took a step closer, the tension between us evident. I held my ground, my heart pounding in my chest as I waited for his response. This confrontation was far from over, and I knew I had to stand firm to achieve my goal.

“Are you threatening me?” he asked, his eyes narrowing further.

“No, but if it sounds like a threat to you, then it is. Be wise and think about it,” I said with a smirk, then got back into my car. I wasn’t looking at him, but I knew he was deep in thought.

I didn’t even wait for my driver to drive me today. I just went ahead and drove here on my own. I sped down the highway to the company, and as I stepped inside, I was greeted by the hum of activity and the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee. The air was filled with the distant chatter of employees and the soft background noise of phones ringing and keyboards clicking.

Each worker that passed me by greeted me with a respectful nod or a cheerful "Good morning, Miss Rachel." I wasn’t obligated to answer their greetings, but I felt the need to do so. I smiled and responded to each one, "Good morning," or "Hello," as I walked through the bustling office.

LEO’S POV

She left, and I stood there for a few seconds, her words echoing in my mind. I wasn’t really interested in joining the TV program, but at the same time, there was a high possibility that she saw something good and was going for it. She must have had plans in her mind.

“Now what are you going to do?” John asked from behind me. He hadn’t been there a few minutes ago, but he must have heard our discussion.

“Your father won’t let it slide,” he added.

I turned to face him, feeling the weight of the situation settling on my shoulders.

“I know about that. However, I am

 going to do it,” I said, walking back inside, leaving him with a shocked expression.

“But you will get in real trouble,” he persisted, and I stopped dead in my tracks.

“That is where you’re getting it wrong, Johnny. You think I’m letting my dad treat me like that because I’m scared?” I asked, seeing the puzzlement in his eyes.

“I’m just letting him do that. However, I hope he realizes his wrongdoing soon before I start mine,” I said, plastering an evil smirk on my face as I headed back into my room.

My father always has his way with me. It’s not that I can’t stand up to him, but I have better things to attend to than going against him. I lost all hope in him since that *day*, and since he has no plans of trying to make amends, I have no interest either. I grew up believing that parents are supposed to teach their children the right things, but I cannot pinpoint one thing I learned from him. I sighed as I tossed my phone on the bed after checking a message from an unknown number.