The proposal 2

Aria felt uneasy and surprised.

“You are serious?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“No.”

She shook her head repeatedly.

“This has to be some kind of joke.”

“It isn’t.”

“I’m your son’s ex. We have met only three times. Is it because of last night? Last night was a mistake. I was drunk and sad. I wasn’t in the right state of mind.”

She didn’t see the flash of hurt in his eyes before it disappeared.

“You don’t know anything about me, not even my middle name.”

“Danielle.”

“My favorite color?”

“Purple.”

“My… my b-birthday?”

“April 16, 2000.”

“How… How did you know all this?”

“I know more about you than you think, Miss Bennett. And it is not because you were supposed to marry my son.”

He paused.

“Miss Bennett, you want revenge. I need a wife. We can help each other. I drafted a contract. You will be married to me for at least a year before you decide on a divorce, and we will divorce once you have had your revenge.

“I mean, imagine being the mistress of Grand Orion. You know how that will make Ethan feel when you become his stepmother? I have always supported him and covered up his mistakes. It is time for him to have a taste of his own medicine.”

She leaned back in disbelief.

“This is insane.”

“It is, Miss Bennett.”

He didn’t deny it, and that… that somehow made it even more unbelievable.

Aria stood up abruptly.

“This is your definition of ‘the future can be changed’? Oh my God. I’m still drunk, or maybe I’m even dreaming, or I’ve gone mad. Maybe sadness drove me mad.”

“You are neither dreaming nor mad, Miss Bennett.”

“Then explain this.”

Damien rose from his chair.

“I require a wife, and you are the perfect candidate.”

“And I’m supposed to volunteer?”

She folded her arms.

“I fail to see how.”

“Really, Miss Bennett? You want me to remind you how you were played for four years and fooled by the man you love and your cousin who hated the sight of you?”

Her jaw tightened.

“My family requires stability,” he continued calmly.

“The scandal of the cheating Ashford heir has already dominated the headlines. Paparazzi and the media will require answers. And what are you going to do?”

“I should leave.”

She reached for her purse.

“I understand.”

Damien made no move to stop her.

She walked toward the door, reached for the handle, then paused.

A question echoed in her mind.

Why would the richest, most powerful man in the country ask his son’s ex to marry him?

She turned back slowly.

“Why me?”

For the first time, something unreadable flickered in Damien’s eyes.

“Because this marriage would solve problems for both of you.”

“How would it? If I accept your proposal, the headline would be, ‘She left the son for his father.’ I would be targeted online, called names, a gold digger.”

“I will handle the press… the media.”

“Handle? The press will shut up, but will everyone shut up? The board of your company,would they accept this?”

Damien couldn’t answer or speak. He avoided her gaze.

He didn’t know how to tell her that all he needed was for her to be his. The man known for controlling millions of people stood there in front of the woman he loved, unable to tell her the truth.

Aria sighed.

“And if I refuse?”

“You will walk away.”

“That is it?”

Aria questioned.

“I don’t force people to stay,” he said.

But his heart said something different.

Please stay. Please agree to this unreasonable request of mine.

His answer surprised her because she knew,everyone knew, he didn’t take no for an answer.

He wasn’t threatening her or manipulating her. He was simply offering her a choice.

But choices from the rich were never simple.

Noticing her hesitation, Damien held out the black folder.

“This is a marriage arrangement. You can go over it and tell me what you are comfortable with or what you would want to put in it.”

She opened it slowly.

The first page stole the air from her.

She stared at it.

CONTRACT MARRIAGE AGREEMENT

Her eyes widened, and before she could read another line, Damien quietly added,

“If you become my wife, you will be Ethan Ashford’s legal stepmother. You will also be the head of the new company that Ethan was supposed to take over. I will give you everything you want and desire.”

The words echoed in Aria’s ears.

Silence swallowed the room.

Aria stared at the man in front of her.

“What did you just say?”

Damien’s expression remained calm.

“I said exactly what you heard.”

She took a step backward, careful not to hit the door, and let out an unbelieving laugh.

“No. I can’t believe this. How can you just say that so calmly, like you’re discussing tomorrow’s weather?”

Damien folded his hands.

“Emotions won’t change facts, Miss Bennett.”

His composure only made her angrier.

“You are the crazy one.”

“Perhaps, but I’m not wrong.”

Aria could only stare at him, searching for the smallest sign that this was a joke or a way to manipulate her.

There was none.

His face remained:

Cold.

Controlled.

Confident.

She looked at the contract lying in her hand. The elegant black folder suddenly felt far heavier than paper should.

“Goodbye, Mr. Damien Ashford,” she said, using his name for the first time.

“Wait.”

“If you change your mind, here is my card. It is my direct contact. I will have my driver drive you home, Miss Aria.”

Aria took the card, held the contract closely, and walked out of the restaurant.

She found Marcus already holding the door open for her. He bowed to her.

She could only nod as she settled down.

She looked at the restaurant and saw Damien still watching her through the glass door, his hand in his pocket. His appearance screamed power.

She quickly avoided his blue eyes.

“My house address is…”

“We know it, Miss,” Marcus quickly interjected.

She didn’t even look surprised. She rested her head against the window.

“I had brought Ethan here before, so I memorized your address,” Marcus quickly spoke up, as if he needed to clear the air.

He didn’t receive a reply.

He decided to face forward and motioned for the driver to drive slowly.

As she got home, she muttered a thank-you to Marcus. He bowed slightly to her and watched her figure enter her building.

“Is she home?” a voice rang out through his phone.

“Yes, Boss,” Marcus replied.

Damien had been on the call since the ride from the restaurant to her house.

He ended the call.

Aria walked straight to her kitchen the moment she got inside and drank two glasses of water before heading to her room.

She lay down.

She looked back at the folder and the card on her drawer, and a tear fell from her eyes.

“Mom, Dad, I miss you so much. I need you to be with me, please. I’m tired. My whole life is a lie. He broke me. I thought he was my Prince Charming.”

She wiped her tears.

“I will make sure I destroy you, Ethan Ashford. I will do whatever it takes to see to your downfall.”

She cried out as she looked at the comments on the post about how her man had cheated on her with her cousin.

She soon fell asleep from crying herself out.

But her sleep was cut short by….