The Proposal
855 Words
Charlotte stood in the corner of the lounge, clutching her purse so tightly her knuckles turned white. She had come here looking for answers, but all she found was noise—laughter, music, glasses clinking, and strangers living lives she could never touch.
She was about to leave when she felt it. Eyes on her.
Turning slowly, she saw him.
A tall man in a perfectly tailored black suit stood near the VIP section, his posture relaxed yet commanding. His presence seemed to silence the space around him. Cold gray eyes locked on hers, sharp and unreadable.
He walked toward her with the confidence of someone who owned the ground he stepped on.
“You’re Charlotte Romano, aren’t you?” His voice was deep and smooth, but there was steel underneath, the kind that made her stomach tighten.
Charlotte froze. “Do I… know you?”
“No,” he said simply, sliding his hands into his pockets. “But I know enough.”
She stiffened as he stopped in front of her, close enough for his expensive cologne to curl around her.
“You’re drowning in debt,” he continued calmly. “Your father is in the hospital. And you’re carrying a child you can’t afford to raise.”
Charlotte’s breath caught, her face draining of color. “What did you just say?”
His mouth curved, but there was no kindness in the smile. “Relax. I’m not here to ruin you. I’m here to give you a way out.”
Her heart hammered against her ribs. “What are you talking about?”
He leaned closer, his gaze never wavering. “I need a wife. And I need an heir. My father won’t hand me the CEO seat until I prove I’m settled.
You’re already halfway there, Miss Romano.”
Charlotte’s knees went weak. “You… want me to marry you?”
“Yes,” he said flatly, as if it were the most ordinary arrangement in the world. “It’s a contract. You’ll get what you need. I’ll get what I need. No love. No strings beyond the deal.”
Her lips parted, but no words came. She had come here searching for a man she barely remembered. Instead, she had found someone far more dangerous.
And his offer might just change everything.
Charlotte stared at him, her mouth dry, her heart pounding so hard it almost hurt. “You can’t be serious,” she whispered.
The man’s gaze didn’t waver. His gray eyes were calm, unbothered, as if he were discussing the weather. “I’m always serious. My name is Adrian Kane. And yes, I’m asking you to marry me.”
Charlotte let out a shaky laugh. “You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough.” His voice was cool, clipped. “You’re desperate. You need money, stability, a way out of the mess you’re in. I can give you that. And in return, you’ll give me exactly what I need—a wife and an heir.”
Her hands trembled as she clutched her purse. “You don’t understand. I’m not—this isn’t—”
“I understand perfectly,” he cut in, his tone sharp enough to silence her. “You’re already pregnant. That makes you useful to me. My father wants to see that I can build a stable family before he hands me the CEO seat. You solve my problem, I solve yours.”
Charlotte’s breath caught. Useful. That’s all she was to him.
“I’m not some piece of paper you can just sign,” she shot back, surprising even herself with the strength in her voice.
Adrian tilted his head slightly, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. “You’re more stubborn than I thought.” He leaned closer, his presence overwhelming. “But don’t fool yourself, Charlotte. You don’t have many choices. Either you take my offer… or you watch everything around you fall apart.”
Her chest tightened. Images of her father in his hospital bed flashed in her mind. The bills. The rent. The landlord’s threats.
Her voice came out small. “What exactly are you offering?”
Adrian straightened, his expression unreadable. “Marriage. For one year. During that time, you’ll be my wife in public. You’ll live in my house, follow my rules, and keep up appearances. In return, your debts will be cleared, your father’s medical bills paid, and you’ll be taken care of. When the contract ends, we part ways.”
Charlotte’s throat ached as she swallowed. “And the baby?”
He met her eyes without flinching. “The child will be mine. Legally. No questions asked.”
Her heart skipped, and she took a shaky step back. He was ruthless, cold, and terrifyingly sure of himself. Yet his offer wrapped around her like chains she couldn’t break.
She didn’t know if she wanted to scream, cry, or run.
All she knew was that Adrian Kane had just changed her entire future with a few cold, merciless words.
And the worst part?
She wasn’t sure she had the strength to say no.
- Writer
