My Best Friend's Brother: The Husband - Book 2[First Draft]

Chapter 4: The Partner (2)

Chloe:

I keep my head up as Veronica sizes me up. She looks like the type of woman that plays dirty; I don't trust her. Chris poured a glass of wine for me from the bottle on the table, then he poured some for Veronica and himself.

I glance at him, giving him a weird look to which he only responded, "One glass won't hurt."

"I don't want to take the chance." I whisper back. He chuckled and press his lips to the side of my head, "Don't worry; it's just sparkling grape."

"I don't drink, hunny." Veronica then adds, putting in her two cents. Carson, who is across from her smiled warmly. He seems like a nice person. I didn't really take the time to get to know him after the first time we met.

I was so adamant on not having anything to do with Christian that I didn't make an effort. I take a sip from the non-alcoholic wine and start looking at the menu as the meeting began. I was suddenly craving pasta.

"Unless you are going to order for the rest of us, I suggest you put that menu down." Veronica comments snarkily.

"Unless you want me to leave without hearing your proposal, I suggest you not talk to my wife that way." My husband retorts immediately. I hide my smile behind the menu as I heard her huff slightly.

"Why did you even bring her? It was suppose to me just you and me." The tone in her voice sounded that of a jealous girlfriend and right then, I knew my gut feeling about her was right. I knew I would have to deal with this at some point.

My husband, after all, was one of the most eligible bachelors in America and then suddenly he's off the market; I don't think women got that in their heads as yet. Either that, or they just don't care. Christian cleared his throat, "Why I brought my wife, has nothing to do with you. Now can you please address your proposal."

I find the pasta menu and decide on what I want before joining the conversation. Christian seemed to be taken in by Veronica and whatever she was saying. I guess that besides her bad vibe, she's a great CEO. We wouldn't have been here tis long, had Chris thought she was wasting his time.

"These strategies would work better, however, if we join our companies together." was the first thing I heard when I tune them in. Veronica had said it. She smirks my way as she continues what she was saying, "As partners; in both in life and business."

Disbelief rushed through me and my veins stiffen as hot blood swam through them. Christian's expression was one of shock as well as disdain. He looked offended by the offer. He entwines our fingers under the table and the pressure he put was one of reassurance.

I didn't need it though, I trust him.

"No. Absolutely not. How dare you have the audacity to insult me and my wife." his voice was filled with bitterness and disgust.

Veronica snorts and folds her arms, "Don't act like you don't want to accept my offer, Christian. You as well as I know that you are better off with someone like me as your wife."

He eyes then look me up and down with disgust, "Not this thing next to you. She's not in our league and she's most definitely not our kind."

Her words hit me like a lance through the heart. She's racist and snobbish; a horrible mix. Christian stood from the table there and then, with me and Carson following right after. Our hands were still joined together and she noticed that almost immediately.

"When our contract is up this month, consider us no longer friends nor partners. I will no longer be investing in Manson Electronics." my husband informs her with a cold demeanor. Her eyes turned fearful the moment the words were out which only means one thing; Chris' company has to be one of her biggest investors.

Her honey eyes then turn a hateful gaze to me, "I will destroy you, Christian." The hate projected in those few words towards made me shudder.

"Yeah, good luck with that."

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After the meeting we went back to the office and Chris refused to let me go home. I complained, of course, because I wanted to make pasta and start working on my career. However, it seems my husband had a solution for everything.

He had Carson bring me some pasta from a nearby Italian restaurant and a binder with some printing paper. Everything else I needed was in the office. We spent the rest of the day there until three o'clock hit. I had only a few minutes to get to Lisabeth's school.

Christian didn't want to let me go alone and so here we are; driving to our daughter's school this very minute. He took the rest of the day off so we can have some much needed family time before the day ends.

We didn't do this before because we didn't want Lisabeth in the limelight just yet. There would be so much people hounding us for information, wanting to know our personal business. Too much drama for a little kid. We know it's inevitable though; for all we know, the doctor already leaked the information.

Christian parked in front the school and we got out. There were other parents here as well. "We're early." he muses. "You think Lisabeth would like some new toys?" he then asks with a boyish smile.

I let out a chuckle and shake my head in disbelief, "I'm sure she will but please, don't go overboard." The smile he gave me let me know that it was near impossible. He proved himself to be a wonderful father so I'm not too worried about our baby.

The moment the bell rang for the end of school, we became alert and looked through the running students for our girl. It wasn't long before her blondish-brown hair comes into sight and she noticed us standing next to the car.

"Mommy! Daddy!" she screamed happily as she rushed toward us. She jumps directly into her fathers arms and wraps both her arms around our necks. I swear she is too adorable. When she pulls back, I feel the eyes burning our way. She had a big smile on her face as she looked between us.

"I thought just mommy was coming to pick me up?" she asks Christian. He nudged her nose with his, "Well daddy missed you and mommy so he just had to leave work early." The two of them were a sight to see. It's beautiful watching them together even when they didn't know who they were to each other.

"Mommy and me miss you allot too daddy." she whispers back. He kisses her forehead and puts her down, "Well we are going on a little family adventure right now, how's that sound?"

Lisabeth's eyes lit up and she jumped up and down excitedly, "Yes! Yes!" I chuckled at her and opened the back door for her, "Come on then."

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