Chapter 3 The Ultimatum
1135 Words
Alex Clarkson wasn't a man who hesitated.
He saw a problem, and he fixed it.
And now, Emilia was his biggest problem.
She was lying to his face.
But her body told him the truth.
Her hands trembled, her lips parted as if she wanted to deny it— but couldn't.
Lily was his.
He had spent four years searching for the woman from that night, never expecting that she had left him with a child.
And now that he knew?
There was no way in hell he was walking away.
Emilia's Apartment - Present Night
“I'm not signing your contract”.
Emilia's voice was strong, but Alex could see the cracks in her resolve.
He leaned against the table, arms crossed, his sharp green eyes locked onto hers.
“You don't have a choice, Emilia”.
Her jaw tightened. “I have every choice. Lily is mine. I raised her. I took care of her. You weren't there”.
A muscle in his jaw ticked.
“You think I would've walked away if I knew about her?”
Her breath hitched–but she didn't answer.
Because they both knew the truth.
He wouldn't have.
He would've claimed her from the start.
Alex exhaled slowly, leveling her with a stare. “You're a smart woman, Emilia. You know what I can do. What I will do if you fight me on this”.
Her fingers curled into fists. “You wouldn't–”
“If you push me, I will take you to court”. His voice was calm, deadly. “And you know I will win”.
Her entire body went rigid.
She knew he wasn't bluffing.
Alexander Clarkson had the best lawyers money could buy. If he wanted custody, he could get it.
But she wouldn't let that happen.
Not to Lily.
Not when she spent the last four years protecting her.
“I'm not letting you take my daughter from me”, she whispered, her voice shaking.
Alex pushed off the table, closing the distance between them.
His height, his presence, everything about him was overwhelming.
He leaned in, his voice dangerously soft.
“Then don't fight me”.
Emilia swallowed hard.
His words weren't just an offer.
They were a warning.
He reached into his suit pocket, pulled out a folder, and placed it on the table.
“The contract”, he said smoothly. “You agree to be my fiancée for the next year. We live together. We raise Lily together. You work as top designer for my company”.
Her heart pounded.
“And in return?” she asked quietly.
His eyes flickered with something knowing.
“You get to keep your daughter”, he said.
She inhaled sharply.
“You get access to my power, my money, my connections. Enough to take back your mother's properties from your family”. He paused, voice dropping.
“Isn't that what you want?”
It was.
It was everything she wanted.
Her fingers trembled as she stared at the contract.
Alex's voice softened, but there was no room for argument.
“You don't have to say yes right now. But I'll give you three days”.
Her head snapped up.
“Three days?” she repeated.
Alex's lips twitched. “If I don't get an answer by then, I'll assume you're choosing the hard way”.
Her stomach twisted.
The hard way.
She knew exactly what that meant.
Alex would take everything from her.
Including Lily.
His expression was unreadable as he turned for the door. “Think about it, Emilia”.
And then–
He was gone.
Leaving her alone.
With a contract that could change her life.
Or ruin it.
The Deal is Sealed
Emilia sat at the kitchen table, staring at the contract Alex had left behind.
Her fingers drummed against the surface, her mind racing.
She had spent the last four years building a life for herself and Lily– far away from the pain and betrayal of her past.
And now, in just one night, Alex Clarkson had managed to turn her world upside down.
Her heart ached at the thought of her daughter.
Lily was her everything.
But Alex was right.
If he fought for custody, she knew how the courts worked. With his power, his wealth, and his connections, he'd have advantage she could never compete with.
And she wasn't about to let her daughter be taken from her.
But could she really do this?
Could she pretend to be engaged to Alex?
Live with him? Work beside him?
The very thought made her chest tighten.
She needed to talk to someone.
And she knew exactly who.
Later that Evening– Aunt Celeste's Apartment
Celeste studied Emilia with careful eyes, her expression unreadable.
“You knew this would happen eventually”,
Celeste finally said, setting down her cup of tea.
Emilia let out a frustrated sigh. “I didn't think it would happen this soon”.
Her aunt gave her a look.
“You came back to New York, knowing it was his city. You applied to his company knowing it was only a matter of time before you crossed paths”.
Emilia bit her lip.
She had known.
She had just hoped she could avoid it for longer.
Celeste leaned back in her chair. “The real question is– what do you want to do?”
“I don't know”, Emilia admitted, rubbing her temples. “He's giving me three days to decide. Either I sign the contract and stay in control, or he takes me to court”.
Celeste’s gaze darkened.
“I don't trust him”, she said bluntly. “But I know one thing– he’s not the type of man who bluffs. If he's threatening to take Lily, then he means it”.
Emilia swallowed hard.
Her aunt sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Listen to me, sweetheart. You're strong. You've built a good life for yourself and Lily. If you sign this contract, don't do it out of fear. Do it because you know how to use it to your advantage”.
Emilia stared at her.
Use it to her advantage.
Alex had said it himself– if she agreed to this arrangement, she'd have access to his power, wealth and influence.
Enough to finally take back what was stolen from her mother.
Her so-called family had taken everything, and Emilia had been forced to leave like a disgraced outcast.
But now?
Now, she had a chance to fight back.
She straightened her spine.
“I'll sign it”, she said. “But on my terms”.
- Writer
