Chapter3
1159 Words
Ava fidgeted with her hands, her eyes scanning the luxurious penthouse. She had never been in a place like this before. The furniture, floor-to-ceiling windows, and modern art pieces seemed to whisper wealth and sophistication.
Damien was standing by the window, staring out at the cityscape, his back to her. His silence made Ava's nervousness escalate.
"Mr. Silver...no, Damien," she corrected herself, trying to sound calm.
"I thought we were going to discuss the proposal?"
Damien didn't respond, he was so focused on his phone.
Ava shifted uncomfortably. What was he thinking? Did he approve of their arranged marriage? She took a deep breath and approached him.
"Damien, please. I need to know what you think about this."
He still didn't acknowledge her. His eyes remained fixed on his phone, his jaw clenched.
She cleared her throat, trying again. "Damien, I—"
"Give me a goddamn minute, woman!" he interrupted rudely.
Ava's words died on her lips. She retreated, feeling frustrated and embarrassed.
Damien’s continued silence made her wonder what had she gotten herself into.
Damien's fingers paused on his phone, and he finally turned to face her.
The silence between them spoke volumes. Ava's palms grew sweaty as she waited for him to speak.
"So, you're not what I expected," he said nonchalantly, checking her out and Ava almost scoffed.
"What did you expect?" she asked.
Damien's lips curled into a faint, enigmatic smile. "Someone more...polished, perhaps."
Ouch!
"Huh?"
"But you'll do. You're not exactly the type of woman I'm accustomed to," he said.
"And what's wrong with me?" she asked, feeling the anger boiling within her, extended to this handsome but extremely annoying piece of male meat.
Damien's smile twisted. "Your style, for starters. It's...unrefined. Not exactly the elegant, sophisticated look I prefer."
Ava felt embarrassed, her hands instinctively smoothing her rumpled dress. She hadn't expected this meeting, and certainly hadn't dressed for it. Her usual casual attire now felt embarrassingly inadequate and inconvenient for this kind of meeting.
Damien's eyes roamed over her, his gaze lingering on her outfit.
"You look like you just rolled out of bed and put on the first thing you found on the floor" he said, laughing really hard, I want to
"I...I wasn't expecting this meeting" she stammered.
Damien raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "That's obvious."
Ava clenched her jaw, stifling the retort that threatened to escape from her mouth. She wouldn't give Damien the pleasure of witnessing her frustrations.
"As you're aware, our marriage will be a business arrangement."
Ava nodded, familiar with the terms. I want to ensure we're on the same page. Review the folder i gave you, familiarize yourself with the specifics," he clarified. Ava pulled out the folder.
"Any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to ask."
"I understand the terms, Damien."
"I just want to ensure we're clear on the terms. List them out for me, Ava."
"Marriage, producing an heir to secure the Silver family legacy, and—"
Maverick interrupted. "Specifically, what does 'producing an heir' entail?"
"Having a child within two years of marriage, ensuring the continuation of the Silver family line.
"Damien nodded curtly. "And what about personal expectations?"
Ava swallowed hard. "Discretion, loyalty, and...no external relationships."
"Anything else?"
"Residing in the Silver's estate and participating in family events."
"Is that all?"
Ava double-checked her memory. "That's everything, as far as I can recall."
"Well...I have my own terms, separate from the original proposal." he said.
Damien handed her another contract.
"This outlines our personal agreement, beyond the business arrangement."
Ava scanned the pages, her eyes widening in disbelief.
"'No emotional attachment'?" she read aloud.
Damien nodded. "We'll maintain a professional distance. No entanglements."
"And 'no questions asked'?"
"About my business dealings, personal life, or past. You won't pry...not even in your wildest dreams."
"'Discretion' applies to both of us" Damien continued.
"No public scandals, no embarrassing the Silver family." he said and Ava nodded.
"'Separate quarters'?" she asked, surprised.
"We'll maintain separate living spaces within the estate. Privacy is essential."
"And what about...intimacy?"
"That's covered under 'fulfilling marital duties.' We'll do what's necessary to produce an heir."
"Would that be all?" she asked.
"One final condition before you sign."
"Outside relationships, I reserve the right to engage in extramarital activities, discreetly. However, you will maintain complete fidelity."
Ava's eyes widened in surprise.
"That's not fair to me."
"I'm protecting the Silver legacy. My indiscretions won't jeopardize our agreement, but yours could."
"This is unacceptable. Heavily biased!", she spat. How could you justify that?" she complained, emotions dripping from her words.
Damien shrugged. "Take it or leave it. This condition is non-negotiable."
"Moving on to intimacy. As outlined in the contract, we'll fulfill our marital duties to produce an heir," continued Damien, showing little or no care towards Ava's predicament.
"Yeah."
"Specifically, we'll schedule intimacy three times a week."
Ava's eyes widened in shock.
"Which days would you prefer?" Damien asked.
"I...I don't know." she stammered.
Damien raised an eyebrow. "You need to decide. Monday, Wednesday, Friday? Or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday?"
"How can you make this so...calculating and simple?"
Damien shrugged. "Efficiency is key. We're adults, Ava. We know what's expected."
Ava took a deep breath, trying to compose herself.
"Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday." she said finally.
"Noted. Those will be our designated nights."
Ava felt a shiver run down her spine.
"Any questions?" Damien asked and
Ava shook her head.
Maverick handed her a black pen. "Sign, please."
Ava took the pen, scanned the contract one last time and with a deep breath, she signed her name.
"It's official now." he said as he took the contract.
Damien handed her a copy. "For your records."
Ava took it...their arrangement was sealed.
"Now that the formalities are settled, we need to prepare for the wedding."
Ava nodded.
"A stylist will arrive shortly to help you choose a wedding gown and attire for the ceremony happening tonight."
Ava's eyes widened in surprise. "It's tonight?"
Damien nodded. "The wedding will take place tonight, by 8 PM."
"So soon? But I'm not prepared...isn't it rather too sudden and on short notice."
"You'll be ready, don't worry." he said and they both heard a knock on the door.
"Right on time." Damien said, rising from his seat.
"That'll be your stylist. I'll leave you to it." Damien exited the room.
An elegant woman entered, carrying designer luggage and a warm smile.
"Hello, Ava. I'm Sharon, your stylist for this graceful occasion. Let's get started, shall we?" She asked and Ava nodded.
"Don't worry, it's a small, intimate gathering, just Damien's immediate family and closest relatives," Sharon explained.
"Only family?"
Sharon nodded. "Roland wants to keep it private. No media, no public spectacle. Just a quiet, elegant ceremony."
Ava exhaled slowl
y. "Well, that's a relief."
She thought of informing Maya of this but doesn't know where to start from.
In just a few hours from now, she'll become a member of the esteemed Silver family.
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