Noira

Chapter Three

Noira was exhausted.

She had spent the past few days drowning in assignments, working late shifts at the campus bookstore, and avoiding the nagging feeling in the back of her mind—the one that started the moment she ran into Lucas Carter again.

She had convinced herself that whatever tension existed between them was temporary, a fleeting moment she could ignore. But Lucas seemed determined to prove otherwise.

So when she stepped out of her evening class and spotted him waiting by his car—again—she wasn’t surprised.

Annoyed? Absolutely.

Surprised? Not even a little.

Lucas was leaning against the hood of his black Audi, hands casually tucked into his pockets. He was dressed in his usual sharp style—dark slacks, crisp white shirt, top button undone just enough to make him look effortlessly put together. His entire presence screamed confidence, like he knew he belonged wherever he stood.

The moment she saw him, she groaned inwardly and picked up her pace, pretending not to notice him.

It didn’t work.

“You’re really committed to avoiding me, aren’t you?” His voice was smooth, amused, as he fell into step beside her.

Noira sighed. “Lucas, I’m tired. And I have zero interest in whatever this is.”

He smirked. “You don’t even know what this is.”

“I don’t care.”

“You should.”

She rolled her eyes. “Is there a point to this conversation? Or do you just enjoy making my life harder?”

Lucas ignored her irritation and pulled something from his jacket pocket. A small black envelope. He held it out to her.

“What is that?” she asked, side-eyeing it.

“An invitation.”

“To what?”

“My office. Tomorrow night.”

She let out a dry laugh. “Lucas, if this is some weird attempt to get me alone, I—”

“It’s business,” he cut in. “A proposal.”

Noira folded her arms. “I don’t do business with people I don’t trust.”

Lucas tilted his head, studying her. “I’ll make it simple.” He stepped closer, lowering his voice just enough to send a shiver down her spine. “You walk into my office, hear what I have to say, and if you don’t like it, you walk right back out.”

She frowned. “That easy?”

He smirked. “That easy.”

She hesitated. “Why would I even consider it?”

Lucas gave her a long, measured look before saying two words that made her breath hitch.

“Ten million.”

Her heart stuttered.

“…Excuse me?”

He didn’t repeat himself. Just watched as realization sank in.

Noira swallowed, forcing herself to scoff. “I don’t know what kind of scam you think this is, but I’m not interested.”

Lucas simply extended the envelope again. “Sleep on it.”

She hesitated for a fraction of a second before snatching it from his hand. Not because she was considering it—but because she wanted this conversation over.

Without another word, she turned and walked away.

Lucas didn’t stop her.

But she felt his gaze on her the whole way.

Noira sat in her apartment later that night, staring at the black envelope on her desk like it might catch fire.

Ten million.

The number had been playing on a loop in her head ever since Lucas said it.

There was no way it was real.

Right?

Mel walked in, sipping a cup of tea. “You’ve been looking at that thing for, like, an hour. Either open it or throw it out.”

Noira exhaled, snatching it off the desk. She tore it open and pulled out a single card with an address—Carter Holdings. And a time.

7:00 p.m.

Mel peered over her shoulder and raised a brow. “Fancy. What is it?”

Noira hesitated. “Just… someone trying to offer me something I don’t want.”

Mel took another sip of tea. “Then why haven’t you thrown it out?”

Noira had no answer.

She wasn’t going.

That was her decision.

She wasn’t going to step into Lucas Carter’s office, let alone entertain whatever insane offer he had.

And yet…

At exactly 6:58 p.m. the next evening, she found herself standing in front of Carter Holdings.

The building was sleek, all glass and steel, towering over the city. When she stepped into the lobby, a woman at the front desk greeted her like she had been expected and directed her to the top floor.

Noira’s heels clicked against the marble as she walked down the long hallway, nerves tightening in her stomach.

Lucas’s office was massive—minimalist, modern, with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city skyline. He stood by them, looking out at the view, hands in his pockets.

When she stepped inside, he turned, lips curving into a small, knowing smirk.

“You came.”

Noira folded her arms. “Against my better judgment.”

Lucas walked to his desk and picked up a folder. He held it out to her.

Noira hesitated before taking it. The moment she flipped it open, her stomach twisted.

It was a contract.

She skimmed the first few lines, eyes widening.

Marriage contract.

She snapped her gaze up to him. “What the hell is this?”

Lucas leaned back against his desk. “A business arrangement.”

Her pulse pounded in her ears as she flipped further through the document, scanning the legal jargon. Her hands tightened when she reached the payout:

Ten million dollars.

Her breath caught.

This wasn’t just an offer. This was real.

She shut the folder, heart racing. “You’re insane.”

Lucas’s expression didn’t change. “Maybe.”

She shook her head. “Lucas, this isn’t normal. You don’t just—just ask someone to marry you for money.”

His eyes darkened slightly. “It’s not about marriage. It’s about business.”

Noira let out a sharp laugh. “You need a wife for business?”

Lucas exhaled, crossing his arms. “My father’s will was complicated. I inherit his entire estate under one condition—I have to be married. For two years, minimum.”

Noira stared at him, mind racing.

This was insane.

Completely, utterly insane.

She scoffed. “And you thought of me? That makes zero sense.”

Lucas shrugged. “It makes perfect sense. You’re smart, logical, not desperate. And most importantly…” He held her gaze. “You wouldn’t get attached.”

Her stomach flipped.

Noira clenched her fists. “I have a boyfriend.”

Lucas didn’t blink. “Then say no.”

The words should have come easily.

She should have thrown the contract back at him, stormed out, and never looked back.

But instead, she found herself gripping the folder just a little tighter.

Because deep down, a quiet, dangerous thought whispered:

What if I said yes?

“I don’t know if I can do this, Lucas,” Noira said, her voice trembling with uncertainty. She was standing across from him, the folder with the contract in her hands, its weight suddenly feeling heavy. “It’s too much. It’s too complicated. I can’t just sign a marriage contract with someone I barely know.”

Lucas’s gaze softened for a moment before he stepped closer, his presence filling the room. “I get it. This isn’t an easy decision. And I’m not asking you to jump into this blindly. I’m giving you time. Think about it.”

He placed a hand on the folder, pressing it lightly into her hands. “Take it with you. Read the details carefully. You’ll see it’s not as crazy as it seems. It’s just a contract, Noira. A simple agreement.”

She looked down at the folder, unsure of how to feel. The offer was tempting. The money. The freedom. The possibility of escaping the rut she had been in for so long. But the thought of marrying Lucas—no matter how simple the arrangement—sent a ripple of doubt through her.

But Lucas wasn’t done. His tone became softer, almost persuasive. “You don’t have to decide right away. Just take some time to think it over. It’s not something you need to jump into without considering your options.”

She nodded, though the uncertainty in her chest still gnawed at her. She looked up at him, trying to read his expression, but it was unreadable, that same confident mask he wore so well.

“Okay,” she said, her voice quiet. “I’ll think about it.”

Lucas gave a slow nod. “Good. I want you to make the best decision for yourself. Just know that whatever you decide, there’s no going back once the decision is made.”

Her heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t tell if it was the pressure of the moment or something deeper—something unspoken—that made the words sound heavier than they should have.

Without saying anything else, Lucas turned and walked back to his desk, as if the conversation had ended. She remained where she stood, holding the folder in her hands, unsure of what to do with it. It felt like the weight of her future was pressed into those pages, and the decision she was facing was looming over her like an impossible choice.

Lucas glanced back at her, his eyes still holding that sharp intensity. “Take your time, Noira. The offer stands. When you’re ready, come back and let me know.”

She nodded again, still unsure of what to say. With a final look at him, she turned toward the door, clutching the folder tightly as if it could anchor her to the reality of what she was about to walk away from.