A deal

                         ~JESSICA~

I had rehearsed my response a hundred different ways—some polite, others laced with fury. But none of them felt right.

Because nothing about this was right.

Still, I walked into his office, spine straight and palms sweating.

Daniel looked up immediately. As always, unreadable. Calm. Too calm.

“I assume you’ve made a decision,” he said, closing his laptop.

I stood in front of his desk, holding his gaze.

Then I swallowed hard and long.

“I’ll do it.”

I breathed out.

His expression didn’t change, but something shifted in the air between us. A beat passed.

“Under one condition,” I added, voice firm.

“I’m listening.”

“I want full coverage for Sarah. Her treatments, her therapy—everything. And a lump sum at the end of a year. Enough for me to start over.”

Daniel stood slowly, his hands in his pockets. 

“Done.”

I blinked. “You’re not even going to negotiate?”

“I don’t waste time haggling over what I’ve already decided.”

Of course not. I bit back the urge to roll my eyes.

“One more thing,” I said.

He raised an eyebrow.

“There will be no form of romance at all. For one year” I told him.

Now his brow twitched. Slight amusement? Maybe even respect?

“Deal,” he said.

He extended his hand again. This time, I shook it.

His palm was warm. Solid. The touch lingered just a second too long.

One year!!!

God help me.

*****

“Fucking tell me you're joking right now??” Grace was almost screaming in disbelief when I told her about Daniel and I.

“I'm as serious as I will ever be,” I retorted.

“You're getting married to Daniel Sutherland?? The one I know?? The popular billionaire?? You of all people??” She questioned still in absolute disbelief.

“A fake marriage” I quickly corrected. “And what do you mean by me of all people??”

“Because it's hard to believe! Of all the women in the world, you're the one to answer his name. You'll be Mrs Sutherland?? Unbelievable!”

“Am I not worth him?? I stand a chance against other women…”

“You know that's a lie!” Grace interrupted me. “You're not even close to the classy, beautiful and elegant women that flock around him!” 

“You're looking down on me,” I frowned.

“I'm sorry, sis, but I was just stating the fact” she said and I sighed deeply.

She was right. I wasn't up to Daniel Sutherland's standards in every way and it's a wonder why he asked me to marry him.

Why me?? Why me of all women??

“Why you?” Grace asked.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I also don't know.”

“Why did you accept a contract marriage?” She asked.

I didn't want to tell her it's because her mom was lying on the sick bed and fighting for her life.

Grace knew her mom was sick but she didn't know how bad it was.

And thank goodness school didn't really allow her to go and visit Sarah.

“For the money” I briefly replied.

“What if you fall in love with him??” She asked.

“That's never happening!” I replied.

“And what if he does??”

I laughed hard at the thought of Daniel falling in love with me.

Me?? Not possible!!

“That. Would. Never. Happen” I laid emphasis on each word.

“So you mean to tell me that you both will live together for a year with any form of romance, kissing….”

“Grace!!!!”

“I'm sorry” she laughed.

“A young girl like you shouldn't be talking about romance and the rest. Besides, he didn't say anything about us living together” I told her.

“Still can't believe this, Sis. I'm so happy. I'll get to brag that Daniel Sutherland is my brother-in-law in school” she said, almost giggling.

“Mom would be so happy to hear this. She has always worried about you and your future and wanted you to end up with a well to do man, but guess who is ending up with the famous billionaire??” She winked at me.

“You're forgetting it's not a real marriage and it's going to end after a year” I rolled my eyes.

“Anything can happen. Feelings might come in” Grace insisted.

“Nothing is happening. Now run along and let me have some rest. I had a hectic day at work” I dismissed her.

****

We sat in the conference room the next day, the large glass table between us littered with documents.

A lawyer from Daniel’s legal team explained the prenup terms in dry, clinical detail. 

Daniel, for once, said almost nothing—just watched me, as if I might bolt again.

“Do you have a lawyer?” the man asked me politely. I found out later that he was Daniel's personal lawyer and the one that had brought the contract to Daniel.

I hesitated. “Not yet.”

Daniel nodded to his lawyer. “He’ll get you one. On my dime. Neutral party.”

I looked at him sharply. “You’re going to pay for my lawyer?”

“I want this clean, Jessica,” he said. “No one can say you were pressured. I want the paperwork airtight.”

That almost sounded… honorable. Which worried me more than if he’d just been a jerk.

After the lawyer left, the tension shifted.

“So,” I said, flipping through the draft agreement, “how do we fake a marriage and keep it believable?”

Daniel leaned back in his chair, casual in a way that looked practiced.

“We’ll move into my penthouse. There will be public appearances—charity events, business functions, maybe even an interview or two.”

“You want to live together?”

He gave me a look. “You think we can convince the world from opposite apartments?”

I sighed. “Fine. But I’m keeping my room locked.”

He smirked. “That won’t be necessary.”

“Oh, it absolutely will.”

He stood and walked to the window, his silhouette framed by the city lights.

“Everything else stays normal,” he said. “You still work for me, but in public, you’re Mrs. Sutherland.”

The words landed like a stone in my chest.

Mrs. Sutherland.

“You’ve done this before,” I said suddenly.

He looked back at me, puzzled. “What?”

“Negotiated. Arranged. Controlled everything. But this time… it’s different, isn’t it?”

His face hardened. “Let’s just say I’ve learned what happens when you let people in.”

I studied him.

So there was a story. A past. Maybe even a scar or two buried behind the perfect suits and sharp words.

“Why me, Daniel?” I asked, softer now. “You could have picked anyone. Someone easier. More agreeable. Someone who wouldn’t run out on her first day.”

He didn’t answer right away.

Then, with a voice barely above a whisper, he said, “Because you are what I need.”

Our eyes met. The air thickened again.

This was just business.

But somehow, I already knew—

It was going to get much more complicated than that.