The Billionaire Next Door

Ch. 8 — The Proposal

Ch. 8 — The Proposal

MILES

I step out of the elevator into a room drenched in gold and false promises. The investors stand, their smiles sharp, but it’s not them I see. It’s her. Kaitlyn, framed against the glow like she owns the place. She doesn’t flinch, at least not outwardly. But I know the slight tightening of her jaw, the throbbing of her pulse at her throat. She wasn’t expecting me. Good. It’s exactly how I planned it. I scan her from head to toe, and she looks even better than she did yesterday with her hair styled in a high pony and a side swoop. I relish in the surprise I know she feels. I adjust the watch that sits on my left wrist before I make my way to their table. I greet the investors with a handshake and a controlled smile, then turn to Kaitlyn, who looks at me still in shock, “You?” she says sharply, her body on edge betraying her. Confused glances fly between the investors, indicating that they sense the tension but don’t understand.

5 HOURS AGO

A call comes through the office phone, “Mr. Howard, the lawyer is here for you.” my assistant says over the line. “Ok. Bring him in.” I instruct her. A soft knock lands on the door. “Come in.” My assistant and the lawyer come into view as the door slides open. “I have the final draft of the contract with me,” Mr. Crane says, drawing my attention to the folder in his hands. “If there’s anything you wish to change, let me know.” He hands the folder to me. I reviewed the contract and found no faults in sight. “This will do, Mr. Crane.” I say with a nod. “Alright, sir. I still have my doubts about this plan, but if you think it is what is right, then so be it.” It’s going to work. “Kaitlyn may be stubborn, but she’s not stupid. She will agree.”

PRESENT

iI take my seat right next to Kaitlyn, increasing the tension that already exists. Kaitlyn squirms in her seat, and my hand finds its place on her thigh, riding higher up; her leg tenses at my touch. She straightens her posture to hide how bothered by the touch she is, but her breath gives it away. I enjoy the discomfort that seeps through Kaitlyn. A conversation goes around the table about how Kaitlyn hopes to save the company, tips flying around like flies. I slide a folder across the table, and investors lean forward, and Kaitlyn's eyes widen. Mr. Chase, another one of the investors, has his hands hovering over the brown leathered folder on the table. I grunt at him, and that immediately makes his hands return to his side. He coughs as his hands return, trying to eliminate the silence that fills the room.

The investors hovered like vultures waiting for a body to be revealed, but this contract wasn’t for them. It was for her.“Go ahead. Open it.” I say eyes on Kaitlyn. She stretches her hands over it, hesitates before finally picking it up. Her fingers glide around the edges of the folder. A sigh escapes from her mouth as she flips the front page over. Her face goes pale as her brows raise in shock. She looks up at me with eyes wide, “Marriage?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

The word cuts through the room. The investors shift in their seats, and confusion spread across the table like wildfire. Some lean forward as if they misheard, throwing glances at each other, silently asking the same question: Did he just say marriage? I don’t look in their direction. My eyes stay on Kaitlyn. “Yes,” I say smoothly, letting the single word settle over her like a weight she can’t shake. “Marriage.”

Her lips part, but nothing comes out. For the first time since I’ve known her, she’s speechless, caught between disbelief and fury. I lean back in my chair, folding one arm lazily against the backrest. Another one of the investors clears his throat, Mr. Daniels I think, his voice trembling slightly. “Forgive me, but… Mr. Howard, did you just…did I hear correctly? You’re proposing… a merger through marriage?”

I finally glance at the investors, just long enough to silence the whispers and chatter with a cold and detached stare. “I don’t remember you being deaf at any point in your life.” That alone makes him return his back to the backrest. Then my eyes return to Kaitlyn..

Her grip tightens around the folder, the leather creaking under her touch. She pushes it away, dropping it right where she picked it up. “You can’t be serious,” she hisses, her voice sharp but trembling underneath. “Oh, I’ve never been more serious in my life,” I guarantee. Kaitlyn shakes her head, trying to calm herself down. “You think you can just waltz in here, throw a contract in my face, and I’ll… what? Sign away my life? My freedom?” I smirk, leaning forward. “I think you’re smart enough to see the bigger picture. Your company is crumbling, Kaitlyn. Investors are circling, but they won’t commit. Not unless they believe in your stability. With me by your side, they’ll have no reason to doubt. You’ll have the capital, the protection, the power.” Her laugh is sharp, bitter. “Protection? You mean ownership. You want control.” I tilt my head, savoring her fire. “Call it what you like. I call it survival.”

Mr. Chase leans forward, unable to help himself. “And what exactly does this… arrangement mean for us?” he asks, voice dripping with curiosity. “If the two of you marry, what happens to the shares, the profits, the direction of the company?” Kaitlyn’s eyes blaze as she snaps, “This isn’t about you or your company. This is my life, my decision.”