HIS SILENT OBSESSION

THE PROPOSAL

The dinner had been impeccably choreographed. They were in a private dining room overlooking the city, and the conversation had been pleasant, almost hypnotic. But as the dessert was cleared away, Alex’s expression shifted. He placed his hands flat on the table, his posture becoming unnervingly still. seeing that Alexander has more to say to Rose ,Mira immediately looked for an excuse and left the room with Henry 》

​ "Rose,"he began, his voice steady and calm.

"I’m going to be direct with you. My life is... complicated. The board of directors, the public eye, my father—they all demand a version of me that is impossible to maintain alone. They want stability I haven't been able to provide."

Rose frowned, sensing the sudden weight in the air.

"I don’t understand. What does that have to do with me?"

Alexander reached into his jacket and produced a slim, leather-bound document. He slid it across the table. It wasn't a marriage license but a contract.

"I need a wife," he said, his tone as clinical as if he were discussing a merger.

"And not just any woman. I need someone who is discreet, intelligent, and entirely grounded. Someone who won't be swayed by the games people in my world play.

Rose stared at the document, her heart pounding.

"You want me to... marry you? For a business arrangement?"

"I want us to form a partnership," Alexander corrected, though his eyes never left hers, searching for any sign of flight.

"You have talent, Rose, but you’re struggling to reach the potential you deserve. With my backing, your work would be seen by the world. You would have resources, security, and a life free from the... distractions of your past."

"Distractions?" Rose whispered, thinking of David and Becky.

"Your ex-boyfriend didn't value you,"Alexander said, his voice dropping, almost gentle.

"He treated you as disposable. I am offering you the opposite. You would be protected. You would be respected. In return, you provide the image of a stable, happy union that my position requires."

"That sounds like a transaction," Rose said, her voice shaking.

"It is," Alexander agreed, his gaze softening just enough to be disarming.

"But it is a transaction that gives you everything you’ve worked for, and it gives me exactly what I’ve been searching for: a partner I can trust."

He leaned back, giving her space.

"I’m not asking for an answer tonight. I know this is sudden.

You have a lot to lose, and perhaps a lot to gain. Take forty-eight hours. Think about the life you have now, and think about the life you could build if you weren't constantly being held back."

Rose looked at the contract, then up at Julian. He looked so composed, so sure of himself. She had no idea that he had spent years crafting the very life he was offering her or that he had been waiting for this exact moment.

"Forty-eight hours," Rose repeated.

"Forty-eight hours," Alexander confirmed. He stood up, offering his hand.

"Whatever you decide, I’ll respect it. But I think we both know that you’re tired of playing small, Rose. It’s time you prove to yourself that you're worth it,