Convincing her 

Jackson

After several attempts to speak, I think she decided it was best if our altercation was not witnessed by an audience so Cordelia took my hand and led me out of the room, leaving behind her group of friends in absolute shock.

'What was that?' She shouted.

I looked at the door that we'd shut behind us. 'If you were going to be this loud we could have been in the room only.'

She exhaled loudly and then looked around for a more intimate place to talk. Taking my hand again, she led me to the kitchen. 'Now tell me what that was?'

I touched the strand of hair touching her cheeks to put it behind her ear but she hit my hand away. I smiled. Annoyance had never looked so hot on anyone. The kiss did its magic. 'I was declaring my love for you. Is that wrong between husband and wife?'

She scoffed. 'Who is whose husband and who is the wife? What are you talking about? Don't tell me you're going to accept Grandpa's request.'

'He wasn't requesting Cordelia. It was an order.'

'The hell it was.' She shot back, clearly pissed.

'Why are you concerned? You should be happy you're getting someone of my status with your current situation.'

Daggers were attacking me from her eyes and my heart was fluttering with excitement. Oh, this was so much fun. 'What do you even know about my current situation that you're being so boisterous?' Before I could reply she continued, 'Let it be because I know you know nothing. And as far as YOUR status is concerned, both of us know you're more pathetic than the bacteria sitting on that woman's toenail! So keep dreaming, Jackson!' I looked at the female helper among the kitchen staff who was gawking at Cordelia for being dragged into a conversation between two strangers.

'When will you learn to respect other people? You better grow up, especially now that you're going to be married.'

She scoffed again. 'You're the one who needs to do that. As I said before keep dreaming!' She turned to leave but I grabbed her arm. If she thought she was in a position to show ME attitude, it was time she knows who has the upper hand here.

We left the kitchen staff baffled but I was sure they had now something to gossip about when they go back home. The fire exit was the nearest place to the kitchen so that was where the next part of the conversation happened. As soon as we were there Cordelia pushed me back and my back hit the wall. I was breathing heavily with all the running to different places so I loosened my tie.

'Huh! Tired already? I guess you've aged already.' Her mouth might've been the perfect excuse for addiction but only until she spoke. 'What are you looking at?'

'Your lips look like they want another kiss.'

'Remove the lust from your eyes and heart. You're not getting any more kisses here.'

'Babe, why are you fuming? If not here then wherever you want I'm ready.' I smirked and she gritted her teeth.

'Nowhere! I'm never getting close to you again Jackass!'

'Are you sure?' I asked raising a brow.

'Yes!' She loudly said.

I stepped ahead and she took a step back. I noticed she was on the edge of the steps. One more step from me and she would fall, so I did take the step. She stumbled but before she could fall, she smartly grabbed the collar of my suit. My hand slid into her waist while the other pulled her towards me. 'You should never be sure of things Cordelia. Life is very unpredictable.'

She gasped and pushed me back for the second time now. 'Stay away from me!'

'Well not gonna happen. Grandpa wants us to get married and I'm already on board with his plan.'

'But I'm not and never will be!' She said instantly as if a little delay would give me false hope.

'We'll see that.'

'If you're here for this nonsense then too bad your money just went down the drain.'

I smiled. 'I never place my bets on lost battles, babe.'

'Stop calling me that!'

'Then what do you prefer? I'm open to discussion.'

She rolled her eyes. 'Give me your account details, I'll pay you back the money you've spent on dinner.' Her voice lacked confidence which meant….she didn't have the money. Maybe she was thinking I was not going to decline. I laughed internally. She was in for a surprise.

'Sure. I'll ask my secretary to message you the details. Give me your cell phone number.' Her face turned white. Bingo! She didn't have the money. I was sure of it because Claire had dug out some information on Cordelia Rosette's current situation and what to say, the sky had never looked so dark before. The sun had finally dawned upon the princess who was nothing but a poor brat now. It was a great opportunity that I got to see her condition live. The look on her face when her friend suggested she pay for everything. Ah! The satisfaction I felt to see her like that. Meeting I had here in this restaurant was canceled but coming here didn't turn out to be futile. Well, consider me an opportunist.

She crossed her arms. 'Nice try but you're not getting my number.' Someone has to tell her she was still too proud for someone like her with no money and lost the title of the heiress.

I sighed and looked at her. She snarled. That did it for me. Who was she showing the attitude to? I pulled her towards me and held her by placing both my hands around her shoulders. 'You should be thanking me, Cordelia.'

'For what? Intruding in my life? To think of it, why are you even back?' Her narrowed eyes were questioning me but my eyes were busy staring at her lips. I'd got just a taste a few minutes back but I was craving to cheat on my diet. In what I would call an imbalance of the hormone I forgot that she was lethal and made a move. But she was good with reflexes as she didn't waste a second as soon as she realized what I was about to do and slapped my right cheek so hard I was sure people outside the exit door must've heard it.

I was still stunned by the rebuttal when she said, 'This is not the place that you're doing about anything that comes to your mind. Don't even think about getting into my life again, Jackson!'

'Should I buy it then?' I have no idea why I said that. I guess the slap made me lose my mind.

Her face scrunched up. 'You will buy this place? I get it over the years you've earned some money but don't go on about riding on high horses unnecessarily. You wouldn't even realize when you'll fall.' While saying the last sentence her voice trembled enough for me to notice. I was an expert in noticing her minute details given our history together. What exactly happened when she became poor? I checked in with Claire, Cordelia's father's business was still going well, they even made tons of profit this year, her mother was also busy buying designer stuff, their house had yearly renovations, and they even bought new properties and lands, then what in the hell happened to Cordelia? Why she was in such a dire state that she couldn't even pay for a simple dinner? Grandpa knew about this, but he won't tell. He'd said I'd find out after marriage but for that, I had to convince his granddaughter to marry me.

'Want me to drop you home?' My sudden offer made her scoff.

'And tell you where I live. No thanks.'

'Fine, it's not like I cannot find that out myself.'

Her eyes widened. 'What are you a stalker? First, you want my phone number then you wanna know where I live. Next is what you're in my home before I reach there!'

'How about we go together? I have something I have to talk to you about.' I suggested innocently.

'But I have nothing to say to you. Email me your account details later and I'll pay you the money. Then we are done.' She said and walked out of the fire exit.

I sighed. Convincing her wasn't going to be easy. But there was no other option. The contract was made and she has to sign it or I will lose out on the project. Both Mr. Takahashi and her ex are in my way and the only option that I have is to get her on my side. I called Claire who was right now waiting for me at the table reserved for my now-canceled meeting.

'Do you even know how much convincing it took me to make sure they gave us another chance?!' She shouted straight after picking up the call.

'Calm down. I have a task for you.'

'First, tell me why you canceled the meeting.' Damn, she was too demanding for a secretary. But she had all the right to be angry. She'd fixed a meeting with the London clients because I'd asked her to but then finding Cordelia was here as well, I couldn't let the two exes meet so I canceled the meeting.

'Later, first, do what I want you to.'

'And that is….'

'Find out Cordelia's phone number and her address.'

There was a long pause before she spoke. 'Not happening. I don't support stalking at all!'

I sighed. 'Claire! I'm not a stalker!'

'What you want to do sounds like that.'

My fist lightly hit my forehead. Why was I surrounded by people who misunderstood me all the bloody time? 'Fine. Then find out what happened in her family that she's living away from them.'

'Sorry sir but I don't pry on other people's personal life.'

'Then whose personal life do you want to pry on?! Mine!' I shouted in frustration.

'Sir…'

'Let it be. Who am I even asking? You never listen to me! I'll do things on my own.' I said and ended the call.

I maintained a grumpy face throughout the drive. Claire paid no attention to me and reviewed the documents left to be reviewed for today. When her home came she just left with a simple bye. This was the thing about her, she would be straightforward in everything. She was neither an over-hardworking type nor was she underworking type. Probably this is why sometimes I was irked by her, today was one of the days.

Grandpa won't tell me what happened to Cordelia. Claire won't help me dig for information on her. So what was left was Me, myself, and I. And there was already a plan forming in my mind.