Why Me?

"E-Elsa?" he murmured, his voice betraying a rare note of uncertainty.

He had expected someone imposing, after all, Elsa was the kind of woman who had the power to decide the fate of billion-dollar empires.

But the woman before him was poised, and elegant, with long, moonlit-gold hair that flowed over her shoulders in soft waves. 

And it was her eyes that truly held his attention. They were a striking emerald, sharp and unreadable, with flecks of gold that mirrored her hair.

She was breathtakingly beautiful … almost ethereal. But beneath that beauty, there was a far more quiet and subtle aura about her that warned him she was not to be underestimated even though she appeared to be only in her twenties.. probably late twenties.

"You must be Richard Domango," Shantel said smoothly in a voice far more powerful and completely different from the one the whole of Rovencia knew her with. 

This was richer and more refined with an intoxicating blend of confidence and allure.

As Richard's gaze swept over her again, he realized she wore minimal makeup, yet even the most meticulously dolled-up celebrity couldn't compare to the effortless radiance she exuded—She was perfection, and for the first time in his life, he found his soul going out to a woman… and that, irredeemably.

"Have a seat, Mr. Domango," Shantel invited, gesturing to the chair opposite her.

Snapping out of his reverie, Richard forced himself to move forward.

Elsa?" he repeated in a steadier voice this time as he settled into the chair. "You're completely—"

"Not what you expected?" she finished for him with a smirk that somehow reminded Richard of the other woman. 

Why was he even thinking of her at this moment? There was no comparison whatsoever between them. They were as far apart as the east was from the west. 

Whereas this seemingly untouchable masterpiece of God's creation before him was everything a man desired and needed, the other's mere existence was an insult to everything refined. She was probably still shamelessly entangled in the backseat of a car with a man. 

He clenched his fists. No—he wouldn't waste his anger on that woman, not when he had someone far more important— the mysterious enigma, Elsa who had existed only in whispers and speculation, looking right at him.

"Why me?" Richard asked suddenly, the words slipping out before he could stop them.

Shantel's brow lifted slightly. "What do you mean, Mr. Domango?"

"Why did you choose to reveal yourself to me? No one knows who you really are. I heard—"

"That's not for you to worry about," she interrupted smoothly, brushing a golden strand of hair away from her face. "Let's just say you have found favor in my sight."

A flicker of amusement played on her lips, but it was gone before he could read into it.

She leaned back slightly, folding one leg over the other with practiced ease. 

She had spent years perfecting her strategy as Elsa—control the board, anticipate every move, and most importantly, never let emotions cloud judgment.

It was going exactly as usual, however, this particular project wasn't just business but personal.

And yet, as she studied Richard Domango across the table, she found herself unsettled.

He wasn't the same man he was when faced with the outside world and especially, Shantel Hale. The arrogance was still there, but something more humane had taken root…it made him dangerous in a different way.

"Mr Domango, before we proceed, I want us to be clear about some things."

Richard's lips curled slightly. "Of course we do."

"As we both know, it is not an easy feat getting me to work on your case. So you must know that I have my conditions," Shantel said.

"What are they, please?"

This time, it was the corner of Shantel's lip that lifted slightly. Let's see if you would still be this relaxed after you hear me out. 

"You will follow my directives without much interference," she stated, starting from the expected as she could rightly guess his reactions to each of her conditions. 

"Reasonable."

"I need full access and control during this period."

Richard studied her. "Unrestricted access to my company's internal operations? Full authority over financial restructuring? That's a lot of trust to put in someone I don't know, don't you think?"

A slow knowing smile blossomed on Shantel's exquisite features, making Richard take in a sharp breath. 

'How can someone be this beautiful?' he groaned internally.

"You don't have to trust me, Mr. Domango. You just have to decide whether you want to lose your empire," Shantel's voice filtered over, grounding him in the seriousness of the moment.

There was a challenge in her voice that deliberately pushed his buttons.

Richard had spent years dealing with ruthless businessmen, and with people who thought they could outmaneuver him.

But she was different. She wasn't just confident but she knew she had the upper hand and was taking advantage of it. And damn it, he respected that— he would have done the same if the positions were reversed.

"Alright," he reluctantly said even if every instinct warned him that this might not just be an ordinary deal. It might even cost him more than he was prepared to pay. But he didn't mind as it was her. 

Besides, there hasn't been any report of her engaging in anything dubious over the years which had secured the trust top business moguls had in her.

"I have one condition of my own," he said.

She arched a brow. "Do you?"

"I want transparency," he stated bluntly.

Something flickered in her gaze.

"No secrets," he continued. "If I'm handing over the future of my company to you, I want to know exactly who I'm dealing with."

Shantel's smile remained, but there was a sharpness to it now.

"That, Mr Domango," she said smoothly, "is the one thing you'll never get."

Hell and damnation! This woman's bluntness unnerved him more than he'd like to admit. And he didn't like being unnerved.

Was this how she got those people she'd worked with to remain in awe of her person and accept her conditions without complaints or was it just him? But they've never met for him to think she had a personal vendetta against him. 

He needed her to help his company, but strangely since he walked into this room, he found out that he wanted more than anything to get to know her.

If he could foster a relationship with her, that would be his greatest achievement ever. His company's survival would play second fiddle. 

Apart from the respect he has for her for her unrivaled ability, within just a few minutes of meeting her, what he felt for her kept growing in leaps and bounds surprising even him. 

But with the current situation and her stance, he just has to shelve that. He exhaled to release the frustration that seemed to have curled in his heart.

He hesitated a little more before finally nodding. "Fine." 

The expression on Shantel's face did not change as she casually said, "I take it that we know what is expected of us. You will never ask about me. Who I am or question the people I choose to work with in the course of this collaboration. The moment you cross that line, the deal is off."