A Dangerous Fire

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Aemiel Von Valerique

"So, Amanda Seravine…" he said quietly.

"Are you really willing to marry a stranger… just to save a piece of land?"

The way he said it made it sound like the plantation meant nothing.

My chest tightened.

"It's not just a piece of land," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "It's my father's legacy."

Aemiel studied me for a moment, his expression still calm. Too calm.

"Legacy," he repeated.

He walked slowly toward the table and poured himself a glass of water like we weren't discussing something that could literally change my life.

Then he leaned against the edge of the table.

"You know," he said, "people say that word a lot when they're desperate."

My eyebrows slowly furrowed.

"I'm not desperate."

He lifted his gaze to me.

"No?"

His tone wasn't mocking. But it wasn't exactly kind either.

"Then why are you here?"

The question hit me harder than I expected.

I opened my mouth but nothing came out for a moment.

Because the truth was…

He wasn't wrong.

I looked down at the document still in my hand.

"I'm here because I have no other choice," I finally admitted.

Aemiel watched me carefully.

"There's always a choice."

I looked up at him again.

"Then tell me," I said quietly. "What would you do if the only thing your father left you was slowly disappearing?"

For the first time, he didn't answer immediately.

Aemiel straightened his posture and crossed his arms.

"You rebuild it."

My lips pressed together.

"It's not that easy."

He shrugged slightly.

"It never is."

Silence fell between us again.

But this time it felt different.

Less tense.

More… thoughtful.

Then he spoke again.

"You graduated in education, right?"

I blinked.

"How did you—"

"My father mentioned it."

Of course he did.

"So," Aemiel continued, "you planned to be a teacher in Manila."

I nodded slowly.

"Yes."

"And now instead," he said calmly, "you're considering marrying a man you met less than an hour ago."

When he said it like that… it sounded ridiculous.

Embarrassing even.

I felt my cheeks warm.

"You don't seem very happy about the arrangement either," I pointed out.

He didn't deny it.

Aemiel simply looked at me with the same unreadable expression.

"Happiness isn't really part of the agreement."

That answer caught me off guard.

"So you don't care?" I asked.

"I didn't say that."

He pushed himself away from the table and walked a few steps closer.

Now the distance between us was much smaller.

I suddenly became very aware of how tall he was.

How calm he looked.

How intimidating his presence felt.

"I care about results," he said simply.

"And this arrangement… benefits both families."

I swallowed.

"So you agree with it."

Another pause.

Then he answered honestly.

"I didn't oppose it."

That wasn't exactly the same as agreeing.

Before I could say anything else, Aemiel's phone vibrated on the table.

He glanced at the screen briefly, then ignored it.

Then he looked back at me.

"You said the plantation is failing."

"Yes."

"How bad?"

His question surprised me.

"Very bad," I admitted. "We haven't been earning enough for months."

"And the workers?"

"They're still there… but if things continue like this…"

I couldn't finish the sentence.

Because I already knew what would happen.

They would lose their jobs.

The plantation would close.

And everything my father worked for would disappear.

Aemiel watched my expression carefully.

Then he sighed quietly.

"You're not lying."

I blinked.

"Why would I lie?"

"You'd be surprised how many people do when money is involved."

His tone was calm, but there was something darker behind it.

Something that made me think he had seen things like that before.

Then he suddenly asked,

"Do you even know how to run a plantation?"

My silence answered for me.

Aemiel nodded slightly.

"I thought so."

That stung a little.

"I can learn," I said.

He tilted his head slightly.

"Can you?"

His voice wasn't mocking.

But it still felt like a challenge.

I lifted my chin slightly.

"I will."

For a moment he simply stared at me again.

Then unexpectedly…

A small smile appeared on his lips.

Not warm.

Not friendly.

But almost… amused.

"You're stubborn."

I frowned.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"In business?"

He shrugged.

"It can be."

He turned and walked toward the window again.

Outside, the late afternoon sun was starting to fade.

Then he spoke again without looking at me.

"If we do this," he said calmly.

"This marriage…"

My heart started beating faster.

"There will be conditions."

I slowly stood up from the sofa.

"What kind of conditions?"

Aemiel finally turned around.

His gaze serious again.

Cold.

Controlled.

"The kind that might make you change your mind."

The air in the room suddenly felt heavier.

"What kind of conditions?" I asked again.

He walked toward me slowly.

Stopping just a few steps away.

Close enough for me to see the sharpness in his eyes.

Then he said quietly—

"You'll be living here."

My breath caught.

"In this house."

I stared at him.

"W-what?"

"And," he added calmly,

"once the arrangement begins… you don't get to walk away whenever you want."

My stomach dropped.

Because suddenly…

This wasn't starting to feel like a simple marriage agreement anymore.

It felt like stepping into something much bigger.

Something far more dangerous.

And for the first time since I arrived here…

I wondered if saving the plantation was really worth the price.

To be continued...