THE INTRODUCTION

    CHAPTER 3

  

  Amara’s POV

  

  The next morning, I stood in front of my mirror for almost ten minutes.

  

  I had no idea what to wear.

  

  I was going to meet Jude Monroe.

  

  A billionaire.

  

  Someone I had only heard about from Ethan.

  

  Someone who might be able to save my mother’s restaurant.

  

  I finally chose a simple dress and tied my hair back.

  

  Before leaving, I checked my phone.

  

  A message from Ethan was waiting.

  

  Ethan: I’m outside.

  

  I grabbed my bag and left.

  

  When I got downstairs, Ethan was waiting beside his car.

  

  He looked at me and smiled.

  

  “You look nervous.”

  

  “I am nervous.”

  

  “You don’t need to be.”

  

  “You’re asking me to meet your billionaire boss. Of course I’m nervous.”

  

  He laughed.

  

  “He’s just a person.”

  

  “A very rich person.”

  

  “That too.”

  

  I got into the car.

  

  As we drove through the city, I looked out the window.

  

  My mind kept going back to the restaurant.

  

  The debt.

  

  The woman who had asked about the land.

  

  And my mother’s strange reaction when I told her about the woman.

  

  I looked at Ethan.

  

  “Did you tell Jude about the woman who came to the restaurant?”

  

  He glanced at me.

  

  “What woman?”

  

  “The woman asking about the property.”

  

  Ethan was quiet.

  

  “No. Why?”

  

  I told him what happened.

  

  His expression changed slightly.

  

  “Did she say who sent her?”

  

  “No.”

  

  “Did she give you her name?”

  

  “No.”

  

  Ethan thought for a moment.

  

  “Don’t worry about it for now.”

  

  I frowned.

  

  “How can I not worry?”

  

  “Because you’re already dealing with enough.”

  

  I looked away.

  

  He was right.

  

  But I still couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.

  

  A few minutes later, we arrived at Jude’s company.

  

  I looked up at the tall building.

  

  “This is where you work every day?”

  

  “Almost every day.”

  

  “And you expect me to act normal in here?”

  

  Ethan laughed.

  

  “Just be yourself.”

  

  “That might be the problem.”

  

  “Why?”

  

  “Because I don’t belong in places like this.”

  

  He looked at me.

  

  “Don’t say that.”

  

  I didn’t answer.

  

  We walked inside.

  

  The receptionist greeted Ethan immediately.

  

  “Good morning, Ethan.”

  

  “Morning.”

  

  Her eyes moved to me.

  

  “Is this Amara?”

  

  Ethan nodded.

  

  “Yes.”

  

  She smiled.

  

  “Mr. Monroe is expecting you.”

  

  My stomach tightened.

  

  He was expecting me.

  

  That made everything feel more real.

  

  Ethan led me toward the elevator.

  

  As we stepped inside, I took a deep breath.

  

  “You’re still not telling me what Jude wants.”

  

  “I told you. He wants to help.”

  

  “People don’t just help strangers with that much money.”

  

  “He isn’t helping for free.”

  

  I turned to him.

  

  “What does he want?”

  

  Ethan looked at me.

  

  “You’ll find out.”

  

  I sighed.

  

  “That’s the second time you’ve said that.”

  

  “Because I can’t tell you.”

  

  “Why?”

  

  “Because it isn’t my story to tell.”

  

  The elevator doors opened.

  

  We stepped out.

  

  Ethan led me down the hallway.

  

  This time, I didn’t stop him.

  

  I was ready to hear whatever Jude had to say.

  

  We reached his office.

  

  Ethan knocked once.

  

  “Come in.”

  

  He opened the door.

  

  Jude Monroe was sitting behind his desk.

  

  He looked up from the papers in front of him.

  

  His eyes moved to Ethan.

  

  Then to me.

  

  He stood.

  

  “Amara Quinet.”

  

  I nodded.

  

  “Mr. Monroe.”

  

  “Jude.”

  

  I hesitated.

  

  “Jude.”

  

  He gestured toward the chairs.

  

  “Sit.”

  

  Ethan sat beside me.

  

  Jude returned to his seat.

  

  For a moment, nobody spoke.

  

  Then Jude looked at me.

  

  “Ethan told me about your mother.”

  

  “Yes.”

  

  “He told me about the restaurant.”

  

  “Yes.”

  

  “And the debt.”

  

  I nodded.

  

  “How much time do you have?”

  

  “Until Friday.”

  

  Jude’s eyes stayed on mine.

  

  “And if you don’t pay?”

  

  “We could lose the restaurant.”

  

  He nodded slowly.

  

  “I see.”

  

  I looked at him.

  

  “Ethan said you could help.”

  

  “I can.”

  

  Hope rose inside me.

  

  “How?”

  

  Jude reached for a file.

  

  But before he opened it, his phone rang.

  

  He glanced at the screen.

  

  For the first time since I entered the room, his calm expression changed.

  

  He answered.

  

  “Yes?”

  

  He listened.

  

  His jaw tightened.

  

  “I’m coming.”

  

  He ended the call.

  

  I looked at him.

  

  “Is everything okay?”

  

  “My grandmother.”

  

  I remembered what Ethan had told me.

  

  “She’s worse?”

  

  Jude nodded.

  

  “She wants to see me.”

  

  He stood.

  

  Then he looked at Ethan.

  

  “Stay with her.”

  

  Ethan nodded.

  

  Jude looked at me.

  

  “I’ll be back.”

  

  He walked toward the door.

  

  I watched him leave.

  

  Then I turned to Ethan.

  

  “What just happened?”

  

  “His grandmother is very sick.”

  

  “I know.”

  

  Ethan looked at the closed door.

  

  “She raised him after his parents died.”

  

  I felt sorry for him.

  

  “Does she know about me?”

  

  Ethan paused.

  

  “Yes.”

  

  My eyes widened.

  

  “How?”

  

  “I told him about you.”

  

  “But why would you tell his grandmother about me?”

  

  “I didn’t.”

  

  He looked at me carefully.

  

  “Jude did.”

  

  I frowned.

  

  “Why?”

  

  Ethan didn’t answer.

  

  Before I could ask again, the office door opened.

  

  Jude returned.

  

  He sat down again.

  

  This time, there was something different in his expression.

  

  He looked directly at me.

  

  “My grandmother wants me married.”

  

  I blinked.

  

  “What?”

  

  “She believes I need someone beside me.”

  

  I didn’t know what to say.

  

  Jude continued.

  

  “She doesn’t have much time.”

  

  The room became quiet.

  

  Then he looked at Ethan.

  

  Ethan gave him a small nod.

  

  Jude turned back to me.

  

  “I want you to marry me.”

  

  I stared at him.

  

  For a moment, I couldn’t speak.

  

  Then I laughed nervously.

  

  “I’m sorry. What?”

  

  “I want you to marry me.”

  

  Ethan stayed silent beside me.

  

  I looked at him.

  

  “You knew this was coming?”

  

  He nodded.

  

  “Amara, just listen to him.”

  

  I turned back to Jude.

  

  “You want me to marry you?”

  

  “Yes.”

  

  “But you barely know me.”

  

  “I know enough.”

  

  I shook my head.

  

  “This doesn’t make sense.”

  

  “It will.”

  

  “How?”

  

  Jude leaned back.

  

  “I will pay your mother’s debt.”

  

  I froze.

  

  “And I will give her enough money to keep the restaurant open.”

  

  My heart began beating faster.

  

  “What do you want in return?”

  

  Jude answered calmly.

  

  “A marriage.”

  

  I stared at him.

  

  “How long?”

  

  “One year.”

  

  “One year?”

  

  “Yes.”

  

  “And after that?”

  

  “We end the marriage.”

  

  I looked at Ethan.

  

  Then back at Jude.

  

  I couldn’t believe the conversation I was having.

  

  A man I had met only minutes ago wanted me to become his wife.

  

  And somehow, he was offering me exactly what my family needed.

  

  I stood up.

  

  “I need to think about this.”

  

  Jude nodded.

  

  “You should.”

  

  He picked up a folder and handed it to me.

  

  “The contract is inside.”

  

  I took it.

  

  My hands felt heavy.

  

  I looked at the folder, then at Jude.

  

  “Why did you choose me?”

  

  For the first time, he didn’t answer immediately.

  

  His eyes stayed on mine.

  

  “Because Ethan believes I can trust you.”

  

  I looked at Ethan.

  

  He gave me a small smile.

  

  But I still felt like there was something missing.

  

  Something Jude wasn’t telling me.

  

  I held the contract against my chest.

  

  “I’ll read it.”

  

  “Good.”

  

  “And I’ll give you my answer.”

  

  Jude nodded.

  

  “I’ll wait.”

  

  Ethan stood.

  

  I followed him toward the door.

  

  Before we left, Jude spoke again.

  

  “Amara.”

  

  I turned.

  

  “If you agree, your mother’s restaurant will be safe.”

  

  I looked at him.

  

  That was the one thing I couldn’t ignore.

  

  I nodded once.

  

  Then I walked out with Ethan.

  

  The moment the door closed behind us, I looked at him.

  

  “You knew he was going to ask me to marry him.”

  

  Ethan sighed.

  

  “Yes.”

  

  “And you still brought me here?”

  

  “I knew you needed help.”

  

  I looked down at the contract in my hands.

  

  I didn’t know what scared me more.

  

  The thought of marrying Jude Monroe…

  

  Or the thought that I might actually say yes.