The office of the Ceo consisted of only two colors, and those were black and white. No, there was a third color, and it was the light, pale yellow color—that appeared like a gold—of the Ceo's blonde hair.
It was very surprising for me to not find a different color in the large office with a living room also.
But that wasn't the important thing. No, it was the perfect couch that was placed in the lounge or a high-end, ergonomic chair that was oozing the feeling of comfort and productivity.
And that was all empty. Because the two person inside were having their conversation while standing.
Why?
I wanted to know that as well. Sure, I understood that during negotiation you have to make your opponent feel uncomfortable or distracted, but weren't we both standing here? And why did she have to stand so close to me? After standing so close, I was practically bathing in her scent.
Anyway, the first condition of the negotiation would never be set, so people generally exaggerate their demand, but she wanted me to be her wife for life? That was the end line, no?
Yes, after I asked, she told me to be her wife for life.
I would have before—maybe I might not mind her being an alpha—no, but the thing was, I had already gambled enough, so without knowing what her real reason was, I wasn't going to agree to that.
"But I only asked you to be my bride for one day."
Throughout the conversation my voice was firm, or I was trying to be, but I knew I was doing a good job at it.
And as for her, she hadn't budged a little from her position with her folded arms that she only unfolded when she was making a hand gesture as she stood comfortably in front of me. Her posture was calm and collected.
Another rule of negotiation. Never act like you are desperate.
"Yes, and?"
I secretly gulped. Even I wouldn't be that shameless. Still, there was no way I was backing down from this.
"You want me to be your bride for my whole life? How does that make sense?"
At this she smiled, and then her eyes went lower to my whole body. This seemed unfair—that she could run her eyes all over me, but I couldn't even breathe properly. I wasn't complaining about not seeing her body—why would I? She was an alpha, but I wanted to breathe properly, damn it.
"There is a difference between you and me."
After examining me for who knew how many times, she replied. My brows frowned for a moment, but I quickly relaxed them. I needed to be calm and quick.
Anyway, I was wrong when I thought of her as shameless. No, it was arrogance. This was what it was. Otherwise she couldn't have said that to me—after all, I wasn't nobody.
"If that's the case, then I will pay you according to how I am, and you can hire anyone at any price according to how you are. So if you are asking me to be your bride even for the same number of days as I asked, then you should need to pay even more since you are you and I am me."
As I said that, her smile grew wider and wider until she broke into laughter. Even I knew what I said was totally stupid, but could she blame me, though, since she was the one who started it?
By covering her mouth with her hand, she squinted her eyes at me as she spoke. I didn't notice and thought her eye color was pure green before, but now I see it had some yellow tint in it.
"Are you saying, because I am 'me,' I should pay you more than what you paid me even for the same days?"
Instead of getting angry at my absurd point, she seemed amused. She was obviously pretending because there was no way it would have brought amusement to anyone.
"Now, that's what's not making sense to me."
But why would I care about that? I needed to focus so that her confidence of having the situation in her palm would crumble.
"It is making just fine for me, though."
"Alright, then you should have asked for someone else."
She didn't took a time to think and said right away. And then she leaned even closer as she said in a low voice.
"Someone you can afford, not me."
"I asked, not forced, you, so you should have rejected me." I replied back.
"I would have if you hadn't given me a blank check."
Damn my mouth, but I didn't know that she was already loaded at that time. Anyway, I didn't have anything to say to that, and my mouth was left open—despite me quickly closing it, she saw me taken aback as she laughed again, though it was a giggle more than a laugh.
"Anyway, you are just saying anything, darling."
A cold shiver ran all over me as I felt goosebumps after hearing her calling me that. Even the thought was terrifying.
"Don't call me that."
And before I know it, I raised my voice a little and realized it immediately....
"P—please..."
...as I said in an apologetic whisper. No matter what topic we were talking about or if she was smiling or laughing, in the end she was still my boss.
And her face also became serious. Maybe she really didn't like that.
"We need to. Since we are a newlywed couple."
In an instant, her playful voice suddenly turned cold. I wasn't sure, but there might be a possibility that she was behaving like that to make me nervous, as that was also a trick of negotiation.
"W—we are not decided....yet."
My voice broke. Of course, there was no way I was unaffected by that.
There was a silence for a moment as she finally stepped back and walked back to the table, leaning against it as she was before I came here. Only then did I breathe with my full lungs.
"Alright. Then how about this... for one year,…"
She raised her hand, showing her long, pale index finger only.
"...be my bride for one year, and we will get divorced after that."
One year? I was really surprised. Given how she asked me for life, I thought she would come to ten or maybe five years, but one?
Anyway, it didn't take long before the atmosphere became the same as before. Wait, was it even change? We were still negotiating, right?
I cleared my throat and replied in a slightly confused manner.
"One year? The numbers didn't seem right."
"How so?"
Just like before, she folded her arms and slightly raised her chin up just so she could look down at me. Since we both were practically of the same height, or maybe she was a little taller than me as I was wearing heels, she had to raise her chin up.
Anyway, I knew that it was her arrogance, not her looking down at me, so I didn't mind and calmly answered.
"According to you, you value three hundred sixty-five times more than what I do? That doesn't make sense."
"It is making just fine for me though."
It didn't even take her a moment as she replied back. And for the first time, no, I would have smiled a little if she hadn't been standing so close to me before. Anyway, the corners of my lips curved up in a smile.
Like I said before, she was really good.
But seriously, three hundred sixty-five times? She said the value of the people was determined by their talent and status. Since there was no way to measure our talent, then how could I compare our status? Let us forget about the property, then her salary? Maybe she would.
Thinking nothing, I said without giving any reason.
"It still isn't right."
"Hmm?"
There she was again, feeling me out as she ran her eyes all over me.
"Alright. Then how much do you think I am worth compared to you?"
Finally.
My ears perked up after listening to her. Did she know how annoyed I was when she told me to be her wife for life, like my life wasn't even worth a day of hers? Well, if she wasn't, she was about to.
I didn't take much time and, with a soft smile on my face, replied by appearing as innocent as I could be.
"One."
At first, she froze as her eyes widened. And then slowly her lips started to part until her perfectly aligned teeth appeared from behind her sleek lips. Then she laughed.
She bent her back and lowered her head and laughed with a sound.
A brief moment passed, and then it became a full moment, but she didn't stop.
Okay, now she was going overboard. Maybe I should have also reacted like that when she first asked me to be her bride for life.
"Please..."
Slowly her laughter died down as she waved her hand at me.
"...if you aren't making sense of things, then at least be logical."