Chapter 8; No Choice

"WHAT?" Danielle eyes widen in shock. No words can describe how shock and surprised she was feeling in that moment. She's not sure if she heard it right, or she's just dreaming with her eyes open. "Mr. Quinlin are you fucking kidding me? Or did you lose your mind somewhere on your way here."

"Watch your mouth woman. That's not funny."

"Do I look like I'm joking to you? I think your the one who's making fun of me. Saying nonsense to me."

"Don't be too ahead of yourself Ms. Riccardi. He look at her from head to toe, then shook his head unbelieving. "Your not even my type."

"What?" The way he look at her make her feel insulted. "Then, why are you asking me to be your girl out of nowhere?"

"Let me rephrase it, be my fake girlfriend. That's my condition not to put you behind bars and not to close this Boutique of yours."

"That's absurd." She shake her head, not believing this man. Telling her nonsense thing. "I have nothing to do with you anymore. I already returned to your company your gowns. So what else do you want from me?"

"If your not that idiot I'm sure you're well known aware that in our current society nothing can be free. If you want to gain something, you need to bet what you can give. That's how business work for me."

"Of course am not an idiot." Her whole face turn red. "That's very offending to hear Mr. Quinlin."

"That's a relief then."

"What?" Danielle took a deep breath to calm herself. She need to calm down not to argue with this brute of a man. "Are you blackmailing me now to agree to your nonsense condition?"

"I'm a professional and high profile business man Ms. Riccardi. Everything I do is pure business. No monkey business. The decision is yours to decide."

"Why do you need a fake girlfriend? With that handsome face of yours, I am very sure a lot of women were chasing after you. They'll be happy and willing to be your girl even if just a day."

"Thanks for the compliment." The edge of his lip rose a bit. Obviously holding back a smile.

"It's not a c-compliment." She stammered and took a deep breath to calm herself. "Do you have no girlfriend? A wife or a fianceé?" He look at her weirdly, asking if she's an idiot or she's not in her right mind. "What?"

"I will not ask unsophisticated woman to be my girl if I already have one."

"Unsophisticated? You mean me?" Her eyes widen unbelieving this jerk of a man. Now, his insulting her face to face.

Mikael just strug his shoulder off and took the coke in a can on the table. He opened it and drank. "Will you agree to be my fake girlfriend or spend few years behind bars? I have no time to spend here waiting for your answer Ms. Riccardi."

Danielle got scared. She can't be imprisoned, her son's need her. His still to young to be left alone. No one will take care of him and she can't bear the thought of leaving him. Rainier is all she have. Losing him and be away from him for just a few days make her insane. What's more if they septated for few years? That'd hell for her.

"Well, Ms. Riccardi? I can't wait any longer. The clock is ticking."

"I-i can't be imprison. I-i can't allow it." She said bowing her head, not to him but to her self.

"So, what your decision?"

"Tell me first why you need a fake girlfriend?" She took a deep breath to calm herself. She don't want to be rude as she already have. "You can easily get one, two or whatever and whoever you want. Why is it me? You said it yourself, I'm not sophisticated woman and I'm not even your type." The last word is like a sour to Danielle's mouth. She knows she's not that beautiful but she also know that she's not that ugly. Just a typical woman.

"I just need a woman to introduce to my father as my girlfriend so he stop marrying me off to some bitchiest."

"What? Seriously?" She couldn't help but laugh very loud. As if she heard some funny jokes she never hear before. The thought that she might be put behind bars by this man himself vanish in an instant. "Where are you came from? That's an old tradition, and top of that, your not that young to do that kind of stuff. That's sucks." She added, still laughing. She can't believe there's still doing that old tradition nowadays.

"Watch your mouth woman. You don't know who your talking to." Mikael's face darkened. He feel insulted by just a mare woman. No can even dare insult him, except this woman who's proudly and look unaffected by his demeanor presence.

"Sorry, sorry. Can't help it. But aren't you old enough for your father to get you into an arrange married?"

"I know that. You don't have to say it out loud. And don't laugh at me woman. All I need right now is your answer Ms. Riccardi."

"I have no choice but to agree to your condition." She said calmly even thou her inside was very nervous and scared at the same time. "Am I right?"

One way or another, she have no other choice but to agree with this man condition. Whether she may like it or not.

There's only one thing in Danielle mind's while agreeing to Mikael's condition, that she would never abandon her son like his father do to them. She know how it feels to be left alone that's why she will make sure her son won't feel how painful it is to be left alone.

"You agree?" He asked unaffected and not even surprise as if his already expecting her answer.

"Yes. Do I have a choice, doesn't I?"

He grin. "Good choice Ms. Riccardi."

"I hope so." She whispered feeling prostrated and useless. "How long I pretend to be your fake girlfriend? When will I start? The sooner, the better."

"I couldn't tell." He check the time on his Rolex on his wrist. " I'll pick you up tomorrow evening in your house. We're attending a formal party. And that's our first public appearance together."

"Just pick me up here in my boutique."

"Okay." Mikael stood up. "I need to go now." He asked her phone number before he left. At first she was hesitant to give her her number but she have no choice but to gave it away.

Did she make the right decision? Agreeing to become the fake girlfriend of that man? The man she didn't even know. All she know is his name and where he work. She has no idea if he's a good man or not. If she can trust him or not.

She just hope she won't regret her decision in the end.

She's in deep thought when she was startled when her phone in front of her on the table suddenly rang. She answered it without looking whoever the caller is.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Kent? Is that you?" She check her phone screen to make sure it's really him. "Why? We were just together awhile ago. Do you need anything?" She took a deep breath to compose herself and asked happily. She just hope he won't notice the nervousness in her voice.

"I forgot to invite you and Rainier to have dinner with me tomorrow night at my apartment."

"I'm so sorry Kent but I can't. I have important things to do tomorrow night. If you want you can pick Rainier to the house. He'll be happy dinning with you."

"Okay." He said in a whisper to hide the disappoinment in his voice and cut the call without saying goodbye.

"What's wrong with him? He didn't let me to say goodbye. That's new."

That's the first time Kent hang up the phone on her.