Chapter 5

Ethan

My knees were almost scared because of how long I had been kneeling in front of Reina.

I knew what I wanted and it was her. Yes, I was not going to allow this opportunity to get past me this time.

“Listen to me, Reina. Can you please allow me to explain myself?” I asked her and she just sighed out loud. The sigh was so loud that I knew that she was not feigning it when she said she hated me.

Her look, her attitude, everything about her portrayed so.

“Can you please stop calling me?” she demanded, blasting her angry words against my ears.

“Just listen to…”

I could not even get to complete my sentence when her angry rage overpowered me, cutting me short from whatever I was saying.

“What are you going to tell me now that is different from all the garbage that you have told me?” she thundered.

I raised one of my knees from the ground and stared at her in the eyes. Those eyes were still as pretty as ever and it has not changed ever since.

I was half-kneeling now and the only thing I wanted was for her to see how serious I was.

Reina was a golden egg now. If I fucked up any chance I get, I would lose her and it will be detrimental to everything I own.

“I understand your anger and your fear. How can I prove to you that I mean no harm?” I asked her and she quickly turned her back against me.

I knew what that meant. She was tired of listening to me and wanted me out of my sight.

How hard was it for her to just accept to be my fucking designer? The pay was attractive but, still she doesn't want to.

“Putting emotions into business isn't really a wise thing to do, Reina. And , I am talking based on experience,” I quickly switched, coming from a different angle entirely.

I wanted to manipulate her to see things from my own end so that finally I would be at an advantage.

“First, you said that I should come back to you and that you can't stand seeing me with other men, now you are bringing business into this. Do you think you sound more logical than me?” she asked, turning slowly to face me.

My lips parted ways for my words to come out freely, but they couldn't. The only thing I could do was to stammer words without meaning and that only embarrassed me more in front of her.

I bit my lower lips so hard that I could feel my teeth sunk inside the flesh.

The pain from that single act struck me but I didn't flinch. I pretended as if nothing happened and continued with the pleading.

Reina clapped her hands and laughed mischievously, flipping her hair backwards.

“I never knew that you had suddenly become a stammerer,” she teased me, but I still had energy in me to defend myself.

“I never referred to you as illogical. I was just trying to explain that in business, it is advisable not to mix business with emotions,” I stressed after finding my words.

Reina ran her eyes through me, regarding me as nothing. I began to have doubts if whatever I was saying was making any sense to her. She made me half-kneel like a fool and she was still bent on not accepting my proposal.

“And, what if I decide not to take your advice? Who do you think you are that you want to advise me in the first place?” she asked, folding her hands around her breasts.

I was getting frustrated already. I wanted to give up but deep down I could not. Giving up means that I would lose in both areas.

I would stay here until I have gotten her validation.

“I am sorry. Do not take whatever I have done to heart. We can just reconcile and pretend that nothing happened.”

“In your dreams, Ethan,” she sharply answered. “In your fucking dreams, you dimwit. Let this be clear to you in case you have forgotten, I am a designer. A multi-dollar designer who takes everything personal. I won't pretend that we are good. Not now,” she ranted.

“What do you want?” I asked her.

Reina smiled at me, with those deadly beautiful eyes. My heart melted like a candle wax when it met with hers.

“You are making me repeat myself. Just sign the divorce papers and then, we can do business.”

There was brief silence between us after that. I was contemplating on the best trick to pull off so that I will win at both ends.

“Sure, I will. I will sign the papers,” I finally agreed.

That seemed to put a bright smile on her face. I could feel the tension between the both of us die down and she looked at me better than before.

At least, I was no longer seen like a piece of dirty rag in her presence. I suppose.

“Good. Now, you want business,” she said and handed over the divorce papers to me.

I brought out a pen from my pocket and scribbled something like a signature on the divorce paper and nodded.

“Done. I will get my lawyers and we will finalize everything that concerns the divorce,” I said to her and she smiled.

She didn't bother to check the papers as I was now in possession of the divorce papers.

She wanted this divorce badly but, even after doing what I did. My evil mind was still looking for a way to craft out a deadly plan that would make her stuck with me.

“I guess it's business time now.”

“Yes. And, I will only entertain business related questions. I will pretend that I never knew you even for a day.”

I nodded and opened my briefcase.

“This document contains everything about being a designer for Triple A. You can go through it and ask questions,” I informed her.

I handed over the documents to her and she accepted it and began to scan it immediately.

My gaze was still fixed on her when I noticed that she stopped reading.

“I forgot something…”