The Devil's Proposal
by my nevernever land
Now the harsh light-
The one I'd feared so long,
Follows my every step.
I cannot escape it's warmth,
That soft light that burns my blackened soul.
Will I ever be free?
Figg
Devil in Disguise
A/N: I changed the title of my story and the summary, same plot, same story… I thought that the first one wasn't that catchy. I hope this new one will grab more attention. Please, please, please… Please leave a review… I will be really glad if there will be a new review for this chapter. I have so many good ideas about this story. Please support my story. Thanks.
Hugs and kisses.
~my nevernever land
New Beginning
"You must be out of your mind, Natsume." A guy in a simple shirt and denim pants said in bewilderment. "It's a foul."
"What's the foul in my proposal? I am going to offer her the best offer she could get."
Ruka, his best friend, looked confused. "You're giving her the money she needed for her company's debt in return she will marry you and give you a successor. That's insane Natsume!" He noticed his voice went a little high.
"What's insane?" Natsume asked nonchalantly.
"Look, we know that you terribly loath the Sakura but now you are considering of having a child from their family? The woman who will bear your successor is a descendant of Kouran Sakura. That is, if Mikan Sakura will accept your out-of-this-world proposal, and I think your plan didn't work based on what happened earlier." He smirked.
"It's her loss, not mine."
"Why I have this thought that you don't like the idea of her rejecting your proposal? Is it because you are the one chasing and not the other way around like it should be?"
"Of course not! As I've said, it's her loss." Natsume thought about Ruka's testimonial. His words pierced in his mind because it was the same as his conscience telling him while he considered the fact of having a child to Mikan Sakura.
"Besides, you don't understand my point Ruka. This is still part of the game." He said. "I want to see how painful for them to realize that the child that his grandfather abused is now the owner of almost their properties and businesses. The only good part of it is, their grandchild will inherit their fortune. Is that a worse offer for them?" He gulped the wine straight from the glass. "I want a child…a legitimate child who will inherit my wealth."
"And you have all the time to marry the woman you love."
"That's the problem. I don't have a woman I want to marry right now."
Ruka smiled unbelievably, "So this Mikan Sakura is an exception. That's weird Natusme. I never thought you will contemplate this kind of idea."
"Ruka, I want to know how desperate she is to survive. If she will accept my offer, that's good. We'll have a prenuptial agreement. We'll annul after some time. You know what, I'm having this feeling that if I pursue my offer, and the nightmares that were hunting me will vanish. I can revenge to Kuoran Sakura."
"What about Mikan's feelings? Don't you consider some fact about her having a boyfriend?" Ruka insisted.
"I already investigated that issue…and there's no 'someone' Ruka." Natsume looked straight into Ruka's eyes.
"Crazy! You're really a crazy person Natsume!"
Natsume grinned.
He was feeling strange. He doesn't understand his self. He had never hurt any woman in his whole life. He never took advantage of women even if they are the ones showing interest in him. But at that time, he can't say he's a dreadful man. He's not asking for a favor. It would be a win-win situation.
Really, his heart was pounding. The excitement he felt when he was in front of Mikan was overwhelming that the thought of her makes his heart pound uncontrollably. But his planned are already getting out of hand.
He never imagined how a woman would have so much effect on him. He was feeling more intense now that he had seen her. And the rebuff he encountered added on the fire making Natsume burn in desire to pursue his proposal.
Flashback…
"I will grant you everything you needed and even more… if you will marry me and give me a child."
"W-what the hell are you saying?"
My mouth dropped, literally. Maybe I was hearing things. I could have been dreaming right now.
"You heard me right, Ms. Sakura. I am very frank and practical person. I am looking for a woman who will give me a child. If you will marry me, I can help you."
My knees must have started to shake, because I felt weak that instant. My hands were suddenly trembling. I could hear the blood pounding faster than the normal behind my ears. His voice sounded farther away.
"W-why?"
"Don't ask me why. I have my own reason Ms. Sakura." He took a deep breath and stared, unseeingly, at the ground for a long time. His mouth twisted the tiniest bit. When he finally looked up, his eyes were different, harder— like the blood had frozen solid.
"And do you think I will accept your mad proposal that easy?"I shouted, furious, the words exploding out of me.
"I'm not that desperate Mr. Hyuuga. I could always find someone that can help me without playing dirty jokes on me."I shook my head back and forth mechanically, trying to clear my mind. "I thought you're a nice businessman. But I was wrong."
I heard his sighed.
"Think about my proposal, Ms. Sakura. I know the condition of your company and your personal life."
"You have no right to interfere with my private life!"
"It just so happened that I know everything about you." He stared back coldly.
"What are you talking about? Who are you to investigate my personal life?"
"As I said earlier, you don't need to know."
I stared, uncomprehending, into his eyes. "You are telling me to marry you and give you a child, and now you don't tell me the real reason behind this proposal? How dare you Mr. Hyuuga! You—you pervert!"
His lips formed a lopsided smile. "I'm doing you a favor, Ms. Sakura."
"You're insane!" He's really a mad person. I was on the verge of leaving when he held my wrist.
"I am giving you twenty-four hours to think about my proposal. Marry me, give me a child...then, you can file for annulment so you'll be free again."
As I watched, his frozen eyes melted. The blood become liquid again, molten, burning down into mine with an intensity that was overwhelming.
"You're crazy! Let go of me! Look for someone else because I will not join your little charade!"
His hands that were grasping my wrists became tighter. "The child will inherit everything including the Garden Isle."
My eyes went wide. "W-what are you saying?"
"You want to know the reason about this proposal, right?"He stared back—hard and clear and very deep.
I opened my mouth to say something, and then closed again.
"I am the new owner of the Garden Isle... There was something that bonds us."
"I don't know what you're saying." I whispered.
He loosed his grip on my hand. "Twenty-four hours...Ms. Sakura or our deal is off..."
Then he was gone.
With shaky legs, I tried to step but my knees were still weak. After some time, I managed to get out of the restaurant and went to my car.
I drove with no sense of direction.
Time went swiftly as I stop along the road. It was hours passing, but only seconds. Maybe it felt like time had frozen because the sky looked the same no matter how far I went.
I was dizzy; it was hard to concentrate. His words swirled around in my head. I tried to breathe normally. I needed to concentrate, to find a way out of this nightmare.
Damn him!
I pounded the wheels, hard. Fate must be really cruel to me. Why did I deserve to be humiliated by that guy…
I drove faster than my usual speed. I drove like there's no tomorrow. Not-so-ordinary-day of my life became a devastating event of my life…
I stopped the car in front of an iron gate. I heard the screeching sound of my wheels as I step on the break.
I stepped out and pushed the doorbell. I waited outside the gate for a certain woman. She's the one I should blame, if it's not for her, I won't or never collide my path to him!
"I will find another investor for my company."
Words easily came out from my mouth as she was approaching me—my best friend. Her brows lifted, I can saw in her eyes that she was amused.
"How come? What happened to the meeting?"
She said coldly.
"Long story and I don't want to talk about it. It will spoil my already ruined day!"
"And won't you open the gate so I can have a cup of tea or perhaps a juice?" I added.
"I thought you like to stand there and tell me everything so your business will finish soon but I guess not." She said as she opened and head to the front door.
I sat on the couch and made myself at home. I shut my eyes for a meantime. After some time, I heard Hotaru placing a glass in front of me.
"Now. What do you want to talk about?"
I opened my eyes and saw her across from where I sat.
"As I said earlier, I will find another investor." I reached for the cold juice and sipped.
"Why? Did the meeting become disaster?"
"Terribly, Yes!" I shouted.
"How come? I thought that you already agree if they coincide with our contract about the full ownership of your business."
"Uh-uhm. B-because…" I'm weighing my thoughts if I will tell Hotaru about what he wants in exchange of the investment.
"T-that man is insane! He's the worst person I've ever met! A capricious, horrible and a—a— devil! He's a devil in disguise. I hate him!" The temper that I suppressed was instantly collapsed when I started thinking about the incident awhile ago.
"Why do you hate him so much, Mikan?"
"B-because…" I told her about the proposal of the devil.
After I told her, I saw Hotaru flashed a small grinned. "Well… Why don't you accept his offer?"
"WHAT? Are you nuts, Hotaru?" I saw her getting something from her bag…a BAKA gun. okay, that wasn't good. "I mean, did your head hit something? Whose sensible human being will accept his eccentric proposal?" There's no way I will accept his offer. Over my dead body! Then, she pointed her BAKA-gun to me…
"He's offering you a name, not only that, He also offers you the Garden Isle. That's quite a fortune and a sufficient reason to accept it… He's just practical Mikan. He needs a son, and he found in you a mother figure, moreover you need him as much."
"Hotaru…" I know, one wrong word and I'm doomed.
"We barely have two weeks before the bank will give us another notice…You badly need an investor and Mr. Hyuuga is your only option. Be practical, BAKA." I stared into her eyes. What she said were all true, if I only think about practicality, it's easy to accept the devil's proposal. But, I can't gamble my life to a devil. He was dangerous to my nerves... a threat to my heart.
I bid a farewell after an hour. The veins in my mind were pounding hard. Twenty-four hours… It's too short. I shut my eyes.
For twenty years, I always keep living a comfortable distance. And up until now, I'm contented with what I have. All I ever dreamt is having a beautiful family someday. A loving and caring husband even he's not rich, just an ordinary family.
But the dream seems so far away from reality. I can't give him a child if he will claim our child as his only. However, the company was in great debt. There were many people who are depending on my company, and it was the last treasure from my grandfather.
My head was aching so much. It's now or never…
"Sir, a certain Sakura Mikan called."
"What did she say?" From the laptop, Natsume immediately divert his eyes to his secretary.
"She asked if you have time to spare for some personal matter, but I said that your schedule is already full."
"Call her, now. I want to talk to her. Please put her line on my phone."
"B-but sir, you have a meeting on ten."
"I'll let Ruka handle it. And do what I say." He said with finality.
"Yes sir."
After a minute, his phone rang.
"Hello?"
"H-hello, Mr. Hyuuga." He noticed her voice quiver.
"You want to set an appointment with me?"
"Yes." She said. He smiled— an unusual smile.
"Have you ever changed your mind?"
He heard her sighed. After a while, silence engulfed the moment between them.
"Y-yes." With her answer, Natsume smile warmly.
08/12/2010