Chapter 5 Let's Get Married First

In the CEO's office, Alexander poured coffee for Theodore. "Uncle Theo, did something happen last night?" "Yes, something came up suddenly," Theodore replied lightly. Alexander knew better than to press. He had always felt both respect and fear toward his uncle. For years, Theodore had run the company's overseas subsidiary. Under his leadership, it consistently outperformed the headquarters in Alverton. Just last month, Jeffrey Sinclair passed away after a serious illness, leaving Theodore in charge of Sinclair Group. At first, the board of directors in Alverton was against it. However, Theodore won them over in less than two weeks. Not only did he resolve several major crises at the headquarters, but he also managed to secure a 100-million-dollar deal. And he did it all without stepping in personally, firmly cementing his position as the head of Sinclair Group. "Uncle Theo, are you leaving soon?" Alexander asked. The moment he asked, the phone in front of Theodore lit up, and a message popped up. The sender's name, Isa, appeared on the screen. For a brief moment, a subtle glimmer crossed his otherwise unreadable eyes. Seeing Theodore pick up the phone, Alexander wisely kept quiet and busied himself with making another pot of coffee. Theodore's slender fingers glided over the screen as he read the message. It contained just a few words, yet they stirred something inside him. He fought hard to keep his composure, but only he knew that his hand holding the phone was trembling. "What's the matter, Uncle Theo?" Alexander asked when he saw Theodore staring at the screen with a tense expression. Theodore put his phone away. His expression remained as calm as ever as he instructed, "You'll take over the Silvershore branch in the next couple of days. I'm only back for a while, and I'll be leaving tomorrow or the day after. I'll have Mason join us for dinner the next time I return." With that, he rose to his feet. Alexander quickly asked, "Are you leaving already, Uncle Theo?" Theodore's face gave nothing away, but his steps toward the door quickened. As he walked out, he answered, "I've got something to handle." Then, he addressed Emma Collins, "Emma, stay and keep Alexander company." "Yes, Mr. Sinclair." Caleb followed Theodore out of the room. He was the assistant, while Emma was the secretary. Both of them were on call 24 hours a day. The only difference was their responsibilities. No sooner had Theodore stepped out of the office than he pulled out his phone and dialed Isabella's number. The moment the call connected, he got straight to the point. "Ms. Moore, how do you want to arrange this?" On the other end of the line, Isabella flinched slightly. Her soft voice was edged with nervousness as she asked, "Mr. Sinclair, how much would it cost to book you for a year?" She didn't want to marry Nathan, and she certainly didn't want to be forced into a marriage with someone else her adoptive parents picked. After thinking it over, she decided it was better to choose her own husband. However, with only a five-figure balance in her bank account, Isabella didn't know where she had found the courage to send that message to Theodore. For a moment, she wanted to hang up. She knew that someone as handsome as Theodore wouldn't come cheap. Otherwise, why would he go as far as to book a hotel's presidential suite to meet a client? "Forget it, Mr. Sinclair. I'm sor—" Theodore cut her off. "You name the price, Ms. Moore." Isabella froze upon hearing that. Even Caleb, standing nearby, was stunned. Theodore always called the shots at the negotiation table. When had he ever let anyone else name the price? He wondered who this "Ms. Moore" was. Could it have been the one from last night? Theodore calmly went on, "Ms. Moore, I'm 32 now. I'm no longer cut out for this line of work, and I've been thinking about settling down. So, how long were you thinking of hiring me?" Caleb's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the corporate titan before him. Did Theodore really just say he wasn't cut out for this industry at 32? Who in the business world was younger and more powerful than him? If word got out, all the big shots would be losing their minds. Meanwhile, Isabella hadn't expected Theodore to agree so easily. His reasoning made sense. Male escorts relied on their youth and looks, after all. Still, she reckoned someone as handsome as him could easily keep going for a few more years. But if he was offering, she'd be a fool to refuse. Isabella suppressed her excitement and tried to sound calm. "Would a year be okay? I'm pretty conservative, and I don't want anyone to know that I'm paying for a male escort. So, we'd need to get married first." She quickly added, "But don't worry. This is just a marriage of convenience. We'll get a divorce after a year. Does that work for you?" "Alright, then let's get married first," Theodore replied. "Where are you? I'll come for you now."