An Offer Too Dangerous to Refuse
1313 Words
Naomi couldn’t take her eyes off the contract.
Five million dollars.
The figure stared back at her in bold black print, almost daring her to believe it was real.
Slowly, she placed the folder back on Jaxon’s desk.
“I can’t.”
Jaxon didn’t look surprised.
“I expected you to say that.”
“You did?”
“Most people would’ve accepted before reading the first page.”
Naomi folded her arms.
“Then you clearly asked the wrong woman.”
A faint smile crossed his face.
“No. I asked the right one.”
She sighed.
“You don’t understand.”
“Help me understand.”
“My entire life has been normal.”
She laughed bitterly.
“Well… normal and broke.”
Jaxon remained silent.
“I don’t belong in front of cameras.”
“I don’t know how celebrities live.”
“I’ve never even worn a designer dress.”
“You don’t have to.”
She shook her head.
“People will know.”
“They won’t.”
“They’ll see right through me.”
“They’ll see exactly what I want them to see.”
Naomi frowned.
“And what’s that?”
“My wife.”
The word made her stomach twist.
Wife.
Even if it was fake, hearing him say it felt strangely real.
She pushed the thought away.
“No.”
“I appreciate the offer.”
“I really do.”
“But I’m not marrying a stranger.”
Jaxon nodded once.
“I understand.”
He picked up the contract and calmly closed it.
“You can leave.”
Naomi blinked.
“That’s it?”
“I’m not going to force you.”
Arthur quietly appeared at the doorway.
“I’ll have someone drive Miss Brooks home.”
Naomi hesitated.
She had expected him to argue.
To negotiate.
Instead, he was letting her walk away.
Something about that unsettled her.
She followed Arthur toward the entrance.
The mansion suddenly felt much colder.
As they reached the front door, Arthur spoke softly.
“Mr. Hayes rarely asks for help.”
Naomi looked at him.
“When he does, it’s because he has no other choice.”
She looked back toward the study.
“What exactly happens if he doesn’t get married?”
Arthur hesitated.
“His grandfather owns fifty-one percent of Hayes Sports Group.”
Naomi frowned.
“So?”
“He has already signed a new will.”
Her heartbeat slowed.
“If Mr. Hayes remains unmarried before his grandfather passes away, control of the company goes to his cousin.”
“The cousin who actually wants the company?”
Arthur’s expression hardened.
“No.”
“The cousin who has spent years trying to destroy it.”
Naomi stared at him.
“Then why not simply tell his grandfather the truth?”
“Because his grandfather has one condition.”
“What condition?”
“He must believe the marriage is genuine.”
Naomi looked away.
This was becoming more complicated than she had imagined.
Arthur opened the front door.
Rain had stopped.
Cool air drifted inside.
She stepped onto the porch.
Then stopped.
“What if I asked for time?”
Arthur smiled for the first time.
“I believe Mr. Hayes would appreciate that.”
Naomi slowly turned around.
“Take me back.”
Arthur nodded.
“I thought you might say that.”
Minutes later, she stood inside the study again.
Jaxon looked genuinely surprised to see her.
“I thought you left.”
“I almost did.”
She took a deep breath.
“I have questions.”
“I’m listening.”
“What happens after six months?”
“We divorce.”
“No arguments?”
“No.”
“No lawyers fighting over money?”
“The agreement prevents that.”
“No emotional strings?”
His jaw tightened slightly.
“That depends on us.”
Naomi ignored the strange answer.
“My family can never know?”
“They’ll know we’re married.”
“But not that it’s fake.”
“Correct.”
She nodded slowly.
“What about your family?”
“They’ll believe it’s real too.”
Her eyes widened.
“Even them?”
“They have to.”
Silence filled the room.
Naomi walked toward the windows overlooking the city.
Everything below looked so small.
“So this means every smile…”
“Has to look real.”
“Every photograph.”
“Real.”
“Every kiss.”
Jaxon didn’t answer immediately.
Finally he said quietly,
“If the situation requires it.”
She spun around.
“Kissing is part of the contract?”
“It isn’t required.”
“But if photographers are watching…”
He left the sentence unfinished.
Heat rushed into Naomi’s cheeks.
“This is unbelievable.”
“I know.”
She laughed nervously.
“You really planned everything.”
“I had to.”
She looked back at the contract.
One page caught her attention.
“There are rules.”
“There are.”
She began reading aloud.
“No dating other people.”
She looked at him.
“Reasonable.”
“No interviews without approval.”
“To avoid mistakes.”
She continued.
“No discussing private matters.”
“Confidentiality.”
Then she reached the final page.
“What is this?”
Jaxon walked over.
“It’s my personal condition.”
She read the sentence again.
Neither party shall lie to the other outside of public appearances.
She frowned.
“This wasn’t written by your lawyers.”
“No.”
“You added it.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
He looked directly into her eyes.
“I can survive fake smiles.”
He paused.
“I can’t survive betrayal.”
Something in his voice changed.
For the first time that evening…
Naomi heard pain.
Not arrogance.
Not confidence.
Pain.
She found herself asking quietly,
“Who betrayed you?”
Jaxon looked away.
“My fiancée.”
Naomi’s eyes widened.
“You were engaged?”
“A year ago.”
“What happened?”
“She sold our private conversations to the media.”
Naomi stared at him.
“She what?”
“They paid her millions.”
The room fell silent.
“My grandfather had a heart attack the day the story was published.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“That’s why this contract exists.”
Everything suddenly made sense.
The investigations.
The secrecy.
The rules.
He wasn’t just protecting a company.
He was protecting the only family he had left.
Naomi lowered the contract.
“You’ve been hurt before.”
“So have you.”
She looked at him in surprise.
“What makes you think that?”
“The way you refuse to trust people.”
She smiled sadly.
“When life keeps disappointing you…”
“You stop expecting good things.”
Their eyes met.
Neither of them looked away.
For a brief moment, the enormous room felt unexpectedly small.
Arthur knocked gently before entering.
“Sir.”
Jaxon turned.
“What is it?”
“Your grandfather has arrived.”
Jaxon’s expression changed instantly.
“He wasn’t supposed to be here until tomorrow.”
“He insisted.”
Arthur glanced toward Naomi.
“He’s asking to meet your wife.”
Naomi’s heart dropped.
“Wife?”
Arthur nodded.
“He’s already inside the house.”
Jaxon looked at Naomi.
Naomi looked back at him.
Neither of them spoke.
Then Arthur delivered the sentence that changed everything.
“He believes you’re already married.”
The color drained from Naomi’s face.
Jaxon exhaled slowly.
Then he held out his hand toward her.
“If we’re going to do this…”
His voice was calm.
“…it starts now.”
Naomi stared at his outstretched hand.
One decision.
One lie.
One step.
And there would be no turning back.
- Writer
