CHAPTER EIGHT

JONATHAN'S POV

I dropped my phone, determined to ignore it again, but before it hit the desk, a preview of the text flashed across the screen. I closed it and focused on the coffee I was brewing when the phone started ringing. I knew who was calling, so I ignored it, picked my cup of coffee, and went towards the window that looked towards the entrance of the company.

I focused on the scene that was playing in front of me. Was that Danielle? And who was that man with her? Was he the emergency appointment she'd had? My eyes narrowed as he grabbed her hands, and I took a sip of my coffee when she detached it. From where I was standing, it looked like they were having an argument, with the man having the upper hand. 

I grabbed my phone, belatedly realizing I had moved closer to the window because I'd seen Julia's message hinting that an emergency needed my attention and I laughed humourlessly, I guess I was more curious than I thought. I gripped my cup of coffee tighter, considering going down. If they wanted to argue, did they have to do it in front of the company? The most important element in the arrangement I was entering with Danielle was making our parents have no doubt in us, and I could imagine all the rumours that could possibly flit to my parents with my 'future girlfriend' having what looked like a flirtatious quarrel rather than an argument with another man, right in front of my company.

I looked closely at what was happening. The man was now pulling away from Danielle, who was talking calmly, but judging from what I could see of his expression, she might well have been yelling. The anger I was feeling lessened, and my lips pulled into a smile as I continued watching the scene. I opened my text and saw the last text Julia had left. I studied the picture Julia had sent me, trying to place where I had seen that face before. He looked oddly familiar. 

"You don't want anybody else misinterpreting what is yours." I looked at the text and opened the text box near Danielle's name and sent her a text, knowing the exact moment she saw the text as she looked up at the window I was staring from. "I need you back at the office in the next ten minutes." As annoying as it seemed, especially since it had come from Julia, the drama that was playing was an easily misinterpretable scene that would totally ruin our contractual arrangement.

DANIELLE'S POV

I checked my text and looked up at the window my boss' office was located. "What did he need me for?" I turned to Lucas, who was still looking furious. Well, he wasn't the only one that could feel that way. I also leveled up my glare at him.

"I need to go. My boss needs me."

He scoffed. "The same one you're planning to marry? Don't you think this is his way of already trying to control you? It's just past your lunch hour. I would think he would be able to give you ten extra minutes."

I shook my head. "Let's not start this again, and I asked that we go somewhere we could sit, but you refused." I looked at my wristwatch. "I really have to go. I'll call you later or something." Without waiting for him to agree or reject it, I left him standing there and walked hurriedly into the company. Thankfully, it was still as I'd left it and I hadn't caught anyone's attention.

I'd known Lucas would have overreacted, of course, but I hadn't expected him to overreact the way he had. I didn't need an older brother fighting my battles for me, and it was the fact that he was treating me like an invalid that didn't have the wisdom to make her own decision that really got to me. Plus the insults he never really managed to leave behind.

I came down out from the elevator and rushed immediately to my boss' office, the result being my breathing a little bit fast as I knocked on his door. I really needed to stop staying at home and start working out. I was in a really terrible shape.

"Come in." He called, and I entered.

"You called for me, Sir." I said, entering his office, and went to stand in front of him.

I jumped and gasped when he hit a file on the table, but his face wasn't showing anything.

"Danielle." He called, and I jumped again. This was the first time he had ever called my name, but why did it feel like he was furious with me? He hadn't, right? There was no way he could have seen me with Lucas.

"Yes Sir." I whispered.

He took out his phone and showed me a picture, and my mind went blank. Obviously he had seen me, and that was why he had cut our meeting short.

"It's not what it looks like, sir." 

"What exactly does it look like? Look at the picture and let me know." He replied calmly, and I fought for words because he was correct. It looked very wrong. The picture had been taken right in the middle of our argument, and Lucas had been holding my hand. I remembered it was when he had brought up the fact that he still hadn't been able to get over his sister's death and me getting married to a man he didn't know was basically the same thing his sister had done that had gotten her killed. I know, ridiculous.

"I remember asking you before, but I'll ask you again. Is there any old flame or somebody that will be a risk to our arrangement? I'm a very proud man, and everybody knows I don't share, so it will make no sense for me to marry a woman that has another man pinning for her." All these were said in a very calm and collected voice, but that somehow made it even more scary for me. I could hear the edge of anger in his calm voice.

A knock sounded on his door before I could respond, making me jump, but before I could get my bearing, a woman came into the office. The woman was dressed impeccably in a blue suit and pantsuit and looked to be about sixty, but that took nothing from her beauty.

"Oh, sorry. Did I interrupt something?" She stopped when she noticed my presence.