Chapter 2 FAILED OPTION

Sean's POV

"Were you able to connect with her?" I asked Jason, my head rested back on the headrest of the couch I sat on. I was fatigued with staying indoors and away from the impound of reporters seeking my view in the matter of the entire scandal. But I had to remain that way because my home was practically flooded with them like fleas that I had to evade to a hotel where I wouldn't be hounded by them and their questions I wasn't ready to reply. I couldn't give a statement yet.

"I did, without the knowledge of the Senator, and she agreed to a meeting," he replied. "She'll be here by 9."

I heaved a satisfactory sigh and let my eyes close. I had asked Jason to find her -Mona Lisa - with the intent to talk things out with her, and luckily, he was able to. If I could convince her to get the Senator to drop the lawsuit he'd filed against me and dissolve her lying perspective; the primary cause for my stocks depreciating and my shareholders retrieving their investments because of the company's drooping image, or even get her to water down this scandal with me, I would be much relieved. Besides, I wasn't to carry all the blame for what had happened to be my mistake and someone else's cheating adventure so we had to have a conversation.

I had Jason dismissed when it was 9am, the time due for her to arrive at my suite. And when she arrived, clarifying the partly vivid memory I had of her, under a disguise, I welcomed her with courtesy, just to be able to salvage my reputation as well as the company's without a brawl.

"I'll get straight to the point with why you're here," I began as she sat into one of the red cushions at the center of the room. She was less fazed, and I wondered if she felt an ounce of remorse for her statement that was putting me at detriment.

"As you may have already figured, my company is in a declining phase because of this scandal with you, who happened to be the wife of the Senator and the originator for this whole problem, and the fact that you made people speculate that I sexually harassed you." I said as I sat on the cushion opposite her. I wasn't going to blame my women-obsession syndrome, but rather her infidelity and lie.

"I can't carry full blame for both our actions and have your husband sue me for something that wasn't purported by me. So I want us both to deal with this situation, like two reasonable adults who understand their mistakes -"

"Mistakes?" she interjected, her brows furrowing into a frown. "I thought I asked you if you would regret it, and you said it won't. How is it a mistake when both of us consented to it?"

"You said it yourself, Lisa, we both consented, but why are the whole consequences being dunked on me?" I inquired. "And mind you, I was wasted to think anything sensible, Lisa, much less give you a much sober answer at that point or know who you really were,"

"But you wanted pleasure, and I was more than excited to give it to you," she asserted. I ran a hand through my hair with frustration. She was definitely not getting a hang of what I had called her here for or was just trying to deflect the subject.

"Let's not journey into matters of the past and stay in the present," I uttered to grasp her understanding. "We have to deal with my problem. I don't know what rough situation this whole ordeal has gotten you into, but it's definitely hitting me worse and I need you to debunk whatever statement you'd made. I'm losing my freaking company by minutes and if we work together -"

"I'll help you," she chipped in, halting my words that a shimmer of hope at her attaining a sense of correspondence lit within me. "But..."

That single word was enough to tear down the shimmer of hope. But's weren't such a good word in situations like these, I knew that during a phase of my life. And the fact that she was saying it meant she wanted to propose something that may be difficult for me to deal with.

"B-but what?" I asked, my curiosity hinged. Her lips curled into a smile, and I braced myself for the tough spot I was likely to enter. She pushed up from the cushion, dropping her silver glitter purse onto it and moved in a catwalk towards the back of the chair I sat at. Every step she took towards me gave a hint of her fleshy upper thigh that was barely covered by the skimpy blue dress she wore. I was rather perplexed than seduced as I was curious on what her action would be, but when her hands slid down my shirt's collar, tauntingly seducing, and the scent of her citrus flavored cologne hit my nostrils, meant to encamp my senses, I shot up from the cushion with alertness, and prevented any further action from her.

"What the hell!?" I sparked. I was trying to create a reasoning between the both of us, to save myself but she was rather interested in selfish pleasures I had not one desire for at that moment. Did she even have the least remorse for being a cheat?

"Are you out of your mind or something?"

Her expression seemed to drop with dissatisfaction and she maintained a straight composure.

"Have sex with me again, Sean," she stated, her expression and inflection deeply intense. "And I'll make sure the scandal, as well as the lawsuit and my statement are all history. You'll get your image and declining stocks back -"

"You've got to be kidding me, Lisa!" I interjected. There was no way I was going to bid to her yearnings as an easy way out of the whole situation and lower my ego, and I sure as heck couldn't sex the same girl twice, especially one that was married to someone I had already gotten in trouble with on the first mistake.

"What the heck are you? Some harlot from hell? How can you think of cheating on your husband again in such a situation that I'm trying to recuperate from, after you told a lie?"

I wasn't a relationship expert, but I knew that such an action as portrayed by her was unfaithful and vile, and I would definitely be hurt if I had been the one she'd cheated on, and lied to for reasons I couldn't fathom, which, fortunately, I was not. I could only pity the Senator right then.

"Because, Sean, you stole my heart that night with the passionate intimacy we had, and you made me feel things that Jean can never make me feel in the entire existence of our arranged marriage," she declared, her expression desperate, almost pleading. I could barely even consider her mention of being in an arranged marriage with the Senator. It was their business, not mine. "Sean, he-he's old, and insatiable -"

"Forgive me if I do not care, Lisa," I countered. I was starting to get sick of her presence. "I'm more concerned about my life right now than yours to bother. So if that is your proposition, my answer is a no. I didn't call you here to indulge you,"

As soon as I said that, her expression declined once more with frustration that she masked with calm.

"Then I'll take my leave," she said and crossed over to the cushion she had previously sat on to retrieve her purse. "And I won't agree to do anything with you, or concern myself with a matter relating to this scandal where just you are affected until you agree to my request. And I am ever ready to hear you accept,"

It dawned on me with the reality that I wasn't going to get what I had desired from asking her to meet, and part of me couldn't help contemplating if she was the perpetrator behind the scandal leak because of her actions.

Before she could reach the door, I gripped her by the arm and pulled her back.

"What do you stand to gain in this?" I asked her. She glanced for a moment at my hand on her arm, her expression unreadable. "Why does it seem like you masterminded this whole situation just to get me into this mess to your advantage?"

"Excuse me," she snickered. "That's a low I can't stoop to, Sean." Then she nudged my hand off and wore a sly smirk. "And maybe I lied to save myself, but I suppose fate wanted us to be together by means of this scandal. I could gain you, and If you decide to concur with me and end this matter within days, I'm just one call away. I promise Jean won't know anything about it," Then she beamed a smile that only pricked me with intense annoyance and turned to leave. I couldn't pull her back, I didn't want to, because the meeting had obviously proved futile. There was no getting anything from it.

"Lisa!" I called her as she approached the door, my nerves ticking with frustration. She seemed to slow down her steps to pay me heed. "You better do something about it, or you'll regret ever meeting me."

She stopped and turned to glance at me, and a mischievous smirk curled up her lips.

"Says the person who's affected by a scandal," she snickered foe a fleeting moment. "Agree with my simple request, and we'll dwell on clear waters."

She blew a kiss and winked before leaving, and I could feel my heart burning with rage down in my chest. I still wasn't clear on her intent, and couldn't believe she didn't mastermind the scandal outbreak, because I couldn't let her hold me by the balls - in fright for my company. I was left with no other option but to scour for a means to opt out of the scandal since she had been a waste of time. The media had it out for me, Senator Jean was certainly not going to hear an appeal from me because of his belief on his wife's lies. A self public appeal was neither going to serve so well with the looming lawsuit, as everyone would practically side with the Senator than me, given he was publicly more relatable and influential than I was.

I was ultimately trapped with no route for an escape. But as hard as it was forthcoming, I had to dissolve this scandal in any way possible. Except lowering my ego, of course. I needed another resort that was sure to be plausible, but I could only sit within the confines of the spacious suite to delve into ideas of what to do next.