Chapter 15
878 Words
Chapter 15: The Deal
Morning came quietly.
Soft light filtered through the curtains, brushing gently across the room.
Monica stirred first.
For a moment, she didn’t move—just lay there, her head resting against Kian’s chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
Everything felt calm.
Safe.
Real.
Her fingers traced lightly along his shirt, absent, thoughtful.
“Are you staring at me again?” Kian murmured, his voice still rough with sleep.
Monica smiled faintly. “Maybe.”
He shifted slightly, eyes opening just enough to look at her. “That’s creepy.”
She laughed softly, propping herself up. “You weren’t supposed to wake up yet.”
“Too late,” he said, his hand finding her waist, pulling her back down gently.
Monica let out a small breath, her hands resting against his chest. “You’re impossible.”
“And you like it.”
She didn’t argue.
For a while, they stayed like that.
No rush.
No need to move.
Just quiet laughter, soft touches, and the kind of comfort that didn’t need to be explained.
Until—
Monica’s phone rang.
The sound cut through the calm.
Sharp.
Unexpected.
She frowned slightly, reaching for it on the bedside table.
Her expression shifted the moment she saw the name.
Kian noticed immediately.
“What is it?” he asked.
Monica hesitated before answering. “My mom.”
She picked up the call.
“Mom?”
Charlene’s voice came through, calm as ever. “Monica. Are you home?”
Monica glanced at Kian, then back at the phone. “Yes… why?”
“We’re on our way.”
The line went dead.
The room felt different now.
The warmth from earlier still there—
but something else had slipped in.
Tension.
Kian sat up slightly, watching her. “That didn’t sound like a casual visit.”
“It’s not,” Monica said quietly.
Less than an hour later—
a knock echoed through the condo.
Monica opened the door.
Henry and Charlene stood there, composed, elegant, exactly as expected.
“Mom. Dad.”
Charlene smiled softly, stepping inside.
“You look well.”
Henry gave a small nod, his sharp eyes already scanning the space.
They noticed Kian almost immediately.
But there was no surprise.
No confusion.
Only acknowledgment.
“Kian,” Henry said calmly.
“Sir,” Kian replied, equally composed.
No introductions needed.
For a moment, everything felt… normal.
Charlene sat gracefully on the couch.
“We won’t take too much of your time.”
But her tone said otherwise.
Monica sat across from them, Kian beside her.
Close.
Steady.
Henry didn’t waste time.
“We’ll get straight to the point,” he said.
Monica’s chest tightened slightly.
“There is an opportunity,” he continued, “one that will significantly elevate both our company and our position globally.”
Charlene added softly, “It’s not just business. It’s legacy.”
Monica’s fingers curled slightly.
“What kind of opportunity?” she asked.
Henry met her gaze directly.
“A marriage alliance.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Unmoving.
Monica blinked. “A… what?”
Charlene’s voice remained calm. “A union between families. Strategic. Beneficial.”
“With who?” Monica asked, her voice quieter now.
Henry answered without hesitation.
“A royal family.”
The words didn’t feel real.
Monica shook her head slightly. “You’re serious?”
“This is not something we joke about,”
Henry replied.
Charlene continued, “The prince has already expressed interest. This alliance would secure our expansion internationally.”
Monica’s heart pounded.
“This isn’t business,” she said, her voice tightening. “This is my life.”
“And your life,” Henry said evenly, “has always been tied to responsibility.”
Kian’s jaw tightened.
He hadn’t spoken yet.
But now—
he did.
“With all due respect,” he said calmly,
“Monica isn’t a contract.”
The room shifted.
Subtle.
But undeniable.
Henry’s gaze moved to him.
“And this does not concern you,” he replied.
Kian didn’t back down.
“It does,” he said quietly. “Because she’s not alone in this.”
Monica’s hand tightened around his.
Charlene observed them both, her expression unreadable.
“This is not about emotion,” she said gently. “This is about the future.”
“It’s my future,” Monica said, her voice breaking slightly despite herself.
“And we are protecting it,” Henry responded.
Monica shook her head, standing up now.
“No. You’re deciding it.”
Her chest rose and fell unevenly.
“I can’t marry someone I don’t love.”
Silence again.
Kian stood beside her.
Not in front.
Not taking over.
Just there.
Solid.
Unmoving.
Henry rose slowly.
“You will think about this carefully,” he said. “This is not a decision to take lightly.”
Charlene added, softer but firm, “We are not asking for an answer today.”
But the meaning was clear.
They expected one.
Monica didn’t respond.
She couldn’t.
Her world—
the one she had just begun to build—
was already being pulled apart.
Kian’s hand found hers again, steady and warm.
A silent promise.
And for the first time since morning—
the peace was gone.
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