Chapter 5

Ivy dialled the number the next day. Denise had phoned that morning; Adrian's lawyers were calling the frozen accounts a ‘precautionary measure pending audit’, language vague enough to stall in court for months.

Xavier's office took up the top three floors of a glass tower on the river. His assistant, Theo, walked her straight to a private office with a skyline view.

"You came," Xavier said.

"I said I would."

"People say that and still don't keep to terms." He sat once she did. "Can I get you anything?"

"An explanation. You already told me what you want. Skip the rest and give me terms."

"Fine." He folded his hands. "I need your shares in Vance Enterprises. Full transfer once we're married, so I can move on Adrian's board without three years of proxy fights. In exchange, I clear your father's company of any dependency on Vance financing within the month. I cover your legal fees, and Adrian never touches you financially again."

"And what do you get out of it beyond the shares?" Ivy kept her voice flat. "Don't tell me it's charity."

"I get to watch him lose the one thing he's never had to fight for." His mouth curved, thin and satisfied. "And a wife whose name still opens doors mine doesn't. That's the honest version."

"I'd prefer the honest version every time." Her jaw tightened. "Do you know what it feels like, being wanted for what I have instead of who I am? Twice in one month?"

"I imagine it feels exactly as bad the second time." He didn't look away. "I'm not going to pretend this is romance. I'd rather you trust the one true thing about me than believe something that isn't."

That landed hard. Ivy stopped bracing for a lie and started thinking like a woman about to sign something. What could she demand before she gave him anything at all?.

"Then we negotiate properly," she said. "Not just your terms."

"Go on."

"My name stays mine. Every filing, every document. I'm not disappearing into being someone's wife again."

"Fine."

"I keep my own account, separate from the shares. Something you can't freeze or hold over me."

"Also fine."

"And this is paper only. It ends the moment either of us wants it to, no penalty. Until then, I answer to no one about my time."

For a moment he said nothing.

"Agreed," he said finally. "Anything else?"

"When Adrian loses everything, I want to be in the room for it, not read about it after."

Something close to admiration crossed his face before he caught it. "That I can arrange."

He slid a folder across the desk, her name already typed beside his. Ivy read every line before she signed.

"Congratulations," Xavier said, taking the folder back, "on becoming my fiancée."

She stood, already thinking through how to tell her father, how Adrian would react. She was nearly at the door when Theo appeared with a tablet.

"Mr. Cross, the release is ready whenever you give the word. Comms wants timing."

"Timing for what?" Ivy asked.

"The engagement announcement." Xavier's expression didn't change. "I had it drafted in advance. I was fairly confident you'd sign."

"How soon?"

"Forty-eight hours. It needs to be public before Adrian's board meeting Thursday, or the surprise is gone."

"Forty-eight hours." Ivy stared at him. "I haven't even told my father I'm getting divorced."

"I know. This only works if we move before he has room to recover."

She turned to leave when Xavier caught her wrist, just briefly, just enough to stop her.

"One more thing." His voice had dropped. "The ring goes on tonight. Cameras will already be watching the building by morning, and I won't have you photographed without one, giving him something to use against you."

Ivy looked down at his hand still resting lightly on her wrist, then back up at him. Whatever was sitting behind his expression right now, she couldn't read it, and that unsettled her more than anything 

"You planned that too?" she said quietly. "Before I even said yes?"

"I plan for everything." He let go of her wrist slowly and reached into his desk drawer, setting a small black box on the table between them without opening it. 

"There's one detail I didn't put in the contract, though. Something you're going to want to know before tonight."

"What is it?"

Xavier didn't answer right away. He just watched

her,

 and finally said, "Ask me again once the ring's actually on your finger."