4 Chapter 4: The offer

Madi's POV:

"Mr Wilsons. Good evening, Sir." I greeted him with a smile when I stopped in front of his table.

He looked at me a bit surprised and studied me from head to toe. And my traitor heart started pounding fastly inside my ribcage.

"Madi," he said almost in a whisper. I gulped as my eyes widened in a bit surprised.

Did he just call me 'Madi'? Since I started working in the company, this is the first time he has called me by my name and not by my last name.

"Sir," I said after my brain recognized it to be true.

"Gabriel." my eyes widened again not just because of the way he wanted me to call him but the way he pronounced his name... manly.

-'Jesus! His voice! So cold and sexy.... wait---- sexy?'-

"Sit down."

I heard him said and I gulped.

"Mr Wilsons---"

"Gabriel. Just call me Gabriel, Madi. And sit down first, I don't want you standing while I speak."

"Yeah," I murmured slowly.

-'haist, not even a gentleman! He didn't even pull the chair for me! Great!'-

"Why do you want me to call you by your name, Mr Wilsons?" I asked as soon as I seated.

"We're not in the office Madi, You can call me Gabriel."

-'Ohh.. cut the professionalism and the formalities, I see.'-

"You have a point Sir---- I mean, Gabriel."

Wow, I love how perfectly it sounds when I mentioned it. I looked at him and he's staring at me, but I didn't look away.

"Let's order first." He's the one who looked away first.

He didn't have to call the waiter's attention, because once we touched the menu, one of our waiters came to our table. I silently prayed that this one was already briefed by Noelle.

"Good evening Sir, good evening----ma'am?" It's Tony, our head waiter.

I smiled at him as his eyes wanted to say something. My eyes silently giving him a signal not to mention my name and I breathe a sigh of relief when he continued his spell.

"My name is Tony and I am your waiter for tonight... blah...blah...blah..."

I looked back at my menu. He asked what our orders would be and he wrote it down on his customer's order slip.

"Anything else, Sir... Ma'am?"

Mr Wilsons glanced at me, waiting for my answer, but I just shook my head.

What am I supposed to order here that my tongue hasn't tasted yet? And of course, most of them came from my own recipe style.

"How about desserts, Sir... Ma'am?"

Tony asked again but looking at me with amusement dancing in his eyes. I smiled at him and was about to speak when the man in front of my seat beat me with an arrogant comment.

"No, we're not going to order desserts. Just go get our food and stop flirting with my girlfriend if you want your eyes still part of your head or your head to be still connected to your body!"

My mouth fell open by his sudden outburst. And wait'-- Me-- girlfriend? What the fuck! Since when?

"I'm sorry, Sir." Tony's frightened face added to my shocked state. He immediately disappeared at our sight. And Mr Wilsons acts as if nothing happened after that.

"Mr Wilsons--- Gabriel, what was that?"

He glared at me when I mentioned his last name again, but it didn't last when I change it to Gabriel.

I don't know which one should I react first, the one he introduced me as his girlfriend or that he arrogantly snapped at my employee? Because that was the first rule I created since my business operated-- 'Treat every employee fairly'--.

"He's flirting with you and you seemed so oblivious to that!"

Ohh.. what am I supposed to say? He's not really flirting with me... and because this is the first time they've seen me sitting in my restaurant with a freaking guy, they were surprised.

"That's not what I mean! What I was asking is why did you introduce me as your girlfriend? And what is it to you if someone's flirting with me, you're not my boyfriend!" I huffed and I crossed my arms over my chest.

He didn't say anything, he's just looking at me as if studying me or something.

"That's included in a deal that I am about to offer you."

My eyes snapped at him in a flash.

"What?" my voice was a bit loud, so I repeated it but in a lower tone. "What? What are you talking about? Can we discuss that deal now?" my curiosity strikes from within.

"No. Not until we finished eating."

"But...." I was cut off by the smiling Noelle who's pushing the food cart. She actually delivered our food?

-'Oh my goodness! Really, Noelle?'-

I bit my tongue when I saw her obviously checking Mr Wilsons' face and body. She placed our food in front of us while smiling like an idiot at the Greek God sitting across my seat.

"Do you need anything else, Sir? My name is Noelle, just call me anytime if you need anything." she batted her eyelashes.

But to my surprise, Mr Wilsons held my hand resting on top of the table and Noelle's eyes followed his gesture.

"Don't worry Ms Noelle, I won't bother to call you. We don't need anything. Everything's already here. And can't you see I am with my fiancée, so stop flirting with me!"

Noelle and I opened our eyes wide in shock. My hand unconsciously tightened its grip on his hand when I heard what he said... not with the flirting thing, but with the word 'fiancée'.

What is wrong with this man? Earlier he introduced me as his girlfriend and suddenly now I've become his fiancée? What would be next... I'll become his wife?

"F-Fiancée?" Noelle's voice laced with surprise as she repeated the word in her mouth.

"Yes, fiancée." Mr Wilsons said not looking at her but at me.

"I see," Noelle said nodding. I looked at her and she has a 'you need to explain this to me' look in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Sir. I didn't know she's your fiancée."

I gulped as she eyed me. I know what will happen next.

-'Argh! Mr Wilsons!'-

When Noelle disappeared from our sight, I didn't waste any minute.

"Wow, Gabriel! Earlier I was just your girlfriend and all of a sudden I've become your fiancée? What would you say next, that I am your wife?" I asked in disbelief.

"Let's not talk about this, until we finished. Now, eat," he answered not even bother if I threw the knife at him.

"But this is-------"

"Madi!" I was cut off by his dominant alpha voice. "Just eat first, we will discuss it later."

'-Fine!'-

I didn't open my mouth again. I focused on the food in front of me. And God! I didn't know I was that hungry. My stomach growled at the sight of the food, and let me tell you... I think I can eat a whole cow.

I didn't even spare him a glance, I just savored the heavenly taste of the food. I know he's staring at me, my every bite and my every chew, but I don't care--- I'm hungry. Besides, I was just following his order 'eat first'. Although it's so creepy having an audience while eating, then so be it.

After finishing my food, my urinary bladder wanted to ask permission, she wanted to see her friend-- the bathroom--.

"Can I just go to the restroom before we start discussing your deal?" that's when I looked at him again.

He just nodded and sipped his wine, but didn't utter any word.

-'Madi, expect the obvious.'-

Walking down the hall to the customer's restroom.

Noelle suddenly pulled me and dragged me to the back office of the restaurant.

"Hey, why did you do that? I'm going to the restroom." I glared at her but she just crossed her hands over her chest and glared back at me.

"Huh!" she snorted. "Since when have you been using the customer's restroom?" she asked raising her eyebrow.

"Just now, because right now I am just a customer and not the owner," I explained, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, For goodness sake, Madi! What happened there? Tony told me he was scolded by your date. He's been accused of flirting with you, but the truth is, he's just acknowledging you. Poor Tony. And you know what, I offered to bring your food to your table just to see what he's talking about only to what? To even get a snarl from your so-called fiancé? My God, Madi! Earlier that man had told Tony he was your boyfriend, but when I approached you two, you became his fiancée? What was that Madi? I need an explanation!"

I lost count of how many times I sighed while she was rambling her thoughts.

"Noelle, listen. I will explain to you everything, but not now. Honestly, I was also shocked by the way he introduced me. He just asked me to be here because he said he has a deal to offer me. But I didn't know he booked a reservation here."

"Wait, a deal to offer you? First, he introduced you as his girlfriend, then next was his fiancée. Oh my God!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide open. "I think I know what his offer will be."

"What?"

"To be his wife!"

I chuckled nervously at her statement.

"That's not gonna happen. Why would he offer me to be his wife? We can't consider ourselves friends."

"So, who exactly was he to you?"

"He's my boss."

"What? Your boss?" she gasped. "You mean the CEO of Wilsons?"

"Yes, that's him."

"Oh, my freaking goodness! You had a hot and sexy boss, Madi!"

And not a second, I was confused by her sudden action. She bent down, looking for something on the floor.

"What are you doing?"

"Wait! I'm looking for something."

"And what are you looking for there?" I asked, also bending over to help her look for that 'something'.

"My panty."

I immediately stopped in my tracks.

"What?" I asked again, not sure if I heard it correctly or if it just sounds like.

"Yes. You heard it, my panty. I think I lost and dropped it somewhere when I saw your hot and yummy boss!"

I punched her in the arm and I started laughing. She also laughed with me.

"You're silly!" I said in the middle of my laugh.

"What? It's true, come on. Help me find my panty."

"Panty your ass!" we laughed a minute before I decided to go to the restroom. But this time, to our private room in the back office.

"You'll still share with me, including your boss' offer." she playfully warned me.

"Okay fine," I said before leaving the office and returning to our table.

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"I'm sorry, did it take so long?" I asked him as soon as I was seated back on my chair.

"No."

He said while sipping his glass of water. He really can't form a simple sentence to answer, can he?

"So, what's with the deal you're going to offer me?" Honestly, I was freaking nervous inside. I wanted to blame Noelle for implanting some thoughts about his deal in my head.

"Madi, I want you to listen to me carefully. Until I'm done talking, I don't want you to interrupt me, is that clear?"

-'Whoa! Really? We cut the formalities but you're still ordering me.'-

I mentally rolled my eyes as I straightened my seat.

"Okay."

"I want you to be my wife," he said straight to the point and I almost choke the air in my throat.

-'What the---am I still hearing Noelle's words?'-

"I - I'm so.. I'm sorry?" this time I brought the glass of water to my mouth because it suddenly went dry. I gulped three times.

"Be my wife."

Thank God, I've already swallowed the water. If not, I am sure I spit it all to his face. I need to inhale more air as his words cut my air passage.

"What are you talking about?" I asked when my breathing relaxed. "Are you proposing to me right now? Wow, so where is the ring? And why are you not on your knees?" I tried to throw a joke to ease my nervousness, but it was just me who laughed at my own joke.

His face was masked with pure coldness and seriousness. And I gulped again.

"Listen, I'm not offering you to be my wife forever. What I am offering you is to pretend to be my loving wife for a certain someone and a certain period of time."

I raised my eyebrow as my eyes followed his hand when he clutched his phone. I'm not sure if that certain someone is the same as what Sandy told me... the one I saw on his phone.

"Alright....?" I urged him to continue.

"I want this certain someone to make jealous and regret what she did."

I saw how he clenched his jaws when he mentioned the word 'regret'.

"But in the end you also want her to be back in your life." It's not a question, it's a statement. I looked directly into his eyes and I didn't miss the frown that suddenly formed on his forehead.

"How did you know that it's a 'she' i am talking about and not he?"

I don't know but his question made me laughed. Is he actually serious?

"I didn't know Gabriel, you're also a comedian," I said between my laughter. "Why, if not a woman, does that mean you want a man to make jealous? And to answer your question, you mentioned the word 'she'... you just didn't notice."

He didn't say anything but I heard him sigh.

"I want to punish her. I want to give her back all the betrayals she'd given me. I want her to suffer the pain until she begs me to stop."

His words sent goosebumps all over my body. It's the first time I've seen him with a deadly look on his face.

"You want to punish her, I see," I said nodding. "So...who exactly is this certain 'her' in your life, and what did she do to you why you wanted her to make her jealous and punish her? Was she your ex? Because if she is, that means you haven't moved on from her yet. And you want revenge."

The glare he's now giving me after what I said almost made me shrink in my seat.

"Madi," he whispered my name so cold as if it were his warning to me not to ask some questions or to say something, but I'm not convinced with his little story. I want more.

"I think it's none of your business."

"Oh, none of my business, yeah. And I'm sorry if I am asking some questions out of curiosity. But you're offering me a deal, a deal that I don't know what I'm going to get into. And if you want me to agree, you have to at least give half of the story so that I can have at least an idea."

I explained myself staring him directly in the eye. That's true, I don't really know what kind of deal he's offering me. Because if that were true, it would change half of my life.

"And the deal you are offering is not that simple. Huh! To be your wife?"

"How do I know if you agree the time I have you my story? How can I be sure I can trust you? That you won't betray me too?"

"Wow! Big word--- betray! Then try me. I mean, you're offering a life-changing deal, so why don't you add some trust? Even if you've been betrayed by someone, it doesn't mean the next person you meet would also betray you. If you've lost trust or faith in that someone, that's no reason to judge everyone or anyone who comes into your life. Also, how could I trust you if you yourself don't trust the one you want to agree with what you are offering?"

He looked at me intently and I did the same. We fell into a staring competition.

"And by the way, what would I get in the end if I agreed to your deal to be your fake wife?"

"You talk like a businesswoman, Madi."

I was taken aback by his words, but I immediately masked it. "That I am, Gabriel." his eyes turned a bit darker. "I am working in a business company, so I consider myself as a businesswoman.

He smirked.

-'Shit! Even it's a smirked, he really looked so hot and handsome. I couldn't blame Noelle if she really lost her panty just by looking at him.'-

"Here." he pushed a check towards me on top of the table.

I scrunched my eyebrows. "What's this?" I asked picking up the check.

"You asked me, what you would get if you agreed with my deal."

I read the amount, and my eyes went wide in surprise. ($100,000,000.00) One hundred million dollars. A very huge amount. I was shocked and surprised not by the number of zeros on the check, but by the fact that I realized how desperate is the man in front of me with his plan.

"$100 million?" I asked, shaking my head in disbelief. But he took it differently.

"What... is it not enough? I'm going to add-----"

"That's not what I mean, Gabriel!" I interrupted him with a hard tone and a snicker. He was a little surprised but I ignored him. "What I mean is that 100 million dollars are really a huge amount. And you're going to spend that amount just for her?"

"Listen, Ms Davis!" I flinched a bit when he slapped his palms on the table with a loud thud. "I'm not asking for any of your opinions. I don't need it! And it's not for her, it's for you! I'm going to pay you that money if you agree with this deal!" his voice was laced with anger and seriousness. Take note, back with the formalities... again.

But I held my stand. "Exactly my point! You're going to give me that money to pretend to be your wife, for what? To get even, to get revenge and to get her back! So still, the main point of this plan is for her. You're doing this for her!"

I am not into his money, honestly. My mom is rich and so is my dad, but I don't ask them for anything because I too can have that amount of money in my hand, even if not as fast as this, I can have it through my business.

"And why do you need to do that? What will you get after you punish her? And what kind of punishment are you going to give her after your plans? Making her jealous and then what, getting her back into your life---"

"I think that questions aren't really part of your business! You're getting off your line here, Ms Davis!"

He glared at me, his face was red as a tomato... not from blush but from anger. And if ever the look could kill, you will find me six feet under the ground

"Ohh, is that so?" I paused and got to my feet. "Then, take your deal with yours, Mr Wilsons. I'm sorry, but I can't accept it. As you said, we're not in the office so that means, you can't order and boss me around here. And I suggest you take your check back...." I pushed it back towards him. "... Also, take your deal with yours or offer it to someone who will listen just to the side of your story. Goodnight, Mr Wilsons. Thanks for the invitation and also for the food."

Rising to my feet, I smiled at him and took a deep breath before walking away from him.

The look on his eyes after my little speech sent shivers down my spine.

I know it's a bit rude to walk out, especially that he's my boss. But the same words came from him.. we're not in the office... so, we can cut the formalities.

It means, he's not my boss at the moment. Actually, since I own the restaurant, I am the boss in my own place.

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