THE DEVIL’S TEMPTATION

The Arrangement

Valessa knew something was wrong the moment she stepped into the house.

Her father was waiting for her in the living room.

Catherine sat beside him, her hands folded neatly over her lap.

Zoe was there too.

All three of them looked at her.

Valessa stopped.

"Why are you all staring at me?"

"Sit down," her father said.

She frowned.

"I have homework."

"Valessa."

Something in his voice made her pause.

She slowly put her bag down.

"What happened?"

Her father looked at Catherine before turning back to her.

"I need you to listen to me before you say anything."

Valessa crossed her arms.

"That doesn't sound promising."

Her father sighed.

"Romano Industries is in serious financial trouble."

She blinked.

"What?"

"The company has been losing money for months."

Valessa looked at Catherine.

Then Zoe.

Neither of them looked surprised.

"You knew?"

Zoe shrugged.

"Dad handles the business."

Valessa looked back at her father.

"How bad is it?"

Richard hesitated.

"If I don't find a solution soon, we'll lose the company."

Her heart sank.

"How soon?"

"Three months."

Valessa stared at him.

"And you waited until now to tell me?"

"I was trying to fix it."

"Alone?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you're my daughter."

The words should have comforted her.

Instead, they made her angry.

"I'm your daughter when you need to protect me, but apparently I'm not your daughter when you spend years letting Catherine and Zoe treat me like a stranger."

Catherine's expression hardened.

"Valessa, that's enough."

"No."

Valessa looked at her.

"I'm tired of everyone telling me what I should feel."

Her father stood.

"Please."

The desperation in his voice stopped her.

Richard walked toward her.

"There is a solution."

Valessa's stomach tightened.

"What solution?"

Her father looked away.

"A marriage."

She stared at him.

Then laughed.

It wasn't because anything was funny.

"You can't be serious."

"I am."

"To whom?"

He didn't answer immediately.

"Dario Lorenzo."

The name meant nothing to her.

"Who?"

Catherine spoke softly.

"Dario Lorenzo."

Valessa looked at her.

"And I'm supposed to know who that is?"

"He's one of the most powerful men in the country."

"And?"

Her father swallowed.

"And if you marry him, the Lorenzo family will invest in Romano Industries."

Valessa stared at him.

"You want me to marry a stranger to save your company?"

"It's not that simple."

"It sounds exactly that simple."

"I would never ask you to do this if there were another way."

"Then find another way."

"I tried."

"Try harder."

Richard's face tightened.

"I've spent thirty years building that company."

"And I've spent twenty-three years being your daughter."

Silence.

Valessa shook her head.

"No."

Her father looked at her.

"Valessa..."

"No."

She picked up her handbag.

"I don't care how rich he is. I don't care how powerful he is. I'm not marrying someone I've never met."

She turned toward the stairs.

Her father's next words stopped her.

"If the company collapses, six hundred and forty-three people will lose their jobs."

Valessa slowly turned around.

"What?"

"Six hundred and forty-three employees."

Richard's voice cracked.

"People who have worked for this family for years. People with mortgages. Children. Families."

Valessa stared at him.

"You can't put that on me."

"I'm not."

"You are."

"I'm telling you the truth."

He walked toward her.

"If you say no, I won't force you."

Valessa looked at him suspiciously.

"Then why are you telling me?"

"Because you deserve to know what your decision means."

She looked away.

Her father continued.

"I've already tried selling part of the company. No one wants it. The banks won't extend another loan. Investors have walked away."

His voice became quieter.

"I don't know what else to do."

Valessa swallowed.

For all the resentment she carried toward her father, she couldn't ignore the pain in his eyes.

She hated that.

She hated that he could still make her care.

"How long do I have?"

"Three months."

She closed her eyes.

A marriage.

To a stranger.

For a company she hadn't asked for.

It was absurd.

It was unfair.

And yet, the thought of hundreds of people losing their livelihoods because she refused made her feel sick.

She opened her eyes.

"I'll meet him."

Her father's shoulders relaxed.

"But I didn't say yes."

He nodded.

"That's all I ask."

Two days later, Valessa stood in front of her bedroom mirror.

Catherine had insisted she wear the dark blue dress.

"You need to make a good impression," she had said.

Valessa hated the dress.

She hated the situation even more.

She adjusted the earrings and stared at herself.

"One dinner," she whispered.

"That's all."

She didn't know what Dario Lorenzo looked like.

She had deliberately avoided searching for him.

If she was going to meet him, she wanted to form her own opinion.

She picked up her purse and went downstairs.

Zoe was waiting.

"You're actually going?"

Valessa glanced at her.

"I don't have much of a choice."

Zoe smiled.

"You always have a choice."

Something about the way she said it made Valessa suspicious.

But before she could respond, Catherine called from the hallway.

"They're waiting."

Valessa took a breath.

Then followed them.

The Lorenzo estate was enormous.

Valessa stared through the car window as the gates opened.

She had expected wealth.

She hadn't expected this.

The estate looked more like a palace than a home.

Security guards stood throughout the grounds.

Luxury cars lined the driveway.

Everything about the place screamed power.

Valessa's nerves returned.

She stepped out of the car.

"Relax," her father whispered.

"I'm relaxed."

"You look terrified."

"I'm considering running."

Her father almost smiled.

"Please don't."

They entered the mansion.

A butler greeted them before leading them toward the dining room.

Valessa's heart beat faster with every step.

Then the doors opened.

She walked inside.

Her father began introducing everyone.

"Valessa, this is Don Alessandro Lorenzo."

The elderly man smiled warmly.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

Valessa smiled politely.

"The pleasure is mine."

She barely had time to look around before her father's voice continued.

"And this is..."

Valessa turned.

Her breath caught.

The world seemed to stop.

Black suit.

Dark hair.

Sharp jaw.

Those unmistakable cold eyes.

The man standing across the room was the same man she had kissed three nights ago.

The stranger she'd impulsively grabbed.

The stranger she'd offered money to.

The stranger she'd walked away from.

Her face went completely pale.

No.

It couldn't be.

Dario's eyes met hers.

Recognition flashed immediately.

Unlike her, he wasn't surprised.

A slow, almost wicked smile appeared on his lips.

"Valessa."

Her father looked between them.

"You two know each other?"

Valessa couldn't speak.

Dario leaned back casually in his chair, his eyes never leaving hers.

"We've met."

His smile deepened.

"Quite intimately, actually."

Valessa's eyes widened.

"Dario!"

His grandfather raised an eyebrow.

And Dario simply smiled.

For the first time that evening, Valessa realized just how badly she had underestimated the man she was being asked to marry.