Capítulo 4 I will pay you one million-

Anastasia looked around, trying to find a way to save her niece from the clutches of the devil and also not to bother him and save her job. "Um... After the death of her parents, she has been affected in her brain, caused by a slight trauma, even though she is twenty-four years old, she is still a child at heart."

Taylor lowered his eyelashes and thought about it. "Alright, after all, she won't be asked to do anything or work, she just needs to stay at home and be Mrs. Baldwin," he pointed out.

"But sir..." Anastasia wanted to protest again.

"Name your price, Smith," Taylor interrupted, not wanting to waste any more time. "You won't give her to me for free, I will rent your niece for a year."

"She is not a property!" Anastasia replied angrily, thinking that rich people really had no scruples.

Taylor smiled cynically. "Oh, don't worry, no one else apart from the three of us in this room will know, of course, her too when you tell her, making it four, her dignity will remain intact."

"But sir..." Anastasia frowned and pondered, he was making a good offer, she and Venus really needed the money at that moment, but putting Venus in his care, can she really do that?

"I just need a girlfriend to rent for a year, Mrs. Smith, after a year I will return your niece with every part of her body intact," Taylor's corners of his mouth curved, showing a thin evil smile.

Anastasia frowned when she understood his hidden meaning, it was also the reason why she didn't want to give her to him. "Can I have some time to think about this?"

Taylor sighed. "Of course, but I must warn you, I am a very impatient man, don't make me wait."

Anastasia nodded and turned to walk away.

Taylor looked at Morris and he shook his head, then turned to Anastasia immediately.

"I will pay you one million," he proposed, Anastasia froze in her tracks. What? She wanted to look at him, but decided not to be greedy, after all, it was her niece he was talking about.

"One million with a promotion," he doubled his proposal.

This time she turned to look at her boss who was offering money as if he were in an auction house.

"What do you think?" Taylor asked when she looked at him.

Anastasia bit her lower lip as she thought. One million is a lot of money and a promotion? She had been longing for a promotion in all the years she had been working. Will her late brother be angry with her if he finds out she's trying to sell his daughter? Her mind was still calculating her thoughts well when she heard her boss's voice again.

"I will give you two hundred thousand on the day of the fake wedding, three hundred thousand six months after the wedding, and five hundred thousand on the day the deal ends, and of course, you will get your promotion even before the wedding."

She looked at her boss, who smiled as if he had conquered her.

"Think about it, Smith. What respect and fame will it bring you among your colleagues when you become my in-law? It will be the beginning of power for your family, don't you think? Imagine having that power for a year," Taylor continued filling her brain with his talks.

"Does that mean after the contract, you will take away my promotion?" Anastasia asked hesitantly.

"Of course not, whatever you earn during the period will be solely yours, your promotion will remain your promotion, nothing will change," he said and smiled.

Anastasia bit her lip again as she considered his offer. "It's only for a year, Venus will come back to me unharmed, right? Promise you won't hurt her?"

"You have my word, it will be written in the contract if that reassures you," he nodded.

"Will she lack anything? She has a habit of crying if she doesn't get what she wants."

"Do you think she will lack anything in my house?" Taylor asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not," Anastasia nodded, she had actually forgotten who she was talking to.

"So, what do you say, Mrs. Smith?"

Anastasia sighed. "Fine, I accept, but with two conditions."

Taylor frowned when he heard the word 'conditions.' Well, what conditions could she give him? He thought.

"Spit it out," he said, slightly annoyed.

"You will pay me two million. Half a million on the day of the fake wedding, half a million six months after the wedding, and one million on the day the contract ends."

Taylor smiled, women! They all wanted money, well, very bad for her and too good for him because if there was one thing he had plenty of, it was money. "Deal. What is your second condition?"

"You must not make her fall in love with you, she is too fragile."

Taylor riu suavemente. "Isso não está em meu poder, Sra. Smith, o amor é algo que não se pode controlar, ele vem quando quer, então, se sua sobrinha se apaixonar por mim, não é minha culpa. Afinal, não é minha culpa, eu tenho a culpa de ter nascido com o charme e a aparência para conquistar uma mulher, você deve passar esse aviso para sua sobrinha, mas em relação a mim, não vou me apaixonar por ela, tenha certeza disso".

Anastasia suspirou, embora ele estivesse certo, não seria culpa dele se Venus se apaixonasse por ele, então ela teria que dizer à sua inocente sobrinha para não fazer isso. "Então eu vou dizer a ela, você me pagará dois milhões e uma promoção".

Taylor sorriu, como uma simples resposta positiva, ele sabia que conseguiria seu "acordo".

"Bem então, espero que o chefe me dê algum tempo para que minha sobrinha concorde".

Taylor franziu a testa. "Fazer com que ela concorde? Você não pode tomar a decisão?"

"Não, ela tem todo o direito de decidir por si mesma, embora suas ofertas sejam tentadoras, ainda não a obrigarei a aceitar por minhas razões egoístas, não quero controlá-la", disse Anastasia com segurança, pois seus valores e a opinião de sua sobrinha estavam acima de todas as vaidades.

"Está bem, então", ele concordou relutantemente, sem ter outra opção. "Quanto tempo você precisa?"

"Um par de dias, não é muito tempo? Eu realmente não poderia, não quero pressioná-la".

Taylor estreitou os olhos. "Bem, tome seu tempo, mas não deve exceder sete dias e, a propósito, estarei esperando um resultado positivo, não aceitarei um não como resposta".

"Mas senhor! Isso dependerá se ela concorda", argumentou ela.

"Então faça com que ela concorde, resultado positivo, nada mais".

Anastasia abriu a boca para protestar, mas Taylor fez um gesto com a mão. "Você pode ir agora, sua pausa está quase acabando. Vá fazer o que quiser fazer, não vou te dar mais um minuto", disse ele de forma brusca.

"Sim, senhor", ela assentiu sem mais e se virou para sair.

"Uma semana, Sra. Smith, sete dias", Taylor lembrou às suas costas, e ela assentiu e saiu do escritório.

"Bem jogado, senhor, ela definitivamente vai concordar", elogiou Morris.

"Claro que vai. De onde ela vai tirar dois milhões e uma promoção? Mesmo que ela tenha trabalhado por cinco anos sem descanso, ela não vai conseguir essa quantia", disse Taylor com toda confiança.

Morris assentiu. "Então vamos esperar pelas boas notícias", sorriu e saiu do escritório por conta própria.

Taylor sorriu enquanto olhava para a porta fechada. "Não se preocupe, avô, logo vou conseguir uma nora política para você", sussurrou baixinho.