A Pretext | 3 : A Proposal As

Elena took it. Her hand was cold, but as his fingers closed around hers, a spark of something that wasn't business flickered in her eyes. She put the ring on, the weight of it anchoring her to a lie they both desperately wanted to believe. "To the merger," she said.

Julian leaned back, the amber liquid in his glass catching the dim light. He wasn't looking at the merger papers. He was looking at the way Elena’s jaw tightened when she was bluffing.

The rain lashed against the floor-to-ceiling windows of Julian’s penthouse, but inside, the silence was more suffocating than the storm. Across the mahogany desk sat Elena, her expression a mask of professional indifference. 3 : A Proposal as a Pretext

"It’s a pretext," he corrected, his voice dropping an octave. "The board won't block a merger between husband and wife. It creates a single legal entity that’s untouchable. We sign a pre-nup tonight that dissolves the marriage in twenty-four months, once the acquisition is finalized. You get your family’s legacy back, and I get the seat at the head of the table."

Should we explore what happens at their as a couple, or should we skip to the tensions of sharing a home? Elena took it

Julian stood, walking slowly around the desk until he was inches from her. He didn't offer a handshake. Instead, he reached into his pocket and placed a velvet box on top of the legal documents. He flicked it open. A four-carat emerald shimmered under the chandelier. Elena didn't gasp. She went still. "What is this?" "A proposal," Julian replied. "This is a business meeting, Julian. Don't be absurd."

"A small price for a billion-dollar empire," Julian said, offering his hand to help her up. "To the merger," she said

"I have a solution," he said smoothly. "One that bypasses the regulatory hurdles and the internal sabotage."