His Naughty Lessons
Chapter 65: Don’t You Dare

Chapter 65: Don’t You Dare

** Eli **

His father looked ... confused. "We have discussed this before you started this job. Your sister—"

"Half-sister."

"—has very different interests and skills from you. Leading a large investment firm is neither her strength or wish, but it aligns well with yours instead. You’ve always been the sole heir to this enterprise, and it is for your own benefit. So why are you always talking as if it’s an insufferable pain to you?"

"Because it is. Because I never wanted any jobs from you." It was getting a bit old, how every conversation between the two of them always came back onto this topic. "I don’t have much choice on the matter though, do I? So here I am, fulfilling my duties like a good son just as you wished. But I don’t recall ever agreeing that those duties involve ’settling down’, and I find it hard to understand why such a thing should be of any relevance to you. The easier solution, clearly, would be to make your daughter the main shareholder regardless of who sits in this CEO office. Then I wouldn’t be the one inheriting the business after all."

His father opened his mouth, then closed it again and sighed. "Do you always have to assume the worst intentions whenever someone tries to do something for you? You are in a turbulent phase of your life, Eli. I’m simply trying to guide you as someone who’s already been through the same trials before. You need an anchor, a partner who can support you in both career and everyday troubles. Someone talented, cultured, and resourceful with their family connections. It will do you much good if you can put away those playboy attitudes and try to behave like a responsible man to pursue them."

The "guidance", coming from his father out of all people, was so insanely ironic and hypocritical that it finally crossed the line. "Thanks to you, I believe I lack the genes of being ’a responsible man’." Eli abruptly rose from his seat. "So if you have nothing better to propose, I’m going to walk away from this absolute bullshit of a conversation and get back to work. There’s no hope of actually making any deals if all you ask for is nonsense."

He didn’t make it out of the door, however, before his father huffed. "Is this about Harper McKenzie, then? At least last time, you were more than thrilled to show up to the date I set up just to embarrass me. How long have you been seeing her by now, and how long will this one last?"

The rebuke made Eli halt. "Harper is a friend," he snapped, turning back, "as I have been made to clarify a few too many times recently."

"A friend who you took the company car out for last Wednesday evening — right after the Miracles meetings — and didn’t return until well past midnight. A very special friend then, I must presume."

Eli raised an eyebrow at the blatant challenge. The old man was dead set on getting on his nerves today. "Harper is nothing like all those bimbos you set me up with." He met his father’s eyes coldly. "Don’t you fucking dare talk about her like that again."

As frequently as he tended to get angry with his father, Eli had reserved the f-word thus far, and he was pleased to see its full effect at a moment like this — his father stiffened in his oversized chair, shock flashing across his face.

"... That was not meant as a comment to judge her in any way." The man opted for an attempt at peace. Then he sighed. "Does every conversation between us have to turn out like this, son? I’m only trying to help, for your own sake. A successful man needs a reputable image in not just business. You will see the truth in that as soon as you take over my chair as the CEO."

Eli could only snort as a response. That was rich, coming from him.

"And I promise you that Vanessa Jones is a very sensible person," his father continued. "It will be a pleasant meeting, as long as you don’t pull those same tricks to intentionally offend her. So what is there for you to lose?"

At this point, Eli couldn’t help but wonder what his father truly wanted out of this. "It’s starting to sound like a deal within a deal," he spoke what his instinct told him. "Did you arrange this with her father or something? Made a trap for me to jump in with open arms?"

The tiniest flicker in his father’s eyes told him that his hunch was right. "I did have a good conversation with her father not long ago ..." the old man admitted after some consideration. "Our last investment partnership had been a tremendous success, and we both think it is a good idea to further strengthen the connection between our companies."

Anger flared once more. What was this, a marriage arrangement for business collaborations? Just how far could the evils of this man’s control stretch?

"Though I didn’t make any promises," his father added. "All we agreed to was to let you two meet. Not too much effort for the Miracles partnership in return, is it?"

"..."

Eli hated playing the bastard’s game. But through the thickening mist of resentment, he managed to think. And somehow, he found a reason to agree that what was asked of him was ... actually fairly reasonable, compared to the last stunt that resulted in him moving back to Davenshire. There were no promises this time, no hard-earned jobs to give up. All he had to do was to make a "gentlemanly" performance in front of some random woman, and what he’d get in return ... was indeed irresistible on too many levels.

"... What does ’full autonomy’ entail, if I were to lead this venture partnership?"

A triumphant smile boomed on his father’s face. "Your name will be the only one signed on the contract. Do I need to say more?"

"..."

Eli felt despicable for wavering, but he had to admit that his father knew how to tempt him. This would be a game-changer, both for his and Harper’s career.

Harper ... What would she think if she knew that he was considering such a nefarious deal like this?

"... If I do agree to meeting Vanessa Jones, it will not be a date." For reasons not entirely clear to himself, he thought that he needed to draw a bottom line there. "I can meet her, but it will simply be that. Don’t even try to miscommunicate my intentions, unless you want to see things turn out worse than the last date, where you’re obviously aware of how much I ’embarrassed’ you."

His father opened his mouth as if to argue, but then thought better of it after seeing the look in his eyes. "I’m sure Miss Jones will be able to change your mind on that," he said. "But if you insist ... we can go with just a meeting, for the time being."

"And for this weekend only. No more." Eli made his decision then, inhaling deeply. "I will have Justin make the dinner arrangements once I see the preliminary contract for Miracles."

Something like relief washed over his father’s expression. "Well, the reservation has already been—"

"I won’t be available on Saturday, and Le Jardin is inappropriate for a first meeting that is not a date. I’ll handle the reservation you already made." That was all the explanation he gave before turning for the door again and letting himself out.

The air immediately felt fresher and lighter the moment he stepped out of that office.

Eli took another deep breath, trying to come to terms with the fact that he had just succumbed to such a foul temptation and made a deal with the devil. Was it worth it? Would it truly make the kind of difference he hoped it would, both for his own sake and for Harper’s project?

Thinking of Harper, he hesitated a little before pulling his phone out of his pocket. Hesitated a little more before scrolling down to her number. But what needed to be done still needed to be done, so in the end, he typed:

[ Hey, let’s do the celebration dinner that I owed you from the promotion (and more good news to come). How does Le Jardin sound for this Saturday? ]