"What?!" he exclaimed incredulously. "We barely know each other, and you want to marry me?" He began to stride away.
"I understand your hesitation, but please, hear me out," Eveloria implored, blocking his path with her body and placing both hands gently on his chest. Her eyes bore a plea. "It's not a genuine marriage; it's a contract marriage," she explained softly. "I have no one but myself in this harsh world. I don't seek love; that would be an unrealistic expectation. What I yearn for is freedom, and I believe I can find it through this contract marriage. Please, give me a chance."
He found himself taken aback by the strength and emotion in her plea, given her petite stature. This situation was unlike any he had encountered before. People in desperate circumstances had usually approached him with a calculating, cold demeanor, ready to exploit his vulnerability. Yet this woman standing before him now stirred a deep connection within him.
