Chapter 4: The Second Offer
1337 Words
That evening, Leah couldn’t breathe inside the house anymore.
The walls felt too tight.
Too heavy with fear.
So she walked.
The city buzzed around her—cars passing, strangers laughing, lights glowing from restaurants and expensive stores.
Normal life continued while hers quietly fell apart.
Her phone vibrated again. It was Daniel.
She stared at the screen for several seconds before answering.
“Hey,” his soft voice came through immediately.
Leah closed her eyes briefly. Just hearing him hurt now.
“Hi.”
“You disappeared all day.”
“I know.”
“Are you okay?”
No.
Not even close.
But she didn’t know how to explain the chaos inside her anymore.
“I’m trying to be.”
Daniel sighed softly.
“Where are you?”
“Just walking.”
“Alone?”
“Yes.”
A pause.
“I’m coming.” He broke the silence.
“Daniel, you don’t have to......”
“Send me your location.”
The firmness in his tone made her chest ache.
Because no matter how broken things became...
Daniel still showed up. Always.
Leah sent the location quietly before slipping her phone back into her bag.
She stopped near a quiet bridge overlooking the water, hugging her coat tighter against the cold breeze.
A black luxury car slowly pulled up nearby.
Leah frowned immediately.
Her stomach sank before the driver’s door even opened.
Steve.
Of course it was him.
He stepped out calmly, adjusting his cuffs like appearing wherever she went was completely normal.
Leah stared at him incredulously.
“Are you following me now?”
“No.”
“Then how did you find me?”
His expression remained unreadable.
“You’re easier to find than you think.”
That answer only annoyed her more.
“What do you want?”
Steve stepped closer, his gaze calm but intense.
“To make you another offer.”
Leah laughed bitterly.
“You already offered to buy my life. What else is left?”
A flicker crossed his eyes at her words.
But it vanished quickly.
“This arrangement benefits you more than anyone else,” he said.
“You mean it benefits you.”
“If that were true,” he replied smoothly, “I wouldn’t still be standing here trying to convince you.”
Leah folded her arms tightly.
“You barely know me.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.”
The quiet certainty in his voice made her uneasy again.
Before she could ask what he meant, another voice cut sharply through the tension.
“Get away from her.”
Daniel.
Leah turned quickly to see him approaching, anger written all over his face.
Steve remained completely calm.
Daniel stepped beside Leah protectively.
“So you’re Steve Gross.”
Steve gave a slight nod.
“And you must be Daniel.”
Leah’s eyes widened slightly.
How did he know Daniel’s name?
Daniel noticed too.
His jaw tightened.
“You seem to know a lot about people.”
“I prefer preparation.”
Daniel let out a humorless laugh.
“No. Men like you prefer control.”
The air instantly became tense.
Leah looked between them nervously.
Steve’s gaze remained fixed on Daniel.
“And what exactly do you offer her?” he asked calmly.
Daniel frowned.
“What?”
“Love?” Steve continued coolly. “Promises? Hope?”
Each word sounded dangerously dismissive.
Daniel stepped forward immediately.
“At least I’m not trying to buy her.”
Steve's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Of course you're not trying to buy her," he said calmly. "You simply can't afford to."
Those words struck Daniel like a punch to the chest. . He dashed at Steve but was drawn back by Leah.
"Stop! What are you trying to do? Are you out of your mind? You want to get yourself in trouble? Did you think about what fighting him would cost you? Daniel please...... I beg you in God's name, don't try this again."
"It's best you listen to her, for your own good." Steve said in a prideful tone as he adjusted his collar.
Daniel was enraged and helpless at the same time, he didn't know what to do or where to begin.
Maybe he should just let go Leah.
No.
There's no way on earth, at least not in this lifetime, that he'd do that.
Leah is his.
Or so he thought.
"Alright miss Chang, let me know when you've made your decision. Here is my card." Steve tucked his card into her coat pocket before stepping back.
Leah neither reacted nor responded. She just stood at the spot as she watched him walk into his car and drive off.
She was actually considering taking this offer after all.
How tempting.
Daniel turned to her. "I'm really sorry for all that transpired, I didn't mean to add to your distress."
Silence.
"Are you listening at all? Leah!"
He tapped her and she shuddered.
"Ye... Yes.... I can hea... You were saying?"
"Are you okay? Yeah, of course you're not. I'm really sorry. You can stay at my place tonight if you want. You shouldn't be alone right now."
"No, thanks. I'd pass" she said forcing a smile. "It's a good thing you came. We should talk."
"Alright. I'm all ears."
"Good. So, I've been doing a lot of thinking and I figured there's no other way out of this whole situation."
"No Leah, you really don't have to marry that man."
"I know, but I need to. I mean, he's the only solution to our problem. If I get married to him, all our debts will be cleared and our company will be back on board; I wouldn't also have to worry about......"
"Of course it's all about you. How about me, Leah? How about all we shared and still share? How about the promises we made to each other? The future we planned together? Think about all of this, Leah. You just want to let go so easily? Come on, babe."
"You need to understand me, Daniel. I didn't pray for any of these. This situation is not one I can easily just navigate. Steve is the only way out. This is bigger than you think. You need to know that love is not enough this time." She was sobbing.
"I wish none of this was real, I wish it was all a dream. I don't know why all of this is happening to me. My whole world is crashing."
"It's okay."
"No, it's not. Don't tell me that."
"We'd figure it out together."
"Figure out what exactly? I have less than 60 hours to decide. Whether to let my family get dragged to the mud or bring them out of this huge mess."
"I really love you, Leah. I don't ever want to lose you. You mean the world to me."
"That's not what this is about. I do love you as much as you do love me, but we need to do what's best for us."
"Which is?"
Leah took a shaky breath.
"Daniel..."
Her voice broke.
"I think we need to let each other go."
Daniel stared at her as if she had slapped him.
"What?"
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"If I choose my family, I lose you. If I choose you, I lose my family."
"Then choose me," he whispered.
Leah closed her eyes.
"I can't."
Daniel stood frozen as Leah slowly removed the promise ring he had given her three years ago.
The ring felt heavier than it should have.
Three years ago, Daniel had slipped it onto her finger beneath the old oak tree behind their high school and promised he would never leave her.
Back then, forever had seemed so easy.
With trembling fingers, she placed it in his palm.
"Goodbye, Daniel."
The world seemed to stop.
Because for the first time, he realized she wasn't choosing another man.
She was choosing survival.
And there was nothing he could do to stop her.
- Writer
