THE MARRIAGE PROPOSAL

  CHAPTER 1

  

  Amara’s POV

  

  “I want you to marry me.”

  

  The glass in my hand almost slipped.

  

  I stared at the man sitting across from me.

  

  Jude Monroe.

  

  Twenty-four years old.

  

  Billionaire.

  

  And completely serious.

  

  I looked at Ethan.

  

  My cousin was sitting beside Jude, looking like he wished he could disappear.

  

  “Did he just say he wants me to marry him?” I asked.

  

  Ethan cleared his throat.

  

  “Yes.”

  

  I looked back at Jude.

  

  “You’re joking.”

  

  “I’m not.”

  

  Jude’s voice was calm.

  

  “I want you to marry me, Amara.”

  

  I put the glass down.

  

  “Why?”

  

  “I need a wife.”

  

  I almost laughed.

  

  “You need a wife?”

  

  “Yes.”

  

  “And you called me here for that?”

  

  Jude nodded.

  

  I looked at Ethan again.

  

  “You told me your boss could help with my mother’s restaurant.”

  

  “He can,” Ethan said.

  

  “Then why am I being asked to marry him?”

  

  Jude leaned back in his chair.

  

  “My grandmother is sick.”

  

  I became quiet.

  

  “She raised me after my parents died,” he continued. “She has one final wish.”

  

  I already knew what he was going to say.

  

  “She wants to see you married.”

  

  “Yes.”

  

  “And you think marrying me will make her happy?”

  

  “It will.”

  

  I shook my head.

  

  “This is crazy.”

  

  “I know.”

  

  “I barely know you.”

  

  “I know that too.”

  

  “Then why me?”

  

  Jude looked at me.

  

  “Because Ethan trusts you.”

  

  I looked at Ethan.

  

  He nodded.

  

  “I wouldn’t have brought you here if I hadn’t trusted you.”

  

  I folded my arms.

  

  “This still doesn’t make sense.”

  

  Jude reached for a folder on the table.

  

  “I am offering you a contract.”

  

  He pushed it toward me.

  

  “One year.”

  

  I didn’t touch it.

  

  “One year of what?”

  

  “Marriage.”

  

  My eyes widened.

  

  “You want a fake marriage?”

  

  “Yes.”

  

  “For one year?”

  

  “Yes.”

  

  “And after one year?”

  

  “We go our separate ways.”

  

  I stared at the contract.

  

  “What do I get?”

  

  Jude didn’t hesitate.

  

  “Your mother’s restaurant will be saved.”

  

  My heart stopped.

  

  He continued.

  

  “I will pay the debts your mother owes and give her enough money to keep the restaurant running.”

  

  I looked at Ethan.

  

  “You told him about the debts?”

  

  Ethan nodded.

  

  “I was trying to help.”

  

  I looked back at Jude.

  

  “How much?”

  

  “Enough.”

  

  I didn’t like that answer.

  

  “And what exactly do you get?”

  

  “My grandmother gets what she wants.”

  

  “That sounds too easy.”

  

  “It isn’t.”

  

  Jude opened the contract.

  

  “There are rules.”

  

  I leaned closer.

  

  “You will live in my house for the year.”

  

  I frowned.

  

  “We will attend family events together. We will appear to be a real married couple in public.”

  

  “And privately?”

  

  “You will have your own room.”

  

  I relaxed slightly.

  

  “No cheating?”

  

  “No.”

  

  “No controlling who I see?”

  

  “No.”

  

  “No interfering with my family?”

  

  “No.”

  

  “And when the year is over?”

  

  “The contract ends.”

  

  I stared at him.

  

  A year.

  

  Just one year.

  

  My mother’s restaurant could survive.

  

  My brother could stay in school.

  

  My family could finally breathe.

  

  But marrying a stranger was not something I could simply agree to.

  

  I pushed the contract away.

  

  “I can’t do this.”

  

  Jude looked at me.

  

  “Why?”

  

  “Because marriage isn’t a business deal.”

  

  “For us, it would be.”

  

  I stood up.

  

  “I came here because I needed help. I didn’t come here to sell myself.”

  

  Ethan immediately stood.

  

  “Amara, that’s not what this is.”

  

  “It feels like it.”

  

  I grabbed my bag.

  

  Jude didn’t stop me.

  

  Instead, he asked,

  

  “How much does your mother need?”

  

  I froze.

  

  I slowly turned around.

  

  “What?”

  

  “How much would save the restaurant?”

  

  I didn’t answer.

  

  He repeated the question.

  

  “How much?”

  

  I told him.

  

  Jude nodded.

  

  “I’ll pay it.”

  

  My heart tightened.

  

  “You would?”

  

  “Yes.”

  

  “Even if I say no?”

  

  He was silent.

  

  Then he said,

  

  “If you say no, I won’t force you.”

  

  That made me pause.

  

  He wasn’t threatening me.

  

  He was giving me a choice.

  

  But the choice was almost impossible.

  

  My mother had spent years building that restaurant.

  

  I couldn’t watch someone take it away.

  

  I sat down again.

  

  Ethan looked relieved.

  

  Jude pushed the contract toward me.

  

  “Take it home.”

  

  I picked it up.

  

  “I need time.”

  

  “Take as much as you need.”

  

  I stood.

  

  Before I left, my phone rang.

  

  It was my mother.

  

  I answered.

  

  “Hi, Mum.”

  

  “Amara, how did the meeting go?”

  

  I looked at Jude.

  

  Then at the contract in my hand.

  

  “Good.”

  

  “Did you find someone who can help us?”

  

  I swallowed.

  

  “Yes.”

  

  Her voice sounded relieved.

  

  “Thank God.”

  

  I closed my eyes.

  

  I couldn’t tell her yet.

  

  Not about the contract.

  

  Not about marriage.

  

  Not about Jude.

  

  “I’ll come home soon,” I said.

  

  “Okay, my love.”

  

  The call ended.

  

  I put my phone away.

  

  Jude watched me quietly.

  

  I walked toward the door with Ethan beside me.

  

  Once we were outside, Ethan looked at me.

  

  “Are you really thinking about it?”

  

  I looked down at the contract.

  

  “I don’t know.”

  

  “Amara…”

  

  “My mother needs the money.”

  

  “I know.”

  

  “And my brother needs to stay in school.”

  

  “I know.”

  

  I sighed.

  

  “So what am I supposed to do?”

  

  Ethan didn’t answer.

  

  I looked at the contract again.

  

  A fake marriage.

  

  One year.

  

  Money that could save my family.

  

  It sounded like the worst idea I had ever heard.

  

  But as I walked out of the building, one thought refused to leave my mind.

  

  What if this crazy deal was the only way to save my family?