“Will you take the plunge with me, Bryan Turner?”
The woman's proposition rang out, loud and clear in the swanky private suite, catching everyone off guard.
This wasn't new for the devilishly handsome Bryan, lounging on the sofa, who was no stranger to women fawning over him.
But, this woman was probably the first to air her intentions so boldly, and of all things, she was far from society's standard of a looker.
Her stand-out birthmark that trailed from her cheek right up to the edge of her eyebrows was hard to ignore.
Casually sprawled on the sofa, Bryan gave off an air of indifference as his penetrating gaze scanned the woman, chillingly sizing her up like a big cat would its prey. Aside from that, there was no sign that her ballsy proposition had registered.
Just as everyone was reckoning the nut-job would be tossed out on her ear, the man’s lips tilted into a half-smile.
Dumbstruck, the room filled with stifled gasps.
The bad boy cracked a smile?
The bewildered onlookers gave the woman another once-over.
No angle made her any less unattractive, especially her dusky yet pasty complexion and that prominent birthmark on her cheek.
Unaware of his boss's reaction, Bryan's assistant, Harry Miller, was hell-bent on shooing the unhinged woman out the door since Bryan was facing her with his back to Harry.
“Lady, how'd you squirrel your way in here? Scram!”
Harry had seen his fair share of women go all-out trying to seduce his boss, but none ever dared to do so in a grungy tee and jeans before.
Rolling up his sleeves ready to give the woman the bum's rush, he was stopped dead in his tracks by Bryan's frosty voice.
“Hold it.”
From the moment she crashed the private Gin Bar, Bryan had been sizing up the peculiar woman who within minutes had managed to bring their top-notch security system to its knees and smoothly slip through the ring of well-trained muscle men sent after her.
Bryan was intrigued, despite maintaining his cool exterior.
All that drama just to pop the question to him?
The gobsmacked spectators were all hushed whispers.
“Someone give me a reality check. Is Mr. Turner actually falling for this whackjob?”
Bryan, well-known for his looks, wealth, and power, being attracted to this woman was a stretch for everyone.
Harry stood frozen.
“Sir?”
Did he misinterpret the boss's orders?
Could the boss have meant to stop her…
Bryan’s next words squashed any remaining doubts.
“Beat it.”
The penny finally dropped; Harry was being given the boot, not the eccentric woman.
“Sir, this—“
On seeing Bryan's gaze fixed on him, Harry stuttered, “Begging your pardon,” and wasting no time, ushered everyone out, discreetly shutting the door behind him and standing guard outside.
He was prepared to swoop in and oust the ludicrous woman, if necessary.
The only two left in the room were studying each other in silence.
Intriguingly, the woman didn't look unnerved at being left alone with a man who could make people's blood run cold.
In fact, she appeared more relaxed now that they were alone.
Bryan smirked and broke the silence, “So...who exactly are you?”
“Finley Keith,” extending her hand for a handshake, she replied confidently, beaming back at him.
With a hint of disgust, Bryan eyed her outstretched hand.
“Dirk’s offspring?”
“Guilty as charged,” Finley replied coolly, retracting her hand without a shred of awkwardness.
Bryan didn't betray his thoughts.
Fabled for her homely looks, crude manners, and dim wits, Finley was a stark contrast to her two stunning sisters, remaining an ugly duckling even amongst swans.
While scouting potential brides, Bryan's grandfather, Alton Turner, had only considered her elder and younger sister, brushing Finley off the list.
Meeting her for the first time, Bryan couldn't agree more; however, some of those rumors didn't hold water.
Far from being a nitwit, Miss Finley Keith was anything but.
With everything she had pulled off just to bag a formal introduction and to assert her wishes with such audacity, Bryan couldn't help but be ticked off.
Having had the fill of calculative women, Bryan was about to give her the shove when she beat him to it.
“Hold your horses, Mr. Turner,” said Finley.
Then, boldly sliding next to him, she kept up her act, completely unfazed by Bryan shifting uncomfortably away.
“Mr. Turner, I understand you’re knee-deep in trouble,” Finley began cheerfully, rummaging through her backpack.
After producing a pink perfume bottle, she continued, “Considering you're the CEO of Turner Group, which happens to own one of the world's largest perfume brands, isn't it a pickle that you've lost the sense of smell? Imagine if this got out…”
Shaking the perfume bottle gently, Finley met Bryan's gaze, grinning broadly.
Bryan's eyes narrowed.
His closely-guarded secret was known only to a tight circle of trustworthy individuals.
How did this mystery woman stumble upon it?
With a chuckle, Finley countered, “Don't bother wondering how I got wind of it. Instead, focus on how I plan to help.”
Before he could get a word in, Finley had uncapped the perfume bottle, waving it under his nose.
“Give it a whiff.”
Instinctively, Bryan inhaled, knowing full well it was a futile gesture—
Hold up!
Bryan's eyes widened as he grabbed the bottle from the woman. He poured a drop onto his wrist and shut his eyes.
Peonies, oranges, lilies, grapefruit…
It wasn't a hallucination!
He could smell and pinpoint the notes in the perfume!
A spark of excitement flashed in his eyes and he focused on the woman.
"Spill it."
He had consulted numerous experts who hadn't been able to help him, but then this young thing waves some perfume under his nose and suddenly he’s healed? Just who was this Finley Keith?
