Page 3 of Neptune

Abruptly, Paul prepares a glass of water for me and hands it to me. Despite how irritated I am, I still take it and finish it in one gulp before handing it back to him.

"OK. Speak," I say to Oscar.

Oscar sighs. "We almost managed to close a deal with Premier News and Media Corporation, but," he pauses .

"But what?" I ask, thinking that it's a good start. The said company is the biggest diversified broadcasting company in the country.

"But before they can make a decision that will have such a huge impact on their readers and viewers, which will affect their profits significantly, they will have to get the approval from their shareholders," Oscar says.

"And recently, the majority of their shares has been acquired by another party. Have you heard of Lucas Klein?"

I don't even know who the hell that man is, probably one of the most successful businessmen in the US. "What about him?"

"Well, he's willing to secure the deal, but on one condition," Oscar says, looking extra careful to approach the topic.

"What condition?" I urge.

"Inhale," he orders.

"What?" I squeak.

"Cassie, take a deep breath," Oscar says, motioning with his hands.

I am hella confused, but since I need it, I do it nonetheless. I inhale deeply.

"Now, exhale," he says, and I do as he told me.

"So, what does he want?" I repeat my question.

"He wants to marry you."

Mike and Paul gasp loudly. On the other hand, Morgan and Peter are indifferent, which means that Oscar told them about this beforehand.

Wait, Peter isn't entirely indifferent, because he nods at me with a look of sympathy, signaling that Oscar isn't joking. Meanwhile, here I am, utterly speechless. To say that my jaw has dropped to the ground is an understatement.

"Excuse me?" I stare at Oscar like he's crazy, like he has just spoken an alien language.

"You heard it," he says. "He wants to marry you."

My mouth opens and closes like a fish. When I finally find my voice to speak, it's shaking, "What kind of nonsense is this?"

No one, however, can answer me.

I clench my fists tightly at my sides. If I'd known that the world revolving around my celebrity life would be this crazy, I would have thought again before deciding to pursue my dreams.

"That doesn't make any sense. When I marry someone, it will be a man whom I love, who loves me too and will propose to me, and most importantly who is sane," I say firmly before I realize something.

I burst into laughter—I've never laughed this hard that I'm starting to question my sanity as well.

"This is so funny. This man is a joke. You guys are pranking me, aren't you? "

From the expression on Mike and Paul's faces, they're expecting that Oscar is indeed joking. But Oscar just stares at me in silence, more sympathy skating on his face.

"I'm sorry to say this to you, Cassie, but he seems pretty serious about this. In fact, he has met the director in person," he says matter-of-factly. "With his lawyer."

My mouth drops open again. "Why are you talking as if my marriage is a fucking business deal?"

But Oscar ignores my words and shakes his head in desperation. He takes an envelope that's lying on the coffee table and hands it to me. "Maybe you should read this first to adsorb everything. According to him, this is his proposal."

I snatch the envelope from his hand. The reason why I did it is that I can't wait to tear the letter apart into a million tiny pieces. I thought that I couldn't get any angrier, but once I open the envelope and read it, my eyes drinking every word, I realize how wrong I was.

My hand is shaking as I hold the letter. It is handwritten. To be honest, his handwriting is not that bad, but that doesn't make the letter less crazy. In fact, this is the craziest thing I've ever read.

Dear Cassie,

I'm Lucas Klein. But you can call me Luke.

I was informed that you're in big trouble, so consider this as my generosity. Yes, I'm willing to help you clear your name. I'll save your career. I'll make you the world's most loved superstar again.

On one condition. You will be my wife.

I'm currently in LA too for a business trip, so once you read this, I will send a chopper to your place so that we can talk in my office.

-Luke

It is not a question.

You're hot.

Have you googled my name? You might want to try that, and you'll find something that you'll like.

My nostrils flare. As soon as I finish reading it, I crumple the letter in my hand, gripping it tightly. Whoever this Lucas Klein is, he's supposed to be in a mental hospital.

He's a lunatic. He's even crazier than my stalkers.

I don't care who he is. He sounds like an old perverted businessman who will use his power and authority just to get anything that he wants.

I scoff. "This is easy. Just ignore this bullshit. I just have to stay away from trouble for at least one year, and people will forget about all the controversies, won't they?"

Maybe I have to make it look like I'm not interested in men for a couple of years.

Now, I really am not, anyway, after all the misunderstandings that have happened. But the paparazzi always find something to say as soon as a potential man approaches me within a one-meter radius.

"Cassie," Oscar warns, his hands now placed on his hips as he stands before me. "Lucas Klein said that it was not a question. He wasn't asking you to be his wife. He will make it happen."

"So what?" I ask. "Is he threatening us?"

Oscar sighs. I've lost count on how many times he has done it during our argument here. "I just don't think that crossing him is a good idea. It might even backfire on us. He practically controls Premier News and Media Corporation. He can make everything worse."

"Based on my research about him, he's someone we wouldn't want to have as an enemy," Peter adds rather reluctantly. "All his business partners who have dared to cross him are now on the verge of bankruptcy. He's someone who won’t take no for answer."

"So he's blackmailing us!" I shout, panting.

This man is worse than my ex-boyfriend, Jude. He's worse than that perverted married actor, Brian.

This man is just... unbelievable.

I snap my head toward Morgan. "Do you have anything to say about this?" I hiss.

Morgan looks at me calmly, and that makes my anger build up even more. I still have the slightest hope that we're still a family, but for the hundredth time, I feel that hope shatter again into a million pieces.

A sly smile creeps on her lips. "Honey," she says softly. She has never honeyed me before. "We can't just sacrifice everything that you've been working hard for."

So they will just sacrifice my happiness? I know that she doesn't even care about how hard I've been working—she never did.

She just cares about the money.

I'm a celebrity, but I'm a human too. Tears threaten to form in my eyes, but I'm just so angry that I can't even cry.

I just need to see this bastard in person and make him feel sorry for ever being born.

"Get that chopper," I shout, walking off from the room, making all of them abruptly follow me.

"Are you going to see him?" Paul squeaks.

"We better inform him," Oscar quickly says. "So that he can send the chopper—"

"No!" I shout. " My chopper." I eye him. "I have my own. Why should we use his?"

A scoff escapes from my lips. I will never ever use anything that he offers to me.

I turn to Peter. "Now, Peter, make sure that my ride lands safely on top of his building. Get his address."

Peter gulps and makes a phone call to arrange everything that I've ordered him to.

When the rest of them take another step forward, I stop them with my hand. "Only Mike comes with me."

Mike clenches his jaw, cracking his knuckles, like he's ready to knock out that arrogant billionaire. "Roger that, my lady."

I turn on my heels, and he follows suit.

During the chopper ride from my house to that crazy man's office, I fume, feeling like I want to rip his head off. I think that I'm going to meet the most arrogant person I'll ever encounter in my life.

How dare he dictate me, and even worse, make my team consider his option. It will never happen. No way.

The summer sky is bright and blue when we fly. Today's weather is nice, absolutely the opposite of what's happening in my heart, in which there is a hurricane.

Once the chopper lands on top of the building, Mike gets down and helps me step down from it. A man wearing a suit welcomes us, and I accept the handshake that he offers me.

"Welcome to Klein Enterprise's branch office," he says. "I'm Ashton, Mr. Klein's secretary. We are very delighted to have you here, Ms. Castillo. He's waiting for you in his office."

What an arrogant son of a bitch. I can't believe that I'm the one who's coming to him. But I'll never let a lunatic come into my house. Never. I even have security guarding my house to protect me from all those stalkers, and Lucas Klein is worse than them.

I follow Ashton into the building, passing security guards who are guarding the rooftop, equipped with guns.

Ashton walks into the elevator, followed by Mike and me. It turns out that Luke's office is just a level below the top floor, so the elevator door already opens again before I can even manage to calm my nerves.

Wait, I don't need to calm down, even though I feel like killing a person right now. I don't even think that I'll let Mike enjoy all the pleasure of beating that man down into a bloody pulp.

We walk further down the corridor, and I can't help but notice that this place speaks a lot of money. The dark interior of the building is modern and seems to be made of the best material in the world, but it feels too cold. Too formal. Too lifeless.

When we finally step into the CEO's office, I stare at the most spacious office I've ever seen in my entire life. If this is only a branch office, I can't imagine what his office in his headquarters looks like—maybe it’s as huge as a football field.

OK, I'm exaggerating.