Chapter 11

“Paula! You are so reckless!” William reprimanded when Mr. Martin had left the meeting room. “Can’t you see he’s just trying to prank us?”

“I saw that he was interested when he saw the five-year financial statements, Will!” Paula replied confidently. “He just needs a little more reassurance.”

“But eight years, Paula! Meanwhile, this hotel was only stable six years ago. You don’t know that my mom’s hotel almost went bankrupt and had to struggle, starting from the bottom again,” William objected. He didn’t want the hard-time financial statements to be leaked out. He couldn’t bear it if the investors knew how big the losses were.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“I think we should show him ten years’ financial statements, William.” Paula looked at William expectantly. She didn’t want to accept his refusal at this time.

“You’re crazy!”

“Am I? He just wants to know what the biggest risks are. How did your hotel come out of a crisis? We’ll show him all. To some investors, this is not important. But to him, it seems to be important.”

“But he will leave tomorrow,” William doubted.

.....

“Then, we will make this night count.”

Paula packed her things and immediately left the meeting room to quickly help William compile a ten-year summary of the financial statements, assisted by some finance staff, of course.

Seeing Paula who was trying so hard to win this agreement, William felt embarrassed because he had been pessimistic. It’s too early to give up. They needed to try their best.

“Sorry!” William whispered. “And thank you.”

Paula shook her head. “The problem is not only about winning your parents’ consent, William. But it’s also how you run this hotel in the future. That’s why your parents agreed to this bet,” Paula mumbled as she ate her lunch in a hurry. “Stay positive and try your best. There’s no way you’re begging for your parents’ support for good, right?”

“....”

William didn’t budge. He just listened to Paula’s rant, in silence. No objection, because it was all true.

“That’s it! Let’s get to work again. We don’t have much time!”

Paula and William went back to work and evaluated the files. When everything was almost done, it was already dark.

William’s cell phone rang. It turned out to be Maya, Martin’s secretary. She said she wanted to invite everyone to dinner when the summary that Mr. Martin asked for was finished. “My boss will agree to sign the agreement. Can he borrow your clever secretary to explain some matters? I also have to give you some additional files that you must consider for our cooperation.”

Instantly, William cheered with joy. It turned out Paula was right. Martin was interested in the report this morning. It just took a little more work to convince him.

“I will tell her to-”

“Oh, I already called your secretary earlier. Please just come to the place we have determined,” Maya interrupted William’s words quickly.

William quickly went to the restaurant. However, Paula was already gone when he was about to take her.

“She has to wait for me, at least,” William murmured.

Brushing his thoughts, William headed to the hotel for dinner. However, William was surprised that he only met Maya at the restaurant. “Where are Paula and Martin?”

“Your secretary is already with Mr. Martin,” Maya answered calmly. “My boss likes your smart secretary. Despite her looks, she has so much business insight.”

“She’s not my-”

“You are lucky because it seems that Mr. Martin has a personal interest in your secretary. As such, I am very confident that our cooperation will go well.”

“What do you mean by personal interest?” William asked, starting to get suspicious. His face turned stern.

“That means I will accompany you tonight and Mr. Martin will...”

William no longer listened to Maya’s words. William picked up his phone and immediately called Paula many times. However, the woman did not pick up the phone. Scary thought crept into William’s heart.

William was very worried. He didn’t know where Paula was now. William’s eyes glared at Maya. “Where are they now?”

“Sorry, I can’t tell you because your secretary has agreed to meet my boss,” Maya replied coldly, although fear crossed her dark eyes.

“You guys are crazy!”

“Sorry. I think we are all adults who can take responsibility for our own choices,” Maya continued. “The codes that I gave were clear. It was her choice.”

William panicked. Was it true that Paula had agreed to spend a night with Martin just to accomplish this mission? Was Paula that crazy?

“No way? Paula wouldn’t give herself up for another man because she’s my wife, would she?” William muttered to himself breathlessly.

William then looked at Maya’s face which was now smiling confidently again. The tall man wasn’t sure what the petite woman in front of him was thinking. Why was he so stupid and innocent?

After all, who would have a discussion in the evening-about work? Shouldn’t he know that people use their mouths to do something else after 8 p.m.?

William thought back to how much Paula wanted this plan to work. She wanted to get out of this marriage as soon as possible. However, didn’t Paula say that she didn’t want the two of them to have an extramarital relationship? She was the one who bragged about fidelity.

Not. It must be a trap. William was very sure, Paula must have been accidentally trapped by the flowery word coming out of the cunning mouth. Paula was too focused on her work. She must not have expected Martin would do such an indecent thing.

“Listen! She’s not my secretary! She’s my wife who happened to be helping out today because my secretary was ill!” William raged furiously, making Maya’s eyes wide open. “If something bad happens to her, I won’t hesitate to sue you! Keep that in mind!”

“What?”

“To hell with this business deal. I don’t want to work with an fucking rotten man like your boss!”

William got up and went to find Paula himself. He was very sure that Paula was in the hotel.

Meanwhile, Maya was stunned by the shocking fact she had just known. Inwardly she blamed William and Paula from the start for being dishonest. But did their honesty matter? Remembering today what they were talking about was only business? Who would have thought that Martin had dirty intentions?

William immediately ran out of the restaurant. “Oh, God .... Please, protect her!”