THE PROPOSAL
1094 Words
Maya stared at Adrian.
Then at the succession agreement.
Then back at Adrian.
“You need a wife.”
“Yes.”
“And you called me.”
“Yes.”
She waited for him to laugh.
He didn't.
Maya leaned back slowly.
“This is a joke.”
“It isn't.”
“You're serious.”
“Completely.”
She stood.
“I think I need to go.”
“Maya.”
“No, because this conversation has officially crossed into insanity.”
She reached for the door.
Adrian's voice stopped her.
“I'll pay you.”
Maya turned around.
The words offended her more than she expected.
“You think I can be bought?”
“No.”
“Then why would you say that?”
“Because I know you don't need my money.”
That caught her off guard.
Adrian came around the desk.
“I've looked into your background.”
Maya's expression hardened.
“You investigated me?”
“After you were assigned to the project.”
“That doesn't make it better.”
“I needed to know who I was putting in a position of responsibility.”
“You could have asked.”
“You wouldn't have told me everything.”
“Maybe not.”
For a moment, they simply stared at each other.
Then Adrian continued.
“You're independent. You have your own career. You don't depend on anyone here. You don't want my money.”
Maya folded her arms.
“You seem to know a lot about what I want.”
“I know enough.”
“That doesn't explain why you want me.”
Adrian's expression softened.
“Because I trust you.”
The answer silenced her.
He picked up the succession agreement.
“I need someone who won't use this situation against me. Someone who won't become obsessed with the Vale name or the money.”
“And you think that's me?”
“I do.”
Maya looked away.
She didn't know what bothered her more—the ridiculousness of the proposal or the fact that part of her believed him.
“What exactly are you asking?”
“A marriage.”
Her eyes widened.
“Real?”
“Legally real.”
Maya's heart dropped.
“But…”
“Not emotionally.”
She looked at him.
“Meaning?”
“We would sign an agreement between ourselves.”
“A contract.”
“Yes.”
She laughed in disbelief.
“So you want me to marry you, pretend to be your wife, and follow a contract.”
“Essentially.”
“For how long?”
“One year.”
Maya stared at him.
“One year?”
“The board requires stability. One year gives us enough time.”
“And after that?”
“We divorce.”
The word landed strangely.
Maya didn't know why.
She had known from the beginning that this wasn't real.
Still, hearing the ending out loud made something inside her tighten.
She ignored it.
“What do I get?”
Adrian looked at her.
“You'll receive a financial settlement.”
“How much?”
He named the amount.
Maya nearly choked.
“That is ridiculous.”
“I can increase it.”
“No.”
He paused.
“No?”
“I don't want more.”
“Why?”
“Because I haven't said yes.”
Adrian nodded.
“What would make you say yes?”
Maya thought about it.
Her family's finances weren't terrible, but they weren't comfortable either.
Her mother had spent years working to keep the family stable.
Maya wanted to help.
She also had her own dream.
The communications agency she'd been planning.
The amount Adrian had offered could give her the capital to finally start it.
But accepting his money felt dangerous.
Not financially.
Personally.
“You'd have to agree to conditions.”
Adrian sat.
“Name them.”
“I keep my job.”
“Agreed.”
“I don't become your employee outside the office.”
“Agreed.”
“I keep my own bank account.”
“Of course.”
“No controlling what I wear, where I go, who I speak to.”
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
“I wasn't planning to.”
“I need to say it.”
“Fine.”
“No physical expectations.”
His expression became serious.
“Agreed.”
“No pretending when we're alone.”
He studied her.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean we don't have to act like we're actually in love when nobody is watching.”
Adrian nodded.
“Agreed.”
Maya took a breath.
“And when the contract ends, we walk away.”
“That's the idea.”
She looked at him.
“What happens if one of us falls in love?”
The question slipped out before she could stop it.
Silence.
Adrian's eyes remained on hers.
“That isn't going to happen.”
Something about the certainty in his voice irritated her.
“You sound very sure.”
“I am.”
Maya smiled faintly.
“Good.”
She looked down at the agreement again.
“One more thing.”
“What?”
“You don't get to treat me like I'm doing you a favor.”
Adrian's expression changed.
“I wouldn't.”
“You need me.”
“Yes.”
“And I need to know that this is an agreement between equals.”
He held her gaze.
“Then we have a deal.”
Maya picked up the document.
She didn't sign it.
Not yet.
“I need time.”
“You have twenty-four hours.”
Her eyebrows shot up.
“You're unbelievable.”
“Thirty days isn't a lot of time.”
Maya walked toward the door.
Then she stopped.
“Adrian?”
“Yes?”
“If I agree to this…”
She turned around.
“…you'd better be worth the trouble.”
For the first time, Adrian smiled.
It was brief.
Unexpected.
And somehow much more dangerous than his usual expression.
“I'll try.”
Maya left.
The door closed behind her.
Adrian looked down at the contract.
For months, he'd believed the hardest part of protecting Vale International would be defeating his enemies.
He hadn't considered that the woman he had just asked to become his wife might be the thing that complicated his life the most.
And neither of them knew that the contract they were about to sign would eventually become the one thing neither of them wanted to end.
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