The tension between Xia Yi and He Shihan continued to simmer beneath the surface.
After the team meeting, they were left alone again, reviewing the next steps for the project.
Xia Yi kept her tone clipped and professional, determined not to let him rattle her.
"You're avoiding eye contact, Yiyi," He Shihan said smoothly, leaning back in his chair with a satisfied smirk.
"Are you afraid of me?"
She shot him a glare.
"In your dreams."
He chuckled, the sound low and rich.
"I do dream about you, actually."
Xia Yi blinked, caught off guard by his sudden boldness.
"You—what?"
He crossed his arms, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Relax. I'm only teasing. But we need to talk about something more serious."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Serious? You?"
He smiled but leaned forward this time, his expression shifting to one of genuine focus.
"I've been thinking. The partnership we're working on—it's solid. But what if we took it a step further?"
Xia Yi's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm proposing a merger," He Shihan said, watching her carefully.
"Not just between our companies. Between us."
She scoffed, but her heart raced.
"You mean marriage."
"A contract marriage," he clarified smoothly.
"For appearances and mutual benefit. It's perfect. We eliminate unwanted attention, boost our business standing, and keep personal complications out of it."
She folded her arms, skeptical.
"And what's in it for you?"
"Control," he admitted shamelessly.
"I like being in control. And you—well, you're unpredictable. But you're also brilliant."
Xia Yi exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair.
"You expect me to marry you just because it's convenient?"
"Yes," He said with a slow, confident smile.
"And because you can't resist a good challenge."
She hated how right he was. And she hated how tempting the idea sounded.
"And if I refuse?" she challenged.
He shrugged.
"You won't. You're too smart for that."
Xia Yi stared at him, weighing her options.
"I'll think about it," she said finally, standing up to leave.
He Shihan grinned.
"Good. I knew you would."
As she walked out of the room, she could feel his gaze on her back—steady, confident, and utterly infuriating.