I stared at Sebastian Knight, my hands gripping the edge of the chair so tightly my knuckles turned white. The hum of the city below his high-rise office seemed louder than ever, as if the world outside was mocking me for being here, sitting across from a man I barely knew.
"A partnership?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.
He leaned back in his chair, his sharp suit fitting him like a second skin. Everything about him screamed power, from the way he moved to the way he looked at me, as if he already knew how this conversation would end.
"Yes," he said calmly, his gaze fixed on mine. "One that will benefit us both. But first, you need to understand that this isn't about revenge for the sake of revenge. This is about strategy."
I shook my head, trying to process everything. "You said you know what they've done to me. How? How do you know anything about my life?"
His lips curled into a faint smirk, and for a moment, I felt like a mouse cornered by a cat. "I make it my business to know things, Ms. Parker. Let's just say I've had my eye on the Daltons for a long time, and when Max decided to destroy you, he became part of a larger problem I intend to solve."
I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. "So, what? You're here to use me as a pawn in whatever game you're playing with them?"
Sebastian's expression didn't change, but there was something colder in his eyes now. "Call it what you like. But think about it—what do you have to lose? They've already taken everything from you."
The words stung because they were true. Max had ripped my heart out and humiliated me. He and Olivia had worked together to sabotage my company, and now, the career I'd built with my own two hands was hanging by a thread.
Still, partnering with Sebastian Knight felt dangerous. He wasn't offering help out of kindness. This was about power, plain and simple.
"What's your plan?" I asked cautiously.
Sebastian's smirk grew. "It's not a plan, Ms. Parker. It's a proposal."
He stood and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to me. The city lights reflected off the glass, casting long shadows across the room.
"I want you to marry me," he said, his tone so casual it could've been a comment about the weather.
For a second, I thought I'd misheard him. "Excuse me?"
He turned, his expression unreadable. "A contract marriage. Nothing more, nothing less."
I blinked at him, trying to make sense of the words. "You're joking."
"Do I look like the kind of man who jokes?"
He didn't. Everything about him radiated seriousness and control.
"Why on earth would you want to marry me?" I asked, standing now, my voice rising. "You don't even know me."
He moved closer, stopping just a few feet away. "Because a marriage between us will serve both our interests. For you, it gives you protection. With my resources and influence, you'll have the power to fight back against Max, Olivia, and anyone else who stands in your way. For me…" He paused, his jaw tightening slightly. "Let's just say it will help me solidify some business alliances and weaken the Daltons' grip on certain markets."
I stared at him, my mind racing. The idea was insane. Utterly insane. And yet…
"And what happens when this contract is over?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"We part ways," he said simply. "You'll have what you need, and so will I. It's strictly business, Ms. Parker. No emotions, no complications."
The way he said it, so cold and detached, sent a chill down my spine.
That night, I couldn't sleep. I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, Sebastian's words replaying in my head.
A contract marriage. Protection. Power.
Was I really considering this?
The logical part of me screamed no. It was reckless, dangerous even. I barely knew Sebastian, and everything about him screamed trouble. But the other part of me—the part that had been broken and betrayed—whispered yes.
I thought about Max, about the smug look on his face when he left me for Olivia. I thought about how they'd stolen everything from me, not just my company but my sense of self.
Sebastian's proposal offered something I hadn't felt in weeks: control.
By the time the sun rose, I'd made my decision.
The next morning, I found myself back in Sebastian's office. He sat behind his massive desk, his fingers steepled as he watched me walk in.
"You've made up your mind," he said, not a question but a statement.
I nodded, my throat dry. "I'll do it."
His expression didn't change, but there was a flicker of something—satisfaction, maybe—in his eyes. "Good. I'll have my legal team draft the paperwork. You'll need to sign a non-disclosure agreement, of course. Everything we do must remain confidential."
I hesitated, the weight of my decision settling over me. "And the terms? I want to make sure I know exactly what I'm agreeing to."
Sebastian nodded, pulling a file from his desk. He slid it across to me, the pages crisp and neatly organized.
"The terms are straightforward," he said. "The marriage will last one year. During that time, we will present ourselves as a couple in public and fulfill any obligations required to maintain that illusion. In return, you will have full access to my resources to rebuild your company and protect yourself from the Daltons. At the end of the year, we dissolve the marriage and go our separate ways."
I picked up the file, skimming the pages. Everything was spelled out in precise legal language, no room for ambiguity.
"And what about…" I trailed off, unsure how to phrase it. "What about personal boundaries?"
Sebastian's lips twitched in what might've been the faintest hint of amusement. "You mean intimacy?"
Heat crept up my neck, but I nodded.
"That's entirely up to you," he said smoothly. "This is a business arrangement, Ms. Parker. Nothing more."
I exhaled, relieved and slightly embarrassed for even asking.
By the time I signed the agreement, my hands were trembling. Sebastian watched me closely, his gaze steady and unyielding.
"You've made the right choice," he said as I handed the file back to him.
I wasn't so sure.
As I left his office, a knot formed in my stomach. I was stepping into a world I didn't fully understand, with a man who was as much a mystery as he was a savior.
But one thing was clear: I wasn't the same Lila Parker who had begged Max for answers. This was a new beginning, and I was willing to do whatever it took to reclaim my life—even if it meant marrying the cold, calculating Sebastian Knight.