Introduction

“W- What?” Aira stuttered wondering what her, so far perfect, date partner was saying.

It sounded weirdly close to the M word…

“I have to get married within the next two months for various reasons. I’ve been thinking about it for a while and you’re the best candidate that I could think about,” He repeated simply as if he was talking about arranging a second date.

One she had been hoping for just moments ago...

But no! The man was going straight from their first non-date to marriage! Wasn't talking about marriage on a first date taboo or something? 

Her brain raced, was he some kind of believer in matrimony? Marriage before dating or something like that?

Or was it just her luck to be meaninglessly proposed to every time she starts dating someone?

Hell, she just broke off her engagement with her cheating ex. And the way THAT prick had proposed looks exactly like what this guy was doing here.

Although perhaps less flashy and minus the ring and the audience… And the balloons and the fireworks...

Wait a minute, didn’t he say that he needed to get married for some reason? And that she was the best… Candidate…

Then it dawned on her, what all this was all about. It wasn’t about dating her. It wasn’t about liking her either. This is because he thought she was a Candidate. 

The best candidate for marriage…

 Something shattered deep within her and Aira wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. A feeling she experienced twice since this morning.

“Candidate, huh… Don’t you think It’s a bit too early to talk about marriage? We’re not even dating.”

Yes! That’s it! She managed to sound calm without asking him if he had lost his freaking mind…

Not that things would have ended well for her if she’d asked Vincent Valory if he had lost his mind.

God, this was THE Vincent Valory… CEO extraordinaire and technically her boss for the time being.

She knew she should have refused to have dinner with him like this even when it sounded like a good idea back then…

“I think blind dates are designed this way too. So that people could find a marriage partner. I may be fast-tracking things a little bit, but it’s not all that unusual for people in our kind of families to decide to marry after the first date.” He responded his direct gaze trained on her.

“Yes, but this is not a blind date. The person I had a blind date with left hours ago,”

“Well, I thought we agreed that I was his substitute,” He said with a smirk and Aira sighed with exasperation,

“Yeah, but, sorry I can’t do this,” She said, “I suggest that you propose to one of your other candidates,” 

“There are no other candidates. The moment this marriage talk came up you were the only person that came to my mind,” he said his eyes on her, trapping her.

Was he saying what he was saying? That as soon as he had to get married he thought of her.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t accept your offer. As you know, I just got out of a failed engagement and it’s a bit too early for me to think about marriage.”

“I wouldn't call it failed..." He said pensively then smirked darkly, "I wouldn't even call it an engagement, myself." His smile widened.

That bastard! He was provoking her! He was practically saying "God, what were you thinking, agreeing to be with someone like that?"

Well... He was right...

"But nonetheless, Are you sure you want to be so reserved about this?” He asked his sharp green gaze zeroing on her.

“What do you mean?” Aira asked

“What I mean is are you sure you want to refuse my proposal after what your family is going through?” He asked again his cool features never wavering.

That's when Aira realized it. This was a negotiation for him, just like those he did every day in the boardroom.

Vincent Valory never entered a negotiation where he could lose. She knew that he told her that earlier…

“What do you mean by my family?” She asked too afraid to hear his answer. Although she already knew it.

Vincent already held the trump card in his hands. She was going to lose.

“Well, why don’t you ask your brother about that? It seems like he decided to break his engagement with a certain influential family resulting in a few lost deals for your family business,”

“No, it can’t be.”

“But it is… Your family will be going bankrupt within the next few days. That is… Unless you agree to marry me next month,” Vincent smiled and a chill ran down Aira’s spine.

She knew now why everyone called him THE SHARK. She could see it in his emotionless grin right then, as if he was getting ready to devour her.

Leaning forward, he whispered into her ears as his lips gently fluttered over her cheek,

"You don't have to worry about anything. Just be mine"