The Billionaires Trap

Chapter7: The Proposition

The room was too still. I could hear the click of the wall clock in the hallway, far off but somehow louder than my breath. Leo stood across from me, his face unreadable, arms no longer folded but loose by his side.

“I want to offer you a preposition,” he said, steady and quiet, looking at me intently for a reaction. He said it was like he was reading a script he’d rehearsed too many times.

I blinked, not sure if I heard him correctly. I looked up at him, my palms grew sweaty, and my voice became momentarily speechless.

“What... "What kind of proposition?” I said softly, more confused than ever. I hated the way my voice trembled.

He didn’t smile. Didn’t shift. Leo didn’t answer right away. He turned and walked slowly to the coffee table around the corner.

His movements were careful, like he didn’t want to startle the silence. He picked up a brown envelope and gently placed it in front of me.

"Amara, I'm going to go straight to the point," he said in a straightforward and calm manner.

It might sound crazy, but "The document I'm showing you is a marriage contract.

He spoke clearly and directly, without beating around the bush, and his calm demeanor made the shocking proposal seem almost insignificant.

The air in my lungs vanished.

"The thing is, he just kept going... I'm on the brink of losing a deal that could change everything for me."

“Hawthorne Capital” is a big business deal that I've been working on for four whole years. I've put in a lot of effort, time, and hard work to get to this point.

If I succeed, it will be a huge achievement and a big milestone for my company.

But if I fail, it will be a huge disappointment. I've invested so much of myself in this, and I really want to see it through.

He kept his eyes on mine, but they thought I was too cold, too distant. They want someone who looks settled, someone with a family. Someone grounded, and they do not think I am one of those?

And right now, they’re about to hand everything I’ve built to a business rival.”

So here’s what I’m asking: for the next five years, we act like we’re married. In public. For appearances only. Some media coverage. A few staged photos. Nothing real. Just something that looks real.”

And I will compensate you financially for it.

I stared at him like he’d grown two heads,

He was just comforting me a while ago, and now he's asking a stranger to pretend to be his wife. It was so sudden and confusing!"

“You’re joking, right.”

“I don’t joke.” His voice didn't shake, and the seriousness on his face indicated that he was not joking.

I could only laugh—a breathless, stunned sound that felt ugly on my tongue. “You want me to marry you.”

Is that what you are saying? I said calmly, in order to avoid overreacting.

You do not know me, and vice versa,

“And you think I’m... what, a tree?”

"Was saving me just a way for you to get something in return?"

“No,” he said quickly, defending himself, and something flickered in his eyes. “You’re a storm that survived itself." And people admire survival.”

You are not a part of my world—no baggage, interference, or corporate entanglements. You're not connected to me or anyone else, so I can rely on you without worrying about any hidden motives.

Unpredictable, yes, but refreshing. Since we're not close, there's less risk of real feelings getting in the way of the arrangement...

That's what he keeps telling himself."

"I was disgusted by the things he was saying to me.

How could he ask me to marry him?

It feels like he's being really insensitive and selfish, asking someone he barely knows to enter into a contractual marriage. His reasons just don't add up."

I became uneasy about what he was saying, and I wanted to leave.

“And is that why you saved me on that train track?” I asked, my heart racing with emotion. Was this the plan all along? Find a broken girl, put her in pretty clothes, parade her in front of your investors—”

Is that what you go around doing?

My voice shook with a mix of anger and pain as I realized I'd been played.

I thought someone had genuinely helped me out of kindness, but it turned out I was just a pawn in his game.

Were you watching me all this while?...

“No,” he interrupted, and for the first time, his voice cracked ever so slightly. I promise you it was a coincidence. “I didn’t even know your name. You were just... there. And I was just a man who couldn’t walk away.”

He stepped closer, his shadow merging with mine across the tile.

"I didn't save you for this reason. But after hearing about your past and seeing how much you've struggled, I thought maybe we could help each other.

We're both struggling, and maybe together, we can find a way to get through it."

I didn’t know what to say. His honesty and audacity were too bare, too close. It made my ribs feel tight. My mouth was dry. My thoughts spun.

I looked down at the envelope again. I could see the outline of typed pages through the paper, neat and clinical.

Like it could solve all of my life's problems.

But then I remembered Andrew’s face in my head again. The ring he gave me. The day he disappeared. The headlines announcing his wedding to someone else. My stomach turned.

“I already gave my life to a man’s ambition once,” I whispered. And it shattered everything I had. My pride. My dream. My name.”

Leo looked at me, eyes narrowed but not harsh.

To be honest, I was not expecting a quick response, so I understand, you can take your time and give it some serious thought.

"I won't rush you. “This isn't an ambition. It’s survival. For both of us.”

Whenever you change your mind, I will be here.

That last word—change your mind —echoed.

My hands were shaking. I didn’t even notice I was crying until a tear hit my shirt collar.

I am grateful to you for saving me, but you are no different from Andrew, who used me.

I pushed my chair back from the dining table, the legs screeching softly against the tiled floor.

I couldn't help but think about the things I had shared with him earlier, and now I deeply regret opening up to him about my struggles…

The thought of having shared so much with him made me feel exposed and vulnerable, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that I had made a mistake by trusting him with my struggle.

If you don’t mind, I think I should be on my way.”

Leo’s eyes locked on mine for a bit—calm, unreadable.

“No problem, then.”

He reached across the table and handed me my phone. “Here’s your phone. ""I really wish you'd think this through,” he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. “If you like, I can ask the driver to take you.”

“No, I don’t need that.” I shook my head quickly, the words coming out sharper than I meant. “I’m fine." I just… I need to leave now.”

My hands wouldn’t stop trembling. Every corner of that house felt like it was closing in on me. Ever since Leo mentioned the wedding contract, something inside me had shifted—turned raw. The air felt thick, like I couldn’t breathe properly unless I got out.

I turned toward the door.

Then, my phone rang.

The screen lit up with an unfamiliar number.

I answered without thinking.

The moment I heard the voice on the line, my knees went weak—and I screamed.