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."

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." 3 : A Proposal as a Pretext

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. "It’s a pretext," he corrected, his voice dropping

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. We sign a pre-nup tonight that dissolves the

Elena reached out, her fingers hovering over the stone. "And if I say yes? We have to make it look real. The galas, the press, the shared home."

Elena looked at the ring, then up at him. The logic was cold, efficient, and utterly ruthless—exactly like the man standing before her. "A pretext," she whispered, testing the weight of the word. "Purely," Julian lied.

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