The Last Option
Chapter Sixty-Two: Arousing Interest

Phil couldn't believe how quickly Bernard had made contact with Rebecca, and apparently he had followed his recommendations to pass himself off as someone important. The only thing that puzzled him was the fact that Bernard had mentioned Nathan and the company to Rebecca, and so he played along with the game of meeting him halfway and only for business purposes, lest he screw up and ruin his plan.

For her part, Rebecca had returned to the table with a better face. She could now accept Bernard come a little closer to her, but only to find out how much of a millionaire he was, and whether it was good for her to have him around. The problem now was that her friend had already asked him for her, and she was undecided whether to let him to her or not, as the guy was really handsome. If she reflected a bit, he was making an effort to like her, so maybe his interest was focused on her and not Bernadette.

If that was the case, screw her friend. All in all, one less friend wouldn't make a difference, and even more so when she left that country. She'll find others along the way.

"Excuse me, I was refreshing myself," Rebecca said, sitting back down.

"In the middle of lunch?" Bernadette wondered, suspecting what she might have done in the restroom. "You should have at least waited to finish."

"Never mind," Rebecca said. "I'm not very hungry anyway."

"But you haven't eaten hardly anything," said Bernard.

"Leave her alone," Bernadette said with a wave. "She's a little strange sometimes."

Rebecca gave her friend a sidelong glance and ignored her. She preferred to focus on her new target.

"Tell us, Bernard, is there a Mrs. Sullivan?" Rebecca asked, a little more relaxed. "A man like you can't be alone."

"Are you serious?" Bernard asked, a little surprised by the question, "Are the two most beautiful women I've seen so far asking me that, and apparently alone too? What's wrong with us men?"

"It's strange, isn't it?" Bernadette commented. "To find us all here in the same situation. All single."

"I didn't say I was single," said Bernard seriously.

The two girls looked at each other for a few seconds and both wiped the smile off their faces, thinking he was going to tell them he was married, or at least engaged to someone.

Bernard burst out laughing.

"I see you were serious," he said with a chuckle. "Believe it or not, I've never been married, nor do I have anyone at the moment. I'm trying to get over my last breakup. She didn't like me working so much, and that's why she left me." There was a brief, almost imperceptible expression of relief on Bernadette's and Rebecca's faces, which Bernard did catch, which caused him a bit of amusement, but he tried not to let it show as much as it did to his friends.

"In my case, I'm lonely because I've only been approached by idiots," Rebecca commented. "And I can't stand idiots. That's why I'm alone."

"Well, I was with someone who didn't value me," Bernadette said, "so maybe he falls into that idiot category too."

"Yes, they are idiots then," Bernard said. "I hope I don't fall into that category."

"In your case, idiot would be the one who dumped you," Rebecca said, mischievously. "You don't look like the idiot type."

"Thank you," Bernard said, pretending to feel a little embarrassed. "I've always thought that I'm the one who fails in relationships because I work so hard."

"Surely the girls don't want to be on par with you and work alongside you in your company," Bernadette said, trying to overshadow Rebecca, since she already knew that her friend loved to travel and not dedicate herself to the family business. "Many just want to travel and enjoy their men's money, without caring where they get it from or how much it has cost them to earn it. Don't you think so, Rebecca?"

"Certainly," she said, a little uncomfortable with the comment. "But not all of us are like that. You'll find someone willing to work with you."

Bernard liked the way things were going. He didn't know what had changed Rebecca Hicks' mind, who was now a little "nicer", but he had to take advantage of the fact that she was now a little more accessible to continue with his plan. Perhaps her role as the millionaire who knew her brother convinced her that he wasn't a phony, and hence her change of attitude. But whatever it was, he had to take advantage of it.

"Guys, what do you want to do after we get out of here?" Bernadette asked, drastically changing the subject. Apparently her friend was trying to flirt with Bernard, and this time she was not willing to give in to her, as she was the more aggressive of the two when it came to conquering men. She would use the next few hours to get to know Bernard better and decide whether to leave him to her or not. From the looks of it, he was worth fighting for.

"I'm open to suggestions," Bernard said, finishing his plate. "I don't know anything here. You will be my guides, and I'm in your hands."

"We've already visited the aquarium, and we recommend it," said Rebecca. "We'll take you to see it. Then we'll see what we'll do."

"Options will come up," said Bernadette. "This is a big city with lots to see and do."

"All right," Bernard agreed. "But first let me go drop this off at the hotel," he pointed to the suit holder with the Armani suit he had bought. "I don't want to carry this in my hands all day." "Very well," Rebecca said. "Let's go."

Bernard paid for the meal and then went with him to leave the suit in his room at the Burj Khalifa. They spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the Dubai Mall, which you don't end up walking through in a day because of its size. They visited the aquarium, which was impressively large, and finally decided to see a movie, choosing one starring Tom Cruise.

When they left the cinema, around ten o'clock at night, they decided to go to the lake in front of the Burj Khalifa to talk some more. The view was spectacular, and Bernard loved it immediately. The girls were showing him around like tour guides and Bernard felt really comfortable with them. He liked the change in Rebecca's attitude, which was gaining on her friend, who in turn was trying harder to please him. Bernard felt they were competing for him, feeling that he had already achieved part of the goals of his plan, but he already had his mind made up on who he would go for.

From the very beginning.

He just hoped Bernadette wasn't really delusional about him, and he wouldn't want her to go out with a broken heart. He could tell that the girl was not malicious at all like Rebecca Hicks, whom Bernard suspected, as he hoped, that ambition and the desire to have more fortune would make her change her mind about him. But would she be willing to marry? If she wasn't with anyone else up to that point, why would she do it with him? She had some questions in her head about it, but that was the main question.

And it was the only one that interested him and that he intended to answer, before going ahead with his plan.

For her part, Rebecca was a little confused about how to handle herself with Bernard. The guy was handsome, and he wasn't like her traditional lovers, mostly pimps and profiteers. She had very rarely had lovers of her own social standing and the affair was always short-lived, but never one engaged in the same business as her family.

She still had a lot to think about and reflect on regarding him. First she would try to see if he could work for her as a lover, and then as a business partner. If things went well, then she would be willing to consider increasing the family wealth with a union of convenience, for with the way Louis Randall was running Southern Hilltop Gold, there might soon be nothing left of it. If Bernard Sullivan was as good a businessman as he looked, he would be a very good addition to the family, and she would fight to bring him to the head of the company, taking the place that Nathan should never have left so tragically.

So she already had a possible plan of action drawn up for him. All she needed to know was whether he was really interested in her, or in her friend Bernadette.

And she had the way to find out: by being direct, as always.

It was Sunday. The next day Barnadette would go to her work, so she would take the opportunity, after Bernard went to his business appointment as he had said, to find out if he would be interested in her, or in her friend, even though they had only known each other for a few hours.

And if he wasn't, she would see to it that he was.