Tempting - Chapter 36: The Plan

"What's it about?"

He sighs.

"Just a get together event. I wanted to do this for my employees, since they've worked hard all of last week."

"That's very nice of you." I hoarse, my throat still feeling like I've swallowed wood chips.

"What do you plan on doing?"

"An all paid trip to an amusement park in Cravensville. You know, for next Saturday."

"Really? David, that sounds awesome!"

"Ha, you excited?" I blush at my own abruptness and scratch the back of my neck.

"Yeah I... I always wanted to go to an amusement park. It'll be fun to actually exp-"

"Wait, you've never went to amusement park before?" Was it really that weird? I

pinch the skin between my fingers as I nod.

"Your parents never took you as a child?"

"...Um no. T-They were kind of busy I guess."

"They can't be that busy."

"I mean, I never really thought it was a weird thing." I confess.

"Huh, well I suppose I will try to give you a good experience. What did you and your parents do for fun then?" He asks. God, he's digging so much. I bite my lower lip as my mind grazes for any

memories of my past.

"We had... Uh... we sometimes watched movies together when they weren't busy. We... Me, my brother, and mom would sometimes cook together for thanksgiving. We usually didn't have it though."

"You have a brother?"

"Yeah, older. His name is Jackson."

"Oh...Is that all you guys did together?"

"Sometimes Tv?" I don't know what he wants me to say. He doesn't respond but instead nods,

looking at my face with another inconspicuous expression.

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Switched P.O.V

I sit idly in the shop as I glance at my encrusted watch. The coffee shop's windows, glazed and

supremely clean, act as my mirror as I tuck the crease of my crimson tie beneath the collar of my

grey suit. The glass protecting the flamboyant array of desserts near the cashier desk take the

attention of a few customers, some of them giving me incredulous looks as they glance my way.

I don't mind it however, I'm the best dressed here. I reign superiority as always.

Finally, a familiar face appears around the corner as I predicated it would. Decked out in a

Cerulean blue dress shirt with a Dashani skirt, she clacks her way inside the shop, not giving me

two looks before sitting across from me. She brushes off her skirt as I lazily stare at her.

"Nice to see you're wearing a color that brings out my eyes." I joke, watching her chocolate irises

look up with annoyance.

"You better make this quick Mr. Hamsure. I don't do well with people wasting my time."

"Oh no, I'm not here to waste no time Ms. Collete. Just a moment to speak with you is all." She

clicks her tongue as she twirls her spoon through the dark brown coffee I had ordered for the

both of us.

"What do you want to talk about?" She asks bluntly. I love a woman who gets right to the point.

"Mr. Malone of course."

"What about him?"

"Well, it seems like he isn't the type to just hire anyone out of nowhere, even going as far as

firing his other assistant." I respond. A look of pure aggression immediately emits on her face as I

take a placid sip from the rim of the tea china.

"Be careful Mr. Hamsure. What are you trying to say?"

"Oh, not much. Not much at all. Did I struck a nerve?"

"NO you haven't." She lashes.

"Alright, so then may I continue?" Subdued, she leans slightly back in her seat, her arms folded

over stomach. Her blonde hair is in a tight bun so restricted that it gives the allusion that she's

wearing a golden cap.

"As I said before really strange that out of nowhere that happened. A man who puts his values above sex, or at least I've been told. I would assume there would have to be another reason you were able to score the position you did."

She doesn't speak for a whole minute, eyeing me down dangerously, but I keep my composure,

sipping at my torrid coffee until it hit half way down the china.

Finally, she opens her lipstick stained lips.

"You're saying that I blackmailed him?" I raise my eyebrows as I satisfied smirk sits on my face.

She now has the ball on her court. I hope she pitches it back smartly. She shuffles in her seat as I

contemplate whether she's uncomfortable or just enraged.

"So this is why you called me here? You said you had an opportunity for me."

"And I do. To be quite frank with you I just want one thing from you that will be able to benefit us both."

"What are you talking about?"

I smile slightly.

"The thing you used to blackmail him." Her eyes instantly bulge as an angered blush slowly

seeps over her face. I suppose that didn't make her happy.

"No. You don't even know if I have it or not, so why in the hell are you asking me?"

"You didn't deny it though."

"You're full of shit. This was clearly a set up." She moves to stand up but I quickly say the first thing on my mind.

"Ms. Collete, I'm not trying to attack you. I want to help the both of us. My apologizes if it came out a certain way. Please, sit back down."

At first, she eyes me up and down gradually, sizing up whether she should just leave and call it

day, but through the power of persuasion she sits back down, turning her front away from me.

Understandable.

"Now, I wasn't lying when I said I had an opportunity for you, for the both of us."

She doesn't reply, her eyes training on the checkered roof of the shop.

"With your help, we can benefit greatly from this. I just only need one thing-"

"You think I'm going to jeopardize my position with David just off your word? I don't know if you're ignorant or if you think I'm a fool." She spits. I play with the head of my petite silver spoon as I focus on how I can navigate this conversation for my benefit.

"Neither my dear. Think about it, Mr. Malone owns a 5-star billion dollar company. Many other businesses have tried and tried again to increase their own profits by initiating deals with him, but he would never go through with it. Never. All that money to himself and not a dime for smaller businesses just trying to stay afloat." I slightly bend the spoon between my thumb and index as my voice becomes bitter, but I quickly regain my composure.

"That can change. We can be the ones afloat, on top of a business worth billions."

"What are you getting at Mr. Hamsure? Get to the point."

I try to hide the giddiness in my voice as her eyes finally meet mines.

"With that blackmail, whatever it is, I can persuade Mr. Malone to give us all the money we want." I conclude, a satisfied smirk growing on my face. Ms. Collete doesn't talk for a moment, only giving me a incredulous look, before finally knitting her eyebrows into hard arches.

"Are you mad?? That's what you called me here for? That plan would NEVER work."

"If whatever you showed or told him was enough for him to fire his own employee and hire you to be by his side, I would think it would be enough impact for him to consider."

"Considering is not enough Mr. Hamsure. This will just end up with me getting dismissed."

"You don't need to worry about that." I grace my fingers around the circumference of my china cup, a sly smile growing on my face.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not the only one who's going to help us get what we deserve."

Oooh mysterious.  And also guys, I can admit that I have only been to an amusement park once or twice in my life, and I can hardly remember the expereience. On that level, I can relate to Calvin lol. Make sure to go check out my Episode Interactive Story:

Right Under Our Noses