I'll Never Let Go

Sean's POV

Some people wallow and depend on the idea that life isn't fair for them and make their decisions on it, and some others grasp the opportunity to take life by the horns and harness it to their advantage with the knowledge that life is indeed not fair.

Although I was born in a wealthy home, and people would always think I had life going easy for me courtesy of my parents, I was given the chance to sulk on that idea. But I did what no one believed I could, not even family; I harnessed life by the horns. Took advantage of all the disadvantages that crossed my path on a daily basis by myself and built my standards to a point that I wanted it - perfection.

And even at such a point, my family was never concerned, and I decided not to care about them either, and because I was able to grow without their help, it wasn't much of my bother. A matter of my past had drifted us apart. A past I didn't wish to revisit.

At the level I attained, being the CEO of a prestigious, top-charted tech company, I could then boast that I had life working by my wills, the absolute of perfectness. Though I never had time for relationships, I settled with an act that was becoming a habit of mine; hiring flings to satisfy my sexual desires, or going to some bar and getting hooked up, though some of them tried to become more than just flings or hookups, but they failed, because matters of the heart were over for me. It has been over for me since I was a teenager.

A while into the night after being utterly frustrated from work, I decided to head to a bar downtown to blow off some steam. Halo's bar, as it was named, was as crowded as a train station on weekdays, packed with extreme youthful vigor that ignited intense excitement in the minds of the bodies that grinded in sync to the jazz music erupting from speakers. One could liken this place to a club.

This time, I had decided to put my face caps off. I took a seat at the drinks counter, and ordered a glass of tequila to douse as I watched the crowd of people. One thing I liked about this bar past its availability for pretty women was the fact that it seemed to have a good business strategy that pulls young, adventurous youths into its confines just for fun. Bars and clubs in general knew how to harness the minds of people and make money in the guise of pleasure that the customers wouldn't seem to regret, and it was a much intriguing insight, but not one I had come to explore right then. I wanted to relieve my pent-up frustration, and nothing did that better than alcohol and women.

My eyes scoured the mass of people within my view for the right girl tonight as I doused multiple shots of tequila, letting its hardness burn down my throat (Nothing I wasn't used to). But when I heard the most alluring voice come from beside me, my attention was diverted.

"I want a shot of brandy, please." she directed to the barman.

Seated beside me was a goddess of beauty-or so, as my eyes could see- that had the capacity to make a man drool. The attractiveness of her visible thigh that her red dress couldn't cover was enough to turn me on, and maybe I was a bit too tipsy from the multiple shots I had drank under the space of minutes to think like I normally would, but I made the first move to ask her for a night. On the occasions when I wasn't drunk, I would have gotten to know her a little bit, but alcohol had seemingly taken control of me to fathom anything past more alcohol and sex.

She wasn't the slightest bit offended when I asked, but she struck me with one question that stuck to me before the rest of the night became history.

"Are you sure you won't regret being with me?"

I was more sane the next morning, memories of the previous night sticking to me. I remembered that I had slept with a woman whose face I couldn't vividly recall because I found myself naked and alone in some hotel room, and I shrunk at my stupidity for not knowing any detail about the woman, her name, or even recalling the color of her eyes. There was no trace of who the woman was, even when I inquired back at the bar. Eventually, the matter became a thing of the past, only but for a moment.

On a busy Tuesday morning in my home office while I was reviewing some of the company's products, Jason, my personal assistant turned brother, scampered into the room, practically apprehensed, his expression clouded with intense worry that bothered me.

"What's going on, Jason?" I was prompted to ask. If there wasn't a problem concerning the company, then it was probably something as important.

"You haven't seen today's headlines, have you, sir?" he asked. My brows furrowed with confusion. What was in the headlines that made him look so panicky?

As if reading my thoughts, he hurried towards me, taking out his cell phone. As he reached me, he propped the phone up in my line of sight, showing me the picture of the headlines for today's news that sent waves of shock and perplexity through my nerves.

"Billionaire Sean White in an intimate relationship with Senator's wife, Mona Lisa May #Scandal." I read out the words before my eyes and I took the phone from him, as I peered intensely at the picture of me holding close to myself in a bar - Halo's bar, I could recall from the intricate decorations the picture had captured - some random woman whose face after some moments of critical thinking and staring struck up a memory. The memory of the night I had drunkenly slept with a woman. The red dress was a reminder.

"Is this a joke or what?" I scoffed in confusion as I gazed up at Jason whose concerned expression remained unhinged. I couldn't believe it, and at the same time, I could. I was torn because I hadn't even gotten to know who the woman was. And my worst luck was that she was the Senator's wife.

"It's obviously not a joke, sir," Jason replied. "The news hit the public this morning, but the fact that it is something related to the Senator proves that it's something we cannot easily fix."

I couldn't help panicking despite trying to maintain a calm disposure.

"How critical is this scandal going to be of effect to both I and the company?" I asked him.

"It depends on whether the Senator takes severe actions," he responded. "If he does, then the company and you are likely going to be affected."

The Senator wasn't someone I needed to get into a problem with at this point in my career. The news of that woman being the wife of the Senator baffled me as much as the fact that she had obliged to sleep with me despite being married to a man of power. Still, there was nothing I could do at this point. It had already been weeks since the incident, and if it were used as leverage, my image could be tainted. I needed to prevent that from happening.

Once in my entire life since dealing with women has an incident like this happened, and it was just then. My very actions, posing a threat against me. It was a laughable yet detrimental happening. I just needed to hope the Senator would not be holding it out against me. We already had differences between us, and this was probably going to top it off.

"Can't it be taken down?" I suggested, worry starting to cloud my expression. Scandals weren't my thing, and I wasn't expecting such reality to hit me hard.

"I tried, but I couldn't," Jason huffed. "And it's already a bit too late. The Senator probably knows about it now."

I couldn't help but heave a sigh. All I had worked to learn was hanging on a threadline, all because of one wrong decision under the hoax of alcohol.

Jason's phone began to chime an enthusiastic ringtone, blaring through the air of tensedness surrounding us. I handed it to him without taking a peek into it, but his expression became alarmed when he gazed into it. His hesitation was palpable.

"It's the Senator, Sean," he notified, as if trying to gain my permission before he answered the call.

"Go ahead," I prodded him, masking my anxiety with composure. "Answer it."

He heeded to my prodding and slid the answer button, holding the phone to his ear. I paid attention to grab a hint of what the Senator was telling him as they conversed. He would bob his head at intervals and answer a yes and no at some point. At a point he would try to state some reason. His face did not give away any information as I worked myself up in trying to read his expression.

When he was finally done with the phone call, a dismayed expression crossed his face and I didn't need to be told the outcome. His disposition spoke volumes

"I suppose he's not too good with it?" I quipped sadistically and he nodded.

"He's threatening to file a lawsuit against you, and the company," Jason relayed.

"File a lawsuit? Why? Was it a criminal offense to sleep with a lady who gave her consent to it? " I retorted. Why should I be sued when my actions weren't so much as an intense violation? If anything were to be hit hard by this news, it was his wife who'd cheated and their marriagr.

"Apparently, Sean, he doesn't believe his wife cheated on him, but rather that you coaxed his wife into doing it, without her consent which he tageed as sexual harassment-"

"Sexual harassment!?" I interjected, shock painting all over my expression. How was that logically possible? What lies had he been fed with?

"There are speculations about it being sexual abuse. Probably from the the other party's point of view," Jason said. "And the Senator is not willing to look into your side of the matter because he believes his wife wholeheartedly."

He believed his wife that lied about the reality of the whole issue? Why would she - his wife - even tell a lie about it and put me in a situation? I palmed my face and drew the hand back through my dark mane, wondering with shock. Jason had a look of pity in his eyes. I thought maybe they should have been replaced with an 'I told you so'. After all, he'd always tried to make me find a sense that my unhealthy obsession with women was going to lead to a point like this.

"Find me a way out of this," I told him. "I'll think about a way out as well."

He nodded and left the room without hesitation, leaving me to the intense captivation of my thoughts to salvage this whole situation as quickly as possible. I couldn't in any way let this news break my company down, all for some lie.

As if it were a good moment, I recollected the words of the woman, Lisa, before what was becoming my doom came to being.

"Are you sure you won't regret being with me?"

Well, I sure as heck did right then.

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.

Sean's POV

"You're not serious, are you?" Jason questioned incredulously when I shared my seemingly agreeable idea with him the next day in my suite. "Marriage, sir? You?" He wore a dubious expression, as if he couldn't believe I would come up with such a plan to escape the scandal. The truth was, I might not be able to avoid the scandal or evade the Senator's threats by getting married, but a partnership seemed like a viable solution. Perhaps a marriage, even if only for a limited time, could divert attention from the scandal and keep Lisa at a distance. However, I had no intention of getting married for real.

"Yeah," I nodded. "A marriage, preferably with a wealthy lady."

"But it's not going to solve your problem," he emphasized, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"It's not supposed to," I clarified. "But it will help keep Lisa at a distance with a testimony or two from the chosen partner and create a smokescreen around the scandal. Plus, I might be able to leverage a partnership from it."

Jason's confusion and hesitation remained evident, as if he still couldn't fully grasp my idea.

"Do you think it's a bad idea, Jason?" I inquired, noticing his reluctance to meet my gaze, though I understood his unspoken opinion.

"It is, isn't it?" I prodded.

"I didn't say that," he finally spoke. "We could explore legal options. You don't have to get married if you don't want to."

I sensed his concern and let out a sigh.

"It would only be a temporary arrangement. I have no intention of settling down for real. It's just a means to address my issues discreetly. Once it's done, my chosen partner and I would go our separate ways, like a contract marriage, and they would benefit from it," I explained.

"But finding someone genuinely interested in a contract marriage these days is a challenge, Sean. How do you plan to find the right partner for this?" he questioned. I took a moment to consider his question. While I hadn't figured out who my contract partner would be, I thought about my connections, and there was a slim chance I could find someone willing to participate.

"Do you think I can make it work? A contract marriage?" I asked.

His answer hung in the air for a moment.

"I believe if you think it would pull through, it would," he replied with a tight lipped smile. I couldn't help feeling relieved by his answer. "We just need to ensure it's executed discreetly to avoid drawing too much attention as you carry out your plan."

"And we will," I assured him. "There might be disbeliefs at first with regards to it, but it will work out."

"But we don't have a candidate in mind for your bride if we want to move quickly," he pointed out. "If you'd like, I could consider hiring an actress-"

"We don't need an actress," I rejected the idea. "It has to appear authentic, which is why I mentioned a wealthy woman. Someone from a prominent family who stands to gain as much from this arrangement as I do, someone with genuine intentions who understands my situation."

A small, thoughtful smile appeared on Jason's lips.

"That sounds like a lady who would be hard to find. Considerate and all," he asserted. I agreed to that with an equal smile.

"If you could explore my connections or search for such a woman before the week is over, Jason, I would greatly appreciate it. No need to rush, though. We can continue addressing my issues until you find the right candidate."

Jason fell into silence for a moment, his smile fading as a thoughtful expression crossed his face, hinting at a hidden concern.

"Why the sudden change in your expression?" I inquired, my curiosity piqued. If something had affected Jason, it must definitely be significant. However, as his gaze met mine, the expression vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

"Nothing, Sean," he waved it off. "It's not something you should concern yourself with."

I could have pressed him further, get it out of him, but I chose to let it go. If it was a matter he wished to keep to himself, it wasn't worth prying out of him.

"I'll do as you asked, and I'll find you a suitable woman before the end of the week."

I took his word for it and allowed him to do his job, while I intently tried to keep my company afloat. A legal approach proved counterproductive, and as the week ran through, I hoped Jason was making a good search.

By the weekend, he reported to me in my office about his progress, and he was ecstatic about it.

"I've found the perfect woman for the agreement." he exclaimed, his smile radiating pride. It was clear he was pleased with the outcome.

"Go on and tell me more," I encouraged, temporarily diverting my attention from the tabletop system I had been reviewing some items in before his arrival. He settled into the swivel chair across from me, clutching a file of documents.

"She's the daughter of the affluent fashion designer, Duke Grey – someone in your network," he revealed, placing the file on the table. I was intrigued by this unexpected connection and, even though it wasn't what I had anticipated, I was eager to learn more. The prospect of collaborating with a fashion designer held a unique allure, and I could envision exciting creative opportunities in the partnership.

"Amazingly," Jason continued. "He agreed for a short term marriage with his daughter only on the terms of a partnership and that you care for her. And he promised there would be no compromise on his part if the two of you were to partner together on this agenda,"

I pondered on the information for a moment. Though it was slightly odd for a parent to want to set his daughter up for a contract marriage, whether or not she conceded to it, and there was room to consider that things could fall short because of that. But with his promise, I decided to not make it my bother and focused on my agenda.

"Since there's a willing party, it's the right time to draft separate contract agreements," I stated firmly.

He nodded in agreement, and I encouraged him to proceed with his report. As I attentively absorbed the information he provided regarding Duke Grey's agreement, a sense of trepidation crept over me, particularly when contemplating the matter of marriage. The idea of entering into this arrangement triggered more tension than when I initially proposed it.

I had never been entangled in a relationship beyond friendship, so this was an entirely new experience for me. Although it was all going to be a facade, it represented a new phase that made me anxious, a resort I was willing to undertake to preserve my image and that of my company.

After all, the company had always been my concern.