6__Negotiations
Amelia stood awkwardly in the doorway, gaping at him.
Marc took his gaze from the glistening, white sheet plastered to her face down to the gigantically fluffy rabbit slippers on her feet.
“Interesting footwear,” he murmured.
She jolted. “What are you doing here?!”
She stared at him with horrified gold eyes and Marc pursed his lips in determination. “I’ve come to continue negotiations.”
“Negoti…” Amelia scoffed in disbelief. “You’re at my apartment! To continue your weak, lame joke?!”
He marched past her and she froze in shock, staring at the empty hallway.
She spun around to watch him sit in an armchair. “Excuse me?!” Feeling her blood pressure rise, she closed the door and hurried over to him. What if reporters saw him here and she appeared in a tabloid?!
Marc winced and placed a hand against his ribs, reminding Amelia that he was injured.
She crossed her arms, refusing to feel any pit for the audacious man in her chair. “I’d like you to leave. Right now.”
Raising a hand, he pointed to the other chair. “Sit. We must talk.”
“You can’t tell me what to do.”
He pursed his lips impatiently and Amelia was shocked that he was the one showing impatience. Before she could tell him to get out, her phone vibrated in her hand.
Looking at the caller ID, she answered the phone and put it to her ear. “Hello.”
“Leah!” said Ahmed. “I hope I’m not too late. I just found out that admin was forced to give your address to that rude, rich patient you were dealing with and I’m just worried he might come over there. Are you alright?”
She gritted her teeth, looking at the man who sat proudly in her chair, his grey suit looking more expensive than her entire apartment. His black hair was parted neatly to the side as he watched her with his stoic expression. “Oh, don’t worry, bestie,” she muttered. “I’ll deal with him!”
Furiously, she hung up the call and gave Marc Aryan a mean look. “Look here, you!”
He blinked at her. His analysis told him that she was attempting to be intimidating. With the ghostly mask slowly melting off her face, those frilly pink shorts on and the giant pink bunny slippers on her feet, her attempt was an easy failure. He watched her in interest.
“I’ve had enough of all this,” she growled. “You’re not staying here another minute!”
“I’ll stay for another ten,” he responded coolly. “Sit, please.”
“No! Leave.”
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees so she could look into his eyes. “Look, I’m a busy man, Dr Parker. I’ve wasted enough time here.”
She nodded. “I agree, Sir. Leaving would be a good idea. You haven’t left Jamie all alone in the hospital have you? In his condition—”
“I’ve gotten him discharged.”
Amelia gasped. “Wha… what?!”
Her mouth was wide open and he nodded as he stood, approaching to curiously study her drooping face mask. “I had no choice. He’s at home now, but things aren’t looking good.”
She was staring at him in horror when he suddenly peeled her mask off her face and held it up with two fingers. “What is this?”
Amelia angrily snatched the mask away. “You get Jamie back to the hospital right now!”
“I can’t,” he said, shaking his head. “Dr Kruger confirmed that he could recover at home from now on.”
“Being in the hospital would ensure a faster recovery,” she argued, waving the face mask at his face. “And we still need to monitor that recovery.”
“That’s why I need you to marry me.”
She glared at him. “Say that one more time and I’ll lose the plot, mate. Bring Jamie back to the hospital.”
“He isn’t safe there!!”
She jolted. “W-why… why not?”
It was the first time he hadn’t spoken in his cool and calm voice and she felt chills run down her skin as his loud voice echoed through the apartment. His dark frown only worsened it.
He released a calming breath. “I need to make sure James doesn’t get hurt again. I need you to be with him while I do that.”
She crossed her arms. “And that requires marriage? Did you develop some bizarre emotions for me?”
He tilted his head. “Emotions?”
“Love,” she spat dryly. “You in love with me?”
“Of course not. That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”
Amelia scoffed, gaping at him in deep offence. It was ridiculous to love her?!
He narrowed his eyes. “I’ve offended you.”
“Yes, apologize.”
“I’d rather not, I only spoke the truth. I feel no such preposterous emotions for you, I only wish to hire you. You’ll be paid well, of course.”
She smiled so brightly her pampered cheeks glowed. Marc was nearly fooled, but then he spotted the sarcastic glint in her eye. “I’m not sure if you noticed, yeah, but I was busting my arse at the hospital, wasn’t I? I’ve already got a job!”
He studied her pose, the crossed arms, the legs standing one in front of the other and the salty scowl she gave him. Even her bunny slippers glared at him.
A trembling exhale deflated his lungs as he tried to gather control. She was so defensive, she hadn’t even fully heard him out yet. “Two million pounds.”
Her jaw fell open.
Marc frowned. “What do you say?”
“Wha…” She blinked. “W-well, that’s… that’s preposterous!”
He sighed. “Okay. Five million.”
Amelia squeaked. “Well, you’re j-just made of money, aren’t you?!”
“Accept,” he said gently, stepping closer. “Please, Dr Parker.”
She stared up at him as the silence in the room grew deeper. His green eyes studied her face with sincerity and made her cheeks warm. Swallowing, Amelia turned away. “L-look, Clark Kent! I’m not… I’m not for sale!”
God, five million was a lot.
“I don’t want to buy you,” he said. “Only hire. For four months. Besides for James, I also need a… a disguise.”
She steeled her heart against the harsh temptation of wealth. Five million pounds. Amelia shut her eyes. It wasn’t worth it. Her mother’s death wasn’t worth five million pounds.
She looked at him. “No. Leave.”
She marched to the door and held it open. He frowned. “Surely not… You want more money?”
Amelia’s gold eyes turned to dark honey as anger filled her. “It isn’t about the money!”
He frowned. “Of course it is. Tell me how much you want.”
She groaned, resisting the urge to pull her hair out. “Just leave. Please.”
Suddenly, his frown darkened. It was a frown of displeasure this time and Amelia swallowed. “You’re awfully stubborn,” he muttered.
She said nothing, staring up at him. He looked angry with her now and she began to size him up. Huge. That was her conclusion.
The tension between them grew and his angry stare got heavier. Amelia’s phone vibrated. She answered the call in lightning speed. He wouldn’t be able to hurt her if she could immediately ask for help.
“H-hello?” she said as they stared at each other.
“Hello?” said a teary voice. “Leah? It’s Ms Annie.”
Amelia blinked. “Ms Annie? What’s happened? Did Dad sort everything out?”
The lady wailed into the phone, making Amelia wince.
“I’m so sorry, Leah! It’s all my fault!”
Frowning, Amelia glanced at the screen of her phone for a second. “Hold on, what’s happened? Where’s dad? Put him on.”
“Your dad’s been arrested, love,” cried Ms Annie.
Amelia’s eyes went wide. “Wh… what?! Dad’s been arrested? Again?! Why?! What happened?!”
“It’s all my fault!”
“Shit!” cursed Amelia, racing up the stairs before she halted and raced back down. Marc Aryan was still there.
She pointed at him. “As for you, our conversation’s over. Please see yourself out!”
She disappeared up the stairs again, leaving him standing in her living room.
Sighing in relief at the opportunity that had just presented itself, Marc sat right back down in her armchair and pulled his phone out to make a call.
His secretary answered on the first ring.
“Yes, Sir.”
“Ezekiel. Did you find me the information I wanted?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Apparently she has a father?”
“Yes, Sir,” said the man on the phone. “The surveillance team I hired have just reported watching the man get dragged away by the police, screaming bloody murder.”
“Mm. Mother?”
“The records only say that she is deceased. There isn’t any other information.”
Marc looked up at the stairs with calculating green eyes. Her father was a criminal? That wasn’t good. It didn’t matter, he still needed her., there was no time left.
“Ezekiel. Call Arson and tell him to sort it out. But... only on one condition.”