Chapter 7: 7.
ARTEMIS
I didn’t recognise the woman in the mirror. She looked expensive and sophisticated, like she belonged in this extravagant world Kieran had pulled her into.
The gown was delicate, yet screamed power and wealth. The way it hugged my frame, accentuating my curves, I had forgotten I had almost tempted me to stand up straight. The person who attended to me had styled my hair, making me the woman I wasn’t.
It was strange how a change of clothes had practically turned me into someone else.
Van never let me wear such loud clothes after we got married. He got rid of anything that stood out as soon as we were married, and I allowed him because I thought he was just jealous because he loved me, and didn’t want anyone to try and steal me.
I needed his permission to buy anything, and all he gave me was approval to buy something modest at all times. Something that wouldn’t draw attention to me.
I couldn’t look away from the woman in the mirror. She reminded me of the woman I forgot about. The woman who existed before I married Van, and I didn’t know why it scared me to see her after so long.
“We are late,” I gasped, jerking back at Kieran’s voice as he stood in the doorway, and watched me with an unreadable expression.
“Where are we going?” I asked as I hurried after him when he turned and began walking away, without even a glance at the outfit he had bought. I wasn’t even getting the chance to ask how he knew my exact size.
“A meeting,” he answered, and I stopped in my tracks. Unease curled around me. “What type of meeting?”
“Are you going to keep walking?” he asked, looking over his shoulder briefly before he continued walking out of the house. “A business meeting,” he said when he got outside and entered the car that was waiting.
“Kieran…” I opened my mouth to voice out my protest. This wasn’t why I was here. When was he going to let me go? What did he plan to do with me?
Kieran lifted a hand to halt it “You will do fine,” he said smoothly, his tone hard, telling me he wouldn’t listen to any protests or refusal from me.
I had never been to HiCorp before. All I had seen of the intimidating building was from a magazine, and standing in front of it felt even scarier. People stopped to look at us with curiosity.
I bet they were wondering what someone like me was doing with someone like Kieran. I didn’t have to see us from their eyes to know I felt and looked out of place beside him.
I jumped when Kieran rested his hand on my lower back, but he didn’t react as he led me to the elevator that would take us to this supposed meeting.
I felt like I wanted the floor to swallow me when we entered the boardroom. I kept my gaze on the floor and didn’t plan to lift my head until I heard a familiar voice.
“What is she doing here?” My head snapped up to see Van seated at the table with shock on his face.
For a moment, I thought I could see disbelief in his eyes as his gaze swept over me from head to toe.
Kieran’s hand around my waist tightened as he pulled me even closer. There was something possessive in the way his hands rested on my hips, “Gentlemen. This is Artemis Sinclair. My fiancée”
I nearly stumbled out of his touch as my eyes grew wide and a gasp left my lips, but Kieran’s hold made it impossible to leave my spot.
“What?” Van snapped, getting on his feet. “Artemis is your fiancée? That’s impossible. She is my wife!” he screeched.
“Is she?” Kieran asked, and Van paled. I flinched as well because Kieran’s eyes were cold and warning as he glared at Van. “I remember you gave her to me for the contract that gave you that seat.”
Van flushed in embarrassment as he sat down like a drenched rat, “But it isn’t finalised,” he croaked pathetically.
“It is. I made sure of it,” Kieran said smugly, and Van deflated even further. “Shall we begin?” Kieran didn’t wait for an answer as he led me to the seat beside his, at the head of the table.
The room shuffled awkwardly, glancing between Kieran and Van. I leaned into my seat, wanting nothing but to let myself fade into the background. Kieran gestured for one of the men to take his place at the stand to begin the meeting.
“Today, we are looking at the design that Mr Calloway has proposed as the head contractor for the new branch.” Yes, this was the same contract that made Van throw me out. +-
On the projector, van’s design was displayed, and it was impressive. He always knew how to do his job except…
“What do you think?”
“What? Are you talking to me?” I asked with wide eyes, because I didn’t want to believe that I was the one he was talking to, but Kieran had his gaze on me.
“Yes, I am talking to you, Artemis,” he pointed at the projector. “Tell me what you think of Mr Calloway’s design. Is it worth our investment?”
“With all due respect, Mr Archibald. It’s an insult to me to ask Artemis for an opinion on my design. She has no knowledge of business or architecture,” he sneered, “What does she know to say about my design?”
Even though my parents had a successful shipping company that he ruined, Van had somehow developed this mentality that I was useless and knew nothing. I didn’t know what gave him the impression that I was dumb when I had an even better education than he did.
After he ruined my father‘s company, all he used me for was to ascertain dominance in social circles and to make fun of me, so I wasn’t surprised that he didn’t think I would be able to add anything valuable to this meeting.
And I wouldn’t lie, for a while I believed it. I believed him and allowed myself to be thrown into the background.
“And I’ll be the one to decide if her input is valuable or not, after I hear what she has to say,” Kieran arched a challenging brow and leaned on the table. “Tell me, is it your money being invested in this or mine?”
“No..I…What…” Van stuttered,
“I’m paying you to do what I want, Mr Calloway, and if you are not interested to hear my fiancée’s input on where I put my money, you can submit your contract card and take the door. You know you were never my first choice. Not even the 50th”