"Okay." Daniel's response was calm and collected, but Anastasia's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Okay? Like, really okay?" Anastasia struggled to process what she had just heard. The amount she had requested—five million dollars—was far beyond what a branch manager could realistically save in a lifetime. For someone like Daniel, who was relatively young, accumulating such a sum would take decades of work and careful saving. Considering Daniel's age at the moment, that would be impossible.
"Yes, I agree," Daniel continued, his tone steady. "So, if I can provide you with the amount today, would you be willing to register our marriage today as well?" His urgency was obvious, but Anastasia was still too stunned by his agreement to fully grasp the rush behind his words.
"Wait…" Anastasia was still at a loss for words. She held her forehead, trying to collect her thoughts as she looked around, catching her breath. Finally, her gaze locked onto Daniel. "So, you mean, you agree to give me five million just to be your bride? I mean, contract bride?"
"Hmmm…" He nodded. "I will transfer it right now if you agree. And can we register our marriage after that?" He asked again, showing clear signs of desperation.
Anastasia suddenly shook her head. "No, I mean…huh!" She exhaled deeply before looking up to calm herself. "I mean, if you transfer the money and we register our marriage…won't you be afraid that I might run away?"
Daniel's lips curled into a slight smile as he tried to suppress his amusement. "Will you?"
"No…I…" Anastasia closed her eyes and covered her face with her palms to relax. After taking a few deep breaths, she asked, "Wouldn't others usually pull out a contract for this kind of situation?"
"Who?" Daniel asked.
"Well…" Anastasia avoided his eyes for a moment. "I usually saw this in dramas." She never expected she would experience such a situation herself.
"We don't need that. I believe in you," Daniel said, smiling. This time, his smile looked different in Anastasia's eyes.
Anastasia suddenly stood up, making a loud noise as her chair scraped against the floor. "I'm sorry, can I have a moment?" She rushed out of the café after saying that, leaving Daniel utterly baffled.
"Ah, shit, shit, shit…" he mumbled to himself, realising he might have messed up once again.
Daniel breathed heavily. He had been waiting there for around twenty minutes, hoping Anastasia would come back. But as time passed, he began to panic, fearing that Anastasia might have rejected his proposal.
The silence in Daniel's mind finally broke when the bell above the cafe door chimed. He quickly raised his head, hoping to see Anastasia, but it wasn't her. Disappointed and ready to leave, he walked to the counter to pay for his coffee. It was only then that he realised Anastasia hadn't even ordered a drink. He chuckled to himself in disbelief. "I guess I'm that dumb," he muttered, shaking his head. "No wonder she doesn't even need to consider me."
Walking out of the door, Daniel looked up at the sky, feeling overly dramatic. This was probably the first time he'd ever been rejected. Usually, he was the one turning others down, not the other way around.
"Mr. Daniel!" a voice called from his right, making him spin around.
Anastasia stood there, bent over, trying to catch her breath. "I'm sorry…" she said, looking up while still attempting to steady her breathing. "Did I make you wait too long?"
Immediately shaking his head, Daniel fought to hold back a grin. "No, not at all," he replied.
"I agree!" Anastasia's voice rang in his ears, and for a moment, it felt like his entire world had come to a standstill.
'She agreed! Leo! Mom! Dad! Sis! She agreed! World…she agreed!' Daniel screams internally, his mind racing with excitement, though outwardly, he maintained a composed, almost indifferent expression.
"Did you hear me? I said I agree to be your bride," Anastasia repeated, looking at him with a hint of concern. "Mr. Daniel?"
Daniel, still in disbelief that he had succeeded, quickly turned away, hiding his face from Anastasia as a wide smile broke through. "Yes," he replied, his voice strained as he tried to keep his composure.
"Mr. Daniel?" Anastasia leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of his face. "Am I too late?" A wave of worry started to creep in. Had she missed her chance to help the company? She had rushed out to clear her head, running to the end of the shop lot just to clear her mind and think things through. After carefully weighing her options, she concluded that she had nothing to lose by agreeing—at least for now.
"No... I mean, of course not." Daniel stammered, trying to keep his composure. He paused for a moment, feeling the corners of his lips tug into a smile, his excitement bubbling over. To keep himself from giving away too much, he suddenly slapped his own face, startling Anastasia.
"I'm sorry," he quickly apologised, rubbing his cheek. "I just suddenly felt dizzy." It was an awkward lie, a desperate attempt to cover the overwhelming excitement he couldn't quite contain.
"Oh, are you alright? We can discuss this tomo—"
"No!" Daniel quickly interrupted, a bit too eagerly. "We should settle everything today. I'm quite busy tomorrow, and it seems like my parents won't be able to wait another day..." His lips curved into a wide smile, betraying just how much he wanted to finalise everything as soon as possible. "So…should I transfer the money now?"
"Huh?" Caught by surprise by the sudden question, Anastasia couldn't really reply.
"I mean, if you agree, I will definitely transfer it right now," Daniel pressed, needing to close the deal immediately before Anastasia changed her mind.
Anastasia's eyes darted. "Wait, Mr. Daniel, can I ask how long I need to pretend to be your wife?"
Daniel's smile faltered slightly at Anastasia's question, but he quickly recovered, trying to maintain his composure. "Well… just until my parents are convinced everything is fine. It shouldn't take more than a few months, I hope. After that, we can go our separate ways, no strings attached."
Anastasia nodded slowly, processing his words. "A few months… And during that time, I'll need to play the role of your wife in front of everyone? And about the money, are you sure I don't have to pay you back?"
Daniel hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I'm sure about the money. And as for pretending to be my wife, only when necessary. We won't need to be together 24/7. Just… enough to make it believable."
Anastasia took a deep breath. "Alright. But we need clear terms. I don't want any misunderstandings later."
"Of course, we can draw up an agreement, if you want?" Daniel said quickly, eager to reassure her.
She studied his face for a moment, then shook her head. "No, I believe you like you believe me. If that's the case, then… let's do it."
Daniel's heart skipped a beat as he struggled to contain his excitement. "Great! I'll arrange everything right away. Thank you, Anastasia. You have no idea how much this means to me."
Anastasia offered a small smile. "Thank you as well. This might just save my family."