Chapter 2: The Offer

“ Eva Monroe Point Of View''

The black SUV was as quiet as a grave.

Felix Vaughn sat across from me, rigid in his designer suit, his face set like stone.

No small talk. No reassurances. Just the slow tick of the dash clock as the city blurred past us.

My fingers tightened around the velvet ring box he’d handed me. The diamond inside was stupid-big—too much like this entire plan. I wasn’t the girl who wore things like this. I was the girl who wiped ketchup off cracked plates and bartered pills for late-night cab rides.

Now I was being driven uptown like I belonged.

I didn’t.

“You’re quiet,” Felix said, barely glancing at me.

“I’m trying not to puke.”

He cracked the faintest smile. “Nerves?”

“Common sense.”

He turned his head. “If you’re looking for an exit, say the word. I’ll have the driver turn around.”

I looked out the window.

The skyline sparkled like a tempting promise. I pictured Liam lying in that hospital bed, his skin pale and clammy with fever. Lately, his laughter had faded into silence. I noticed his hands shaking whenever he tried to grip a pencil.

“No.” I swallowed. “Keep driving.”

---

The SUV pulled into a private elevator garage beneath ValeCorp Tower. No paparazzi. No public entrance. The kind of access only money could buy.

We stepped into the elevator, and I could feel the building vibrating gently beneath my feet, almost as if it were alive and keeping an eye on us.

“You’ll meet him first,” Felix said. “No contract until he approves.”

“Approves?” I raised a brow. “Like I’m a car he’s test driving?”

“You’re playing his fiancée. He needs to believe you can lie without flinching.”

I smirked, bitter. “I’ve been lying since I was fifteen. I’ll manage.”

The elevator doors slid open right into the penthouse.

It felt like no one actually lived here.

Everything was sleek chrome and glass—so cold, so clinical, and absolutely spotless. The air had a subtle hint of citrus mixed with the scent of wealth. The floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of Manhattan, making it look like a miniature cityscape..

Then he walked in.

Cassian Vale.

He wasn’t what I expected.

No tubes.

No oxygen tanks in sight. Just a guy in a black sweater and tailored slacks, moving slowly but with purpose. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his face pale, and the shadows under his eyes made him look like he was teetering on the edge of life and death.

But his gaze? It was as sharp as cut steel.

He looked at me as if I were a puzzle he was already piecing together.

“You’re her?” His voice was low and rough, like he hadn’t spoken in days.

I straightened up. “You sound disappointed.”

A flicker of amusement danced across his face. “You look too calm.”

“You don’t scare me,” I said, standing my ground.

He took a step closer, a smirk playing on his lips. “That’s because you haven’t gotten to know me yet.”

We held each other’s gaze, neither of us willing to back down.

Felix cleared his throat, sounding as if he was about to face a wild animal. “This is Eva Monroe. She’s on board with the terms… as long as you give the green light.”

Cassian’s focus remained locked on me. “So, why did you agree?”

I didn’t hold back. “Because I’m broke.”. My brother’s dying. Your offer saves him.”

“You’ll lie to the world. You’ll lie to my family. You’ll smile while they try to tear you apart.”

I crossed my arms. “You think I haven’t lied?”

That made him pause. “You’re not a socialite. You’re not trained.”

“No,” I said. “But I know how to survive.”

He studied me for a long beat. Then nodded, almost to himself.

“You’ll move in tonight.”

The contract was twelve pages of legal landmines. Felix read it aloud like it was scripture while I sat on the edge of a leather couch that probably cost more than my student loans.

One year. Full confidentiality. No physical intimacy required. Appearances at corporate and family events are mandatory. Compensation: seven figures, plus complete debt clearance and private medical care for Liam.

“If you breach the terms,” Felix added, “the financial obligations revert.”

Meaning if I bailed, Liam was screwed.

“Understood,” I said, signing at the bottom.

My hand didn’t even shake.

---

“You’ll need a new wardrobe,” Felix said as he closed the file. “And a cover story. We’ve constructed one for you—an art student from Boston, met Cassian at a gallery event. Parents are abroad. No siblings.”

I almost laughed. “Sounds romantic.”

“It’s functional. Keep it simple. No embellishment.”

Cassian watched me silently. He hadn’t moved since I signed.

I met his gaze. “What happens when the lie ends?”

“You disappear. Quietly. Wealthy.” He looked away. “And I die with fewer regrets.”

His voice had that edge—resentment dressed as indifference.

“Are you always this cheery?” I asked.

He smirked. “Are you always this mouthy?”

“Only when I’m terrified.”

He nodded once, and a hint of softness appeared in his expression. Just a crack.

“You’ll be staying here,” Felix said. “The press already believes the engagement happened in secret weeks ago. We’ll release the story tomorrow.”

“And your family?”

Cassian’s eyes darkened. “They’ll hate you. You’ll be perfect.”

The guest suite was larger than my whole apartment. It had plush carpet, silk sheets, and a walk-in closet brimming with designer dresses that weren’t mine.

I perched on the edge of the bed, gazing at my reflection in the mirror.

I felt like a girl playing dress-up.

Then, I slipped my hand under my shirt and touched the silver locket hanging around my neck—the one that held my father’s photo inside. The man who had lost his life trying to uncover the truth about ValeCorp.

And here I was, sleeping beneath its roof.

I lay there for what felt like an eternity, just staring up at the ceiling.

On the other side of the wall, Cassian Vale—the man who could very well carry the weight of my father’s mistakes—was getting ready to sell the world a pretty little deception.

And I was going to be right there, helping him pull it off.

Because I had no other option.

Because Liam needed me.

Because the truth didn’t feed me. And survival didn’t come cheap.