THE CEO'S BINDING DEAL

10:MARRY ME

“So what would your choice be Kayla you marry me or you walk out that door like the sore loser you've come to be” he said calling her first name.

Kayla stared at him like he’d grown a second head.

“Marry you?” she repeated, voice flat. “Are you hearing yourself right now?”

Andrian didn’t flinch.

“I’m hearing myself perfectly.”

“You can’t just show up and propose marriage like it’s a contract negotiation.”

“It is a contract negotiation,” Andrian said dryly. “The only difference is the terms involve a ring.”

Kayla’s hands clenched.

“You think I’d marry you for a mere contract. I can just walk away from all these you know?”

“And give those people, the shareholders a reason to mock you? A reason for your stepmother to kick you under her feet? You're funny Kayla” he said as he stood up and leaned close to her

“You have the opportunity right in front of you, yet you're taking too much time, trying to convince yourself otherwise”

Kayla's fist clenched. She trembled in anger “that's not the point”

“Then what is the point, Kayla?” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Your company is dying. Your father’s board is eager to sell you out. And here you are, alone, meeting a stranger because you’re desperate.”

His voice dropped.

“I’m offering you a way out. A real one.”

Kayla laughed, short and bitter.

Not only did he know too much, he was saying the truth in a hurtful way

“By marrying you? That’s not a way out. That’s a prison.”

“Two years,” Andrian said simply. “Public marriage. We keep up appearances, I get the Carter deal, you get access to Vance legal and finance. After two years, we divorce. Clean. No strings.”

“Two years of pretending to love you?” Kayla shook her head. “No.”

Andrian’s eyes darkened.

“Pretending is all you’ve ever done, isn’t it? Pretending you’re fine. Pretending you don’t need help. Pretending that night meant nothing.”

Kayla's hands shook, cold sweat sliding down her palm. The contract paper felt heavier than stone, edges biting into her fingers

“I'm not pretending” she managed to utter. What he had said managed to take root deep in her heart.

Before do anything next, her phone buzzed in her pocket.

She pulled it out.

*Walk out now. If you sign, you lose everything.*

Kayla’s blood ran cold. Her heart picked up like she had just ran a marathon. If she had a reason to trust Andrian before now. This text, this message, just made her feel what fear was all over again.

Andrian saw it. His gaze flicked to her phone, then back to her face.

“Who is it?”

“None of your business.” Kayla slipped the phone away. Her voice, louder than she intended it to be.

Andrian studied her for a long moment, then sighed.

“Fine. Be stubborn. But hear this.”

He stepped back, giving her space.

“You have 48 hours. Sign the contract, and I’ll make sure your father’s board can’t touch you. Walk away, and I'll, no you'll be the one letting your company burn Kayla.”

He paused at the door.

“Choose wisely. Not everyone gets a second chance.”

The door closed behind him.

And then there was silence.

Kayla sank into the chair, hands shaking. Marriage, With him?

With Andrian Vance. The one who could control the whole business empire, the one who could crush Carter Enterprises with one call. The same man she had spent the night with and the one she couldn't get off her mind.

Kayla frustratedly ran both hands down her face

Now's not the time to have dirty thoughts Kayla.

But, there was another problem.

If Andrian wasn't ‘A’... Then who was the one that asked her to come here today?

Her heart started pounding, her brain already running wild with the worst case scenarios. The text that just popped up now made it even worse.

She clutched the contract and walked out of the restaurant slowly like she was being dragged to a funeral of a loved one.

Outside, Andrian watched her from his SUV, tinted glass hiding his expression. A small smirk tugged at his lips.

“You'll sign that contract Kayla I'm sure of it”

He tapped the seat giving the driver in front a signal and the driver pulled over and drove off.

Kayla somehow managed to find herself home.

Isla was sprawled on the couch, legs crossed, phone in hand. The moment Kayla stepped in, her head snapped up. For half a second their eyes met. Then Isla scoffed and flicked her gaze away immediately like she was looking at trash.

A slow ugly smirk crawled onto her face as she turned back to look back at her.

“You’ve been staying outside a lot lately Kayla," she drawled, her gaze condensing from head to toe "Seems like you'd never learn your lesson .You look happy, like you're having a fun time serving others." Emphasizing the last part in a whisper.

Kayla's fist clenched at her sides. She was mocking her, about that night. For one wild second she imagined her fists taking off the ugly smirk away from her face. She could feel the urge. But she took one deep breath in and out. She was going to overlook she wasn't going to use her fists, not here, not now.

“I guess Lucas isn't around for you to wear your hypocritical mask." She said flatly stepping closer to her. "I actually like this version of you more Isla. You shouldn't waste energy pretend often, it doesn't suit you.”

Kayla retorted and walked past Isla who was gritting her teeth.

Isla soon darted forward to stand in front of her blocking her path. Her arms crossed, chin lifted high She surely wasn't someone who'd give up without lashing at the person until her last breath.

“I heard you were bragging" Isla hissed, "said you could secure the contract with the Vance industries, don't you think you're overestimating yourself Kayla?”

Kayla stopped her eyes didn't blink

“Isn't that what you want, Isla? The more I overestimate myself the harder I fall right? The more you get to make a joke out of me.”

Isla face froze for half a heartbeat after being called out but she soon plastered it with a hypocritical smile on her face.

“You should quickly ask Lucas for help. We both know you can't ever do nothing yourself, you've never managed anything without him.”

Kayla didn't answer. She just stared the more they wanted her to ask Lucas for help, the more determined she was going to show them how she was going to do it without him. Without any of them.

They had a plan, she could see it now. Blatant and obvious. Fine, she was going tododge it. And she'd dig until she found the bottom of whatever game they were playing and shove it back right unto their faces.