Chapter Three: The Proposal
886 Words
Ava barely slept.
Not because of the gala.
Not because of Ethan Blake.
But because of the number that kept replaying in her mind.
“Enough to save your company.”
She hated needing help.
Especially from someone like him.
Powerful.
Calculating.
Unreadable.
By eight-thirty the next morning, she was unlocking the door to Bennett Events, the tiny office she had rented three years earlier with nothing but determination and a bank loan.
The paint was peeling.
The air conditioner groaned every few minutes.
The coffee machine had given up two weeks ago.
It wasn’t glamorous.
But it was hers.
Her phone buzzed.
Unknown Number.
“Miss Bennett?”
“Speaking.”
“This is Noah Hayes, Mr. Blake’s executive assistant.”
She leaned against her desk.
“Good morning.”
“Mr. Blake would like to meet you at eleven.”
“I haven’t agreed to anything.”
“He knows.”
“Then why the meeting?”
“He said…”
Noah paused.
“…he prefers discussing important business face-to-face.”
Ava sighed.
“I’ll be there.”
—
At exactly eleven o’clock, she stepped into Blake Capital once again.
This time, she wasn’t intimidated.
She was curious.
Noah greeted her with a polite smile.
“This way.”
Instead of leading her to Ethan’s office, he escorted her into an elegant conference room overlooking Central Park.
Only one chair was occupied.
Ethan.
He looked up briefly before closing the file in front of him.
“You’re punctual.”
“So are you.”
He gestured to the chair opposite him.
“Sit.”
She did.
Without a word, he slid a thick envelope across the table.
Ava opened it.
Inside was a contract.
She frowned.
“This isn’t an event proposal.”
“No.”
She turned another page.
Her eyes stopped.
Then widened.
She read the sentence again.
And again.
Finally, she looked up.
“You’ve lost your mind.”
Ethan remained perfectly calm.
“I don’t believe I have.”
“This says…”
She held up the document.
“…you want me to pretend to be your fiancée.”
“Correct.”
She laughed.
Actually laughed.
The sound echoed through the conference room.
“You can’t be serious.”
“I am.”
“No.”
“You haven’t finished reading.”
“I don’t need to.”
She pushed the contract back toward him.
“I’m leaving.”
Ethan didn’t move.
“If you leave now…”
She stopped at the door.
“…your company will close within three months.”
Silence.
She slowly turned around.
“How do you know that?”
“I reviewed your financial records.”
“My financial records are private.”
“They’re available through public filings.”
Her expression tightened.
He wasn’t bluffing.
“You’ve rejected three investors.”
“I don’t want partners.”
“You can’t afford that luxury anymore.”
The truth stung.
Because it was true.
Ethan stood and walked toward the window.
“My grandfather built Blake Capital.”
His voice was quieter now.
“He has one condition before handing me complete control.”
Ava folded her arms.
“Which is?”
“I must be engaged before the annual shareholders’ banquet in six weeks.”
She blinked.
“That’s… oddly specific.”
“He believes marriage demonstrates stability.”
“And you’re trying to fool him?”
“I’m trying to satisfy a condition.”
She looked at him for a long moment.
“So why me?”
“There are thousands of women in New York.”
“There are.”
“They’d probably volunteer.”
“They would.”
“So…”
He turned to face her.
“…because you don’t want anything from me.”
That caught her off guard.
“You argued with me.”
“You spilled coffee on me.”
“You didn’t know who I was.”
He shrugged slightly.
“Most people treat me differently after learning my name.”
“And I don’t?”
“No.”
She sighed.
“I still think you’re impossible.”
“The feeling is often mutual.”
For the first time…
They both smiled.
Only for a second.
Then reality returned.
“What exactly would I have to do?”
He picked up another document.
“Attend family dinners.”
“Charity events.”
“The shareholders’ banquet.”
“Public appearances.”
“Interviews if necessary.”
She stared.
“This sounds exhausting.”
“It pays well.”
“How well?”
He slid a single sheet toward her.
Her eyes widened.
“This can’t be real.”
“It is.”
The amount was enough to clear every debt.
Expand her business.
And finally give her parents the comfortable life they’d sacrificed so much for.
She swallowed hard.
“There has to be a catch.”
“There is.”
She knew it.
“What?”
His gray eyes met hers.
“No falling in love.”
The room fell silent.
Ava let out a small laugh.
“Trust me, Mr. Blake.”
She closed the contract.
“That’s the one condition I can guarantee.”
Across the table, Ethan held her gaze.
Neither of them realized…
That would be the first promise they would both break.
- Writer
