Married to the billionaire who hates me

Elena’s POV My hands are shaking and I hate that he can see it. I curl my fingers into my palms and force myself to breathe slowly, but the air in this office feels too thin. Too heavy. Too full of him. He is standing across from me like he owns the room. Like he owns me. “I asked you a question, Miss Rossi. ” His voice is calm. Smooth. Cold. I swallow. “I heard you, ” I say. My voice sounds steady. Thank God. “I just do not like your question. ” His blue eyes do not blink. They study me like I am a problem he plans to solve. Or destroy. “That is unfortunate, ” he replies. “Because whether you like it or not, you still need to answer. ” My heart is beating so loud I am sure the entire boardroom can hear it. The long table between us suddenly feels too small. Too useless. Nothing feels like protection right now. I lift my chin. “This is my company. ” A small pause. Then he smiles. It is not a kind smile. “Not for long. ” Silence falls. And just like that, my world begins to tilt. I refuse to look away first. I have learned that lesson the hard way. When you look away, you lose. When you show weakness, men like Adrian Vale smell it. And Adrian Vale smells blood. I should have known he would be here today. I should have expected it. But some part of me was still hoping this meeting would be simple. Just numbers. Just documents. Just another desperate attempt to keep Rossi Holdings alive. I was wrong. Very wrong. I turn away from him and walk to the large glass window behind my father’s desk. My father’s desk. The word still feels strange in my head. Dad should be here. Not me. He should be the one arguing with billionaires. He should be the one protecting this company. He built this place from nothing. I still remember coming here as a child, sitting in that leather chair, pretending to sign fake contracts while he laughed. Now the chair feels too big. Too cold. “You are stalling, ” Adrian says behind me. I close my eyes for a second. I do not want him to see what this company means to me. I do not want him to see how much I am fighting not to fall apart. I turn back slowly. “I am thinking, ” I reply. He walks around the table now. Slow. Controlled steps. Like he has all the time in the world. Of course he does. When you own half of New York, time bends for you. He stops a few feet away from me. “I have already seen your numbers, ” he says quietly. “Your debt is high. Your investors are nervous. Your competitors are circling. Within six months, Rossi Holdings will collapse. ” Each word hits like a slap. “You do not know that, ” I snap. He tilts his head slightly. “I do. ” I hate him. I hate the way he says it with such certainty. I hate that he might be right. I walk back to the desk and grab the financial file before he can touch it. “We are restructuring, ” I say quickly. “We are negotiating new partnerships. We will recover. ” “Will you?” His voice drops lower. “Or are you simply trying to protect your pride?” My breath catches. “This is not about pride. ” “Then what is it about?” “It is about my father, ” I whisper before I can stop myself. The words hang between us. For a moment, something shifts in his eyes. Just for a second. Then it is gone. “You cannot save a company with emotions, ” he says. “Business does not care about your grief. ” His words are cruel. But they are also true. And that makes it worse. I straighten my shoulders. “Why are you really here, Mr Vale?” He studies me for a long moment. His gaze moves slowly over my face like he is memorizing something. “Call me Adrian. ” “I would rather not. ” A flicker of amusement crosses his face. “I am here because your board requested my presence. ” My stomach tightens. “What?” “They approached me for a potential acquisition. ” No. No. “That is impossible, ” I breathe. “They would not do that without consulting me. ” “They did. ” The room starts to feel smaller. “They cannot sell this company. It belongs to my family. ” He looks almost bored. “It belongs to the shareholders. And they are losing patience. ” I grip the edge of the desk to keep myself steady. “They promised to give me time. ” “They gave you time. The numbers did not improve. ” Anger burns in my chest. “You are enjoying this, ” I say. He does not deny it. “I enjoy efficiency, ” he replies. “You enjoy power. ” He steps closer. “And you do not?” The question catches me off guard. “Of course I do, ” I admit. “But not like this. ” “Like what?” “Like taking advantage of someone who is grieving. ” His jaw tightens slightly. “You assume this is personal. ” “It feels personal. ” “Everything feels personal to someone who is losing. ” His words slice through me. I refuse to cry. Not in front of him. Not ever. “What do you want?” I ask again. This time his expression changes. It becomes sharper. More focused. “I want control. ” “Of my company?” “Yes. ” “Why?” “Because Rossi Holdings owns property that I need. ” I blink. “Property?” “A specific piece of land in Manhattan. ” My mind races. “The East River site?” “Yes. ” That land has been in our family for decades. My father refused to sell it many times. Developers offered millions for it. “You cannot have it, ” I say immediately. He smiles slightly. “I already do. ” “No you do not. ” “I will. ” I step back. “You are not buying this company. ” He watches me carefully. “There is another option. ” The way he says it makes my stomach twist. “What option?” He takes a folder from Dante, who has been standing quietly near the door the entire time. I barely noticed him until now. Tall. Calm. Watching everything. Adrian hands me the folder. “Read. ” My fingers feel numb as I open it. I scan the first page. Then the second. Then I freeze. “No. ” My voice comes out barely above a whisper. “That is the condition, ” Adrian says quietly. “This is insane. ” “It is strategic. ” I look up at him. “You want me to marry you?” The words sound unreal. “Yes. ” The silence in the room is deafening. “This is a joke. ” “It is not. ” I laugh, but it sounds hollow. “You hate me. ” “I do not hate you. ” “You look at me like I am an inconvenience. ” “That does not equal hate. ” I shake my head. “This is ridiculous. Marriage is not a business merger. ” “It has always been one. ” I stare at him. “You cannot be serious. ” “I am very serious. ” I flip through the contract again. A legally binding marriage agreement. Two years minimum. Shared public appearances. Combined financial assets for the duration. In return, Vale Corporation absorbs Rossi Holdings debt and stabilizes the company. My head is spinning. “You want control of my company and you think marriage is the way to get it?” “It guarantees loyalty. ” “You could just buy the shares. ” “I could. ” “Then why this?” His eyes darken slightly. “Because there are things that require deeper ties. ” Something in his tone makes my pulse jump. “This is blackmail, ” I whisper. “No. It is an opportunity. ” “An opportunity to trap me. ” “To save your company. ” I feel trapped already. “This is my life, ” I say. “And this is your legacy, ” he replies. The words hit harder than anything else. He knows exactly where to strike. “You are asking me to give up my freedom. ” “I am offering you security. ” “With you?” “Yes. ” I let out a shaky breath. “Why me?” That question slips out before I can stop it. He pauses. “Because you are the current CEO. ” “That is not what I mean. ” He studies me for a long moment. “Because you are strong, ” he finally says. “And because you will not break easily. ” I do not know why that makes my chest tighten. “You barely know me. ” “I know enough. ” Silence stretches between us. “If I refuse?” I ask. “Then I acquire the company through other means. ” “And I lose everything. ” “Yes. ” He does not sugarcoat it. Of course he does not. I close the folder slowly. “You planned this. ” “Yes. ” “For how long?” “Long enough. ” My throat feels dry. “You are cruel. ” “I am practical. ” I look at him, really look at him. Perfect suit. Controlled posture. Cold blue eyes. But underneath that calm surface, I sense something else. Something sharp. Something intense. “You would tie yourself to someone who despises you?” I ask. He steps closer. “You despise me?” “I should. ” “But do you?” My heart stutters. “I do not trust you. ” “That is not the same thing. ” “Trust is required for marriage. ” “This is not that kind of marriage. ” His voice lowers slightly. “Then what kind is it?” “One built on mutual benefit. ” “And no feelings?” He does not answer immediately. “That would be ideal. ” Something strange flickers in his eyes again. Ideal. Not guaranteed. I take a step back. “You expect me to say yes right now?” “No. ” “How long do I have?” “Forty eight hours. ” “Forty eight hours to decide the rest of my life?” “Yes. ” I laugh bitterly. “You are unbelievable. ” “I get that often. ” I walk away from him again, needing space. My mind is racing. If I say yes, I save the company. If I say no, I lose everything my father built. If I say yes, I marry a man who looks at me like I am a business strategy. If I say no, I become the CEO who destroyed her family legacy. I press my hand against the desk. Dad, what would you do? Would you tell me to fight? Would you tell me to sacrifice? Would you tell me to walk away? “Miss Rossi. ” His voice pulls me back. “Elena, ” he corrects softly. I turn to face him. “Yes, Adrian?” For a brief second, something electric passes between us when I say his name. “You do not have many options, ” he says quietly. “But this one keeps you in the game. ” “I do not want to be in your game. ” “You already are. ” The truth of that makes my chest ache. He walks toward the door. “Forty eight hours, ” he repeats. He stops just before leaving. “And Elena. ” I look up. “If you accept, you will not regret it. ” I stare at him. “That sounds like a threat. ” “It is not. ” Then he leaves. The door closes softly behind him. And I am alone again. Alone with a contract that could save me. Alone with a decision that could ruin me. I sink into my father’s chair and stare at the folder in my hands. Marry Adrian Vale. The billionaire who wants my company. The man who looks at me like a challenge. The man who might destroy me. I whisper into the empty office. “What am I going to do?” And for the first time since my father died, I feel truly afraid.