Adrian Sinclair stares absentmindedly outside his floor to ceiling glass window in his penthouse at Manhattan. His usual getaway spot when he's distressed and needs all of the time of the world to himself. The city was already golden, and it was the kind of atmosphere that got the beach sides busy.
He had never questioned his decisions. His mind had never wandered like it did now. The fact that Elena agreed to marry him got him even more worried. The conversation still lingered in his head.
"Elena, you understand how business works. Some days are for you, and some are against you." He said on that day, unbelievably. "It's really not a though meat to chew if this is only a contract." Elena responded.
The knock on the door brought him back from his reverie.
"It's open." He called, already knowing who it was.
Margaret Sinclair walked in majestically with her blazers over her shoulder and her red cherry lipstick. Her expression carried questions that needed answers from her brother, Adrian. She was the only one who could knock on the door like that. In fact, she was the only one who knew he was in Manhattan and not New York.
"So you're going on with this decision of yours, huh?" she asked while plopping on the sofa beside him.
Adrian smirked. "Maggie, I'm exhausted."
"What is this really all about for you? Is it just about the investors in the Middle East?" She questioned further.
"Listen, it's all business. We seal this deal and go our separate ways. Easy Peasy." He said convincingly while sipping from his wine flute.
She scoffed. "That's the problem, Adrian. Everything with you is a business decision. When was the last time you did something and had an in-depth thought about consequences? I really want you to think outside business. Get other investors if need be."
He didn't answer. He hated questions like that. Ones that forced him to examine himself too closely.
Maggie took a seat across from him, eyes searching his face for something he wasn't willing to give. "I know and understand this very well," she said. "The Middle Eastern investors have high ROI. You need to be married to secure the deal."
Adrian nodded. "They're old-fashioned. They believe a man with a stable family is more trustworthy. I could waste months trying to convince them otherwise, or I could handle this in the simplest way possible."
Maggie tilted her head. "And your secretary was the simplest way?"
"She's efficient, reliable, and she understands the demands of my business."
"And she hates your policies, and that has resulted in a clash of opinions many times. Let's be realistic!" Maggie raised her tone worriedly.
"She doesn't hate me," Adrian corrected. "She just doesn't like the decisions I make about work. There's a difference."
Maggie let out a tired sigh. "You could have found someone else, Adrian. A woman who actually wants to marry you."
He let out a short, humourless laugh. "You make it sound like there's a line of women out there just waiting to marry me for reasons beyond my wealth."
Maggie raised an eyebrow. "There is. You just don't bother to look. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately? You're quite a catch outside all of these fleet of cars parked outside"
Adrian didn't respond to that. Instead, he stood up, walking to the window. Below, the city pulsed with life, a stark contrast to the quiet war raging inside him.
Maggie watched him carefully. "So, what's the plan? You marry Elena, close your precious deal, and then what? Divorce her?"
He shrugged. "That's the agreement. Once the deal is finalized, we'll go our separate ways."
"And you think it's going to be that simple?"
'She has something to gain, okay. You sound like I'm playing with her emotions." He said to her face with his brows wrinkled in fury.
"I think there's something I'm missing here. What does she get for being your wife for this contract? She asks patiently.
Adrian paces around the living room, and silence fills the space. He ran his hands over his dark wavy hair, piercing his eyes through his sister's.
"To avoid an awkward situation, it would be best that I hired a new secretary while I set up and fund Elena's business so that she can thrive in her own field once the deal is sealed. I mean, it's a small price to pay." He explained.
After a long pause, Maggie stood up. "I just hope you're prepared for this, Adrian. One day, you're going to wake up and realize that not everything in life is about winning, and sometimes things blow out of proportion."
She walked to the door, pausing just before stepping into the kitchen. "And I hope she doesn't catch feelings for you. On your path, I know you too well never to love a woman."
With that, she left, leaving Adrian alone with his thoughts.
The wedding was next week and he hasn't even told his lawyer. He grabbed his phone and scrolled past all the contacts he didn't want to see. The notification bell was buzzing consistently, and he had to check what it could be.
"DAMN IT!" he yelled.
Damien Laurent was all over his screen, shaking hands with Adrian's supposed investors. His chest was heaving and a fast pace, and his left fist was clenched in fury.
Damien has always wanted this opportunity so badly. He took advantage of The Wellingtons at their lowest, and now he was coming for Sinclair's. Adrian should have seen this coming, but he was too sure he didn't have him to worry about.
"Damien is with Hassan Al Fawaz all over the internet. I thought we didn't have him to worry about?" he was on the phone with Grey Thomas, his lawyer.
"You know he's got a family, and they take that really seriously."
"Oh hell!!" Adrian screamed his lung out.
He turned back to the window, his reflection staring back at him. For the first time in a long time, he felt something unsettling in his chest.
Doubt.
Adrian Sinclair did not like doubt.