Lena's heart was still racing from the confrontation with Ethan. She had barely slept the night before, haunted by the memory of his sharp gaze, the anger that simmered behind his every word. She knew she'd made a terrible mistake by reading the letter, but something about Ethan's reaction had struck a nerve. There was a side to him she hadn't seen before—a vulnerable side he clearly fought to hide.
As she hurried down the hallway to his office that morning, she replayed his words in her mind. "I don't tolerate disloyalty." He'd said it with such cold finality that she had spent all night convinced she'd be fired the next day. But as she checked her email early that morning, she saw a message from Ethan himself, summoning her to his office.
With her heart pounding, Lena reached his office door and knocked softly. Ethan's voice called her in, sharp and direct. She stepped inside, keeping her head down, and stood in front of his desk, waiting for him to speak.
Ethan glanced up, his eyes dark and focused, giving nothing away. "Sit down, Ms. Collins."
Lena obeyed, folding her hands in her lap as she sat across from him. The tension in the room was thick, and she could feel her pulse beating in her temples. She half-expected him to hand her a termination notice, to say that he no longer trusted her and couldn't have her around.
Instead, he leaned back in his chair, his gaze unwavering. "What you read yesterday," he began, his tone steady but strained, "was a personal matter. It was not something meant for anyone's eyes but mine."
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Rivers," Lena stammered, struggling to meet his eyes. "It wasn't intentional. I just… I didn't know what I was looking at until I had already read too much. Please, I didn't mean to—"
Ethan held up a hand, silencing her. "Intentional or not, it's done," he said flatly. He took a long breath, glancing down at his desk as if lost in thought. After a long pause, he looked back at her. "You have a right to know why I hired you."
Lena blinked, surprised by his directness. She had sensed from the start that there was more to his decision to hire her, but she hadn't expected him to admit it openly.
He continued, "I didn't hire you because of your skills, though I don't doubt that you're capable. I hired you because of… pressure from a family member." He paused, and Lena noticed the slight tremor in his jaw. "My cousin, Andrew, is very ill, and he… he has one final wish."
Lena could almost feel her heartbeat slow as she realized what he was about to say. She remembered the words in Andrew's letter: "My last wish is to see you with someone by your side." Her suspicions from yesterday suddenly sharpened into something clearer.
"He wants you to get married," she said quietly, finishing the thought for him.
Ethan's jaw tightened. "He does," he admitted, his tone almost bitter. "Andrew has always believed that I should have someone. That I should… settle down." He seemed to wrestle with the words, like they were something foreign. "I'm bound to honor his wish, but marriage is not something I desire, Ms. Collins. In fact, it's something I despise."
Lena felt a strange mix of emotions rise in her. Ethan was being brutally honest, showing her a side of himself that he kept locked away from everyone else. She could see the struggle in his eyes, the cold determination and the lingering vulnerability that he clearly hated.
"So… what are you asking me to do?" she asked softly, even though she already suspected the answer.
Ethan's gaze settled on her, steady and intense. "I'm asking you to consider a contract marriage. It would be purely for appearances. Nothing more." His tone was calm and unyielding, as if he'd already decided everything in his mind. "We'd enter a marriage for the sake of fulfilling my cousin's wish, and, once he's gone…" His voice trailed off, his meaning clear.
Lena stared at him, stunned. The idea was absurd, but at the same time, she understood why he would think of it. For someone like Ethan—closed off and unwilling to let anyone in—a marriage of convenience would be the perfect solution. But what did it mean for her?
"Why me?" she asked finally, her voice barely above a whisper.
He seemed to hesitate before answering. "You were… convenient," he said bluntly. "No family ties, no connections that could complicate things. You're someone who could disappear from my life once this is over. And, based on what you said in your interview, I assumed that you needed this job enough to consider an offer like this."
His words stung, and Lena's pride prickled. He'd seen her desperation and was using it to his advantage, manipulating her into playing the role he needed.
"And what do I get out of this?" she asked, her voice sharper than she intended.
Ethan leaned forward, his gaze steady. "Security," he replied. "A guaranteed income for the length of the contract. You'd live here, in one of my properties, and you wouldn't have to worry about anything financially." He paused, letting his words sink in. "I understand this isn't a normal proposal, Ms. Collins, but it could benefit us both."
Lena's mind raced. She hated the idea of being manipulated, of being seen as nothing more than a convenient option. But at the same time, she couldn't deny that his offer was tempting. She'd been homeless, desperate, without any safety net. Here was a chance to regain the stability she'd lost, even if it meant tying herself to a man who seemed to view emotions as weaknesses.
"What would you expect from me?" she asked cautiously, still trying to understand the full picture.
Ethan's gaze was intense, focused solely on her. "I'd expect you to act as my wife," he said, his voice low and deliberate. "In public, we'd need to appear like a married couple. But privately, things would be separate. Our lives, our decisions—entirely our own."
Lena's thoughts spun as she weighed his words. This wasn't a real marriage; it was more of a partnership, a practical arrangement to satisfy someone else's wishes. But it was still marriage. It would still tie her to Ethan Rivers, a man whose life was shrouded in mystery and hidden agendas.
"What about the risks?" she asked, her voice steady. "This arrangement… it wouldn't be easy to explain if anyone found out."
Ethan's expression didn't falter. "People won't find out, as long as we're careful," he replied. "And you'll be protected in every way. Any risks would be minimal."
Lena took a deep breath, her mind still reeling. The decision felt impossible. A marriage of convenience with a man she barely knew, a man she didn't trust. But what choice did she have? She had nowhere else to turn, no options left. This could be her only chance to rebuild, to survive.
Finally, she nodded, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "I'll consider it," she said, her voice quiet but firm. "But I need some time."
Ethan's gaze softened just slightly, though his expression remained guarded. "Take all the time you need," he replied, his tone less sharp. "But remember, my cousin's condition is worsening. We don't have forever."
Lena left his office in a daze, her mind spinning as she returned to her desk. Every fiber of her being screamed against the idea, but there was a quiet part of her that saw the practical sense in it. This wasn't love or romance—it was survival.
The rest of the day passed in a blur, her thoughts tangled and uncertain. She knew what her pride wanted her to do—walk away, refuse to play his game. But she also knew her own reality: alone, without family, without money, without a single support system.
That night, as she lay in bed in her tiny apartment, she couldn't shake the memory of Ethan's intense gaze, his sharp words echoing in her mind. She knew he saw her as nothing more than a tool to solve his problem, a means to an end.
Yet, there was something else in his eyes—a shadow of something deeper, something he was trying to bury beneath his cold facade. And the more she thought about it, the more she felt herself slipping, inch by inch, toward the decision he'd laid out.
Finally, she sat up, the weight of her choice settling over her like a stone. She knew what she had to do. But she also knew that this was only the beginning—that whatever lay ahead would change her life forever.