Is this destiny?

When Arthur confirmed that he will offer compensation, Aiden's lips stretched into a smile in slow motion.

"Great! Let's hear it!"

Arthur didn't understand Aiden's enthusiastic comment. "Hear what?"

"Compensation. What are you going to give me in exchange for my help?", Aiden clarified.

Arthur was confused and he didn't know how to answer that question. "Uhm… what do you want?"

Aiden waved his finger in the air. "Mr. Payne, that is not how this works. You said that someone is attacking your family and your business and that those are the most important things in your life. We all know that if it's not serious, you would not be here. I want you to tell me, how much are your family and your business worth?"

Arthur's lips twitched. This… just what is this? Arthur said that the most important are his wife and daughter, and then his business. How can he put a price tag on that? OK. His business can be priced based on assets, but how can he put a number on people?

Sarah looked at Aiden with stars and hearts in her eyes. He cornered Arthur flawlessly. Her husband is amazing! 

Arthur's mind was swelling while trying to come up with an answer. Both Darlene and Gabriella are looking at him intently, waiting to hear his answer, and he knows that no answer will be good enough. If the price is too low, he will offend Aiden, and Darlene and Gabriella. But if the price is too high, isn't he shooting himself in the foot? 

The only thing he could come up with was: delay answering. "Shouldn't you see what the problem is and then tell me how much it will cost to get it fixed?"

"Whatever the problem is, with the right price, it can be fixed.", Aiden said smugly, and his gaze moved to Gabriella who was so far completely silent. "Isn't that right, Mrs. Payne?"

Gabriella nodded. What else can she do?

Aiden smiled. "I am happy that we have an understanding. Tell me, for you, how much are your husband, your daughter, and your business worth?"

Gabriella cleared her throat while her eyes darted toward Arthur. She was upset that Arthur is not answering, and now everyone is looking at her, eagerly expecting to hear her response. She came up with something that sounds right: "People don't have a price."

Aiden made a face. "In some parts of the world, they do. But I admire your point of view. I hope that you can clarify your answer: are you saying that people don't have a price because they are priceless or worthless?"

"Of course, priceless.", Gabriella said without missing a beat.

Aiden grinned and repeated her answer. "Priceless… So, even if you give me everything you own, it will not be enough?"

Arthur glared at Gabriella. How can she put them in this situation?

"Mr. White, please, be reasonable…", Arthur pleaded.

Aiden chuckled. "Mr. Payne… If you want reasonable, you should talk to my brother. If you did your research on the current master of the White family, you would find that Jeffrey negotiates and I… do not." Aiden narrowed his eyes at Arthur. "I see that you are not willing to make a deal. Do you think that we are running a charity here? You came here to waste my time."

Arthur panicked. If things end like this, it's not that they are not getting any help, but he also insulted Whites!

"Ten million!", Arthur blurted out.

Aiden lifted his eyebrow and pursed his lips. "Let's make it five million… each."

Arthur held his breath when he heard 'five million', but then that 'each' hit him like a sledgehammer. "What?"

"Five million, each.", Aiden repeated. "There are three of you and your business, so that makes it twenty million dollars."

"That is too much…", Arthur said under his breath.

"If you can't afford for everyone, then pick. Whose reputation will not be saved?", Aiden said coolly while gesturing toward Arthur, Gabriella, and Darlene. 

Arthur stared at Aiden and his mouth opened, but he was unable to come up with anything good to say.

He analyzed the situation. They reached the point where Aiden agreed to help him out, and knowing who the Whites are, Arthur is confident that Aiden can make all that negative publicity to go away with a snap of his fingers. However, the price is too much. Twenty million? They have a massive villa, and a vacation house, and cars, and boats, and… but everything is under loans, so even though their lifestyle is extravagant, he does not have much money on hand. He can sell the vacation house, but after the bank takes its share, and he pays mandatory fees, he will not be left with much. His only option is to cut costs.

Arthur's eyes landed on Darlene. The articles about her are only gossip. She can survive a few small scandals here-and-there. In no time, new scandals will come up and everyone will forget about her partying and drugs and… he smiled. Yes, that will work. He just saved himself five million dollars.

"Don't you dare!", Darlene hissed at Arthur. "You will leave me in the mud while you clean yourself to look like a saint!? Try that and I will make sure to drag you in the mud with me!"

Arthur ignored Darlene. His gaze moved to Gabriella and he thought how her business is useless anyway. Who cares if people know that she had surgeries to fix her skin and remove fat? Yes, he can eliminate her as well. He just saved himself another five million dollars… and he is back to his original price of ten million dollars!

"Arthur!", Gabrielle bolted on her feet and pointed her finger at Arthur angrily. "You bastard! Are you really going to leave me hanging? After all the years that I stayed by your side and smiled while pretending that I don't know about you screwing around, this is what I get!?"

Aiden lifted his hand to get their attention. "You can settle that at home, right? We don't need to witness this." Aiden looked at Arthur. "I advise you to go home and have a talk with the two most important women in your life. Let me know your decision but don't take too long because… the clock is ticking."

"Of course, Mr. White. I apologize…" Arthur stood up and extended his hand to Aiden, for a handshake. "Thank you for your time and generosity. I will get back to you shortly."

"Just a moment…" Aiden ignored Arthur's hand and looked at Sarah. "Love, do you agree with this?"

Sarah pursed her lips and frowned in displeasure.

Sarah's eyes fell on Darlene. "Miss Payne insulted me yesterday, and today she insulted our children."

"Darlene will apologize.", Arthur said nervously.

Sarah's chin shook and she looked like she is about to burst into sobs any minute. "Mr. Payne, do you think that saying sorry can fix things? I was in distress for more than an hour after your daughter left our house yesterday, and you saw how scared our kids were today. This requires more than words..."

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