"I am more than concerned, Scarlett. I am affected."

Scarlett's breath hitched as his rough voice penetrated through her brain. After the ride, Noel dropped her off at her office. He didn't say anything more. All he said was how much it affected him to see Scarlett with Mike. Since then, the one sentence from him has been messing up with her heart and mind.

Why would he react in such a way as if just a simple yes to a coffee with Mike had pierced through his eyes? The flames in his eyes were so strong that they were enough to burn anyone and turn into ashes.

His tone was rough and imperious.

Scarlett's thighs clenched at the thought of his close and dangerous proximity. The man is handsome—devilishly handsome, extremely attractive, so much so that anyone could just throw themselves at him and beg him to take them. But more than that, it's his aura and his presence that can make anyone feel weak on their knees.

Her mouth went dry as the filthy image of him tracing her lower lip crossed her mind. The way his thumb caressed the lines on her lips. The way his eyes were keenly fixated on her face. They were just inches apart. So close to making another mistake that Scarlett might have regretted later.

"Ms. Adair," Scarlett's body jerked on her chair as she found someone calling her name. She looked up to find Rohan looking at her with a bewildered expression. "Uh-yes? What happens, Rohan?" She asked, straightening her spine and coming back to her full senses, not being able to believe whatever she was thinking a few moments ago. There's no way Scarlett Adair was fantasizing about a man. Not a man, but someone whom she would least like to see. His presence sends chills to her core.

"I was telling you that Mr. Victor is here," Rohan informed.

"Oh? All right, please ask him to wait in the meeting room. I will be there in five minutes." Rohan nodded before leaving the cabin. Scarlett took a deep breath. Her eyes fell on her reflection in the window. Her cheeks were hot and red. She gulped heavily, fanning her face, before grabbing her coat and leaving the room.

"What happened, Mr. Victor?" Scarlett asked the lawyer who came to visit her in the office. He's been out in the hope of collecting solid proof against Kacey.

"Ms. Adair, I have talked to Mr. Kacey, trying to sort things out with him." He informed.

"What did he say, Mr. Victor?" Scarlett asked, keenly listening to his bits of information.

"He said that he's ready to negotiate, but he would like to see you in person." Scarlett's eyes flickered in surprise at his sentence. "To discuss some matters," Victor finished, making her nod.

"If he's ready to negotiate, then I'm ready to see him, Mr. Victor. I do not have any problem with that." Scarlett said. "Are you sure, Ms. Adair? That man seems a bit problematic to me, honestly. I don't know what sort of matter he even wants to discuss." Victor asked, making Scarlett silent for a brief moment before she looked back at him.

"We can only know once we talk, Mr. Victor. I'm sure he wants heavy compensation and nothing else. It's fine though; I'm ready to give him any amount of money to save my company." Victor nodded in agreement at what Scarlett said before collecting the papers and finishing his coffee.

"All right, I will inform Mr. Kacey that you're ready to see him. I'll process the rest of the papers in court." Victor finished making Scarlett nod in agreement before he got up and grabbed his briefcase to leave.

***
Scarlett finished with the formalities before entering the club. A club. This was the place where Kacey had asked her to meet. Initially, she felt uncomfortable accepting his offer when Kacey called her the following afternoon. But for her relief, Rohan is also beside her.

Her eyes wandered around the hall, and she found Rohan sitting across a stool. He wore a black hoodie, black jeans, and a matching cap on his head, chugging on his drink. Scarlett's eyes found him quickly as a sigh of relief left her mouth. He gave her a reassuring nod and asked her to go ahead.

If anything goes wrong, he's there to deal with it. Rohan wasn't a random employee on Scarlett's team. He's very intelligent and athletic as well. As the captain of the boxing club at his university, he was a perfect person who knew how to handle things in problematic situations.

Scarlett took her steps forward to cross the crowded center of the club before going to the assigned table number. There he was, a man in his mid-thirties, wearing a black hat with a tailored tuxedo. Scarlett cleared her throat to grab the man's attention, who was looking at his phone. "Ms. Adair, right?" He looked up and asked.

"Um yes, is this Kacey Wills?" Scarlett asked, and the man tried to pass her a pleasing smile before nodding. As much as he tried to act pleasingly, Scarlett couldn't ignore the gut-wrenching feeling that settled in the pool of her stomach. She composed herself before the man gestured for her to take a seat.

"How are you, Ms. Adair?" The man begins asking as he pours wine into two glasses. "Would you like to?" He asked, gesturing at the wine. Scarlett's fingers curled, resting on her thighs. The loud music of the club made her heart thump wildly against her chest.

"Uh no, thanks." She shortly replied. Looking at Kacey's face, she was sure that he was dissatisfied with her response, but that was her least concern on earth. Right now, she was only here to save her company.

"I would have been very dissatisfied if it were someone else, Ms. Adair. But you're just too beautiful of a woman to be dissatisfied with." His response made her stomach churn and thrash in uneasiness, but she passed a small smile to the man.

"I see. You do not seem to be fond of clubs, I guess." She was not, and that too with the least likable person. She thought. She waited for him to begin the work talk, but it seemed as if he was only here to waste her as well as his time.

"Mr. Kacey, I am here to say that my lawyer, Mr. Victor, has informed me. I think that you're ready to negotiate with us. And for that, we're ready to provide as much compensation as you'd like. We want you to take your appeal back from the court regarding the ownership of the property." Scarlett went straight to the point without delaying any more of her time.

The man made a face of displeasure before settling his eyes anywhere in the room but hers. "I see, Ms. Adair, you seem to be a very kind lady. And obviously, I would not like to do something that would break the heart of such a nice and kind lady like you." He shakes his head in disbelief before looking back at her.

The way his eyes sharpened, looking below Scarlett's face, made her stomach churn in disgust. The fingers curled tightly as she waited for the man to continue.

"I want to say that I am ready to take my appeal back." A smile of satisfaction touched Scarlett's lips as her fingers uncurled slowly. "But," The man poured himself another glass of red wine before a mischievous smile came upon his face.

"I do have a condition." Scarlett's eyes flickered in bewilderment as she rested her palms flat on her thighs. "A condition?" She asked.

"Nothing comes free, Ms. Adair. It's a world we live in." The man chugged his drink before flashing another smile in her direction. "But you seem to be a very nice lady. I can make it easier for you." He finished.

"Um, can I know what condition?" Scarlett tried to sound as calm as she could, but her prospect was visible in her hands, which curled once again, even tighter.

"You know very well how the world works. Just a little sexual favor. Just one night, and you can have everything normal once again."

******