The Offer
360 Words
The rain was still dripping from my hair when I found myself inside his limousine.
Everything smelled like leather and something darker—like danger dressed in cologne.
“You didn’t answer me,” he said, leaning back against the seat. “Do you know who I am?”
I swallowed hard. “A man who thinks it’s okay to kidnap strangers into his car?”
One corner of his mouth twitched. Not quite a smile, but close. “Adrian Valtor.”
The name hit me like a slap. Everyone in the city knew it. Billionaire. CEO of Valtor Industries. The man who built an empire out of nothing. And the man whispered to be cursed.
“Congratulations,” I said flatly. “You’ve got more money than God. Still doesn’t explain why you know my name.”
He studied me for a long moment, his eyes unnervingly silver under the dim lights. “Because I’ve been looking for you.”
My pulse jumped. “Why?”
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I want you to marry me.”
I stared. “What?”
“One year. A legal marriage. You’ll live with me, attend events by my side. At the end of the year, you walk away with ten million dollars.”
My laugh was sharp and humorless. “This is insane. Why me? There are a thousand women who’d—”
“They’d die.”
The word landed like ice in my stomach. “Excuse me?”
He didn’t blink. “Every woman I’ve married has died within twelve months. Some call it a curse. I call it reality. And now… it’s your turn.”
My breath caught in my throat. “If this is a joke, it’s not funny.”
“It’s not a joke, Lyra. You can refuse. But if you accept… you’ll save your sister.”
My blood ran cold. “How do you know about my sister?”
He smiled then. A slow, dangerous smile. “I know everything about you.”
And in that moment, I realized—saying no might be even more dangerous than saying yes.
- Writer
