CHAPTER NINETEEN

OLIVER

It's been two days since Dallas ran out of my office after finding out that she was my cure. It was also the longest I've ever gone without seeing her ever since she started working for me. She hadn't come to work since then. I haven't even seen her at the Valhalla club either during the two times I went and pretended I wasn't looking for her. I haven't been at ease ever since she left.

I stared at the door intently hoping she would burst in like she usually does and mess things up. My office had been tidy. Too tidy, as if it was screaming Dallas's absence to me. The knots in my stomach tightened with each passing second.

All the nerves in my body screamed at me to go to her house and drag her with me. But I couldn't do it. I knew she needed some space but her absence is making me go crazy. I wanted her back so badly. No, I needed her back.

I should have told her the main reason I hired her. If I had, all these wouldn't have happened. I shouldn't haver went crazy when I saw her with that jerk, Mason. I felt the anger brewing in me at the thought of him. When I saw that he was trying to force himself on her, I couldn't stop myself from throwing that knife. I knew she could hold her own but I just couldn't help it. I wanted to kill him for her. Few inches to the wrong side and I would have cut off his balls. Somehow I wished that happened. Now Dallas isn't talking to me.

I was losing my mind thinking of all the things that could go wrong. What if her touch loses its healing power? What if the reason I don't get allergic reactions from her touch was because she didn't know? What if she never came back? What if she thinks of me as nothing but a mannipulative employer?. I did blackmail her into agreeing to our deal I haven't done any of the things I said I'd do for her.

“This is really bad." I ran my fingers through my hair.

“Pardon?”

My head snapped to the direction of the voice. Only then did I realize that Jenna had been here the whole time. I was so lost in my thoughts that I completely forgot about her.

"i've been here for the past fifteen minutes but you've barely paid any attention to me." Jenna said, a slight frown settled between her eyebrows.

Jenna had sent me a text a few hours ago asking that we meet up and continue our conversation of the other day. I had agreed to meet her in my office. I couldn't risk another occurrence of the other day's event by meeting her anywhere else. I made sure to create a lot of distance between us. I sat behind my desk and she sat on the couch few meters away from me.

“I’m sorry. What were you saying?” I rubbed my temples gently.

Pay attention, Oliver.

“I was apologizing for my rash behavior the other day. I had no idea you didn't do handshakes. It was wrong of me to assume. I'm really sorry.”

“It's fine.”

She gave me a tight smile and went silent, her stoic expression intact. I wanted us to talk about what she came here for so she can be on her way. It's ironic how I was always eager to send humans away from me but I was missing one right now.

“I spoke with my father not long after I left the other day and he told me quite a lot about Mr Kang.” She started.

I drew a long sigh. I needed her to be gone not to chat. But it doesn't seem like she was going to leave anytime soon. She was trying to make conversation and had made my father the subject of discussion. It was obvious my mother had given her a crash course on what to talk to me about. I decided to indulge her for a few minutes then stir the conversation towards familiar path.

“He was a good man.” I said simply hoping that would cut her off. But she pressed on.

“He was. I always thought he would be a formidable man.” Jenna said. She took a sip of the coffee in front of her.

“Growing up, I remember him to be so stern.”

“He was strict. But he had his soft side too. He only showed it to me and my mother.”

He had a soft side until I killed him. The thought crossed my mind and I felt a pang of sadness in my chest.

“He adored you.” She flashed me a smile.

"He did."

The conversation was not going well. First, because I didn't want to talk about my late father. And second, I didn't want to talk to her at all. But Jenna didn't get the memo. It was obvious that she was running out of things to say, but she didn't seem to want to give up either. She opened her mouth to say something when I quickly interrupted. I couldn't go through another round of awkkward conversation.

“So have you thought about my proposal?” I picked up my tablet and drew up my contract app. I set it on the table.

Her face fell when I stirred the conversation to the main reason she was here. But I couldn't care less. She cleared her throat and straightened her posture.

“Yes. But are we really considering this? I mean should two people this fucked up be in a relationship?” She said.

She was reconsidering her decision. A part of me anticipated this. No woman would agree to throw herself into such arrangements even if they were as robotic as Jenna.

“Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't want this. It's just so overwhelming. And I have a few questions I need to ask for clarity.”

“Ask as many questions as you want.” I said not showing a tiny bit of interest in her presence. I really hoped she doesn't ask more than two though.

“Aside from children and a perfect family image, what else do you want from me?”

“Your cooperation.” I stated simply.

“Just that?”

“Yes.”

She took a deep breath. There was her annoyingly loud breath again.

“I want to continue working after we get married.”

“You can work as much as you want as long as your work doesn't affect my children. They should be in good condition always.”

“The less I see of you, the better. No offense.” I added.

“None taken.” Another deep breath.

“We are going to have to stay in the same house after we get married.”

“That won't be a problem. You can take the west wing. My office is on the east wing so that's where I am most of the time.”

“As compensation for my time, I want a vacation house in Seoul of my own choosing. I have money but…”

“But not my level of money. I dug into your finances and that of your family. You can send me the link of the house you would like. I will get it for you and other assets of twenty million. You would also be appointed as a board member to some of my companies.”

“I want no more than two children. Any more might interfere with my career.” She thumbed away a drop of coffee that spilled on the saucer.

“I want a wet nurse for each child. Up to twenty-four months. I can't have my children be IQ-deficient idiots.”

“Done. But if you want to continue working in Korea, you will have to agree to split custody of the children.”

My mother would want to see her grandchildren regularly. That would make her pay less attention to me. More wins for me.

“Oh, that won't be necessary." I furrowed my brows in confusion.

"I'm be moving to New York fully now. My house is just across the street.” She smiled.

Jenna getting an apartment across my house reeks of my mother's doing.

“That's great.”

We fell into an uncomfortable silence. I didn't understand why she was sticking around when we were clearly done with our conversation.

“I'll send the contract to your email for your signature. If you want it on paper, I'll have it sent to you before the end of today. Is there anything you want to talk about?” I stared into her eyes, my message clear. I needed her to leave.

“No. I'll take my leave now. Thank you for your time.”

She picked her bag, dusted off a tiny dust off her bag, and walked out. I didn't even offer to see her off.

As the door clicked shut, my mind wandered back to Dallas. She seem to have taken permanent residence in my mind. She is basically the only thing I think about now. I didn't want to admit but I missed her. Her infectious smile. Her annoying presence. Restlessness gnawed inside me. I couldn't take it anymore. I placed a call through Tabitha on the intercom. She came in after a few minutes.

"Clear my schedule for the day. I have somewhere I need to be."

I rose from my seat and walked towards the coat hanger.

"But why sir?"

"Just do it and quit asking me unnecessary questions."

I grabbed my car keys and jacket. I walked out of the office not waiting for Tabitha's response. I have given her enough space. Now I needed to get her back.