The Offer
978 Words
Mina’s POV
The penthouse looked unreal.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entire city skyline while soft golden lights reflected against black marble floors. Everything inside Adrian Vale’s home looked clean, modern, untouched.
Like nobody truly lived there.
I stepped inside slowly, suddenly aware of how worn my shoes looked against the polished floor.
“This place is huge,” I whispered.
Adrian removed his coat calmly and draped it over a nearby chair.
“You’ll get used to it.”
I frowned immediately.
“Who said I’m staying?”
A faint smirk touched his lips.
“You’re still here.”
I hated how correct he sounded.
The entire situation felt insane.
Hours ago I was standing on a rooftop considering whether disappearing would finally bring peace.
Now I stood inside a millionaire’s penthouse while trying not to stare at how attractive he looked loosening his tie.
Life was ridiculous.
“You can sit,” Adrian said.
I remained standing.
“I’m fine.”
“You say that a lot.”
“I am fine.”
“You’re exhausted, hungry, drowning in debt, and emotionally destroyed by your ex-boyfriend.”
My jaw tightened.
“…You really don’t believe in soft delivery, huh?”
“I believe in honesty.”
The frustrating part?
He wasn’t wrong.
I slowly sat down near the kitchen while Adrian poured water into a glass and handed it to me.
“Thanks.”
“You’re polite even when angry.”
I blinked at him.
“That’s a weird observation.”
“It’s accurate.”
The way he noticed tiny things about me unsettled me more than I wanted to admit.
I drank quietly while Adrian moved around the kitchen with practiced calmness. He rolled his sleeves slightly, exposing dark tattoos winding subtly along his forearm.
I looked away immediately.
Dangerous.
Everything about him felt dangerous.
“Why are you helping me?” I finally asked.
Adrian leaned against the counter silently for a moment before answering.
“Because I can.”
“That’s not a real reason.”
“It’s enough for me.”
I shook my head.
“No one helps people for free.”
At that, Adrian’s gaze sharpened slightly.
“You think kindness always requires payment?”
“Yes.”
The answer escaped too quickly.
Too honestly.
Because Ethan taught me that.
Nothing came free.
Not affection.
Not attention.
Not love.
Everything eventually became leverage.
Adrian studied me carefully.
Then—
“What if I told you I could erase your debt tonight?”
My heartbeat stumbled.
I stared at him in disbelief.
“…What?”
“I’ll pay everything.”
The room suddenly felt too quiet.
Three Million Dollars.
Just hearing those words made my chest tighten painfully.
That debt controlled every second of my life now.
And Adrian spoke about removing it like it meant nothing.
“There has to be a catch,” I whispered.
“There is.”
Of course there was.
I laughed bitterly under my breath.
“There it is.”
Adrian walked closer slowly.
Not threatening.
Worse.
Controlled.
“I need someone to accompany me publicly for a while,” he said calmly.
“Events. Dinners. Business gatherings.”
Confusion crossed my face.
“…Why me?”
His gaze held mine steadily.
“My grandfather wants me married.”
I blinked.
“That’s the reason?”
“He believes emotionally detached men become dangerous.”
“…Are you emotionally detached?”
“Yes.”
The honesty in his voice made my stomach tighten again.
I stared at him carefully.
“You want me to pretend to be your girlfriend?”
“For a few months.”
“That’s insane.”
“Probably.”
I stood abruptly from the chair.
“No. Absolutely not.”
Adrian didn’t move.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know you!”
“You know enough.”
“No, I know you’re rich and terrifying and weirdly obsessed with my problems.”
At that—
something almost amused flickered across his expression.
“Weirdly obsessed?”
“You watched me for months!”
“I observed you.”
“That sounds worse!”
For the first time since meeting him—
Adrian laughed softly.
The sound startled me completely.
It changed his entire face.
Less cold.
More human.
Dangerously attractive.
I looked away immediately before he noticed my reaction.
“I’m serious,” I muttered.
“This arrangement is a terrible idea.”
“Probably,” Adrian agreed calmly.
“But it benefits both of us.”
I folded my arms tightly.
“And if I say no?”
Silence stretched briefly.
Then Adrian answered quietly:
“I’ll still pay your debt.”
My breath caught instantly.
“…Why?”
His gaze softened almost imperceptibly.
“Because Ethan Wood already ruined enough of your life.”
The sincerity in his voice terrified me.
Because people like Adrian Vale shouldn’t sound gentle.
That made them harder to survive.
Before I could respond—
my phone suddenly vibrated violently inside my pocket.
My stomach dropped immediately after seeing the screen.
Ethan ❤️
Adrian noticed the name instantly.
The atmosphere changed.
Cold.
Sharp.
Dangerous.
“You still kept his contact saved,” Adrian murmured.
“I forgot to delete it.”
“Did you?”
The question hit too close.
I swallowed hard while the phone continued vibrating in my hand.
Ethan was calling me.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Like he sensed someone else standing beside me.
Like he already knew I was slipping away.
Adrian’s eyes never left the screen.
Then quietly—
“Answer it.”
My heartbeat quickened.
“…Why?”
A shadow crossed Adrian’s expression.
“Because I want to hear how a man speaks to the woman he destroyed.”
And suddenly—
I realized Adrian Vale hated Ethan Wood far more personally than he should have.
- Writer
