4: DEALS AND DESPERATION

Ethan’s lips crashed into mine, catching me off guard. His kiss was urgent, heated, and filled with a force that made my head spin. I didn’t pull away—instead, I let myself sink into it, my body responding to his touch as his hand cupped the back of my neck, pulling me even closer. The taste of vodka and wine lingered on his lips, mixing with the electric sensation of the kiss.

I grasped the front of his shirt, pulling him toward me as his other hand found its way to my waist, fingers pressing firmly against my skin. His kiss deepened, and I felt the intensity of his hunger, the way he seemed to pour everything into that moment. My body pressed against his, and for a brief second, I forgot everything—where we were, how much I’d had to drink, and the burning tension that had existed between us for so long.

His lips left mine and trailed down to my neck, sending shivers through me. He grazed the skin just below my ear, and I gasped, my body reacting involuntarily to the sensation. His hands slid up and down my sides, pulling me closer, and the warmth between us grew more intense with each passing second.

I wasn’t sure how long we stayed like that, lost in the kiss, my mind clouded by alcohol and adrenaline. All I knew was that Ethan’s touch consumed me, making me forget everything else. My hands tangled in his hair as his mouth returned to mine, more forceful now, more demanding.

But as the room seemed to spin around me, I felt myself begin to slip, my head heavy with the weight of too much vodka. The world around me blurred, and before I knew it, everything went dark.

The next thing I knew, sunlight was streaming through the window, and I woke up with a pounding headache. My eyes fluttered open, and I immediately realized I wasn’t in my bed. Panic surged through me as I took in my surroundings—a hotel room. And then I saw him: Ethan, lying beside me, his chest bare, breathing softly in his sleep.

I bolted upright, heart racing, clutching the sheets around me. "What the hell?" I muttered under my breath. A wave of dread washed over me as I tried to piece together the events of the night before.

"Ethan!" I shook him frantically. "Wake up!"

He groaned, his eyes slowly opening. He blinked up at me in confusion. "What…?"

I stared at him, panic rising in my chest. "Did we—did we sleep together?"

He rubbed his eyes, sitting up. "What? No. We didn’t have sex, Madison. Relax."

I blinked at him, my heart still racing. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I’m sure," he said, more awake now, though he still looked groggy. "You were drunk. I was drunk. We made out, you passed out, and that’s it."

I breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived. The memories of the night before—of Ethan’s touch, of the way he had kissed me—came flooding back. I felt exposed, vulnerable, and suddenly very angry at myself for letting it happen.

Ethan seemed to notice the change in my expression. "What’s your problem? Nothing happened."

"You!" I snapped, pulling away from him.

"You shouldn't have brought me here"

"You shouldn’t have kissed me—why didn’t you stop?"

He raised an eyebrow, clearly irritated. "You kissed me back. Don’t act like you didn’t want it."

I felt a surge of embarrassment. He wasn’t wrong, but it didn’t change the fact that I felt used. "This is a mistake. I can’t believe this happened."

Ethan’s smirk returned, and his tone shifted from defensive to mocking. "Oh, I get it now," he said with a chuckle. "You’re freaking out because you’re a virgin, aren’t you?"

My stomach twisted. I glared at him. "That’s none of your business."

He laughed, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Maddy the virgin. It all makes sense now."

"Shut up," I snapped, my face burning with shame. I couldn’t believe he was doing this—mocking me, just like he used to back in high school. The same Ethan, always making me feel small.

I pushed past him, getting out of bed as fast as I could. I grabbed my clothes, my hands shaking. I needed to get out of there. "Stay away from me," I muttered, struggling to hold back the tears that threatened to spill.

Ethan watched me with that infuriating smirk on his face. "You’re overreacting."

I shot him a glare, pulling my jacket over my shoulders. "I’m done with this. Don’t talk to me again."

His voice followed me as I hurried toward the door. "See you at work, Maddy."

I slammed the door behind me, finally letting the tears fall. The humiliation, the confusion, and the anger were too much to hold in. How could I have let this happen? How had I let Ethan get under my skin again?

---

I avoided going back to the office for the rest of the week, working from home to keep my distance from Ethan. But on Friday, I received an email informing me that I had to attend a mandatory performance review meeting. I had no choice but to face him.

Monday morning, I reluctantly walked into the office, my stomach in knots. I felt a wave of nausea as I headed to the conference room, dreading the confrontation that was sure to come. But when I stepped inside, the room was empty—except for Ethan, sitting at the head of the table.

"Madison," he greeted me calmly, gesturing for me to sit. "We need to talk."

I hesitated but sat across from him, crossing my arms. "What do you want?"

Ethan leaned forward, his expression serious. "About the other night—I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let things get that far."

"It's fine" I muttered.

"Have you told anyone?" He asked, a hint of desperation in his voice.

I frowned, unsure where this was going. "No, I haven’t. Why?"

Ethan seemed to relax, his shoulders easing. "Good. I think it’s better that way. We don’t need unnecessary complications."

I narrowed my eyes, suspicion growing in the pit of my stomach. "What are you talking about, Ethan?"

Instead of answering directly, he reached under the table and pulled out a sleek black binder, sliding it across the table toward me. My heartbeat quickened as I stared at it, my hands hesitating before flipping it open.

Inside, neatly printed on the first page, was a contract. But what really made my breath catch in my throat was the bold heading: Marriage Agreement—and both of our names listed as parties to the contract.

My eyes shot up to meet his, disbelief and anger flooding my veins. "What the hell is this?"

Ethan didn’t flinch, didn’t waver under my glare. "It’s a proposal, Madison. A business arrangement."

I slammed the binder shut, my pulse pounding in my ears. "A business arrangement? You’ve got to be kidding me."

His expression remained annoyingly calm, as if he had thought this through a hundred times. "I’m not kidding. Look, you know how the corporate world works. Our families... our reputations. This marriage could be beneficial to both of us. It solidifies partnerships, connections. You would gain influence in the company, and I—"

"Stop," I cut him off, standing up, my hands shaking. "You think I’d agree to something like this after what happened? You think you can just—" I struggled to find the words, fury bubbling inside me. "This isn’t some deal you can make, Ethan. This is my life!"

He stood too, his voice still maddeningly level. "It’s not just a deal. It’s an opportunity. I’m offering you a way out of all the bullshit—"

"By tying myself to you forever?" I laughed bitterly, the absurdity of the situation hitting me. "No, thanks."

Ethan’s jaw clenched, his calm demeanor faltering for the first time. "It’s not forever. It’s just... a few years. Until we both get what we need. Then we can go our separate ways. You’ll have power, money, and respect."

I stared at him, incredulous. "You’re insane. You're offering me marriage just so I wouldn't expose you for being a vile and evil man"

His voice dropped, growing darker. "How much do you want?."

His words hit me like a cold punch to the gut. "Are you out of your mind?"

Ethan’s eyes didn’t leave mine. "No."

And it that moment, it dawned on me that this was my chance. My opportunity to get my revenge. Bit by bit even though it would take a while. This was my chance to make him pay for everything he had ever done to me.

I looked up at him, a small smile playing on my lips "I want 30 million and 40 percent of King Enterprises".....