The Offer I never expected

Chapter Two

I barely slept after receiving the invitation from Ashford Group. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my father's face and the pile of unpaid bills on his desk. By morning I had convinced myself the meeting would lead nowhere, but I still went because I had run out of choices. The Ashford headquarters was larger than any building I had entered before. Marble floors, quiet halls, and employees who moved with confidence made me feel completely out of place. I reminded myself that I was not there to admire the building. I was there to fight for my company.A woman introduced herself as Evelyn and led me to the top floor. She asked if I wanted coffee. I politely refused because my stomach was too tight for anything. When the elevator doors opened, the silence became even heavier. She stopped outside a pair of dark wooden doors and smiled. 'Mr. Ashford will see you now.' I walked in alone.The office was simple, not flashy. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city. Behind a large desk sat Caelan Ashford. He looked exactly like the photographs—calm, perfectly dressed, impossible to read. He looked up from a file. His gray eyes stayed on me longer than I expected. 'Miss Vale,' he said. 'Please, sit.' I thanked him and sat across from him, keeping my back straight even though my heart was racing.He already knew everything about Vale Industries. He mentioned contracts, debts, suppliers, and even the names of long-time employees. That surprised me. 'You've done your homework,' I said. 'I never enter a business discussion unprepared,' he replied. I explained my recovery plan, how I wanted to restructure the company instead of selling it. He listened without interrupting. When I finished, he folded his hands together.'Your plan is realistic,' he said. 'But no bank will support it in your current position.' I hated hearing the truth because I already knew it. 'Then why invite me?' I asked.He stood and walked toward the window. 'Because I have another proposal.' He turned back to face me. 'I will pay every debt your company owes. I will provide enough capital for a fresh start.' My breath caught. 'What do you want in return?'He held my gaze. 'I want you to marry me.'For a second I thought I had misunderstood him. I actually looked around the office as if someone else might appear and explain the joke. 'Excuse me?' I managed.'A legal marriage. One year. Public only. We will have separate lives in private. After one year, we divorce. In return, your company survives.' My mind refused to keep up with his words. 'Why me?' I asked. 'Because you have no connection to my family, you have a clean public image, and you honor your promises.' 'You've investigated me.' 'Yes.'I should have been offended, but I was too shocked. 'There has to be someone else.' 'There isn't.'He explained that his grandfather's will required him to be married before control of the Ashford empire could fully pass to him. Rival relatives were waiting for him to fail. A temporary marriage solved the problem. It sounded cold, almost like another business merger.'And what if I refuse?' I asked. 'Then you walk away. Nothing changes.' There was no pressure in his voice, which somehow made the offer even harder to reject.He handed me a contract. I read every page carefully. The rules were simple. One year. No romantic expectations. Respect each other's privacy. Never discuss confidential family matters. 'Take your time,' he said. 'Do not answer today.'I left the building carrying the contract instead of hope. Maya nearly screamed when I told her. She thought it was insane. I agreed. Yet every practical part of my mind kept returning to the same fact. Without money, Vale Industries would disappear within weeks.That evening I walked through the empty factory. Several workers were still finishing orders. They smiled when they saw me. One older employee thanked me for staying strong after my father's death. His words settled heavily on my shoulders.I wasn't fighting only for myself anymore.Back in my apartment, I opened the contract again. I read it from beginning to end for the third time. I searched for hidden traps but found none. Then my phone buzzed.'Have you decided?' Caelan asked after I answered.I looked at my father's photograph on the shelf.'Not yet,' I whispered.'Fair enough,' he replied calmly. 'But Miss Vale...you have forty-eight hours before your creditors begin legal action.'The call ended.I slowly lowered the phone. My promise at my father's grave echoed inside my head.I would protect everything he built.But was I truly ready to marry a man I had only met once?I picked up the pen, stared at the blank signature line, and realized the next choice I made would change the rest of my life.