Chapter 3 HIS INTENSITY

XAVIER

I stared at the girl called Gwen as she answered her call. Without a doubt in mind, I was certain this was Victor’s doing. Was this what he meant by my ’second’ gift? Was this his big plan to help the company go public?

As Gwen hung up her call, she turned to face me. “Father already made our engagement public”

Still, I felt like there was more to what she was saying so I probed further. “And?”

Gwen let out a heavy sigh. “We get engaged tonight”

Fucking. Darwin’s.

“Sh*t!” I cursed grabbing at my hair. “Why don’t you rather do anything without communication”

Gwen shrugged. “You and he are almost like the same person. You two decided on this marriage without me”

Anger coursed through my veins. How dare she compare me to her father; a traitor and a murderer. “Don’t ever say that again” I growled. “Just sit down and keep your mouth shut as I try to find out a way to get rid of those reporters”

“Those reporters aren’t going to leave until they get what they came here for”

I rolled my eyes. “I know that”

“So let’s go out and give them what they want. But to still have my way and spite my father, we’ll be having a fake marriage and get divorced within a year, cool?”

I was taken aback by her words because never did I think, we’d have a common goal “Cool”

Intertwining her arms in mine, she looked up at me; trying her best to be cute. “Then shall we go, husband?”

I tried to remove her hands wrapped around my arms but she didn’t budge.

“Stay still,” Gwen says through gritted teeth. “We can’t stand each other, yes but we have to at least try or how else would the press believe us?”

She had a point there. “Then, at least stop trying to act cute; It’s sickening”

“I don’t want to do this either so shut it and let’s go out there pretending to be the couples we are”

That said, we made our way outside my office with prying eyes on us, out of the company to meet the reporters who shot us numerous questions;

“What’s going on?”

“When did you two start dating?”

“Do you truly love each other?”

“Is there going to be an engagement party tonight?”

I froze at that last question. Tonight?. “Hey,” I called out to Gwen with the corners of my lips. “Engagement party?”

“Play it cool. I’ll explain it to you later” Turning to face the crowd, she flashed them a smile and said. “Yes, we will be having our engagement party tonight. More details would be communicated to you later?”

“When did you two start dating? Isn’t tying the knot already fast?”

Wrapping my arms around Gwen’s shoulders, I pulled her closer into my arms. “You see, I’m in love with Gwen Darwin. We’ve been courting in secret because her father hadn’t approved of us but now that he has, we have nothing to hide anymore”

“That’s such a sight to see”

“My darling is a bit tired so I’ll appreciate it if you all leave now. No further questions asked” Turning around, I lead Gwen back into the company.

Inside, my employees as well as Richard all applauded me.

“Congratulations, sir!” They chorused in unison as Richard walked towards me, handing over to me a flower bouquet.

Turning to face Gwen, Richard commented. “Congratulations madam”

Gwen flashed him a smile; although she was uncomfortable. “Thank you”

“Richard, prepare a private car to take Gwen home” I ordered him. Regarding everyone, I continued. “Thank you for the warm congratulations. Please, go back to work now”

Gwen and I made our way back into my office. When we were alone, I finally slipped my hands away from her shoulders.

“The private car would be waiting for you by the back door so leave whenever you feel like,” I say, heading towards my chair and scrolling through my phone to see if the company’s IPO was back on.

“Aren’t we going to prepare for our engagement party tonight?” Gwen questions me.

“No”

“What?”

Looking up from my phone screen, I gave her a deadpan look. “I don’t have any interest in wasting my time on something as miniature as that”

Gwen scoffed, folding her arms. “Miniature, you say? Mister, this engagement party is my first so be mindful of the words you choose”

I groaned. “If it’s so important to you then why don’t you go and prepare it however you so deem fit”

A soft knock was heard on my door. “Yes, come in”

Richard stuck his head in. “Sorry to interrupt your conversation sir but the car is ready”

“Thank you, Richard” As Richard takes his leave, I turned my attention back to my phone screen.

As soon as I received a text message that the company’s IPO was back on, I let out a short shout; excited.

“I should best put a call through to Wellington Bank first” I muttered under my breath. I was so excited that I’d completely forgotten about Gwen.

Staring up from my phone screen, I curled my brow at her. “Why are you still standing there? Didn’t you hear Richard? The car is waiting for you; hurry up and leave. You must have somewhere to be all day rather than here”

Gwen seemed angry but who was I to care? I was more interested in calling Wellington and knowing the next plan of action.

“I have somewhere else to be rather than here; LA POPLA”

I stilled. Was she planning to go to a club after we’d just made our engagement public? After we were having an engagement party tonight, would it be the talk of the town?

The negative effect all these would have on my company was she not going to take all of those into account.

Springing up from my chair, I slowly approached her. “You wouldn’t dare”

“I don’t say things I don’t mean and what’s the harm in going to a club”

“There’s our engagement party holding later tonight”

Gwen gasped as if I’d just told her a new piece of information. “Now? I thought you didn’t have the time for so many ‘miniature’ things”

“That doesn’t mean I’m not going to show up”

“That doesn’t mean I’m not going to show up too”

Damn, this woman. Why was she so stubborn? “So you are going to show up drunk if I stand corrected?”

“I don’t get drunk easily” I groaned seeing as our conversation was going nowhere.

“It seems like I have to spell it out for you so listen up”

“I…” I raised my hands, silencing her.

“You did a lot of talking today and I listened, princess. Now it’s time for you to hear me out”

Gwen crossed her arms over her plushed up breast. “Fine, I believe it’s only fair if I do the same. Shoot”

“Your constant habit of drinking and partying; this is where it ends”

Gwen furrowed her brows, confused as if I’d just spoken Spanish. “What do you m—”

“I’m saying that little stunt you pulled with your father; getting your face all over tabloids and your white panties; this is where all those ends”

“If you do anything to harm this company, even in the slightest way” I continued. “You’re going to regret knowing my existence”

I could tell that Gwen was already scared but still, she stood her ground “More than I already do?”

“More than you hate your father, to be straightforward with you”

“And if I go to LA POPLA, disobeying you?”

“Must you be so hard to get through? I thought you were going to agree to what I was going to say when you decided to hear me out”

“Well, you thought wrong. My question remains unanswered; what are you going to do if I disobey you? Hit me?”

My gaze darkened. This woman was testing my nerves. I mean, how on earth did she conclude on me hitting her?.”I don’t hit women”

Those words of mine seemed to have relieved her. Given my anger issues and her stubborn attitude, maybe she thought it was going to lead to that eventually.

I mean, any man in my shoes would have already dealt with her by now –no offence—

Feeling more confident now, Gwen stood her ground. “Then?”

It was obvious she wasn’t going to let this slide until I tell her, her punishment for disobeying me and since I didn’t have anything cooked up, I decided to drag this conversation out—even though I wanted to get rid of her as quickly as possible to call Wellington—

“If you’re so curious, why don’t you find out? What’s stopping you?” The corners of my lips tilted up as I saw that she hadn’t moved an inch. It seemed as though my threat was getting the best of her.

“What happened? Don’t tell me you’re scared to find out now, are you?”

Walking back over to my desk, I say. “You know your father told me a thing or two about you guys before I agreed to marry you and now that I think about it, we both bring out the best in each other”

“You’re stubborn as hell and I don’t care about anything other than this company. I’m willing to go to lengths to protect this company and whoever tries to put even a little scratch on it “ I whisper “I won’t forgive”

“You know that first hand given how I still hold a grudge against your father after 4 years so be my guest and try me. If. You. Dare”

Taking slow strides towards me, Gwen banged her hands against my desk noticeably fuming with rage. “You seem to keep forgetting something, Xavier Anthony”

“And what’s that?”

“You. Don’t. Own. Me”

“Your father gave you over to me”

“And that doesn’t account for anything. I own me. I’m my person. I only listen to things I say and do the things I want to do”

“Princess…”

“Stop calling me that!” She yells. “We agreed on no nickname so keep at that. It’s Gwen and Xavier, period”

“Okay, Gwen..”

She raised her hands, silencing me. “I’m not done yet, Xavier”

I glanced down at my wristwatch wondering when I’d finally put a call through to Wellington bank.

Damn, should I just let her go to the stupid club?. If we weren’t such public figures, I would have let her go by now. I was just trying to retain the company’s image.

Victor did consider me a ‘trash can’ handing his daughter over to me.

“Can we have this conversation another time? I’m in the middle of work here”

“No, we can’t because extending this conversation means you are going to keep on interfering in my choices and the decisions I make”

I was having a splitting headache. All these started just because I didn’t want to take part in the preparation for our engagement party.

“It’s only natural I do so because we are now married. Some things about you have to be dropped when one gets married. Do you view a married woman going to a club as sane? That would lead to a scandal and everyone already know who you are now that you are getting married to me, what if –”

“There are some things that need to be dropped when one gets married. Do you view a working man who spends more time in his office than in his home as sane?”

Hold on just a minute now, was she referring to me? “What did you just say?”

Now she was just talking without a point and I needed to end this conversation ASAP.

For that to happen, I needed to let out punishment if she disobeyed my order. “If you disobey me and go to that club, I will get physical with you by punishing you with a kiss.”