3: Marry me stranger
1336 Words
“What’s this?” Nia asked, frowning as she leaned forward.
“Terms for our marriage.” Kael’s tone was blunt, completely casual, as if proposing something so outrageous was a regular thing for him.
Her frown deepened as she opened the folder and scanned the document. “Marriage? Of all things, this is what you want?”
“You promised you’d do anything yesterday,” he replied coolly, shrugging.
“Well, yes,” she stuttered, her voice pitching higher than she intended, “but not—not this!” She waved the document in his face like it was absurdly offensive. “Are you nuts or something? Why would you even suggest this?”
Kael raised a brow, clearly unbothered by her outburst. “Because I need to keep my mother off my back and secure the inheritance my father left for me. And you…”
Nia’s eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms defensively, already preparing a retort, but Kael wasn’t done.
“You need someone who can help you settle the score with your best friend and your ex.” His lips curled into a smirk, his tone oozing confidence. “I have the means to do that.”
Nia hesitated, her fingers brushing over the paper. The words danced on the page—terms, conditions, expectations. This was simply an arrangement, not love, not something she’d have to put hope in, just something she could simply just do without expecting anything in return, without any probability of getting heartbroken. It was a cold, calculated agreement. For a moment she couldn’t help but consider the pros of the arrangement, but just as fast as the thoughts came rushing in, she shook her head, trying to dispel them away,
“You think I’d actually agree to this?” she asked, her voice edged with defiance.
Kael’s smirk widened. “I think you’re angry enough to consider it. Jacob and Lisa didn’t just hurt you—they humiliated you. I can help you make them pay.”
Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, her resolve wavered. The proposal was tempting. Revenge had been the only thing on her mind for months now. She picked up the pen, her grip tight as she readied to sign.
But just as the pen touched the paper, doubt surged through her chest. She froze, her pulse quickening.
“Wait,” Kael said suddenly, his tone uncharacteristically sharp. “What’s your name?”
Nia’s head snapped up, her brows furrowing. “What?”
“Your real name,” Kael clarified. His expression was calm, but there was a flicker of something else—curiosity or maybe suspicion. “I need to know who I’m marrying.”
The air between them shifted. A random thought flickered through her mind: What if he knows who I am? What if he’s just like Jacob, who just want to use me for my money?
On instinct, she forced a smile and said the first thing that came to mind, “Nia Davisson.”
Kael tilted his head slightly, studying her as he nodded. “Nia Davisson,” he repeated after.
Her eyes narrowed. “And you? What’s your name?”
Kael’s composure faltered for a split second, panic flashing across his features. He masked it quickly, but Nia caught it.
“Kael Kincaid,” he said smoothly.
Her brow arched. “You said Connon at the bar yesterday.”
Kael sucked in a sharp breath before his lips curled into a sly grin. “Connon is my middle name. My last name is Kincaid.”
Nia’s skepticism lingered for a moment before she finally shrugged. “Alright then.”
Shifting her eyes back to the contract, her hesitation melted away. With a swift motion, she signed her name, the ink drying on the page as she slid it across to him.
Kael’s wolf stirred within him, a rush of exhilaration surging through his chest as he took the pen and signed his name as well.
“Looks like we’re officially partners,” he said, his hand reaching out to hers.
Nia hesitated briefly, then shook his hand. Their eyes met, a flicker of something unspoken passing between them before she pulled away.
---
Nia sat stiffly at the head table, her father to her right, his stern expression doing little to mask his anxiety.
“We have to make sure we get this deal,” her father said under his breath, his hand gripping his glass tightly.
Nia sighed, her hands clenching the napkin in her lap. “I’ll do what I can, Dad. But honestly, why the hell are they late?”
Her father shot her a pointed look, his brows furrowed in disapproval. “You don’t understand what’s at stake here, Nia. If we lose this contract, we’ll lose everything. Our family’s reputation, our legacy—gone.”
“I get it, Dad,” Nia replied, her tone clipped. “You’ve been drilling that into my head for months now. I’m trying my best, but you can’t keep putting the weight of the company on my shoulders.”
Her father leaned closer, his voice low but sharp. “You don’t have the luxury of being tired or frustrated. This is your duty to this family.”
“Duty?” Nia shot back, her voice rising slightly. She glanced around at the other tables, quickly lowering her tone. “My duty is to be your puppet while you parade me around like some business tool. I’m sick of this!”
“Don’t you dare take that tone with me,” he snapped, his eyes narrowing. “If you think for a second that I’m enjoying this—watching my daughter act like a spoiled brat when our company is crumbling—you’re wrong. You’re the only person I can rely on. Your brothers couldn’t care less, and your mother…” He stopped himself, shaking his head in frustration.
“That’s not my problem,” Nia retorted, her voice steady now, her frustration hardening into resolve. “If you had a backup plan instead of gambling the company away, maybe we wouldn’t be in this position.”
Her father’s face darkened, and for a moment, neither spoke. The tension between them was palpable, the unspoken resentment stretching thin like a taut string ready to snap.
Before Nia could say anything more, her father exhaled heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You don’t understand yet, Nia, but you will. One day, you’ll thank me for teaching you how to survive in this world. Until then, promise me you’ll do what it takes to get the contract.”
Nia leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. She hated the way his words lingered, planting guilt she didn’t ask for. “I’ll do what I can,” she muttered reluctantly.
Her father nodded, seemingly satisfied, though his tension remained evident. “Good. And for God’s sake, stop complaining. They’re late because they can be late. That’s how power works in business.”
Nia opened her phone, scrolling mindlessly as her father continued to drone on about the Connon family, repeating details she’d already memorized.
“…and remember, they value discretion above all else,” he was saying when a voice cut through the noise, drawing Nia’s attention.
“Good evening, Mr. Fonon. I’m so sorry we kept you waiting.”
Nia’s head snapped up, her breath hitching at the sight of the woman standing before them. She was blonde and elegant, her confident smile disarming.
Her father rose immediately, taking the woman’s hand with a practiced smile. “Not at all. We’re honored to have you.”
Nia’s gaze darted past the blonde woman, her heart skipping a beat as she caught sight of the man standing behind her. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and devastatingly familiar.
Kael Connon—or was it Kincaid?—stepped into view, his piercing eyes locking onto hers with a smirk that sent her pulse racing.
- Writer
