Chapter 2 A Kiss Before The Clause

Chris entered Kate's building at 7:00am and knocked at her apartment at about 7:02am.

She was barefoot with a silk robe and a coffee she planned to take .

She didn't look surprised as she opened her door and let him in.

"You broke into my building", she said calmly.

"I bought your building", he corrected sharply.

Kate picked up her cup of coffee and took a sip.

"That's dramatic", she said.

"I don't do dramatic things", he said calmly.

"You just purchased real estate before breakfast and you think that isn't dramatic".

He looked through the room and realized how clean her room was . No personal pictures hanging .

"You live like you are about to move out", he observed.

"I am",

He fixed his eyes now on her . "Not anymore".

She walked past him deliberately, the fabric of her robe brushing his arm. "You're early".

"I don't like waiting", he said softly.

"I like keeping men waiting cause it makes them nervous", she replied with a soft smile.

"I'm not part of your men".

"No", she agreed softly. "You're worse".

Chris placed a file on her glass counter. The file contains details of the contract;

"Exclusive contract, duration of six months and you have to represent only the Cena Empire".

"And what do I get?" Kate asked curiously.

"You get access".

"But I already have access".

"You don't have it in my world though". He clarified.

She opened the file and saw the amount and it looked really generous.

"You're overpaying", she said softly.

"I don't negotiate for things I want, I just go for it", he said arrogantly.

"There it is again", she said curving her lips.

"What?".

"The fact that you want to own me". She said .

He became uptight . "I am offering you protection".

"Protection from who?", she asked.

"From everyone".

She closed the file slowly while smacking her lips.

"And if I refuse?".

His voice dropped. "You won't".

Kate stepped closer. "You like control because you are afraid of losing it".

"Sign it", he said quietly while trying to ignore her eye contact.

She moved his face towards her. "Kiss me first".

His breathing slowed.

"Are you trying to manipulate me?" He said,

"But buying my building isn't manipulation?" Kate replied to him slowly but softly.

He stepped forward until her back touched the glass counter.

"You think this is a game?", he murmured.

"I think you don't know how to separate business from desire". She replied.

His voice became almost gentle . "I beg your pardon, I separate everything".

"Well, that's your problem,"she replied sharply.

He leaned closer, stopping inches away from her lips.

She felt his control like heat against her skin.

"You want me to choose you", she whispered.

"Yes, cause I am the right person for you", he said.

"Give me a reason beyond money".

His fingers finally brushed her waist firmly but possessive.

"I don't share", he said affirmatively.

Her pulse jumped a bit.

"And if I refuse to be kept?".

His eyes went dark and cold . "You won't".

She almost believed him for a second and then her phone buzzed.

A message notification from an unknown number flashed on her screen.

Ask Chris how his father really died

Kate went numb.

Chris noticed immediately.

"Who is it?".

"Wrong message", she said smoothly with a smile.

But her mind was racing. She looked at him carefully.

"Tell me something I don't know".

"What?".

"How did your father die?" She asked.

His hand left her waist immediately.

"He died from heart failure".

"How convenient ", she interrupted sharply.

His eyes hardened . "You should be careful with the things you say".

"Why should I be?". "Did someone push him toward having a heart failure?".

Silence engulfed the room.

His voice increased but was uneasy. "My father was under pressure".

"From who?".

He stepped back completely from her now. "You're crossing lines".

Kate picked up the file, opened and closed it gently. "So are you". She replied.

Elisabeth Cena watched the security update on her tablet.

Chris had been inside Kate's apartment for fourty minutes.

Her assistant stood across from her desk. "We've begun background checks", he said.

"What did you find?".

"We didn't find anything illegal. She's very careful", he replied with assurance.

Elisabeth smacked her lips. "Everyone has a price or a weakness".

"But we actually found something", her assistant said sharply.

Elisabeth looked up immediately.

"Kate's father once attempted to sue Cena Empire thirteen years ago for wrongful termination, but the case was dismissed".

Elisabeth went mute.

"What's his name ?".

He handed her the file that contained the document.

She read it once and in her mind she said "interesting " with a wicked smile on her face.

"Does Chris know about this?" the assistant asked.

"No, he doesn't know". Elisabeth replied with a slow smile.

"I want him to fall deeper with her first".

Back in the apartment , Chris adjusted his suit amidst the tension between both of them.

"You're signing the contract", he said flatly.

Kate moved her head a bit. "Why are you really threatened by other men?".

"I'm not threatened."

She stepped around him slowly, circling him like a strategist studying a syndicate .

"You don't fear other men touching me," she said quietly. "You fear your mother seeing you choose me".

His eyes caught hers .

"That's not true. Where did you get that notion from?".

"She controls your image, your decisions, your board and maybe your entire existence".

"You know nothing about my mother", he said grudgingly.

"I know she hates me without meeting me".

He didn't reply to her .

Kate softened her tone slightly. "Why does your mother hate me?".

Chris looked away from her .

"She believes women distract men from gaining power," he said quietly.

"And what do you believe?".

"I believe distractions should be eliminated".

She licked her lips. "And am I a distraction to you?".

"Yes, you are".

She was surprised he replied to her honestly.

"And yet you are here".

He lowered his voice. "I can control my distractions".

She stepped closer to him again.

"Control me then", she said in a seductive way.

He grabbed her waist suddenly, not harshly but very firm.

"Don't test me", he warned softly.

She whispers . "Or what?".

His thumb brushed the inside of her robe touching her waist .

"You won't like the answer".

She leaned closer. "Try me".

He kissed her with dominance .

Her fingers curled into his shirt.

And for a moment, neither of them were thinking about Elisabeth or contracts or secrets.

They were just feeling the heat and possession.

He then pulled back first.

"Sign it," he repeated.

She looked at him carefully and signed it.

That night, she sat alone again when the unknown number texted her .

You're closer than you think. Elisabeth didn't inherit power. She took it.

Who is this? Kate typed back.

An email arrived instead of a reply.

She opened it. It was a scanned document.

Old board meeting minutes from the week of Mr. Cena's death.

Emergency transfer of voting rights to Elisabeth Cena approved prior to official medical confirmation.

The one line that was highlighted.

Kate's heart skipped a bit.

In her mind " Prior to medical confirmation?"

"Does that mean Elisabeth secured control before her husband was declared dead?".

She was snapped out of her thoughts when her phone rang .

It was Chris .

She hesitated at first but answered.

"Are you satisfied?" He asked.

"With what?"

"Your contract and your new life".

She stared at the document in her mail.

"Tell me something honestly," she said.

"What?"

"Did your father know he was losing control before he died?"

A long silence was felt.

"Where are you getting this from?" Chris asked slowly.

"But I am asking you".

"You're investigating my family?".

"I'm just protecting myself". She said sharply.

"You think my mother is dangerous?".

Kate looked at the mail again.

"I think she is strategic".

Chris' breathing changed.

"If you're playing a game, Kate ...."

"I'm not playing", she interrupted.

"Then stop digging", he shouted.

"Why?"

His voice dropped into something darker .

"Because if you find something you don't understand .... I might not be able to protect you".

"From your mother?", Kate asked coldly.

"No, from me", he said quietly.

He hung up.

Kate stared at her screen for a few seconds and walked to her window.

Elisabeth stood up from her chair.

"Hmmmn, she is curious", she murmured.

She walked to her safe and unlocked it and brought out a small sealed envelope.

On the envelope was her late husband's handwriting.

If anything happens to me

"Curiosity ruins women like you", she whispered to the empty room while touching the envelope lightly .

She picked up her phone and dialed a strange number.

"It's time to accelerate the Brussels deal", she said softly.

Chris stood alone in his private lounge office, staring at a picture of his father.

"You shouldn't have left me with her", he muttered.

His phone beeped.

A message from a private number.

She knows about the board transfer. Ask your mother why it was signed before your father's heart stopped.

Chris looked blankly at his phone screen.

Something inside him didn't feel right.

He whispered "only his mother, the family lawyer and ...... Kate know about the time discrepancy".