Chapter 2

"You want to make a deal… with me?" I ask, flabbergasted.

"Yes, I do,"

"What kind of deal?"

He stands and approaches, taking me by surprise. I discreetly back away.

"Let us work together in a partnership. We will create something new together." He smirks.

"What?"

"You heard me,"

"I did. But… why do you want to?" I stare into his eyes, looking for any indication of a joke. He's being serious. I don't like this. I don't like this one bit.

"I require a partner,"

"Why me though?"

"You seem capable enough to be my partner. Your club is a huge success,"

"Why are you in need of a partner?"

"You ask too many questions, Samantha," He sighs with frustration. "If you agree, I'll explain more. This could be as beneficial for you as it will be for me. What do you say?"

I stare at him, confused. I don't know what to make of this situation. On one hand, it would greatly benefit me, but on the other, I don't want to work with my competitor. I wanted my business to be completely independent. It's doing great as of now, so I don't know what effect merging with another company would have on it.

"I'll need time to think about it. This is not something I can decide on the spot,"

"Understandable." He looks impatient.

"When do you need an answer?"

"As soon as possible." Crap.

"Of course. Come back… in two days at this time." Two days?! Why did I say that?! I need more time to think this through.

"Sounds good," He smirks. I don't know how to interpret this. Is this a good or bad thing? What exactly is he planning to do with me once I become his business partner?

"No need to be scared, Samantha,"

"What makes you think I'm scared?" I hold my head up. I don't want him to see I have doubts.

"It's written all over your face,"

"What?" He chuckles, before striding over to the door. He gives me one last look before leaving the building.

I sit down, then cringe, holding my head in my hands. This was unexpected, to say the least. Why me of all people? I know I am successful, but am I that successful to be considered as his potential partner? Noah Harris of all people! Extremely successful and highly respected businessman! I have to ask him more questions when I see him next. I am not settling for his vague answers to my questions.

After getting over the embarrassment of meeting him, I decide to get ready for bed. I would have a shower, but I don't get any hot water at night over here. I guess if I agree to Noah's demands, I won't have to endure this any longer. I'll be able to live in a good place without fear of being caught by him.

***

"He what?" David yells after I've explained the situation to him.

"Yeah. I'm not sure what to do,"

"Are you kidding me? Go for it! It's a great business opportunity,"

"I know, but,"

"You need to stop hiding from him,"

"But what if he finds out my father killed his brother?! He knows my father's appearance and I look like him!"

"Did he show any indication of recognizing you?"

"Well… no,"

"There you go. Agree to his offer,"

I turn away. I know he's capable of harming someone who threatened his family. What would he do to the daughter of the man who murdered his brother for a stupid reason?! What if he recognizes me? Would he let me explain that I have and would never kill someone?

I ponder this more carefully. I could use this opportunity to make it up to him and get on his good side. But I know that working with him would not bring his brother back. I cannot erase my father's sin from my conscience.

"I need more opinions before I make a decision,"

"Sure, but if I were you I would take it,"

"Of course you would. That's why you are my P.A. You're good at decision-making." David chuckles, before excusing himself and going back to work. I message my friends to see if they are free to meet up. Thankfully, they are. I tell them we'll meet up in my favorite cafe for coffee when I'm on break. Personally, I don't like coffee, so I usually have hot chocolate. The smell is nice, however.

I sigh and get back to work. This deal is all that's on my mind. It's irritating the shit out of me. I'm usually focused - even though half of the time I daydream about the most random bullshit. Ugh! This is not fair. Maybe music will help me concentrate? Yeah, I'll do that. I shove my headphones in and choose somber music. It helps me relax and focus, as it is not something enticing me to dance like a drunk cunt.

I look at the paperwork in front of me, fighting back the urge to cry. Why did I do this to myself? Oh well, at least I have a stable income.

"Let's get some work started." I crack my fingers before grabbing the first sheet of paper I see. It's a cash budget. I ignore the fact it's printed, since everything nowadays is online. As expected, we've spent a lot of money on resources for the business, especially on alcohol. Thankfully our supplier gives us a discount occasionally, so I take advantage of that and buy extra alcohol for myself. I don't like the fact that I'm a pretty heavy drinker when I'm alone, but I am able to control myself when I have work the next day.

I manage to get a good amount of work done. Not bad. I text my friends to let them know I'm heading for the cafe. I stretch, resisting the urge to put my feet on the table. If it were up to me, I would work in the weirdest sitting positions. As long as I'm comfy, I don't care what position I'm in.

I throw myself out of my chair, grab my bag and head out of my office. I want to invest in a proper office building where I can work professionally, but I don't want to waste money on my personal preferences if it doesn't benefit the business. Maybe I will work in a fancy building if I do choose to work with Noah. If it's big, I'll sit as far away from him as possible. I can't risk him looking at me for long periods.

I arrive at the coffee shop and find a place to sit down. Since I'm the first one of us to arrive, I take my laptop from my bag and place it on the table. I decide to reply to a few emails I couldn't be bothered dealing with earlier. I re-read them over a bunch of times before sending them off. If I were to send off emails in the style I text, the recipients would think I'm high. I text with a lot of spelling errors because I'm too lazy to correct them. I'm happy my friends are used to it and understand what I'm trying to say.

The cafe door opens and I look up. When I see my friends - Ava, Elizabeth, and Charlie - I wave them over. They notice me and take a seat at the table. We get the general chit-chat out of the way and order some drinks. Once they arrive, I begin talking about my main problem.

"So um, I have some news," I announce to my group of 3.

"What kind of news?" Ava smirks.

"Well, you all know Noah Harris? The man I'm hiding from." Everyone nods. "Well, turns out he wants to work with me on a new project." Everyone gasps in excitement.

"That's amazing news!" Elizabeth yells.

"You should go for it. It's an amazing opportunity!" Charlie squeals.

"I know I should. It's just… I can't risk him recognizing me, you know,"

"Maybe you could wear a disguise?" Ava suggests.

"I can't. He came to my house last night, so he's seen my face,"

"He came to your house?!" Everyone yells simultaneously.

"I know. I was surprised as well." I continue confiding in my friends, asking for their opinions. They suggested I could use this opportunity to make up for what my father did. It is a good idea, however, he may not forgive me. It will ruin this new business we set up together. If the truth were to leak, it would give me a bad reputation, destroying my club's future.

"What should I do, guys? If it weren't for my father, I would've jumped at the opportunity." I wait for their answers while they think. I know what that man is capable of when someone threatens his family. Last night, he showed no remorse for the man he killed - only pure hatred. I remember the way he held the man like a doll, the man's fear when he asked me for help. I wonder what Noah did to him before he came to me. I shiver, thinking of all the worst possible scenarios. Noah can't be that bad… right?

After hearing my friend's opinions, I sigh. They all want me to go for it because it will be a good business opportunity. I want to accept his offer, but I can't shake away that fear. I was there the night my father murdered Noah's brother, hidden in the shadows. I saw the pain in Noah's eyes. I saw how angry Noah was. I saw how he beat my father to a pulp. If Noah's father wasn't there to stop him, he would've beaten my father to death. Now, my father is spending his time in jail. And I still don't know the full story behind this whole incident. Maybe I can somehow get the truth out of Noah? Would he tell me? It's highly unlikely. Oh well, it's not like I'm desperate to know.

I spend a while thinking whilst my friends talk. I consider the pros and cons, making a list in my head. I have to think strategically, as well as for my own safety. Will this benefit me in the long run, or not?