The Numbers That Brought Our Fates Together Chapter 182: Unwelcomed Guest.

Elena looked at her watch, the working day about to be over, and she would gladly go home since only God knew how much time David's meeting would last. But, she herself was waiting for the last meeting, which was not the most pleasant thing on her schedule.

She picked up the phone and wanted to dial Corey's number. A smile appeared on the girl's face when her display lit up from an incoming call before she took the first step. Elena chuckled that they had read each other's thoughts and brought the phone to her ear, "Hello."

"El, hi! I hope I'm not disturbing?" Corey asked, her voice sounded more joyful than usual. Elena understood that her magical kick worked as it should.

"Darling, you know me, if I'm really busy, I just won't pick up the phone," the girl leaned back in her leather chair, took off her shoes and put her legs on the table. Ideally, she would prefer to lie down on the sofa and take a nap, because thanks to her husband, last night was sleepless for her. Although, it's not that she was against that …

"Are you still in the office?"

"Yes, still here. David has a business meeting in one of the conference rooms, so he is still busy. Moreover, Carter should come any minute, so I can't go anywhere anyway," Elena sighed. If she could, she would cancel it, but business is business.

"Ew, does this moron still have the conscience to appear before you? Ugh, he annoyed me from the first moment I saw him," Corey replied, full of indignation. Elena immediately remembered how her friend pulled him to pieces when she found out about his reputation as an avid womanizer. Corey did not like such people the most.

But what both girls did not know was the man's fetish in relation to married ladies. To charm a married woman, subjugate her will and make her a slave to console his sexual fantasies – this approach was this man's favorite strategy.

He received incomparable pleasure when the wife of an influential businessman or politician became his personal toy and did everything to please him both in bed and in business. In part, his impressive financial condition was formed at the expense of such women who gladly shared the secrets of their husbands with him and registered their financial assets on his name, so that he would not interrupt this vicious relationship with them.

Philip Carter sincerely believed that every woman subconsciously desires submission, and the tougher he will be, the stronger her affection will be. Maybe that's why he was so turned on by a tough nut Elena Anderson. The more she resisted, the more he wanted to subdue her. It didn't even occur in the man's head that he might just be not a person whom the girl is interested in.

"Yes, you remember that Harry scheduled his appointment with me today, so I just have to tolerate this man a little more and we will no longer cross. I just don't want him to spread bad things, the incident with the gallery wasn't pleasant anyway," Elena commented, "By the way, did you take your phone from that fireman?" The girl chose to change the subject to a more interesting one.

"Damn it, I completely forgot!" Corey shouted, Elena smirked. No doubt, her friend's evening was very eventful.

"Oh, I see someone had a stormy night," she teased her, "And how was it?"

"Don't even think that I will tell you the details! This is too embarrassing! But-"

"But what?" Elena interrupted Corey, she knew that Corey was utterly embarrassed.

"God, that was top-notch," Corey replied, and Mrs. Anderson was sure that her friend had a smile past her ears. But who exactly shone now with joy, like a New Year tree, was Daniel.

Elena has repeatedly witnessed David teasing his older brother in this matter, and when she asked him why he was doing this, her husband was just commenting with a smirk that it was an act of small revenge for the years that Daniel had been mocking him. Still, love between brothers was sometimes expressed in strange forms.

"Mmmm. That's it, today, at 10 P.M. At my place! You'll tell me all the details!" Elena laughed and hung up, not waiting for Corey to answer.

After a little thought, she sent a message to her friend that she would ask Jun to bring the children immediately to their home because she knew that Corey would definitely come for her daughter and would not be able to escape from her insidious questions. After that, she sent Daniel the same invitation, confident that the man would not miss this chance, no matter what he was busy with.

'Hehe, the evening is promising to be entertaining,' Elena laughed to herself; even the Grinch would envy her sly smile. Sometimes, she herself wondered where she had this from. Apparently, close communication with the Anderson brothers was not a waste of time.

A knock on the door instantly brought her back to working mode, she lowered her legs from the table, straightened her blouse and answered with maximum seriousness in her voice, "Come in."

The secretary went into the office with a tablet in his hands, adjusted the gold frame of his glasses and reported with his usual coldness and efficiency, "Madam, I sent you a schedule for the next two days to your e-mail. Tomorrow you will have a meeting with the board of trustees of the orphanage that Lenali Enterprise is overseeing, and two interviews about charity work and the opening of five rehabilitation centers for children with disabilities in South America and Asia. And yes, Mr. Carter is looking forward to seeing you in the lobby."

"Harry, can you tell him I'm not here already?" Elena looked at the secretary with an imploring look.

The man was silent, not a single muscle on his face flinched under the pressure of the puppy eyes of his charming boss. He inclined his head slightly, the corners of his lips lifted into a faint smile, but before Elena could breathe a sigh of relief, the man returned to his usual appearance, "No."

"Tsk, there's no fun with your principled work approach," the girl grumbled, "Okay, I was joking. Call him here."

"I'll take that as a compliment, Madam," Harry answered, opened the door of Elena's office and invited Philip Carter to go inside.

The first thing Elena saw was a huge bouquet of flowers. It was so huge that she was surprised at how it squeezed in through the door. The guest turned out to be prudent and brought with him not only flowers but also a large vase. One of the assistants brought a bouquet, the second brought a vase. He put it on the floor and set the bouquet in water. After which the men bowed and left, giving way to the main guest.

"Oh, my dear Elena! You are becoming more charming and more beautiful every day! I hope you enjoy my gift. This exquisite vase is the work of the famous Chinese craftsman, Shu Wei, and it is worth two million dollars. It is one of a kind, just like you," the man raised his eyebrows playfully, "I'm sure you will appreciate it."

"Thank you, Mr. Carter. The vase is beautiful, like flowers, but I'm not sure that I can accept such an expensive present from you, after all, it's Shu Wei himself," Elena answered, imitating a grateful smile. She did not say that Uncle Shu Wei was one of her father's best friends and that almost all the porcelain in their house was made by him. Including a cat bowl.

"No need to thank me, to give pleasure to a woman is an ordinary thing for me. And you deserve the best gifts," the man sat in a chair opposite Elena's table and did not take his eyes off her.

"Mr. Carter, if you don't mind, let's get down to business right away. It's evening already, I don't want to detain you," the girl replied, although it was Carter that he asked for a meeting to apologize to her.

"Elena, I have asked you so many times to call me Philip. And you're right, it's already evening, so how about continuing our conversation in some cozy restaurant?" the man suggested.

Elena mentally rolled her eyes, she no longer tried to ask the man not to be so informal, she wanted to patch things up quickly and go home to the children since David wrote to her that he would not be free in the next hour.

"Philip, since you're here, let's not waste our time and discuss everything here," the girl made it clear that she was not interested in his proposal.

Something flashed in the man's eyes, he unbuttoned the button of his jacket and assumed an imposing pose, as if the chair was his personal throne in the royal residence, "Well, I don't mind discussing everything here. But as you know, this is a rather sensitive issue, so could your secretary leave us alone?" Carter shot Harry a contemptuous look, but the secretary did not even raise an eyebrow.

Elena thought and decided not to play with the mood of the man, in the end, it was her office and her company, he is unlikely to behave as expressively as in the gallery. The girl looked at the secretary and nodded her head, "Harry, leave me and Mr. Carter alone. It will not take much time."

Harry looked at Philip with an estimating look, turned and left the office.

"You need to fire this secretary, he is behaving too arrogantly for such a position," Carter said, he did not like the look that some insignificant little man dropped at him.

"The qualifications of my staff have nothing to do with our affairs, Mr. Carter," Elena answered coldly. Whatever she herself said about Harry's self-confidence, she would not allow outsiders to insult her subordinates. "As far as I remember, you came here to apologize?" The girl's look was full of confidence.

Carter mentally licked his lips, her attitude excited him. For him, she was like a cold and impregnable queen, and the man was sure that inside this woman a hot fire was burning, so exciting and seductive.

He leaned across the table and grabbed the girl by the hand, "Elena, I asked to call me Philip," said the man in a low voice, his eyes were concentrated on her lips, "And yes, I apologize for my behavior three days ago. I was off my center."

Elena tried to pull her hand out, but the man's grip was as strong as a vise. She didn't like it.

"What should I do for you so you can forgive me for my rudeness? Believe me, I'm capable of much, you won't regret it." Although his words sounded like a request, his gaze resembled that of a predator looking at his prey with lust.

Elena felt that his grip was weakened, and immediately grabbed her hand. The girl got up from the table and headed for the door, "Mr. Carter, I accept your apologies. I think this is where our cooperation comes to an end, thank you for the mutual work. It's too late, so I ask you to leave my offi-"

No sooner had the girl grabbed the handle to open the door and escort the unwanted guest when her hand was sharply pulled to the side, she staggered, and the next moment she was already pressed with her back against the wall, the body of the man pressed her with its weight.

Elena gasped in surprise, "Wh-what … what are you doing?! Let me go now, otherwise I'll call the security!"

Carter grabbed the girl by the neck and slowly squeezed it, "Are you sure you will be heard? As far as I know, the walls in this office are soundproof," he leaned toward her face, and a wave of disgust passed through Elena's body when she felt his breath next to her ear, "Baby, don't pretend to be so resistant, we are alone and I see that you like it."

He tightened his grip on her neck, and the girl began to choke. "I know that people like you prefer male dominants, and believe me, I will be the best Dom you have ever met."

"Do not dare to include me in your perverted fantasies! You are disgusting to me!" Elena croaked and tried to push the man away, but he grabbed her hands and squeezed her wrists. She understood that as a man he was stronger than her, but did not expect him to be so strong. Like a stone colossus, he did not move an inch.

"Oh, you can't even imagine what a perverse fantasy I have on your account. I'm sure you will appreciate it," and the man leaned to her lips.

Elena flinched and nearly jumped in place. Harry and Carter looked at the girl in surprise. The secretary noticed she thought deeply for a moment, and then came to her senses.

"Madam, is everything all right?" he asked, as the girl's face looked pale.

"Ah, yes. Everything is all right," Elena answered in a bewildered voice and began to correct things on her desk, 'What just happened?' She looked from the table to the man standing opposite.

Carter gave her his charming smile, "Well, I hope you will appreciate it."

"Wh-what?" Elena asked him, not fully understanding what was going on.

"The vase. The work of the famous Shu Wei. I am sure you will like this gift," the man repeated his words.

Elena looked from Carter to the vase, then back to Carter.

'Somehow it … It can't be,' the girl thought in shock but decided to test her crazy idea.

"Thank you, Mr. Carter. It is beautiful, like flowers, but I'm not sure that I can accept such an expensive present from you, after all, it's Shu Wei himself." Elena repeated her words exactly as in the vision she had just seen.

If her assumption was true, then the next thing he will say and do will be…

"No need to thank me, to give pleasure to a woman is an ordinary thing for me. And you deserve the best gifts," the man sat in a chair opposite Elena's table and did not take his eyes off her.

Damn it. The girl closed her eyes and took a breath.

Without a doubt, she just saw her future.