Chapter 4: Marry Me

Emily's POV

That text chilled me to the bone.

I had blocked Alexander—but he still found a way to reach me.

He actually changed numbers… just to send me that message.

"Come find me when you wake up."

Why? What does he want now?

Does he think I… performed well last night?

No. No way.

Sara said he already has someone he likes. So it can’t be that.

Then… is he planning to warn me to keep quiet?

Or maybe offer hush money?

If that’s what this is about—

No.

That would be no different from selling myself.

I won’t let it come to that.

I tapped out a quick reply, my fingers shaking:

“Don’t worry. I’ve already forgotten about last night. I won’t say a word.”

That should settle it.

He’ll leave me alone now… right?

I tossed my phone onto the bed, but it buzzed again almost immediately.

It was a call from Adam.

“Emily!” His voice practically crackled with excitement. “Hand over the project files to Anna first thing tomorrow. She’ll take over from here.”

What?!

“Adam, wait, I can explain—”

“There’s nothing to explain,” he snapped. The warmth in his voice vanished. “Your performance tonight was a disaster.”

“You handed me a golden opportunity and blew it.”

“But the project hasn’t even officially started! How can you—”

Click.

He hung up.

I stared at the screen, heart pounding, a thousand emotions crashing over me.

He took the project away. That meant…

My already fragile standing in the company was about to get even worse.

And the whispers, the disdain in my coworkers’ eyes—they’d only grow louder now.

I couldn’t just let it go. I had to try, one last time.

I rushed to my suitcase to double-check the contract.

I had reviewed it just yesterday—how could it be missing now?

I tore through my things: clothes, makeup, laptop…

No folder.

No contract.

Suddenly my blood ran cold.

This morning—I had left in such a rush.

I must’ve left the folder in Room 101.

Which meant… it was probably in Alexander’s hands now.

Perfect.

First I reject his message—now I have to come crawling back.

God, I was digging my own grave.

I paced the room, my thoughts spinning out of control.

If I don’t retrieve the contract, I’m done at the company.

And if I don’t have a job, how am I going to cover Mom’s medical bills?

There was no other choice.

I took a deep breath, straightened my clothes, and marched toward the elevator.

Everyone knew Alexander was staying in the hotel’s top-floor presidential suite.

As the elevator rose, so did my anxiety. My heart pounded louder with each floor.

Finally, I stood before the grand, gleaming door.

My hand hovered in the air, trembling.

After several false starts, I finally pressed the doorbell.

It opened moments later—revealing his assistant, the same man from the elevator.

“Can I help you?” he asked politely.

“I… I’m here to see Mr. Blackwood,” I said, shrinking under his gaze.

“Do you have an appointment?”

“No. But I have an urgent matter.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Blackwood isn’t taking any—”

“Let her in,” came the voice from inside.

The assistant blinked, surprised. But he stepped aside.

“Please, go ahead.”

I stepped inside, trying not to gape.

The suite was even more luxurious than I imagined—crystal chandeliers, floor-to-ceiling windows with a sweeping city view, everything glowing in warm, golden light.

Alexander sat on the sofa, casually dressed in a shirt, holding a glass of whiskey.

Still powerful. Still intimidating. But less cold than earlier.

He glanced at me.

“What is it?” His tone was calm, but unreadable.

I twisted my fingers together. “I came to ask if… if you found a folder. I might’ve left it behind…”

The moment I alluded to that night, my face burned.

Alexander put down his glass, lips curving into a faint smirk.

Dangerous.

“Which time?”

My face flamed hotter. “You know what I mean…”

“You’ll have to be more specific,” he said slowly. “I’m not following.”

This bastard. He was enjoying this.

“Last night. Room 101.” I blurted it out, cringing inwardly.

“Oh,” he said, as if he’d just remembered. “You mean when we slept together?”

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me.

How could he say that out loud? So casually?!

“The contract’s with me,” he added, standing and walking to the desk.

Relief flooded me. Thank God.

He pulled a folder from the drawer—my folder.

I reached out to take it, but he didn’t hand it over right away.

Instead, he stared at me. There was something sharp in his gaze. Intense.

“Emily.”

“What?”

He looked me straight in the eyes.

Then said the words that turned my world upside down:

“Marry me.”

I froze. “Wait… what did you just say?”

“I said, marry me,” he repeated, voice steady. Not teasing. Not joking.

I gaped at him.

“You’re the heir to the Alpha bloodline,” I said slowly. “I don’t even have a wolf. Why on earth would you want to marry me?”

He looked at me without blinking. “Because you’re the one I want as my Luna.”

My brain flatlined.

Luna?!

Was he insane?

Was I dreaming?

He had to be messing with me. Testing me.

Seeing if I’d jump at the bait like some shallow, gold-digging fool.

The second I said yes, he’d probably sneer in disgust and tell me I failed some kind of Alpha loyalty test.

Because a man like him—wealthy, powerful, mated or not—could have any woman he wanted.

There would be a line of candidates for Luna stretching across the continent.

And me? A nobody with no wolf and no status?

This couldn’t be real.

I took a breath, calming my nerves.

“You don’t need to test me,” I said coolly, taking a step back. “I’m not that kind of girl.”

“You don’t have to worry—I won’t breathe a word about what happened.”

But before I could finish, Alexander cut in sharply:

“Your mother’s medical bills are expensive, aren’t they?”