Chapter 1: The Proposal

Rain poured heavily across the city that night. The cold wind slapped against Ariana Celeste Villareal’s skin as she ran across the hospital entrance while desperately pushing her younger brother’s wheelchair.

“Lucas! Stay awake! Please… just stay awake!” Her trembling voice broke between sobs.

Sixteen-year-old Lucas looked pale and weak. Sweat covered his forehead while one of his hands tightly clutched his chest.

“Ate…” he whispered weakly. “It hurts…”

Ariana’s heart shattered instantly. “We’re here already. You’ll be okay. I promise.”

But even she no longer believed those words. The moment they entered the emergency room, nurses immediately approached them.

“What happened?”

“He collapsed again,” Ariana cried. “Please help my brother!”

The nurses quickly transferred Lucas onto a hospital bed while doctors surrounded him. Ariana stood outside the emergency room, shaking violently from fear and exhaustion. Her soaked clothes clung to her body, but she no longer cared. All she cared about was Lucas.

A few minutes later, a doctor walked toward her with a serious expression.

“Miss Villareal…”

Ariana immediately stood up. “How is he?”

The doctor sighed softly. “Your brother’s condition is getting worse. He needs surgery as soon as possible.”

Ariana felt her knees weaken. “S-Surgery…?”

“The estimated cost is around two million pesos.”

Her world stopped. “T-Two million…?”

The doctor looked apologetic. “We already extended consideration during his previous confinement, but the hospital administration cannot continue treatment without a payment guarantee.”

Ariana quickly grabbed the doctor’s arm. “Please, doc… I’m begging you. Save my brother first. I’ll find a way to pay. I’ll do anything.”

The doctor looked conflicted. “I’m sorry.”

Those two words destroyed her completely. Ariana slowly fell to her knees.

“Please…” she cried helplessly. “He’s the only family I have left…”

People around her began staring, but she no longer cared about embarrassment. Nothing mattered anymore. Not pride, not dignity, not herself. Only Lucas.

Meanwhile, on the VIP floor of the same hospital, Damien Alaric Monteverde stepped out of a private elevator while fixing the sleeves of his black suit.

Tall.

Cold.

Untouchable.

Every employee lowered their heads the moment they saw him. The Monteverde heir had arrived. Damien’s sharp eyes remained emotionless as his assistant followed behind him.

“Mr. Monteverde,” his assistant spoke carefully, “the chairman is already awake.”

Damien nodded once. “How’s his condition?”

“Stable for now.”

Without another word, Damien continued walking down the hallway. But suddenly— A soft crying sound reached his ears. His footsteps stopped. His brows furrowed slightly. From a distance, he saw a young woman kneeling on the floor while begging a doctor. Her shoulders shook violently from crying.

“Please save him…”

Something inside Damien strangely tightened. He didn’t know why. Then the woman slowly lifted her face. And for the first time in years— Damien froze. Because the woman looked painfully familiar. The same eyes. The same face. The same woman from the blurry memories he buried years ago. Impossible. His expression darkened instantly.

“Sir?” his assistant called softly.

But Damien ignored him. His gaze remained locked on Ariana.

Why does she look like her?

Before Damien could move, the doctor finally left Ariana alone in the hallway. Ariana covered her face while crying silently. Completely broken. Completely hopeless. Damien stared at her for several long seconds before finally turning away coldly.

“Let’s go.”

His assistant blinked in confusion but quickly followed him. Inside the VIP room, Damien found his grandfather sitting upright on the hospital bed. Despite his age, Valentino Monteverde still carried authority in his eyes.

“You finally came,” the old man muttered.

Damien sat down across from him. “You scared everyone.”

Valentino chuckled weakly. “I’m too stubborn to die.”

Damien remained silent. The old man studied his grandson carefully before speaking again.

“There’s something important we need to discuss.”

Damien leaned back slightly. “What is it?”

Valentino’s expression suddenly became serious.

“You need to get married.”

Damien’s face darkened immediately.

“No.”

“Damien—”

“I said no.”

Valentino sighed heavily. “You cannot spend your entire life alone because of what happened with Selene.”

At the mention of that name, Damien’s jaw tightened.

“Love is useless.”

“That’s exactly why I’m worried about you.”

Damien stood up coldly. “If that’s all, I’m leaving.”

But Valentino suddenly spoke. “The girl downstairs is Ariana Villareal.”

Damien stopped moving. His grandfather continued watching him carefully.

“She’s the daughter of Antonio and Celeste Villareal.”

Damien slowly turned around. “What?”

Valentino’s expression softened. “Years ago, her parents saved this family.”

Damien frowned deeply. “What are you talking about?”

The old man closed his eyes briefly as if remembering the past.

“Twenty years ago, the Monteverde Corporation nearly collapsed because of betrayal inside the company. Everyone abandoned us.” He paused. “Except Antonio Villareal.”

Damien remained silent.

“He sacrificed everything to protect this family. He even died because of it.”

Damien’s expression slowly darkened. “You never told me this.”

“Because your father wanted the incident buried.”

Valentino coughed weakly before continuing.

“But before Antonio died, I made him a promise.”

Damien already disliked where the conversation was going.

“What promise?”

Valentino looked directly into his eyes.

“That I would protect his daughter no matter what happens.”

Silence filled the room. Then Damien laughed coldly.

“So what does that have to do with me?”

“You’re going to marry her.”

Damien’s face instantly turned emotionless.

“No.”

“This is not a request.”

“I don’t care.”

Valentino suddenly slammed his cane against the floor.

“For once in your life, stop thinking only about yourself!”

The room became heavy with tension. Damien stared at his grandfather coldly.

“You want me to marry some random woman because of a dead man’s promise?”

“She’s not random.”

“She is to me.”

Valentino sighed tiredly. “She needs help.”

Damien’s voice became colder. “And?”

“Her brother is dying.”

Damien looked away with irritation.

“That’s not my problem.”

But deep inside him, something felt uncomfortable. Because despite his cold words. He still remembered Ariana crying on the hospital floor. Valentino noticed the slight hesitation in his grandson’s eyes.

“You saw her downstairs, didn’t you?”

Damien remained silent. The old man continued softly.

“She has no one left.”

Damien clenched his jaw. He hated emotional manipulation. But Valentino delivered the final blow.

“If you refuse, then I’ll transfer thirty percent of your shares to her directly.”

Damien’s eyes darkened dangerously.

“You wouldn’t.”

“Try me.”

Silence. Heavy. Tense. Finally, Damien exhaled sharply.

“What exactly do you want?”

Valentino relaxed slightly.

“Marry Ariana.”

Damien laughed humorlessly. “You really think a poor woman would survive inside our family?”

“That depends on you.”

Damien looked toward the window. Rain still poured endlessly outside.

Marriage.

The word disgusted him. Marriage only created betrayal.

Pain.

Weakness.

Selene already proved that years ago. Love ruined people. And Damien refused to become weak again. But if agreeing would end this conversation faster. Then fine. He slowly faced his grandfather again.

“One year.”

Valentino frowned slightly. “What?”

“I’ll marry her for one year.”

The old man immediately understood.

“A contract marriage?”

Damien’s expression remained unreadable.

“She needs money. I need this issue settled.”

“That’s cruel.”

Damien smirked coldly. “Then find another groom.”

Valentino sighed in defeat. At least Damien agreed.

“That’s enough.”

Meanwhile, downstairs, Ariana sat quietly outside Lucas’ room while staring blankly at the floor. She looked exhausted. Defeated. Her phone suddenly rang. It was the landlord. Ariana quickly answered.

“H-Hello?”

“When are you paying your rent?” the woman snapped immediately. “You’re already two months late!”

“I’m sorry po… I just need more time.”

“I’ve heard that excuse already!”

“Please…”

“If you can’t pay by next week, get out.”

The call ended instantly. Ariana slowly lowered her phone. Then she covered her mouth to stop herself from crying again. Everything was falling apart. Lucas’ hospital bills. Their apartment. Her jobs. Their future. She no longer knew what to do. At that exact moment, expensive black shoes stopped in front of her. Ariana slowly looked up. And her breath caught instantly. The man standing before her looked unreal.

Tall.

Handsome.

Dangerously cold.

His expensive suit alone probably cost more than her yearly salary. Damien Monteverde looked down at her emotionlessly. Ariana immediately stood up awkwardly.

“S-Sorry…”

She thought she was blocking the hallway. But Damien remained standing there. His sharp eyes examined her carefully.

“You’re Ariana Villareal.”

It wasn’t a question.

Ariana blinked nervously. “Yes…”

Damien inserted one hand inside his pocket. “Your brother needs surgery.”

Her face paled. “How do you know that?”

“I can pay for it.”

Ariana froze completely. “What…?”

Damien’s expression remained calm.

“I can pay all his medical expenses.”

For a second, Ariana thought she heard him wrong. Hope suddenly appeared in her eyes. But then reality hit her again. Nobody helps for free.

“What do you want in return?”

Damien stared directly into her eyes. “Marriage.”

The world stopped. Ariana’s face turned completely pale.

“M-Marriage?”

“A contract marriage,” Damien corrected coldly.

Ariana looked at him like he was insane.

“I don’t even know you.”

“You don’t need to.”

“I’m not selling myself!”

Damien’s expression didn’t change. “Then your brother dies.”

Ariana felt like she had been slapped. Her eyes slowly filled with tears again.

“How can you say that so casually?”

“Because emotions don’t change reality.”

Every word felt cold and merciless. Ariana clenched her fists.

“You’re horrible.”

“I’ve been called worse.”

She looked away angrily. "I won’t marry someone like you.”

Damien nodded once. “Then refuse.”

He turned around as if the conversation meant nothing. But after taking several steps away, he stopped. Without facing her, he spoke again.

“One year.” Ariana remained silent. “You act as my wife for one year, and I’ll pay for everything your brother needs.” Her chest tightened painfully. “One year later, we divorce quietly.”

Ariana’s tears finally fell. Because deep inside… She knew she was running out of choices. Damien finally looked back at her. His voice remained calm.

“Think carefully, Ariana.” Then he handed her a business card. “If you accept, call me before sunrise.”

After that, he walked away without another word. Leaving Ariana completely shattered. She stared at the card trembling in her hands.

Damien Alaric Monteverde. CEO of Monteverde Corporation. The name alone screamed power. Danger. And destruction.

Ariana slowly looked through the glass window of Lucas’ hospital room. Her younger brother slept weakly on the bed. Machines surrounded him. Fragile and fading. Ariana broke down crying silently. Because for the first time in her life… She was about to sacrifice herself just to save the only person she loved.