Chapter 2: A Proposal in Shadows
616 Words
Elena had expected resistance. She just hadn’t expected Damian Blackwood to look at her like she was already a lost cause.
The private lounge of the gala was dimly lit, the hum of the city barely audible through the floor-to-ceiling windows. It was quieter here—exclusive. The place where billionaires made their real deals, away from prying eyes.
Damian leaned back against the velvet-lined booth, his gaze assessing as he swirled the whiskey in his glass.
“I assume you’re here because of your… predicament,” he said smoothly.
Elena stiffened. She hated that word. Predicament. As if her career was nothing more than an unfortunate inconvenience.
“I’m here because you need something just as much as I do,” she countered.
His lips twitched, as if amused by her confidence. “You think I need you?”
She folded her hands on the table, refusing to waver under his scrutiny. “Your PR scandal is costing you millions. Investors are wary. Your image is fractured, and from what I hear, Blackwood Enterprises is facing a level of instability you’re not used to.”
His expression didn’t change, but the air around him seemed to sharpen.
Good. He didn’t like hearing the truth.
“You’re bold,” he mused. “But none of this explains why I should entertain whatever you’re about to propose.”
She exhaled slowly.
Here goes nothing.
“A marriage,” she said, her voice steady. “Yours and mine.”
A beat of silence.
Then Damian chuckled, low and disbelieving. “That’s ambitious.”
She ignored the edge of mockery in his voice. “Think about it. You need a stable, respectable image. I need a way back into the industry. A contract marriage benefits us both. You regain public trust, and I rebuild my name.”
He watched her for a long moment, eyes dark and calculating. Then he leaned forward, setting his drink down with deliberate slowness.
“You came all the way here to offer yourself as my wife?”
Elena’s jaw clenched. “Don’t twist my words.”
His lips quirked, but the amusement didn’t reach his eyes. “I don’t take deals lightly, Ms. Rivers. What exactly do you bring to the table?”
She refused to let him intimidate her. “A fresh start. Credibility. The kind of public trust your money can’t buy.”
Another beat of silence.
Then, to her surprise, Damian tilted his head, as if actually considering it.
Elena’s heart pounded.
Maybe. Just maybe…
Then he exhaled sharply and sat back, shaking his head. “No.”
Her stomach dropped. “No?”
His voice was cold. “I don’t do temporary. If I marry, it’s on my terms. My timeline. And I don’t need a woman who’s only looking for a lifeline.”
Heat flooded her cheeks. “This isn’t a lifeline. It’s business.”
“Business?” His eyes gleamed, dangerous and unreadable. “Then let’s make one thing clear—you don’t negotiate with me, Elena. If I accept, I own this arrangement.”
The words sent an unexpected shiver down her spine. Not fear. Something else.
Something far more dangerous.
He stood, straightening his suit jacket. “Think carefully. If you want my name, you take everything that comes with it.”
Then, just before he walked away, he looked at her once more.
“If you’re still serious, meet me in my office tomorrow at nine. We’ll discuss terms.”
And just like that, Damian Blackwood was gone.
Elena sat frozen, pulse hammering.
She had expected a fight. Had expected resistance.
But what she hadn’t expected—was that he might actually say yes.
- Writer
