My Annoyingly Handsome Vampire

Chapter 9

Trish Café, a small but cozy shop inside Trish Ware, smelled like money.

Glass. Steel. Coffee that cost 45 Ravillian dollars and tasted like it.

Trisha Lake was 21 and a CEO, but she was not impressed.

The VALOR meeting was supposed to be 20 minutes. Contract review.

Then Jace Vance walked in.

Black suit. No smile. Eyes that looked like he'' seen things she wasn't supposed to know about.

"Ms. Lake," he said. His voice was low.

"Mr. Vance." She didn't stand. "Shall we?"

They talked business for 14 minutes.

Numbers. Projections. Brand alignment.

Then he closed the folder.

"Our parents set this up."

Trisha didn't blink. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

'A halfblood' Jace thought

"Let's get married."

The words hung in the air.

Jace Vance is the heir of Vance Group, but his father has refused to hand over the Company to him unless he is married.

Jace slid a thin folder across the table. Inside:

*Clause 4:* _Merger assets will be pooled under Vance-Lake Holdings. 200 million Aquarian currency dowry, payable on signing._

*Clause 9:* _Public appearances required. Minimum 3 events per quarter. No separation for 5 years without board approval._

Trisha leaned back in the chair. "Give me time."

Jace frowned. "For what?"

"Marriage means together forever. I need time to think about it"

He let out a short laugh. "Why ? I'm I not good enough?"

"Being good enough doesn't cut it." Trisha said. She stood and walked to the window. Forty floors up, Burberry City spread out below her like glass and light. "You and I are completely different. You are the esteemed heir of Vance Group. And I'm just a 21 year old who built her own company, to prove that I'm Someone more . Not a business commodity."

Jace stared at her. For a while.

Then, slowly, he smiled. Not the CEO smile. The real one.

"You don't need to prove anything. Being my wife is enough."

"But I have to sign a contract. To be your wife." Trisha smiled bitterly.

"So you don't feel insecure."

Later, Jace dropped her home.

"See you some other time."

"See you some other time Mr. Vance."

"It's husband to you. Mrs. Vance." Jace winked and drove off.

Trisha went inside and texted Kira: _just came back from my blind date_

Kira: _so how was it?_

Trisha: _he proposed marriage._

Kira:_and did you agree?_

Trisha:_yes. One way or the other, the blind dates will keep coming. Better settle for one._

Across town, Jace told Xeron in three words:

"I'm getting married."

Xeron just nodded.

"Be good to your sister-in-law. Don't always be cold." Jace told Xeron.

Xeron faced Jace, "She's friends with Trisha."

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