Page 38 of My Grumpy Billionaire Soccer Star

He draws a deep breath, looks to his left and to his right, and leans closer. “I have a deal for you, Rachel. I just need you to do me a little favor, and you’d be glad you did it for the rest of your life.”

I can sense the once jovial atmosphere dissolving into a more tense, slightly sinister one. “What deal could you possibly have for me, mister?”

I’m curious at this point. What deal can a total stranger have for me?

He pauses, a thoughtful expression on his face as if he’s trying to figure out how best to say it. “The new season starts in a couple of weeks, and I work for people who want Vaughn out of the league.”

He pauses again, gauging my reaction. I try my best not to react even though I am screaming, “What the fuck!” inwardly.

“Now, here’s where you come in,” he continues. “You’re the best person for this because you’re always around him. I want you to sabotage his career by framing him as a drug user. I’m sure that will be a very difficult task for you if you agree to work with us for a sum of six hundred thousand dollars.”

The mention of the money almost makes my jaw drop, and it’s my turn to look left and right. Archie is roaming around the table, minding her own business, and so is everyone in the café.

“What did you just say?”

“You heard me right. Six hundred thousand dollars.”

I shake my head, fighting the thoughts that are beginning to go crazy in my mind.

He probably thought I was disagreeing because the next thing I hear is, “Seven hundred thousand dollars. You’ll do it for seven hundred K, won’t you?”

The thoughts go even wilder. I swallow hard, my heart thumping against my ribcage. If it weren’t for my composure, I am sure I would have screamed.

Holy Bejesus! Seven hundred thousand dollars! Crazy!

But I can’t do that—not to Vaughn. He pays me enough to live comfortably, but what I am truly worried about is how I will live with myself if I agree to this.

No, Rachel. No.

“No,” I say firmly. “I will not be able to do that.”

“Not even for seven hundred thousand dollars?” he asks, perplexed.

“Not even for a million dollars.”

The indifference with which I say that must have gotten to him, and the polite tone he employed vanishes. “How stupid and ridiculous. You’d throw away almost a million dollars for someone who treats you like crap? Tell me, when was the last time he said as little as a thank you to you for all you do for him?”

He appears mad at this point, and I have had enough. “I don’t see how that is any business of yours or whoever it is that sent you, mister. So, if you don’t mind, I would like to take my leave now.”

I drop some dollar bills on the table, stand up, and tug gently at Archie’s noose, leaving “mister” staring after us.

This is nothing new to me at all. Over the period I have worked for Vaughn, I have had bribe offers from various people who had to do with Vaughn. When you’re as big and successful as Vaughn, it’s only natural for some people to want to bring you down. But this is different.

Seven hundred freaking thousand dollars!

No. This is a whole new level, too tempting to be real. Honestly, at this point, I feel one more attempt at persuasion from the man, and I swear I’d give in. That’s enough money to set me up for life!

I get as fast as I can from the café, heading directly home. On my way, I looked at my phone and saw that it was my mom who had called me earlier.

.

Chapter sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Vaughn

Iexhale sharply in frustration as Nicholas brings the car to a staggering halt. Traffic. The traffic is heavy. Now, that’s nothing unusual, but you never get used to it.

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