Chapter 5
986 Words
Cassandra
The word hung in the air long after Richard spoke it.
Marry me.
Cassie blinked once. Twice. Surely she had misheard him. Terry looked between them like a spectator at a tennis match, his face draining of color.
“You’re joking,” Cassie said finally, her voice thin.
Richard didn’t smile. “I do not joke about contracts.”
The room suddenly felt smaller, and the air thinner. “This isn’t funny,” Terry stepped forward. “You said you’d negotiate, not—not this.”
“I am negotiating,” Richard replied coolly. “Two million dollars erased. No repayment schedule. No interest. No legal pursuit. In exchange for one year of marriage.”
“One year?” Cassie echoed.
“Yes.” He clasped his hands behind his back like a man presenting quarterly earnings. “A contractual arrangement. It’s publicly beneficial for the company’s image.”
Her stomach turned. “You want to parade me around like a trophy?”
“I want,” he corrected smoothly, “a respectable wife.”
Terry’s fists clenched. “Leave her out of this. I’ll sign anything. I’ll transfer my intellectual property. I’ll—”
“You already signed something, Terence,” Richard cut in sharply. “And look where that got you.”
Silence fell. Cassie felt the weight of that statement settle between them. She stepped forward slowly until she stood directly in front of Richard.
“No,” she said. “I will not marry you.” There it was. She hoped her tone sounded as firm as she wanted.
He arched a brow. “No?” Richard’s expression didn’t change, but something behind his eyes hardened. “Then your brother’s debt stands.”
Terry inhaled sharply. Cassie didn’t look away from Richard. “You’d destroy him over pride?”
“You destroyed me over pride,” he replied evenly.
The words struck her. Hard. For a split second, something akin to old pain flickered across his face. It was gone before she could take a closer look. Cassie swallowed. “This isn’t about the money,” she said quietly. “Is it?”
“No,” he agreed. “It isn’t.” The truth sat naked between them.
Terry stepped in front of Cassie protectively. “You can’t force her.”
“I’m not forcing anyone,” Richard replied calmly. “I am offering terms. Decline them if you wish.”
“And if we do?” Cassie asked.
“Your brother will face legal consequences. Asset seizure. Lawsuit. Public record. Bankruptcy. Perhaps even a criminal investigation, depending on how aggressively my board wishes to proceed.”
Terry’s face paled. Cassie felt something inside her snap. “You’d ruin him.”
“I would enforce a contract.” Richard shrugged.
“You’re not this cruel.”
A dangerous smile touched his lips. “You would be surprised what I became.”
The air thickened. Terry’s voice shook. “Cass, don’t even think about it.”
She didn’t answer him. Instead, she studied Richard. He stood composed, immaculate, untouchable. But she saw it now, beneath the polish. He wasn’t as unaffected as he’d like to show. His tight jaw, shallow breathing and slightly curled fingers all point to one thing. He wanted her to refuse, so he could punish her. But he also wanted her to choose him.
That realisation unsettled her more than the proposal itself had.
“One year?” she asked quietly.
Richard’s eyes sharpened. “Yes.”
“No physical obligation,” she added immediately.
A flicker of…what? Surprise? Amusement? “I am not interested in forcing you,” he said smoothly.
“And the debt will be cleared in full.”
“Yes.”
“Terry remains unharmed. No retaliation. No professional sabotage. I want it put into writing.”
He held her gaze. “Agreed.”
Terry turned to her in disbelief. “Cassie, no. Absolutely not.”
She finally looked at her brother. His shoulders were slumped. Shame etched deep into his face. She remembered packing his school lunches when their mother worked double shifts. How she defended him from bullies. Remembered promising she’d always protect him. This was no different except that the cost was higher.
She faced Richard again. “You will treat this as business. Nothing more.”
“Of course,” he said.
“Draw up the contract.”
Terry grabbed her arm. “Cass—”
“It’s fine,” she said softly. “I’ve handled worse.”
Richard watched her closely. For a second, something like admiration crossed his face. Then it vanished. “I’ll have the documents prepared tonight,” he said. “The wedding will be small. Private. Legally binding.”
“When?” she asked.
“This week.”
Her pulse stumbled. “That’s insane.”
“So was your accident,” he replied, the words seemingly slipping from him before he could take them back.
Her eyes narrowed. “What does that mean?”
He studied her, then shook his head. “Nothing. Not yet. I'm looking into it.”
Unease crawled down her spine. He stepped toward the door. “Think carefully, Cassandra. Once signed, there is no retreat.”
She met his gaze without flinching. “I don’t run.”
His lips curved slightly. “I know.”
When the door closed behind him, silence swallowed the room. Terry rounded on her, eyes searching hers. “You can’t sacrifice yourself like this.”
She laughed softly, trying to convince both of them. “Relax. It’s just a year.”
“You don’t know him anymore.”
But her heart remembered. And that scared her more than anything. She turned toward the window, watching Richard’s car disappear down the drive.
One year, she told herself.
Just one year.
But something in her chest whispered dangerously. This was never going to be just business.
- Writer
