10 And Where Exactly, My Dear, Would You Hide?

Miya almost choked on her own saliva.

What? What?!

What!

What was this man saying!

She had the most gormless expression on her face as she looked at Jim. And she seemed so utterly confused, and so immensely displeased that Jim forgot his next words.

Damn!

An awkward silence prevailed between them, as she continued to look at him unhappily and he swore he wouldn't repeat himself. When none spoke, he was forced to look down at her haughtily and ask, "Your answer?"

Miya looked like she would throttle him. Jim had no doubt she would do it.

He intensified his glare, hoping she would say something, anything. Miya flinched, and then obliged.

"I don't understand," she finally spoke, and Jim heaved a sigh of relief.

His question had been simple enough, though. He had half a mind to be a jerk and ask her which part of the question she did not understand, but he gave up on the thought. The woman already looked irked. And if he wanted to gorge out a 'yes', he would have to play nice.

"Obviously," Jim began thoughtfully, "I have a situation. I need to get married in order to fulfil a contract. It's sort of a merger, well, you know what a merger is, right? Let's say, my marriage is a precondition to the deal. The transaction won't happen if I'm still a bachelor."

"So you'll run off and just get married?" Miya raised her brows. That tells a lot about your character buddy, she thought.

"What are the chances, think for yourself. It's obviously a deal I desperately want."

"I'm sorry. I don't know you. So I don't have to think for myself."

Jim was so infuriated at her sharp replies, he wanted to hold her and shake her hard. "I'm offering you money, woman!" he was screaming internally, "Money enough to live like a king for the rest of your life. What is wrong with you?!" He couldn't say it to her face, though.

Change of plans.

"I know it has nothing to do with you. But can you please consider it? I'm not asking for a favour from you. I��m asking for –"

"A deal." Miya's eyes had a mischievous glint to them.

The woman would never agree to it. Her sarcastic tone gave him the premonition. She was financially unstable, of course, she cleaned toilets for a living and couldn't afford school for her kid. Then too, she didn't jump at the opportunity.

Now that spoke of dignity. A misplaced sense of it, but still, dignity.

Dignity alone would come to his aid now.

He almost bit his tongue off at his next words.

"A deal, yes," he forced out calmly, "As equals."

Miya didn't flinch.

Jim wanted to cry.

Inside though, her heart had wavered a bit.

Equals.

That was a word nobody ever associated with her. Scorn and contempt. She had seen a lot of that. Humiliation. She had had her share of that too.

But being called an equal?

And that too by the C.E.O. of Hunter Corporation.

This man was smart. Not only smart, he was also cunning.

It didn't please her a bit, but she had the sudden urge to smile. No matter to what purpose, his words still felt nice.

"Miya?"

"Yes?"

"Will you think about it?"

She nodded silently. "Tell me more."

Jim froze.

There it was again.

The stirring in his crotch.

What the hell was it now?! He wasn't even looking at her eyes anymore! Ah. It must be her voice of course. Her words, "Tell me more." They, apparently, were erotic to his d*ck.

Jim wanted to bang his head to death on the floor. And after he died, he would leave behind a note stating it was his stupid father's fault. Oh yes, he would!

He began to pace around, willing himself to stop being so pathetic. He was shaming the Hunter name, acting in such a depraved manner. Even wanton teenagers must not be so unrestrained!

He walked harder, concentrating on the more important discussion at hand.

"I'm obviously going to visit a psychiatrist," he blurted out, and then almost howled in anger, "I mean I obviously mean a marriage with prearranged divorce! You get rid of me in a year."

Miya was watching him strangely.

He was a weird man alright.

"And?"

"Well, I'll compensate you. Monthly, or a lumpsum amount at the end of the year, or both. Your choice. The sum, however, will not exceed two million dollars. That does not include the education of your child, of course. That I'll pay for separately. I'll see to it that he gets through college."

Miya's jaw almost dropped.

2 million dollars? This man sure had a lot of money to waste!

Her throat dried up, but thankfully her brain had sprung into action.

"Considering I do agree to this," she said thoughtfully, "What is the guarantee that you would fulfil your terms of the deal? Of course we'll sign a contract, but all I'll have a paper, and it's no secret that I don't have the means to get it enforced in court."

Jim was taken by surprise.

For a street pauper, this woman wasn't bad. At all.

"I don't lie. Ever," he said. That was a lie.

"Like I said, I don't know you."

Jim breathed.

"Then I'll transfer a quarter of the amount to you before the signing of the contract."

Miya smiled mischievously again.

"Aren't you afraid I'll just run away with your money?"

Now, it was Jim's turn to smile back.

"And where exactly, my dear, would you hide?"

She coughed.