Die For Me

Rules of Engagement

The clock in the grand dining room chimed exactly at seven o'clock. The atmosphere inside was thick with tension, smelling of expensive mahogany wood, freshly brewed premium coffee, and the intimidating aura of corporate dominance. Three of Christopher Industries' top legal advisors, dressed in sharp, immaculate black suits, sat rigidly along the massive dining table. They adjusted their glasses, flipping through thick, leather-bound folders containing the legal terms of the sudden engagement.

To them, Aaira Agreste was nothing but an easy target. Based on the background checks, she was just a simple, impoverished girl who scrubbed tables at a local cafe and worked multiple low-end shifts just to buy medicine for her grandmother. In their minds, she would be a shy, naive, and submissive girl—someone who would walk in trembling, utterly terrified of high society, and sign whatever papers they shoved in front of her face without asking a single question. Legally, she was going to be a walk in the park.

Sitting at the head of the table, completely contrasting the lawyers' nervous professionalism, was Adrien Christopher.

He was leaning back in his grand velvet chair in his signature, effortless style. His pristine white shirt was slightly unbuttoned at the collar, and his long legs were crossed casually. His face was a mask of unreadable aristocratic perfection, but his striking crystal-green eyes were fixed entirely on the empty doorway, gleaming with a quiet, dangerous anticipation. He knew his 'Shorty' better than his lawyers did.

Ten minutes passed. Then fifteen. The head lawyer cleared his throat nervously, looking at his watch. "Mr. Christopher, should we send Martha to check on Miss Agreste? Perhaps she is too overwhelmed by the gravity of this meeting."

Before Adrien could answer, the soft click of bare footsteps echoing against the polished marble floor cut through the silence.

The heavy oak doors swung open. And the collective breath of every single lawyer in the room hitched in pure, unadulterated shock.

Aaira walked into the dining room. She wasn't wearing any of the expensive designer dresses left in her closet. She wasn't wearing a shy, submissive expression. Instead, she had walked straight out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a single, fluffy white bath towel wrapped securely around her slender body, ending just above her thighs. Her shoulders were bare, glistening with stray droplets of water, and her damp, dark hair fell in wild waves over her back. In her right hand, she casually held a steaming cup of coffee, taking a slow, calm sip as she modeled her way into the room.

The lawyers' eyes nearly popped out of their skulls. One of them immediately choked on his own saliva, turning bright red, while the other two dropped their pens, instantly looking down at their files in absolute embarrassment. This wasn't just any girl—this was now legally their boss's woman, the future Mrs. Christopher. Seeing her in such an incredibly bold, revealing state was a massive breach of high-society etiquette. They felt their hearts racing, terrified of how the ruthless billionaire would react to this scandalous behavior.

But when they fearfully glanced up at Adrien, expecting him to unleash his terrifying wrath, they were met with a completely different sight.

Adrien didn't yell. His jaw didn't tighten in anger. Instead, a slow, deeply amused, and incredibly proud smile spread across his handsome face. He leaned slightly forward, his crystal-green eyes flashing with a wicked satisfaction. His expression screamed one clear, arrogant thought: *That's my girl.* He had predicted this. He knew Aaira would try something completely wild to ruin his pristine reputation, destroy the solemnity of his legal meeting, and push his boundaries. And instead of being infuriated, the predator inside him was absolutely thrilled by her fearless rebellion.

Aaira walked closer, her bare feet making no sound. She noticed the embarrassed, sweating faces of the lawyers and then caught Adrien's proud, mocking smile. A wave of frustration hit her. She had expected him to snap, to lose his mind over her absolute lack of modesty, and throw her out of his mansion. But he was enjoying this.

The head lawyer, refusing to look directly at Aaira's bare shoulders, forced a shaky, polite greeting. "G-Good morning, Miss Agreste. Please, take a seat. We have prepared the official one-year engagement contract as per Mr. Christopher's directives. It outlines your duties, public appearances, and the strict boundaries you must maintain—"

Aaira didn't even let him finish. She didn't glance at the paperwork or the chair pulled out for her. Ignoring the legal team entirely, she took a slow step toward the head of the table. Her dark eyes locked onto Adrien's green ones, a silent, dangerous challenge passing between them.

Without warning, Aaira stepped right into Adrien's personal space, turned around, and casually sat directly down onto his lap.

The dining room went dead silent. A collective gasp died in the lawyers' throats, and they instantly buried their faces so deep into their folders they could practically read the fine print with their noses. The embarrassment in the room was now suffocating.

Aaira rested her back against Adrien's broad, muscular chest, casually crossing her bare legs over his lap. She took another sip of her coffee, her heart hammering against her ribs, but she kept her face entirely cold and mocking. *Let's see you handle this public humiliation, Mr. Christopher,* she thought vindictively.

Adrien didn't flinch. The moment her soft skin came into contact with his body, his large, warm hand came up, wrapping possessively around her bare waist, his fingers digging into the soft fabric of the towel. He leaned his head forward, his sharp jaw brushing against her damp hair. He didn't care about the lawyers. He was completely captivated by the intoxicating scent of rare spices and fresh water radiating from her.

"You think you're very clever, don't you, Shorty?" Adrien's low, gravelly voice vibrated directly against her spine.

"I'm just trying to get comfortable with my doting fiancé," Aaira whispered back, tilting her head up to glare at him with mock sweetness. "Why? Is the great Adrien Christopher feeling embarrassed?"

Adrien let out a low, wicked chuckle that sent an involuntary shiver straight down her body. Instead of pushing her away or getting rattled, the amusement in his eyes turned dark and primal. He decided it was time to show her exactly who ruled this game.

Before Aaira could register his sudden shift in movement, Adrien's grip on her waist tightened like steel, pinning her firmly against his chest. He turned his head, his lips grazing the sensitive, bare skin of her neck.

"You wanted to put on a show for my team? Let's give them something real to look at," he whispered darkly.

Aaira's eyes widened in sudden panic. "Adrien, don't you dare—"

She didn't get to finish. Adrien leaned down with absolute, ruthless authority and sank his teeth firmly into the soft skin of her collarbone, marking her with a deep, fierce, and undeniably possessive love bite.

A sharp gasp escaped Aaira's lips as a jolt of pure shock and electricity shot through her entire body. The sheer audacity of this man! He was marking her like a piece of property in front of his elite lawyers!

The utter shock instantly turned into a roaring wave of blind, unadulterated fury. The street girl inside her exploded.

With a sudden burst of frantic strength, Aaira violently wrenched herself out of his tight grip, her feet hitting the marble floor. Before Adrien could even straighten up, Aaira raised her right hand, channeled all the burning rage in her veins, and swung it forward with devastating speed.

***SMACK!***

The sound of the slap was violent, echoing through the massive dining room like a gunshot.

Adrien's head snapped violently to the side from the sheer force of the blow. The absolute silence that followed was terrifying. The lawyers froze like statues, their faces turning completely pale, their eyes wide with horror as they stared at the bright red mark rapidly forming on the flawless cheek of the most powerful billionaire in the country.

Aaira stood breathing heavily, her towel slightly disheveled, her dark eyes flashing with a lethal, untamed fire as she stared down at the monster she had just publicly struck.

---

OH. MY. GOD. 😱💥 Did Aaira just do that?! She really just walked into a billionaire's legal meeting in a towel, sat on his lap, and then SLAPPED him across the face in front of his lawyers!! 🤫 Texting *Shorty* was a mistake, Adrien! The tension between these two has officially reached a boiling point. Adrien is definitely going to make her pay for that slap, but honestly, our girl is a legend for this! What do you think Adrien's immediate reaction will be? Is Aaira in deep trouble now? 🫣 Let me know your thoughts in the comments, smash that collection button, and drop some power stones! Chapter 10 is going to be insane! 🖤🔥👑✨