The proposal nobody expected
754 Words
“Marry me, Mira.”
The words echoed in her head long after Alexander Knight said them.
For a moment, Mira simply stared at him, certain this had to be some kind of joke. But Alexander’s expression remained calm and unreadable, his dark eyes fixed steadily on hers as though he had just proposed a business meeting instead of marriage.
Elena finally broke the silence.
“…Did a billionaire just offer you a contract marriage at a charity gala?”
Mira blinked rapidly. “I think he did.”
Alexander took another sip of champagne, completely unfazed by their shock. “You look surprised.”
“Because normal people don’t randomly propose to strangers.”
“We’re not strangers,” he corrected smoothly. “I know exactly who you are.”
“That’s somehow worse.”
To Mira’s annoyance, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, almost like he was amused.
“What exactly makes you think I’d agree to something this ridiculous?” she asked.
Alexander studied her carefully before answering.
“Because you dislike traditional marriage as much as I do.”
Mira crossed her arms. “And that led you to conclude I’d willingly marry a man emotionally constipated enough to turn a proposal into a corporate transaction?”
Elena choked on her drink trying not to laugh.
But Alexander remained unbothered.
“This would benefit both of us,” he said calmly.
“How?”
“You gain freedom from your family’s constant pressure to marry. I gain a wife.”
“That explains absolutely nothing.”
His gaze sharpened slightly. “There are business complications that require me to appear… settled.”
Mira frowned. “So you need a fake wife for public image?”
“A temporary contractual arrangement,” he corrected.
“That sounds even less romantic.”
“I’m not offering romance.”
The honesty in his voice caught her off guard.
No pretending.
No fake charm.
No manipulation disguised as affection.
It was strangely refreshing.
Still insane—but refreshing.
“And why me?” Mira asked quietly.
Alexander answered without hesitation.
“Because you wouldn’t fall in love with me.”
The words landed harder than she expected.
For some reason, they irritated her.
“You’re incredibly arrogant.”
“I’m realistic.”
Mira stared at him for a long second before laughing softly in disbelief. “This might be the worst proposal in human history.”
“And yet you haven’t said no.”
That shut her up.
Because annoyingly… he was right.
She should have rejected him immediately. Any sensible person would.
But part of her was curious.
Not about marriage.
About him.
Alexander Knight was unlike any man she had ever met. Cold, calculated, impossible to read — yet brutally honest in a way most people were not.
No fake promises.
No pretending love was involved.
Just terms.
Conditions.
Logic.
It should have disgusted her.
Instead, it intrigued her.
“I need time to think,” she finally said.
Alexander nodded once, as though he had expected that answer all along. He reached into his suit pocket and handed her a sleek black card embossed with silver lettering.
Knight Holdings.
“My direct number is on the back,” he said. “Come to my office tomorrow morning if you decide to discuss the arrangement.”
“Arrangement,” Elena repeated under her breath. “God, this sounds illegal.”
Mira ignored her, staring down at the card in her hand.
“This is insane,” she murmured.
“Probably,” Alexander agreed.
Then, before she could say another word, he stepped away smoothly, disappearing back into the crowd of wealthy elites as though he had not just turned her entire life upside down.
—
That night, Mira barely slept.
Every time she closed her eyes, she heard his voice again.
Because you wouldn’t fall in love with me.
It should have made the decision easy.
She hated marriage.
Especially one built like a business contract.
So why couldn’t she stop thinking about it?
The next morning, dressed in a fitted cream blazer and heels, Mira stood in front of the towering glass building of Knight Holdings.
Employees moved quickly through the lobby around her while her heart pounded far harder than she wanted to admit.
This was crazy.
Completely crazy.
Yet after several seconds of hesitation, Mira tightened her grip on her purse and walked toward the private elevator leading to Alexander Knight’s office.
Ready to give him her answer.
- Writer
