Chapter 006

Ava’s POV

I stared at him, my mind going completely blank.

For a moment, I thought I had misunderstood him. The words sounded too strange, too sudden to be real. Marry him? It did not make any sense.

I let out a small, uncertain breath and searched his face, hoping to find even the smallest hint that he was joking. But there was nothing. His expression remained calm and steady, his eyes fixed on me as if he had just said something completely normal.

That was when it sank in.

He was serious.

“I… I don’t understand,” I said slowly, my voice coming out softer than I expected.

He did not repeat himself. He simply watched me, giving me time to process his words, as though he was used to people taking a moment to catch up with him.

I shook my head, trying to clear the confusion in my mind.

“This isn’t funny,” I said, a little more firmly this time. “We just met. You don’t know me, and I don’t know you. You can’t just say something like that.”

He leaned back slightly in his chair, his posture relaxed, completely unaffected by my reaction.

“I know enough,” he replied.

That answer only made things worse.

I looked away from him for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. Everything felt too fast. Just a few minutes ago, I had been thinking about how to ask him for help. Now, I was sitting here, being asked to marry him.

Marriage was not something to take lightly. It was not something to decide in a moment like this.

“I can’t do that,” I said quietly. “I don’t even understand why you would ask me. This doesn’t make sense.”

He remained calm, as though he had expected this response from the beginning.

“This is not about love,” he said.

I slowly turned my head to look at him again.

“I am not asking for love,” he continued, his tone even and controlled. “This is a contract.”

The word settled heavily in my chest.

A contract.

He spoke about marriage as if it were a business agreement, something to be arranged and managed without emotion.

“There will be clear terms,” he went on. “You will act as my wife when necessary. You will attend events with me and maintain the image expected of you. Outside of that, your personal life remains your own. I will not interfere.”

I listened to him, every word making the situation feel more real.

More serious.

“Why me?” I asked after a moment, unable to hold back the question any longer.

Out of all the people he could have chosen, why me?

He paused briefly before answering.

“I need a wife,” he said simply. “And I need one soon.”

That was all.

No long explanation. No emotion behind his words.

“I do not want complications,” he added. “I do not want someone who will attract unnecessary attention or create problems. You are suitable.”

Suitable.

The word stung more than I expected.

It made me feel small, like I was nothing more than a convenient option.

I lowered my gaze to my hands, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling building inside me.

For a moment, I almost forgot why I was here.

Then the image of my father appeared in my mind.

The hospital bed.

The machines.

The doctor’s voice explaining everything in a calm tone that did not match the weight of her words.

Fifteen million.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to focus.

“What do you gain from this?” I asked quietly.

“Stability,” he replied without hesitation. “Control.”

Of course.

Everything about him seemed to revolve around control.

“And me?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

His answer came just as quickly.

“I will pay for your father’s surgery,” he said. “All of it.”

My breath caught in my throat.

He continued as if he were discussing something ordinary.

“I will cover the full cost, including treatment and recovery. You will not need to worry about money again.”

My chest tightened painfully.

That was it.

The one thing I could not provide.

The one thing standing between my father and his life. I could not find the words to respond.

He stood up slowly, adjusting his sleeves with calm precision.

“I am not forcing you,” he said.

I looked up at him.

“But I will not repeat this offer.” The words settled heavily between us.

“If you choose to refuse,” he added, “then we end this here.”

Just like that.

So simple.

As if everything—my father’s life, my future could be decided in a single moment.

He did not pressure me. He did not try to convince me further. He simply stood there, waiting.

My thoughts felt tangled, impossible to sort through.

I lowered my gaze, my hands trembling slightly in my lap.

This was wrong.

Marriage was not supposed to be like this. It was not supposed to be something you exchanged for money.

But my father.. I could see him clearly in my mind, lying on that hospital bed, weak and barely holding on.

If I did nothing, I would lose him. I pressed my lips together, trying to hold myself together.

I had no money, no support.

No time.

The reality of it pressed down on me, heavy and unavoidable.

Slowly, I lifted my head and looked at him again.He was still watching me, his expression unchanged.

My chest tightened.

Whatever I chose, there was no going back.

“I… need time,” I said finally, my voice soft but steady.