Chapter Four: A Match Made in Nightmare

Celine I glanced at my watch for the umpteenth time, stifling a hiss under my breath. Trevor Lawrence was ten minutes late. I contemplated leaving, but then he strutted in, adjusting his suit. "I didn't keep you waiting, did I?" I merely stared at him. He sat up, clearing his throat. "I was held up..." I held up a finger, briefly lowering my eyelids. "Spare me the excuse." His brows pulled together with a frown. "That's rude." "You are rude. Perhaps you've been getting away with this uncultured attitude of yours with women, but you should know when not to cross the line." His frown deepened. He sat up, balling a fist over the table. "I had a reason for being late, and I was about to explain..." "You mean give a flimsy excuse instead of owning up to your faults." I seethed through clenched teeth, my gaze unfaltering as I watched him. He scoffed. "Faults? Don't make me laugh." "Don't get me started either. We will be here from dusk till dawn if I have to start listing the faults you have." "You're a b*tch." He spat. I smiled. "Spoken like a true gentleman." Silence hovered between us as we stared down at each other. I raised a side of my mouth in contempt, not backing down. Winning had always been my number one priority, and there was no way I was giving in to Trevor. After several minutes of an intense stare-down, Trevor Lawrence broke contact first. "You're one tough woman. You live up well to your reputation." "As do you." When he raised an eyebrow in questioning, I added, "Don't act like you are oblivious to the rumors you are infamous for." He tsked, chuckling softly. "You are not very bad. Dating you may not be a bad idea. I may not be bored." I rolled my eyes. "Excuse me?" I wished I had a choice here. God! My stomach churned. How on earth could my future with Holden Group be hanging in the balance with a man like him? I wanted to shudder. "Let's start with the basics. Tell me about you." I was seething on the inside throughout the date with Trevor Lawrence. Talk about an incompetent man with enough arrogance to fill the ocean. I kept hissing through my breath as I drove back to the company. I ignored the greetings of the staff, not in the mood to acknowledge any of them, as I stormed towards the elevator. Rachel startled as I stormed into the office, her head whipping in my direction. "You're back early, and in a bad mood." I sank into my desk chair, gripping the edges of my table. I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "It didn't go well," Rachel said quietly, clasping her hands before her. "Can't you tell?" I glared at her. I lowered my head to my hand, my elbow leaning on the arm of the chair. "Was he that bad?" "Are you seriously asking me that?" I motioned for her to leave. "I need to be alone. My head is steaming." "The Chairman expects a positive feedback of your blind date, Director Holden." "Tell him whatever you want to tell him." I shook my head. "There's no way I'm getting married to a man like him." "But, Director, what about Holden Group?" I bit down on my mouth. Grandpa couldn't be serious about his threat. I knew he was only trying to get me to get married in time. Marrying Trevor Lawrence would be a disaster. Not just to me, but to Holden Group as well. Grandpa must have a good reason for wanting me to marry him, but however good the reason was, it wasn't worth the consequence. "I will handle that." I flickered my hand at her again. "Give me space. I need to think." "Alright, Ma'am." Rachel exited the office. I rubbed at my temple, considering what winning points to use in my debate with Grandpa. "Talk of the devil." Grandpa's number appeared on my phone's screen as it began to vibrate. I answered the call, raising the phone to my ear. "How was it?" "Rachel will feed you the necessary update." "After you've coaxed her into giving me a half-truth, right?" "Please. She's on your side, obviously. She readily carried out your orders the last time in defiance of mine." "Well, I would like to hear from the horse's mouth directly." A brief silence then, "Why does it have to be him?" "I'm out of ideas of whom else to matchmake you with. It's strenuous to be drafting up suitors every time. I'm drawing the line here." "I'm aware there are more suitable suitors you could have drawn a line on than Trevor Lawrence, Grandpa. Is this a payback? And what?" I blinked, cocking my head to the side. "It's strenuous to be matchmaking me. I had to fly over to Japan for an appointment with a so-called suitor and arrive back in Toronto the same day to handle a business deal, which could have been properly wrapped up had you not interfered with my schedule." "You may think you are the only one competent enough to resolve emergency issues in the company, but there were those overseeing its operation before you came, Celine." "You're digressing, Grandpa." "So did you, Celine. I asked you a simple question. How was your date with Trevor, and I'm getting a recount of your past experience as an answer. Two can play this game, child. I may be old, but I'm wiser." "I'm not warring with you, Grandpa, but you are clearly making a wrong decision with Trevor. Have you read the recent articles on him? King of Scandals? In addition to that, he's one arrogant man. I may have an aneurysm if I have to deal with a man like him, not to talk of marriage." Grandpa huffed over the phone. "Grandpa, please try to see things from my perspective. It's utterly unfair that I should forfeit my rightful place at Holden Group simply because I refuse to marry a man like him," I protested, my face scrunched in distaste. "There's never a man that meets your standard, Celine." Grandpa grunted. "Find a way to work things out between you two. I'm only calling to warn you. I won't tolerate any slipup from you this time. I will set you up on another date with him–" "The articles..." "Those are meaningless. He will get over that when you are both married. You will be a positive influence to him." My mouth hung open in disbelief as I listened to my Grandpa. "What about me? How would he influence me?" "I trust you, Celine. You're stronger than that." He ended the call. I glared at the screen, gripping my phone tightly, and hissing through my teeth. I couldn't believe my Grandpa was willing to risk my future and the future of Holden Group for his own stubbornness.