C2 Chapter 2

"I can't marry you, Adrian."

The words come out sharper than I intended, echoing slightly in the quiet of the cafe. Adrian barely flinches; he just watches me, calm as ever, as if he expected this. I wait for some sort of reaction, but he only raises an eyebrow, giving me that same infuriating, unreadable look.

"Are you sure about that?" he asks, stirring his coffee leisurely. "Because from where I’m sitting, it’s a practical solution. You get to keep your job, and I get what I need."

I shake my head, feeling my pulse quicken. "I’m sorry, but I can’t. I already have a boyfriend. And I don’t believe in marriage without… well, romance."

"Does he know what’s going on here?" Adrian’s question is calm, and it catches me off guard.

"That’s… that’s beside the point."

He shrugs. "Seems relevant to me. You don’t have to answer now. I’ll give you time to think about it."

"No." I said, standing up. "My answer is no. And it’s final."

He simply nods, as if this is the most predictable thing in the world. "All right, Mia. But remember, my offer stands."

I don’t give him another chance to convince me otherwise. My mind’s made up—I want no part in his strange proposal.

---

After leaving the cafe, I find myself scrolling through my phone until I see Greg’s name. Despite everything that’s happened between us, there’s a part of me that still hopes we can work things out. It’s foolish, but I tell myself what happened was just a mistake, a bump in the road.

I take a steadying breath and head to his apartment.

When I arrive, the door is slightly ajar. I knock softly, but there’s no answer, so I push it open a little wider and step inside. A soft laugh floats down the hall—a woman’s laugh. My stomach twists, but I tell myself I’m just being paranoid. Until I hear it again, coming from his bedroom.

I walk down the hall, every step heavier than the last, until I reach his door. I can see him now, entangled with someone else on the bed. And it’s not the woman from before. It’s someone else entirely.

"Greg?" I choke out, my voice a mix of anger and disbelief.

They freeze, and he looks up, startled. The woman scrambles to gather her clothes, casting an apologetic look in my direction as she hurries past me, out the door. I barely acknowledge her, my focus entirely on Greg, who’s now sitting up, looking at me like I’m the one in the wrong.

"Mia," he sighs, as if this is somehow my fault.

"Are you serious right now, Greg?" I spit, feeling my voice shake with anger. "I thought what happened before was a mistake. I actually thought maybe I did something wrong, maybe I was the problem. But now I see what’s really going on—you’re just a filthy prostitute."

He shrugs, pulling on his shirt with infuriating nonchalance. "Look, Mia, I don’t think this is working. I can’t keep doing this with you."

"Doing what, exactly?" My hands are balled into fists, my voice trembling with every word. "I thought we were in a relationship. But you’re obviously incapable of any real commitment."

He rolls his eyes, barely looking at me. "You’re overreacting. We weren’t serious."

I open my mouth to respond, but there’s nothing left to say. I turn and walk out, slamming the door behind me. There’s a painful emptiness in my chest, but mixed with it is a burning anger, a sense of betrayal that makes my steps faster and sharper as I leave.

---

The walk back to my apartment is a blur. I can hardly process what just happened, and by the time I reach my place, my phone buzzes in my pocket. I check the screen—Mom.

I take a deep breath, forcing myself to sound cheerful. "Hey, Mom."

"Honey, how are you?" Her voice is warm but strained, and it tugs at my heart. "We just wanted to check in and see how you’re doing."

"I’m doing okay," I say, pushing everything aside for a moment. "Just… you know, busy with work."

"Oh, that’s wonderful." She hesitates, then sighs. "Listen, sweetheart, I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t urgent, but we’re having a bit of a financial struggle right now. If you could spare a little, it would mean so much to us."

My heart sinks, and I grip the phone tighter. "Of course, Mom. I’ll see what I can do."

We chat a little longer, and I keep my voice bright, hiding the mounting stress pressing down on me. When we hang up, I sink onto my couch, staring at the floor as reality crashes in from every side. The bills, my family, my job… I need this job more than ever.

My mind keeps returning to Adrian’s offer. I want to reject the idea entirely, but there’s no other way I can hold everything together. My only choice now is the one I didn’t want to consider.

I need to take his offer.

---

The next morning, I head to the office, every step feeling heavier. As I reach the hallway leading to Adrian’s office, I catch sight of Lisa near the break room. Her eyes narrow as she sees me, and she crosses her arms with a smug smile.

"Mia," she sneers. "I thought you’d be gone by now. Don’t you know your place?"

I keep walking, letting her words roll off my back. But just as I’m about to pass her, I stop, turning to her with a calm smile. "I do know my place, Lisa. That’s why I’m here. Maybe you should worry about yours."

She opens her mouth to respond, but no words come out. For once, she’s speechless. I allow myself a small, satisfied smile as I continue to Adrian’s office.

When I step inside, Adrian is sitting behind his desk, glancing up as I walk in. There’s a glint of satisfaction in his eyes, but he says nothing, waiting for me to speak.

"I’ll do it," I say, meeting his gaze. "But I have conditions."

"Go on," he says, folding his hands over his desk.

"First, no intimacy. None whatsoever. Second, we sleep in separate rooms. Third, my family must never know this is fake. And when this is all over, we go back to our own lives. No complications, no drama."

He nods without missing a beat. "Agreed."

Then, without a word, he opens a drawer and pulls out a thick contract, placing it on the desk in front of me.

I stare at it, eyebrows raised. "You had this ready?"

He leans back, a smirk playing on his lips. "I know how much you love your job, Mia. I was fairly certain you wouldn’t give it up so easily."

My jaw tightens, but I say nothing, reaching for the contract. As I scan the document, I notice a clause stating that we’ll need to remain married for a year. A year. I take a steadying breath, pick up the pen, and sign.

After setting the pen down, I look up at Adrian, questions swirling in my mind. "I know why I’m doing this—I don’t have a choice. But why are you doing it? What do you get out of this?"

His expression shifts, becoming harder to read. "That’s… complicated. Let’s just say it’s in both our best interests."

I frown, studying his face for any hint of an answer, but he only smiles that enigmatic smile.

He extends his hand. "Welcome aboard, Mia. Get ready to be Mrs. Knight."