3. Between the Devil and the Deep Sea

Eros watched her approach, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Harper looked different, but he couldn't quite put his finger on why. It had only been a few months since he'd last seen her, but something about her presence felt unfamiliar today. Was it the way her hair flowed freely past her shoulders instead of being pulled up in a tight bun? Or perhaps it was the nervous energy in the air as she walked toward him? Whatever it was, it piqued his interest.

She wasn’t the type of woman he usually entertained—too simple, too reserved—but that was exactly why she might just work for his plan. All he needed was someone to play the part of his fiancée for a year, to fool his parents and the board, to win the company for himself. He didn't have time for anything more. A quick contract, a few public displays of affection, and then it would all be over. 

“Harper.” The name slipped from his lips as she finally reached the table, her nervousness radiating off her in waves. “You’re late.”

“I’m sorry, sir.” She fidgeted with her purse, clearly uneasy. “I couldn’t get a bus on time.”

Eros looked her over with an almost clinical detachment. Her makeup was messy, clearly an attempt to impress, but it wasn’t working. She looked out of place, like someone trying too hard. He had no idea what kind of woman she was outside of the office, but the idea of using her for his plan stirred something in him. Was this really Harper Whaite, his assistant, the woman who had always been the epitome of professionalism?

“You look…” He paused, unsure of what to say. “… different.”

“Different?” she asked, looking at him confused. 

“Yeah.” He let out a half-laugh. “I guess I’m just used to the uptight version of you.”

She gave a small, nervous laugh in return, her face flushing. "I… uh… I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

"Don’t worry about it." He gestured to the chair across from him, his face hardening into his usual cold mask. “Sit. We have things to discuss.”

As soon as she took a seat, he slid a brown envelope across the table toward her. “It’s a contract. I need you to read it.”

Harper glanced at the envelope, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “What is this?”

“A deal. A contract for you to pretend to be my fiancée. For one year.”

Her eyes widened, the disbelief clear on her face. “Pretend to be your fiancée?” she repeated, almost laughing. “What do you mean?”

“I need to convince my parents and the board that I’m stable enough to take over the company.” Eros leaned back in his chair, his tone cold. “They won’t trust me unless I’m married. So I’m asking you to play the part. It’s simple.”

Her face twisted in confusion, her fingers tightening around the envelope. “But… Why me?”

He shrugged, not even bothering to meet her gaze. “You’re my assistant. You know the company. And frankly, you’re the only one I can trust not to complicate things. You won’t try to get anything from me.”

Her gaze flickered to the envelope again, the weight of the decision sinking in. "This doesn't make any sense. You're just going to pay me to pretend to be your wife for a year?"

"That's the deal." He didn't mince words. "The money’s good, and after a year, we part ways. No strings attached."

She opened the envelope and glanced at the amount written inside. Her eyes went wide. It was more money than she had ever seen in her life. Twenty million dollars. 

"Twenty million dollars." She murmured the words under her breath, almost to herself.

Eros watched her reaction closely. He knew she would be tempted. Who wouldn’t be?

"But..." she hesitated. "What if someone finds out? What if it all goes wrong?"

"Nobody will find out." His voice was final, cold. “You just need to follow the terms. You play the part, you get paid. Simple.”

He paused, letting the silence stretch. “There’s one condition, though. No contact with other men. No flirting. We need to make this look believable.”

Her eyes narrowed at the last part. “Wait, what?”

“No friends of the opposite sex,” he reiterated, his expression unreadable. “It’ll look suspicious if you’re hanging out with other guys while we’re supposedly engaged. And no sleeping around.”

She stared at him, incredulous. “You can’t just—”

“I can, and I will.” His voice cut through her objections, his gaze locking onto hers. “It’s part of the deal. Take it or leave it.”

Harper swallowed hard, her mind racing. The money was tempting, but the catch was too big to ignore. “And what about you? You’re going to stop all your… whatever it is you do with those women?”

The words hung in the air between them, charged with something she couldn’t quite place. Was that jealousy? Did she really care? No. She couldn’t. 

Eros leaned forward, his tone flat. “Fine. I’ll stop. Happy?”

She rolled her eyes, irritated. “This is ridiculous.”

“Well, take it or leave it, Harper.” He stood up, the conversation over. “I expect an answer tonight. Call me if you have any questions.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving her staring after him, the weight of the decision pressing down on her chest.

***

She sat there, her thoughts spiraling. It was just a job, right? Twenty million dollars for a year of her life. But the more she thought about it, the more everything felt wrong. He was cold, ruthless, and she hated everything about him, but the money—God, the money—could solve everything. 

Harper’s heart hammered against her chest as Eros slid the contract toward her, his eyes fixed on hers, as if daring her to refuse. The room felt suffocating, the air thick with unspoken tension. She glanced down at the papers, her mind racing to process what he was asking. A fake marriage? A real wedding? Her gut twisted as his words echoed in her ears.

“I’m not doing this.” Her voice was sharp, but her hands trembled slightly as she pushed the papers back toward him. "A fake wedding? You must be insane.” 

Eros didn’t flinch. His expression remained cold, his eyes calculating. “It’s not fake,” he replied, his tone devoid of emotion. “You will be my wife. For a year. In every legal sense.”

Harper’s eyebrows shot up. "So, we get married for real, but it’s just a business transaction? What’s the point in that? It doesn’t even make sense."

He leaned back in his chair, completely unfazed by her reaction. "The point is, I need the board and my parents to believe I’m stable. I need you to play the role of my wife, and you’ll be compensated handsomely for it. The contract outlines everything—every detail is legal. A real wedding. A real marriage. But for a year. After that, we go our separate ways. No questions asked.”

Her breath caught in her throat as she scanned the contract once more. The figures on the last page were enough to make her stomach lurch. Twenty million dollars. No strings attached. For one year of pretending to be his wife. But how could she agree to something like this?

“Why me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “Why would you pick me for this... this ridiculous proposal?”

“Because you’re the only one I can trust,” Eros said bluntly, his gaze unwavering. “You’ve worked for me for years. You know the company. You’re professional. And you won’t complicate things like everyone else would.”

Her pulse quickened, a part of her wanting to scream, to walk out of the room. But his next words kept her rooted to the spot.

“I’m asking for your help, Harper,” he continued, his voice dropping to a rare, almost pleading tone. “If this doesn’t work, everything I’ve built will crumble. My family will never take me seriously. The board will never trust me. And I’ll lose everything. I need this to happen. Please help me.”

Harper felt a lump form in her throat. He sounded so different, so desperate. This wasn’t the Eros she knew—the cold, calculating boss who had always kept his emotions buried beneath layers of arrogance. But now, he was almost... vulnerable?

She swallowed hard, trying to push aside the urge to feel sympathy. “You’re asking me to pretend to be in love with you. To pretend to be your wife. And you think I’ll just agree because you’re throwing money at me?” Her voice rose slightly, but she didn’t back down.

Eros didn’t flinch. “It’s not about love. It’s about survival. You get the money, and I get what I need. Simple. A real wedding. Real vows. Everything will be official. All I’m asking is for you to play the role. You don’t have to feel anything. Just act like you do.”

Harper’s mind whirled. She could already feel the weight of the decision pressing down on her. The money was tempting—God, it was tempting. Twenty million dollars would solve so many problems, open doors she never thought possible. But could she really go through with it? Could she fake a marriage to the one man she couldn’t stand?

“I can’t just ignore the consequences,” she said, her voice strained. “You think this won’t affect everything? Our jobs, our families, the media? What if they find out? What happens then?”

“They won’t find out,” Eros replied, his voice hardening. “We make it real. You follow the rules. There’s nothing for anyone to find out. It’ll be just like any other marriage in the eyes of the law. No one will question it.”

Harper closed her eyes, feeling a headache building. She could already imagine the headlines, the whispers behind her back. “What if I say no? What happens then?”

Eros’s face darkened. "Then I lose everything. The company. The future. Everything I've worked for will fall apart. And you’ll be left with nothing but regret. So think about it carefully, Harper."

She opened her eyes, locking onto his. She wanted to argue more, to find a way out of this madness, but the truth was—he was right. If she said no, everything would fall apart. Her job, his career, the company they both worked so hard for—it would all crumble.

“I can’t believe you’re asking me to do this,” she whispered, her resolve faltering.

“I’m not asking,” Eros corrected her, his voice low and final. “I’m telling you. You either help me, or you watch everything fall apart. It’s your choice.”

The weight of his words settled over her like a heavy fog. She stared at the contract again, the numbers blurring together. Twenty million dollars. A year of her life. But at what cost?

“I’ll give you until tonight to make your decision.” Eros stood up, his cold gaze lingering on her. “Call me when you’ve decided.”

As he turned to leave, Harper’s mind raced. She was trapped. She knew it, and yet... something inside her told her she couldn’t walk away from this. Not without knowing exactly what she was willing to lose.

The ride home felt like an eternity, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts and doubts. She needed time to think, but the longer she waited, the more the offer tempted her. 

As she stepped into her apartment, the phone in her pocket buzzed. She glanced at the screen: Have you made your decision?

Her heart pounded in her chest. Could she really do this?

Before she could respond, a second message popped up: I’ll be waiting for your answer. 

Her finger hovered over the screen, her stomach twisting. What was the right choice?

The decision would change everything. But was she ready to live with the consequences?