Genesis felt soft hands shaking her out of her beauty sleep. She groaned when she heard Chelsea's voice. She'll consider ignoring her, but knows she won't stop. She peered at the clock on the nightstand. It was 5 am. Her head snapped up. Is Chelsea at home by this time? That was trouble.
She grudgingly sat up, rubbing her eyes with her palm. "Seriously, girl." She complained, wishing she were mad at her. She felt Chelsea slip into the blanket. "Why are you back so early?" she asked, still drowsy. She has spent most of the night thinking about Vincent's proposal.
"Do you explain why you met with Vincent Morales and didn't tell me?"
Genesis turned her face to her, squinting as her eyes met the light from Chelsea's phone. "Did you say Morales?"
Chelsea nodded.
"The guy you told me about yesterday?" Her eyes widened, and she gasped, "Wait, that was Vincent Morales?" She stared at Chelsea blankly, causing her to chortle.
"Wait, how did you know I was him last night?"
Still laughing, Chelsea passed her phone to her. "You're trending," she said, a big smile plastered on her face.
"GOLD MINE CEO, VINCENT MORALES, CAUGHT WITH A MYSTERY WOMAN: IS THIS THE START OF A NEW POWER COUPLE?" She frowned as she stared at the headline. "What the hell?"
"Ohh, wait till you see the pictures."
She tried to ignore the alarms ringing in her head. That explains his confidence, the car, and the stares at the bar. Her eyes widened as she looked at the pictures. One was taken when he held her hand as they entered the bar, the next was when he helped her into the car and pushed her hair behind her ears so it wouldn't dip into her drink.
"He was just being a gentleman. There is no romance between us."
"Well, the public doesn't think so." Chelsea pointed, "My friend is on the news, and this is amazing." She was in joy.
"No, I don't …" Genesis trilled off.
"What's wrong, Gene?"
"He asked me to marry him."
"What!" Chelsea shifted on the bed to face Genesis. "How is that possible?" She paused, "Are you sure you only met him yesterday?"
"You would know if I didn't," she sighed, "it's more like a contract."
"What did you say?" She rubbed her palms
"I told him I'll think about it." She considered, "I wanted to tell you first, and I didn't know it was Vincent."
Chelsea gasped, "There's nothing to think about. What's his offer?"
"I'm to name my price."
Chelsea's eyes widened. "Mum's treatment, we could expand our business...."
"It could set us up for life."
************************
Vincent answered the call almost immediately. "I still have a few days, Henry." He stepped down from the treadmill.
"I see you've taken advantage of it already. Don't you think letting the cat out of the bag is quite early?"
Vincent stood before the ceiling-to-floor mirror. "I don't follow." He replied
"Well, you're on the news again."
"Closing that deal was ..."
He heard Henry laugh, he ground his teeth, and he was growing impatient. "Is there something I need to know?"
"Check the news, Mr. Morales," Henry said before ending the call.
Vincent scoffed. What could it be? When he got home last night, he had suffered a panic attack. He decided to seek refuge in his world today; the only contact he wanted from the outer world was Henry and Genesis' call.
He expected her call like a child waiting for a promised gift. She wouldn't want to miss such an opportunity. He thought. She didn't know who you were last night. He reminded himself. That had puzzled him. Who didn't know Vincent Morales or the Morales?
He paused his thoughts as he looked at the headline on the screen. God, he hates paparazzi. He thought as he stared at the pictures.
"Well, she was going to find out one way or another." He said to himself as he focused on the good side of things. "This will make her reconsider."
He felt worried suddenly, he had exposed her to the media, which was selfish of him. A part of him reprimanded. What if they had followed them to her house? Or worse, Cyrus tries to harm her. He felt the sudden urge to protect her. He stepped on the treadmill. I'll wait for her call, then decide what to do next. He hadn't finished the first round when he stopped the machine, bolting to the door, and his body betrayed him again. He would make sure she was safe.
********************
Cyrus sipped his glass of whiskey while staring out of the ceiling-floor window. "He went to the mines yesterday."
"Yes, sir." A man sitting at the office desk replied. "We should get rid of him before him-"
"Patience, Luke, that will raise suspicions." Cyrus watched the busy street beneath him. He loved the view up here; it made him feel powerful. "I made the mistake of not getting rid of him years ago."
"We can't sit and watch what we've worked for all these years go down the drain," Luke replied as he walked to the window. "You look like you have a plan."
Cyrus chuckled, "I always have a plan." He took another sip. "Find out more about this mystery woman." He ordered.
"Yes, sir," Luke replied, giving a half-bow. He started towards the door.
Cyrus continued to look out the window. He was surprised Vincent went public with his woman. The Morales were smart; it took him years to take down his father. He knew the boy, had watched him grow, and knew he was up to something. He looked at the pictures again. "The poor boy is in love. I'll have to teach him a few things about women." He smirked as he drained the glass of whiskey.