A Tempting Proposal

Max has been sitting for about an hour in his car that was parked outside Gaga Bar and Lounge, where Lola works. He intended to linger until Lola completed her shift, then propose to drive her home or at least partway, allowing for a meaningful conversation between them. Given the early hour, he assumed she must be fatigued. However, his predicament demanded immediate attention, it couldn't wait.

Ethan had ventured into the bar earlier to conduct some rapid investigation, which is how he deduced that she would inevitably emerge from that doorway at any moment. But, after over an hour had passed, his patience wore thin from idling in the car for so long. Unable to endure the confinement of the car any longer, he opted to bide his time outside. 

He emerged from his vehicle, forcefully closed the door, and leaned against it, his gaze fixed on the entrance, vigilant like a hawk, unwilling to overlook her. So, with bated breaths, he observed and anticipated. The seemingly endless moment swiftly concluded as Lola emerged from the Bar in a brief lilac sundress accompanied by white sneakers.

"Hello Lola!" With a swift motion, he seized the bunch of pristine white roses he had picked out for her from the passenger seat and hurried over to her. 

"You again?" Lola shook her head, feeling it was too early to engage with a peculiar customer turned admirer. All she desired was to reach home and simply sink into her bed, drifting off into a restful and profound slumber. So, she proceeded to walk on, without pausing for him.

"Lola, please wait, I apologize for last night." He called out, continuing to jog after her. "I have this for you. Please accept my apology." He offered the flower to her as he caught up, causing Lola to pause.

"I didn't think you were the type to apologize." Lola gracefully accepted the bouquet from him and brought it near her nose to inhale the sweet fragrance of the roses. The roses are not to be blamed; it was all on Max.

"I'm really sorry." Max once again expressed regret. Although Lola's intuition was spot on - his apologies lacked sincerity, they didn't come from his heart but were birthed from Ethan's relentless coaching. He had been rehearsing his words and intentions in his car for the past hour, striving to convey his true feelings. 

"Alright, if I were to forgive you, what more do you want?" She inquired, "Hurry. I have to get home and rest. I'm tired."

Max assumed a more upright posture, discreetly clearing his throat. Today, he sported a white hoodie on top of a blue denim, complemented by white and blue van shoes.

Max responded with assurance, "If you forgive me, I would be happy to give you a drive back home. And if that's too much, we could stop halfway, and you can continue your journey by cab. I just want us to have a meaningful conversation with you. Nothing shady."

"I'm sorry, but I have no interest in whatever you want to talk about. Thanks for the roses though, they are pretty." She gave a polite smile and excused herself, walking away. 

"Please wait!" Max hurried to intercept her. In a pleading tone, he asked, "Just ten minutes." He remained composed and courteous, following Ethan's guidance. The urge to assert his dominance over Lola gnawed at him, yet he understood the consequences at hand and couldn't afford to jeopardize the situation.

He needed Lola. 

Lola was consumed with fatigue and was eager to bring this saga to a close, so she suggested, "Ten minutes and you won't disturb me anymore?" She cannot have a billionaire pursuing her when she requires undivided attention for her personal life.

And if it was an obsession, she would recommend that he seek professional help. 

"Okay, can we converse in my car?" Max inquired.

"Sure, but I am sitting in the driver's position," Lola responded.

Max responded with a grin of amusement. Lola noticed the smile but chose to disregard it. As they settled into the car, Max promptly delved into discussing his proposal.

Max informs her, "I may have come across poorly yesterday. Given our lack of familiarity, I understand why you might perceive me as a crazy man and why you may be hesitant to accept my proposal. That is precisely why I am taking this approach. I will explain it all to you." By "all," he was referring to a fabricated narrative made up by him and Ethan.

Lola nodded for him to keep talking. And also dropped the flower in the space between them. 

"I'm a prideful billionaire as you can already tell," Ethan had jokingly suggested he said 'arrogant' but Max decided not. Prideful sounds better. "I love expanding my riches, I revel in building my empire. When I caught wind of a fresh opportunity that could propel me to the position of the world's second wealthiest man, I knew I had to seize it. The only issue is that I possess all the necessary qualifications for the opportunity except for my relationship status. They had explicitly stated that they would not grant the opportunity to a single man like myself. I am convinced it's those seasoned married men manipulating matters behind my back. Competition is a common thing in our world. And that's why I must promptly get married to secure that opportunity." He momentarily paused to assess her response, but she remained quiet. "Lola, I am proposing a contractual marriage to you," he concluded, awaiting her response. 

Lola beamed warmly at Max, her smile masking her true thoughts as she pretended to buy into his nonsensical ramblings. It was a new encounter for her, witnessing firsthand the insatiable hunger for wealth that consumed billionaires. If she possessed even a fraction of his riches, she could lead a life of eternal comfort.

So why can't he find contentment?

Max queried, "What is your response?" but Lola remained silent, simply staring at him.

"Upon signing the contract, you will receive a generous sum of ten million dollars. And when you become my wife, you will be entitled to the remaining five million dollars. Throughout our marriage, any reasonable request you make will be fulfilled to the best of my ability. Embracing my proposal is akin to striking gold or winning the lottery. I will treat you with utmost care and ensure you live a life of luxury fit for a queen."

 Max buttressed on the benefits of marrying him. Ethan had advised him not to handle a marriage proposal like a business transaction even though it was more or less like a business when money and contract is involved. But Max couldn't completely resist the urge to let his business side subtly show. 

He considered it as one of his endearing qualities to possess the ability to sway people. Which made him feel assured that Lola would embrace the proposition now that he was displaying kindness.

Lola inquired, "Did you say you will treat me like royalty? Like a queen?" Her face, once devoid of emotion, now concealed an unknown sentiment. An emotion that eluded Max's understanding.

With a fervent "Yes, Lola,". Max responded, eagerly seizing her hand and giving it a gentle and reassuring squeeze.

"You will?" She questioned again, this time with a thickened voice. 

Max nodded with a smile, "Yes."

"Just as you once showered me with kindness during our high school days, correct?" Lola inquired as she delicately withdrew her hands from his grasp.

"High school?" Max's brows furrowed in confusion, "What do you mean?"

With a tone dripping in spite and anger, she exclaimed, "I see you have forgotten me. Why wouldn't you forget me when

you weren't the one disgraced and ridiculed as nothing but a fool."