F2F | 8.4Â â Take Two
fabrayrussellâ:
There was nothing worse for Russell than having to ask for something he wanted. In the way he normally conducted business, there was no asking involved, only setting his sights on something and simply taking it. There was no other way when you wanted to rule the world. And while it hurt Russellâs pride to be chasing after the likes of the young Mr. Smythe and Mr. Clarington, he was also determined to do whatever it took to secure his businesses. In his line of work, he understood that it wasnât always going to be pretty, he experienced a lot of ugly during his time, and he knew that sometimes you needed to do something that was undesirable to obtain a desirable result. This was one of those things and he refused to let his pride get in the way.
Holding onto the young manâs gaze, Russell watched his reaction very closely. Unlike Sebastian who seemed confused and surprised that Russell would be offering such a thing, Hunter just seemed surprised that he didnât see it sooner. It showed in the expression that followed, a cocky smirk as he pulled back with cocky words to follow. He shouldnât have expected anything less from the young man and he could see why his father had so much faith in him taking over his own business.
âOf course itâs not something you need, but you and I both know that if you were looking to expand on your future business - which you are, inheriting mine would double what you have in one deal.â Russell finished his own drink and waved the bartender back down for another, his eyes remaining on Hunterâs as he did. âYouâre a smart man, Mr. Clarington, and you know the implications of taking this deal. Youâd be even more of a nonstop force, a mogul with unprecedented power.â He paused and looked over to his daughter. âWith the opportunity and the privilege of having her by your side.â Russellâs eyes lingered on his youngest daughter a little longer than he intended to and by the time he looked back to Hunter, the topic of his daughterâs best friend was breached and he had no choice but the address it.
âThereâs no point in lying to you, Mr. Clarington. I did approach the Smytheâs boy but he foolishly turned down my offer which tells me two things. One, he doesnât have the ambition he claims to have. And two, he doesnât care about my Quinnie like I thought he did.â Russell had all but written the Smythes off because of their sonâs decision to turn down his offer, but he also took it as an opportunity to make a better offer to a more suitable recipient.
âSo, yes. You are my second choice, but the better one Iâd say. Time is of the essence, so what say you, Mr. Clarington?â
Hunter was, at his core, a competitive person and even though he disliked the idea of Russell treating Quinn like some sort of a bargaining chip, he was also substantially attracted to the offer. Inheriting Russellâs business would not just strengthen his position in this market; his name would literally be known to the rest of the world as well. World domination had always been a goal of Hunterâs and he couldnât help but to nod along as he listened because Russell was right, he would be an unstoppable force.
âIndeed.â He agreed, his eyes following Russellâs as they moved across the room to land on Quinn. This was the second time Russell had gotten distracted ever since they started their conversation and Hunter had to wonder if his impression of Russell was perhaps slightly misguided - that perhaps Quinn was just as important as his legacy and that was why he had paired them together instead of separating them into two different deals. Hunter highly doubted that Russell would still go ahead with the plan if the person he was offering to had only wanted one and not the other.Â
He wasnât caught off guard or bitter about the fact that Russell had approached Sebastian first since it was the most sensible move after all. What truly surprised him, however, was the fact that Sebastian had turned it down. That didnât sound like the Sebastian Smythe he knew at all. Sure, the Sebastian he knew liked games, but more than that he liked to win just to flaunt his gains in front of other people, namely Hunter. Hence, he found it hard to believe that Sebastian would actually reject an offer as tempting as this one. Did something happened between Sebastian and Quinn then, he briefly wondered. Russell was practically handing across his lifeâs work and wealth to Sebastian on a well-polished plate - and to think that he had the guts to refuse. Hunter wasnât sure if he ought to be impressed or to think of Sebastian as a fool. The latter, probably.Â
At the end of the day, Sebastianâs decision had nothing to do with Hunter and right now, he needed to focus on making the right decision for himself. He took another swallow of his drink as he pondered over his options and potential outcomes. Russellâs legacy aside, did he really want to marry Quinn? Furthermore, would Quinn be alright with marrying someone like him? Quinn, who valued her freedom, dreams, and independence more than anything else would surely resent him for dragging her back to the place she had worked so hard to break free from. Although, he had to admit that the thought of keeping Quinn safe and close by was just as tempting as accepting Russellâs deal. Besides, if he had turned down the offer and it went to someone else, which, it ultimately would, the other person might turned out to be someone he couldnât trust - not that he trusted a lot of people to begin with, but he couldnât deny the fact that it was going to be a gamble, and Hunter wasnât one to leave things up to chance and luck.Â
It was at that moment that he chanced a glance at Quinn, taking in all her light and her beauty and being mesmerized beyond his control. To turn her into a Clarington would mean clipping her wings, but perhaps... perhaps it need not be a permanent thing. He could return her freedom once he had taken over his fatherâs position. It would be a tall order, yes, but not impossible. They could potentially end their âmarriageâ before it even started. At most, they could just stay engaged while he worked on persuading Russell with something else. He didnât, for a second, dared to entertain the thought that Quinn might actually want to spend the rest of her life with him. Didnât, couldnât, and wouldnât. Quinn deserved to be with someone she truly loves; someone who would do anything to make her happy. Someone kind, good, and trustworthy, and Hunter was anything but those things.Â
âIâll take it.â Hunter answered swiftly, draining the rest of his drink in a single gulp before setting the glass down on the bar. Then, he turned back to face Russell and added, âBut under one condition.â The moment those words came out of his mouth, he knew he was making the right decision. âI want Quinnâs consent. I want to hear how she feels about me taking over your legacy and marrying her in the future.â He continued on, his green eyes softening a little as he locked eyes with Quinn for a brief moment. âThe day she comes to me with her approval will be the day I make her Hunter Claringtonâs fiancĂŠe.â

















