Chapter 1 – The Party I Didn't Want To Attend

Emma

I didn’t want to attend this party at all. I was not in a party mood presently. But there I was in the backseat of Lola’s black car, staring out of the window as Lola fixed her lipstick in the mirror.

"Emma," she said, pouting her lips, "you need this. Just one night out, please. You have nothing to lose.”

I do have a lot to lose if I don't act fast. Today was the third time I had read my parents’ will, which was handed to me by their lawyer. My parents left me their entire empire, Oceanic Group, the empire they built with their bare hands. But they added a condition.

I had to get married before I turned 25 years old or forfeit my entire inheritance to my cousin Nath Reed. I will be 25 years old in two months.

So I need to act fast.

“Cheer up, girl; this is the party of the year. Maybe fate’s waiting inside." She laughed, stepping into the lights without waiting for me.

I doubted it. But I followed her anyway. The place was filled with people.

I walked towards the back of the hall, holding a glass of sparkling water. I wore a mid-light black dress. No jewelry. Hair in a soft bun. I looked nice enough to blend in, not enough to stand out. That was my plan.

Lola had vanished into the crowd, of course. She was good at that. I was halfway through planning my quiet escape when I heard it.

"Alright, Ace," someone said, laughing loudly, "here's the deal: The next girl who walks into the lounge, you will have to spend the night with her. After the night, her wish will be your command. No backing out of this dare. You have to go through with it," he said, slamming his drink down like it sealed the deal.

“Come on, Ace, it’s just a game.” His friend said, nudging him with a playful smile.

There was a pause. Then a different voice. Low, and flat.“One night, then whatever she wants by morning.” He murmured, eyes locked on the door like he was waiting.

I don’t know what made me move; maybe it was curiosity that led me in or mere stupidity. I can't say precisely, but as I walked through the door of the lounge. All eyes turned toward me. I looked up and froze.

Ace Blacke!

He has this tired expression that says he didn’t like people or parties or anything about this moment.He was taller than I remembered. More handsome and colder.

I saw him last at the university. Back then, he never liked me, and I didn't care.

And now, our eyes met again.

It feels like the past is in repeat mode. He just looked at me as if I had gone and ruined his entire night just by being there. The glare was very sharp.

"Emma Ocean," he said quietly, taking a step closer.

"Ace," I said with a calm voice, but deep down I was feeling lots of different things.

"What are you doing here?” he asked, frowning.

"Partying, what else?" I whispered under my breath, already regretting opening the door.

“You’re not dressed for this party,” he stated, his voice calm but not flat. More like he was trying to figure me out.

“I am aware of that; I didn’t plan to be here,” I said with a smile.

“Didn’t plan to come,” he echoed, “but here we are.”

“Yeah, I said in a quiet voice, plans changed.”

He moved closer. Neither fast nor slow. Just enough to make sure I noticed.

When I looked up briefly, the room seemed to go completely silent. He just stood there looking at me.

“Don’t you want to escape?” He murmured, still looking at me like he was searching for something.

I shook my head. “Should I?” I watched his face, waiting for a reason.

His eyes narrowed a little. He was trying to figure me out. Like I’d walked into the wrong game but somehow brought the rulebook. “You heard the terms?” he asked.

“I heard enough.” I replied, “One night. One request. No take-backs,” I added.

He nodded. “Then let’s go.” His hand brushed mine for just a second.

His friends laughed as we left, but I barely heard them. It felt like everything had slowed down a bit. I wasn’t scared. Just aware.

His penthouse was at the very top floor of the building. The elevator ride there was silent. He held the door open, and I stepped inside. He followed me in, closing the door behind him.

We didn’t speak. I sat on the couch. He kept standing, then he took off his jacket and placed it on the armchair, then walked over to the table and prepared a mug of tea and lemon, and handed it to me.

“You remembered?” I asked.

"I remember a lot of things." His voice was quiet, almost like he was saying it more to himself than to me.

I looked at him closely. "Like what?" I asked. He didn’t answer my question.

His jaw tensed. "You don’t have to accept this dare." He said sharply, like the idea of me doing it bothered him.

The silence stretched. We didn’t touch. We just sat in that room together like two strangers with too much history.

After a while, he threw a soft blanket at me. "You take the couch. I’ll take the other end."

"Don’t snore," I said softly. He didn’t laugh.

The night passed slowly. And by morning, I knew exactly what I was going to ask for. He made a bet. I will have to seize the opportunity this game presents.

When he handed me a mug of coffee, I looked him in the eyes. "Let’s get this game over with." I said.

He narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"

"Marry me." I said quietly.

He looked at me like I had just spoken an alien language."You must be joking."

He gave out a short, cold laugh. His shoulders were tense.

“No, I am not joking. One year. That’s all.” My fingers tightened around the mug I was holding. “I’m not asking for forever.”

"Why would I do that?" He asked, looking very angry.

"Because if you say no", I said, standing, "I’ll call the press and tell them all about your little dare. Or you can pay me ten percent of Blacke Tech for breaking the deal."

His face turned to stone. "You’re not serious."

"Dead serious," I replied.

"You want to blackmail me into marrying you?" He asked coldly.

"No," I said. "I’m offering you a clean solution. We both get what we want. You avoid scandal. I get my inheritance. And that's all.”

He stared at me. I didn’t blink.

Then, finally, he spoke. "You really haven’t changed."

"Neither have you." I simply said not raising my voice. I didn’t have to. The silence after hung heavier than anything I could’ve said.

The deal was struck. And the game had just begun.