18 A Deal
Behind the one-way glass window, Adrian watched everything. He smiled, arms folded over his chest, enjoying the sight of her blushing and flustered.
Sienna shook her head quickly and grabbed Pamela’s arm.
“Mom, stop talking. Let’s just go,” she said firmly, dragging her out of the clinic.
Pamela followed, confused but compliant.
Adrian stepped away from the wall, standing tall and straightening his coat. His expression turned serious as he watched Sienna walk out of the clinic.
“I’ll do everything to keep that smile on your face from now on. No one’s going to hurt you ever again.”
He turned and stepped out of the hospital. Just then, his phone rang.
It was Matthew.
Adrian picked up. “Speak.”
“Sir,” Matthew said from the other end of the line, “Mr. Dante Kingsley is on the line. Since this is extremely confidential and involves a high-profile individual, he demanded I connect you directly.”
“Put him on,” Adrian said, striding toward his sleek black McLaren.
A beep. Then silence.
Adrian muttered darkly, “Since when did this little Montgomery become high-profile enough for us, Dante?”
A snicker cut through the line, followed by a burst of loud, familiar laughter.
“Larry Lawson. Do you want me to personally come and break your bones?” Adrian gritted, sliding his sunglasses on and pulling out his car keys. A soft beep sounded as the car unlocked.
“Fucking hell, man. You recognized me just by my laugh?” Larry replied, still chuckling.
“Yes. Dante isn’t a clown like you. I’d know that idiot laugh anywhere.”
“You goddamn—”
“I’m busy. Shut up,” Adrian snapped.
Larry’s voice turned smug. “Well, Montgomery is not actually a high-profile individual. But this was the only damn way to get past your secretary. You’re impossible to reach, dude.”
Adrian sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Larry. Do I really need to come over and dislocate your jaw for you to stop talking, and get to the fucking point?”
“Why are you even investigating Sienna?” Larry blurted. “Isn’t she your ex from like two years ago? You’re the CEO of the largest car empire in the country, Adrian, and you're using Dante— The Dante —who owns the most feared private intelligence firm in this country, just to stalk your sweet, delicate ex?”
Adrian’s eyes darkened behind his shades.
“And weren’t you the one,” Larry kept going, “who laughed when Christian fought Ryan over his wife? Saying, ‘this much anger for just a woman’? Look at you now. Digging into your ex’s husband like a psycho—”
“She is not my ex-girlfriend,” Adrian snapped. His voice turned lethal. “She is my girl. And Larry… that last deal your company closed with mine? It’s canceled.”
“What?! Are you out of your fucking mind? My brother is gonna kill me!”
“The deal before that? Cancelled too. Keep talking. I’m in a great fucking mood.”
“Jesus Christ, you arrogant son of a—Fine!” Larry hissed. “Here.”
There was a shuffle, a click, then a beep as the call switched to speaker mode.
Another voice came through. Cold. Raspy. Deadly calm.
“You were right,” it was Dante who answered this time. “Rosie’s pregnant. And it’s Theo’s.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
Dante, always calm and composed, one of his very close friends and the man every enemy feared—never spoke unless it was worth saying. And right now, his voice was grave.
“He’s been taking her to private check-ups at a discreet clinic. Covered it up well. Took effort to dig.”
A set of photos hit Adrian’s phone. He opened them.
Rosie and Theo. Kissing. Embracing. On vacations. In one picture Theo was kissing her belly.
Adrian’s knuckles turned bone white.
“There’s more,” Dante continued. “It’s not recent. They’ve been together for a while. Long before Theo married Sienna. Rosie used to be his secretary.”
Adrian’s chest burned with fury. His voice came out low, like a growl. “This fucking bastard. He had another woman all along. What the hell was he thinking, marrying Sienna?”
“She made her choice. She’s married to him now,” Dante’s deep voice came through the line. It was calm, measured, but there was an edge to it. The kind of tone that made people sit up. “You still want to go after her?”
“I bet he does,” Larry chimed in with a snort. “Look at him. The great Adrian Vaughn—Mr. Billionaire Ice King—falling apart over a married woman.”
Adrian didn’t answer. He leaned against his car, sunglasses still on, hiding the storm in his eyes.
His hands fisted at his sides as he gritted out the words, barely above a whisper.
“I’m the one who loves Sienna so much it’s tearing me apart. I want her like a fucking obsession I can’t shake, and that fucking bastard gets to have her? He gets to touch her, kiss her, while sneaking around with another woman?”
His chest heaved.
“He doesn’t even respect her.”
Adrian’s jaw locked, his eyes hard as steel. Every word that followed was a promise carved in fury.
“I’ll take her back. And once I do, he’ll never lay eyes on her again.”
There was silence.
Then Dante, quiet and sharp, replied, “Be sure. If you’re going to fight for her, don’t hold back.”
Larry whistled. “Goddamn. You two sound like the next war’s about to start.”
Adrian shoved his phone in his pocket, his next words a ruthless vow.
“She was never his to begin with.”
***
“Here,” Theo handed Sienna a sleek, black business card. “This plan lists everything we discussed about the deal. It has everything in case you forget.”
“Got it,” Sienna nodded, slipping the card into her purse.
Theo leaned in slightly and muttered discreetly. “This dealership,” he said under his breath, pointing at a name on the list in his phone, “we need exclusive rights to it in this city, either under your name or mine. Alright?”
Sienna nodded again. “Understood.”
Theo scanned the crowded hall, eyes sharp and searching. Then his gaze halted as he spotted someone, then immediately pulled Sienna close and leaned in to whisper, “Sienna, look—over there.” He motioned subtly with his chin.
She followed his line of sight.
“That’s Arnold Hall. He owns the car brand we’re after,” Theo whispered urgently. “We have to get him interested in our business today. If we pull this off, it’ll be Christmas all year, baby.”
Sienna choked on a laugh.
“Really? Christmas all year, baby?” she mocked, giggling.
Theo grinned sheepishly. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t ruin my moment. I’m too nervous already. Let’s get to him before my confidence disappears. And hey—if I get this deal, I’ll finally be free to dump you and marry the love of my life.”
“How romantic,” Sienna teased sarcastically.
Theo winked at her and the two walked toward Arnold. When they reached him, Arnold was deep in conversation with a few others in the hall. Theo stepped in first.
“Mr. Hall,” Theo interrupted politely, stepping forward with a friendly smile. “We met at the Breeze Foundation banquet recently? We talked about the Astrid car deal. I was hoping we could revisit that conversation?”
Arnold turned to him with a faint frown, his white hair neatly combed, icy blue eyes sizing Theo up.
“Sorry,” Arnold said, a little curt. “I don’t recall meeting you. And I don’t make deals with strangers. You’ll need to go through the standard process. I already have a line of interested buyers. It’s going to be difficult to assign this deal directly.”
Before Theo could respond, a calm but commanding voice interrupted from behind.
“Arnold?”
Arnold looked up, his expression immediately changing. The lines on his face softened as recognition struck. His stern demeanor melted into a smile.
“Mr. Vaughn,” he greeted warmly, stepping forward to shake hands. “It’s a pleasure to see you. I was hoping I’d get the chance to see you today.”
Adrian walked up to them, tall and imposing in a charcoal suit that clung to his broad frame. He didn’t even glance at Theo as he stopped beside Sienna, placing a possessive arm around her shoulders.
“Were you in the middle of something with Sienna?” Adrian asked casually.
Sienna froze, alarm shooting through her veins. ‘He’s going to get me killed. What is he doing exposing me like this?!’
But Adrian looked unbothered. His expression remained relaxed, confident, like he owned the room.
Arnold’s eyes darted between the three of them, his confusion growing. “Mr. Vaughn, you know them?” He motioned toward Theo and Sienna.
Adrian smiled, pulling Sienna a little closer. “Yes. She’s a very close and important person to me.”
Theo quickly cut in, his tone defensive. “Sienna doesn’t know you, Mr. Vaughn. Please stop trying to associate yourself with her. It’s inappropriate.”
Adrian’s gaze darkened. He turned to Sienna, his voice soft and suggestive. “What a pity. I was just about to introduce her to Mr. Hall personally in a private meeting we’re about to have. But if it’s a problem—”
Sienna’s eyes widened, panic flashing across her face.
“I’d like to attend the meeting,” she said quickly. “I want to join.”
Theo grabbed her arm gently, pulling her close and whispering in her ear. “Sienna, you don’t have to do this for me or the business. You’re more important than any deal. Don’t fall into his trap.”
Sienna turned to him, her voice firm. “Theo, this might be our only chance to get close to Arnold. We’re not going to get another opportunity like this. It’s good for our business—we can’t afford to hesitate.”
Theo gave her a troubled look. “I don’t want you sacrificing yourself for that bastard. He’s not—”
“I said I get it,” Sienna cut in, just as she noticed Arnold starting to walk away toward a private room.
Adrian raised an eyebrow at her, giving her a sharp look that made her heart jolt. That look alone made her step away from Theo instinctively.
“Come with me,” Adrian said, already following after Arnold.
Sienna hissed quietly to Theo, “Don’t worry. I can take care of myself. Let’s focus on this deal.”
Adrian glanced back at them, his expression clearly pissed. His lips curled slightly in irritation as he looked between Theo and Sienna.
“Are you coming or not?” he asked coldly, his penetrating gaze locking onto her
The intensity in his stare made Sienna shiver. She nodded and followed quickly, Theo trailing behind reluctantly.
They entered the private meeting room, which was much quieter than the crowded hall. Only a handful of high-profile individuals were present—people Sienna instantly recognized from the industry.
Theo walked beside her, hands in his pockets, as they approached the center of the room.
Now that Arnold realized they were connected to Adrian, his tone toward Theo was much more friendly. He seemed suddenly interested in discussing the details, laughing at Theo’s remarks and nodding along.
After all, Adrian Vaughn wasn’t just the biggest name in the luxury car industry—he was the gatekeeper to future partnerships. Adrian’s presence was no small matter. He was a major player in the luxury car industry. Even Arnold wanted to stay in Adrian’s good books, knowing that good relationships with Adrian could mean more deals, faster approvals, and smoother access to high-end markets.
Sienna started walking toward Theo and Arnold, ready to join them, when someone accidentally stepped back and knocked her off balance. She stumbled and fell to the floor with a painful thud, her ankle twisting beneath her.
“Ahh!” she cried out, wincing as sharp pain shot through her foot.
Before anyone else could react, Adrian was already moving.
He pushed through the crowd, shoving people aside without a second thought. His sharp glare was enough to part the group. He didn’t care who he pushed aside. All he saw was her.
He dropped to his knees beside her in an instant, his face tight with concern.
“What happened?” he growled, his deep voice low and urgent, eyes locked onto her face. “Where does it hurt?”
Sienna clutched her ankle, her face contorted in pain.
At once, Adrian swept her up into his arms. His grip was strong and secure, muscles tense as he carried her to the nearest couch and gently placed her down.
Then he knelt in front of her, his expensive suit wrinkling at the knees as he bent to unfasten her heel. He held her foot in his hands, large fingers surprisingly gentle as he examined the swelling.
“Does it hurt here?” he asked, lightly pressing her ankle. “Or up here?” His thumbs carefully massaged around the joint, his eyes flicking up to her face with worry.
Sienna glanced around the room, startled. The crowd had gone silent. Dozens of eyes were watching them with stunned expressions.
Whispering broke out across the room.
“What’s going on? Isn’t that Mr. Vaughn?”
“What kind of relationship does Mr. Vaughn have with that girl?”
“I heard him say earlier that they’re close. But this looks more than that.”
“She came with her husband. That can’t be right, can it?”
“Since when does Adrian Vaughn care about any woman like this?”
“Then why does Mr. Vaughn look like that? I've never seen him care about any woman before.”
Sienna let out an awkward laugh, trying to be nonchalant. She gently pushed at Adrian’s hand to pull her leg back, but he only held on tighter, not letting her go.
“Mr. Vaughn just knows me from the past,” Sienna said quickly, trying to ease the tension in the room. “We’ve worked together. That’s all. He was just surprised I fell, he respects women a lot.”
Her eyes met his. “Thank you, Mr. Vaughn. Really.”
Just then, Theo rushed over. His jaw was tight as he grabbed Adrian by the arm, trying to pull him up.
“Thank you, Mr. Vaughn. I’ll take care of my wife now,” he said stiffly. “It’s nice of you to worry, but she doesn’t need your help anymore.”
He crouched beside Sienna, his hands gently reaching for her ankle. “Are you okay? Do you need anything? I can get a doctor.”
“I’m fine, don’t worry,” Sienna said, patting his shoulder with a small smile. “It’s just a little sprain.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed. His jaw clenched tighter, his irritation rising. He looked at Theo, then down at Sienna’s hand resting on her husband’s shoulder.
Jealousy flared in his chest, burning hot and sharp.
“Mr. Hall doesn’t have much time, Montgomery,” Adrian said sharply. “He wants to discuss your deal. Right now.”
Arnold turned toward them, catching Adrian’s eyes. Taking the hint, he immediately gave Theo a polite nod, “Mr. Montgomery, I have time now to discuss the deal. Shall we?”
Matthew stepped in smoothly. “Mr. Hall, there’s a private room ready for the discussion. Let’s all move there.”
Arnold nodded, and the group began to move.
Sienna quickly shoved the file into Theo’s hands.
“Go,” she whispered. “This is your chance.”
Theo hesitated, worry flashing across his face. “We can wait. It’s not worth it if you’re hurt—”
“Go!” She insisted, giving him a light push. “I’ll rest here. This is what we came for, right? It’s just a sprain. It’ll be fine by tomorrow. But you won’t get another chance like this.”
Theo finally nodded. “Call me if you need anything.”
“I will. Now go quickly!” she waved him off with a smile.
He left with the group, and within moments, the room was nearly empty, except for her and Adrian.
Adrian turned toward her, his broad shoulders rising and falling as he exhaled deeply, his eyes never leaving her.