Synopsis

Tanya's POV:

"You need me Tanya. Soon you'll come running for me to save you from falling down the pavements..."

I shook my head making him know how I disagree with his words. I will never run to him for his help. I can save our company without anyone's help! Sure I've made it run for a year, I can make it run for another more year without his help.

"I will never need your help Mr. Cohen. I can make it on my own. I am the daughter of my father, and I will not ask for anyone's help. "

I turned my back on him walking my way out of this damn restaurant.

Since my father died I was left alone to run our real estate company. At first, it was all running good for about a month. Never did I know that my father's debts run too deep that even our company's income isn't enough to pay everything.

I did everything I can to pay off some of it. I sold some of our assets, an island my father bought for his new project that is now been cancelled because there's not enough fund to continue the project. I even have to use my own money. But everything is still not enough! I still have twelve million dollars to pay, and I don't freaking know where I could get that huge amount of money in a freaking month!

I stop walking for a bit to calm my self up. This whole thing is making my head ache, damn!

I need to think of something. Our ancestral house at Cebu won't even help me pay that much, and I also can't sell it, that house reminds me of my mother and father. My father bought that house to prove his love for my mother. I can't just sell that memory right?

Damn it!

We have projects on going but our funds are too tight! Investors are starting to pull out their shares, sooner or later I'll fall down, our company will have to close. Then where will I be? In the pavements, like what that guy had said.

Now I don't know what to do. Our resort at Palawan is still going smoothly. But lately I have been receiving calls that our resort isn't profiting that much because it's still September, months of cold days will not have that much costumers. Summer is still too far for me to get something to pay my fathers debts. Even so, it is still not enough.

I jumped out of surprise when my phone suddenly starts ringing. I picked it up out of my hand bag and see who the caller is. It's Maria, my secretary.

"Maria..."

{" I'm sorry to call you this urgent Madam but the board of directors are asking for a meeting with you."}

I sighed pinching the bridge of my nose to help me ease some stress.

What is it this time? Are they gonna elect a new President? They can't do that. Aside from being the sole heiress of that company, they can't do anything even if they decide to have their new president. It's either they'll leave or someone just pulled their shares out again.

"Alright Maria, tell them I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

I ended the call then grab a cab to take me to my company.

Arriving there I was greeted by Maria.

"Madam the bored of directors are now in the conference room. They're only waiting for you ma'am before they start the meeting."

I nearly rolled my eyes at my secretary. Of course! They won't start the meeting unless I'm present! They called for a meeting to talk some shits out of me, that won't happen if I'm not around right?

In the end, I just ignored her stupidity and just made my way to the conference room. There I was greeted with their eyes, all looking at me as if I did something wrong again.

"Now that Ms. Lopez is here, let's start the meeting shall we?", said one of my directors.

No one dared to speak while I was walking my way to my usual sit. In a room full of tigers I acted like the mighty lion. I will never allow them to see how vulnerable I am right now with all this things happening to my life. I will not give them a glimpse of me being weak. In this field, there's no room for such weaklings or you'll be devoured by greedy monsters around you.

"Start speaking."

Like a lioness I roared in the air. Some flinch in terror, some are not shaken. Now I see who's against me.

"Ms. Lopez what are we gonna do now? Mr. King has already pulled his investment out of our company. Our employees are whining because of the sudden decrease from they salary. Our project in Aklan is already cancelled because we can't pay for that project anymore. Our fund is getting low, our income is getting low. Then a while ago someone came here to talk about your father's debts. Ms. Lopez we really wanted to help but things aren't really going on that well anymore. Our strategies isn't working anymore. Our deals are being rejected. I don't think this company's gonna make it for another more year. You need to think of something Ms. Lopez. Your employees are counting on you."

Now it all came to me, this just can't do anymore. The sides of my head's now starting to ache. My eyes looked at my vice president who's now shaking his head to me while sympathy is written all over his face. Now I really have no choice, do I?

"I'll think of something. Meeting adjourned."

"But Ms. Lopez—", one of the board of directors but in but before he could finish his sentence, my cousin cut him off.

"Ms. Lopez said meeting adjourned. Leave now, we have something to talk in private."

I looked at Henry, my cousin slash the VP of this company, and smiled to say thank you for helping me out on that one. I badly need some time alone to think right now. Everything is just going down hill. It's just gets worst day by day. I have so many mouths to feed, my employees needs me to support their own families. I can't just give them up and leave them jobless.

I tilted my head upward opposing the tears that are now starting to build in my eyes. God this is so frustrating.

"Tanya you know who can help you with this. Why don't you just accept his proposal? You'll just marry him then this whole thing will vanish Tanya. He can help you with this if only you marry him."

I harshly looked at my cousin who is still looking at me with his sympathetic eyes

"Goodness Henry! I told you I won't marry him! for pete's sake! I hate marriage in convenience! I will not marry him! Even if that's the only option left for me to choose."

******************

How many minutes am I already staring at this skyscraper in front of me? Will I be able to do this? Goodness!

With cold shaking hands and heavy heart, I started to walk my way inside this building. I was surprised when I got inside, all the employees are greeting me goodmorning. What is going on?

I reached the front desk, " Hi! I....uuhmmm...I'm here to see Mr. Cohen."

Jeez! Pull yourself together Tanya. You just have to face the beast!

The woman looked at me first with surprise eyes then later on smiled at me as if they were all expecting me to come here. Can somebody tell me why they are all acting weird in front of me?

"Good to see you ma'am. Mr. Cohen is expecting you inside his office. This way Ms. Lopez."

Expecting me? I never made an appointment to him. Did he really expect me to come running for his help? That man! Damn it! But what am I doing here? Isn't it not to seek for his damn help?

Alright! Yes! I accept defeat! I accept that I really need his help! But that does not mean I agree with his marriage proposal. I will not marry someone out of convenience. That will never be my option.

Before I knew we're already in front of this big double doors leading me to him once I opened the door.

"Please wait inside his office for a minute ma'am. His meeting will end as soon as you get inside his office."

I smiled at the girl to say my thanks before she left me inside his office. I looked around, amazed as to how wide his office is. In front of his desk is a mini sala set for his guests. My eyes darted at the paintings on the wall, they were all made by famous artists. His office is the combination of grey, white and black, so manly. Everything inside his office screams authority and elegance. You know when you step foot in his office that you are inside his territory.

But the one thing I liked the most about his office is that it is overlooking the city. With it's glass wall just behind his desk makes it possible to see the city down there. I walked towards it to see how busy the city is. The view it gives is overwhelming. It can relieve your stress just buy looking at it. I was still mesmerized by the city's beauty when a baritone voice called out for my name like a thunder in a stormy night.

"Ms. Lopez, I see you are enjoying yourself with the view of the city?"

I turned to him out of surprise, I caught him closing a certain picture frame right on top of his desk. I wonder what photo that is that he has not allowed me to see what it was. Why didn't I gave attention to his desk a while ago anyway?

"Eyes up here Ms. Lopez."

With that, my eyes automatically gazed at him. Now my eyes are locked to his. I wanted to turn my gaze away, but it seems like my eyes has its own mind that it just returned all his stares.

"So, you come here to seek for my help. Is that right Ms. Lopez. Are you now considering my offer?"

My forehead creased at what he said.

"Yes. I accept your help—"

"I bet you know that my help comes by with marrying me right?"

"I accept the help Mr. Cohen but I disagree with your marriage proposal."

I saw him smirked with my words. How thankful I was that he cut the staring contest we were just having a while ago. Now I can breathe properly.

"I see. As what I've expected from you. You don't marry in convenience. But unfortunately, you have to reconsider that one Ms. Lopez. My help comes with marrying me. That's my only condition."

I said it! It's not a good thing to come here and ask for his help! I thought he could at least hear me out and reconsider his marriage proposal because I know that he knows I don't marry in convenience.

I slapped my forehead lightly out of disappointment.

"Can't you just help me out without marrying me Zacharias? Can't you see how I swallowed my pride here just to ask for your help? "

"What will I get out of helping you then? Without the marriage conditions?"

I was left out of words with what he said.

"This is business Ms. Lopez , you don't just give. It's all about give and take. "

I gave him a glare even when my knees are starting to get weak the moment he started walking towards me. I step my foot backwards.

"I never should've considered asking for your help. It's a mistake to come here. My apologies Mr. Cohen. I m-must leave now."

Before I could even walk away he already advance forward making me lean on the glass wall while he trapped me with both of his firm arms.

"How long can you persist Tanya? Just how long can you keep up with your fierce rejection?"

With his words, I started to doubt my own words....

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