A MONTH WITH THE CEO

A Month with the CEO Chapter One: The Proposal The sound of the grandfather clock echoed through the mansion. Tick. Tick. Tick. Amelia Hart sat quietly at the end of the long dining table, staring at the untouched food on her plate. Her father had called for a family dinner, but no one had eaten a single bite. Something was wrong. Very wrong. Her father, Richard Hart, sighed heavily before placing a brown envelope on the table. "I've made a decision." Amelia looked up. "What decision?" Her mother gripped her wine glass tightly, avoiding Amelia's eyes. Richard folded his hands together. "Our company is bankrupt." The words struck Amelia like lightning. "What?" "The banks have refused another loan. Investors have withdrawn their support." Her heart pounded. "But... I thought business was improving." "It was." He paused. "Until our biggest client canceled their contract." Silence swallowed the room. Amelia slowly shook her head. "There has to be another way." "There is." Hope flickered in her chest. "What is it?" Richard slid the envelope toward her. "Open it." With trembling fingers, Amelia unfolded the papers inside. At first, she frowned. Then her face turned pale. Marriage Agreement. "What is this?" "It is your future." She stared at her father in disbelief. "You promised me to someone?" "I had no choice." "No choice?" Her voice rose. "You arranged my marriage without even asking me?" "It was the only way to save everything we've built." Tears burned in her eyes. "I'm your daughter—not a business contract." Her mother finally spoke. "We tried to find another solution." "There wasn't one," Richard added quietly. Amelia looked back at the document. One name stood out immediately. Ethan Knight. CEO of Knight Holdings. The billionaire everyone admired. The businessman everyone feared. She had seen his face countless times in magazines and on television. Tall. Cold. Brilliant. Untouchable. "What does he gain from marrying me?" she asked. Richard hesitated. "Our companies will merge. His grandfather and yours were once close friends. This marriage fulfills an agreement they made years ago." Amelia laughed bitterly. "So my life was decided before I was even born?" "I'm asking you to trust me." "No." She stood so quickly that her chair scraped loudly across the marble floor. "I won't marry a man I've never met." "You will meet him tomorrow." "I'm not going." "You don't have a choice." Those words shattered something inside her. For the first time in her life, Amelia felt like a prisoner in her own home. Without another word, she ran upstairs. She slammed her bedroom door shut and collapsed onto her bed, clutching a pillow as tears streamed down her face. How could they do this? How could the people who were supposed to protect her trade her future for a business deal? Her phone buzzed. Unknown Number. She ignored it. It buzzed again. Taking a deep breath, she answered. "Hello?" A deep, calm voice replied. "Miss Hart?" "Who's this?" "My name is Ethan Knight." Her heart stopped. "I believe we'll be meeting tomorrow." There was a brief silence. Then he spoke again. "I don't like arranged marriages any more than you do." Amelia frowned. "Then refuse it." "I can't." "Why not?" "Because I also have something to protect." His voice remained steady, but there was a sadness beneath it. "We have one month." "One month for what?" "To decide whether this marriage will destroy us..." He paused. "...or save us both." The call ended. Amelia stared at the phone in her trembling hands. Tomorrow, she would meet the man who was about to change her life forever.