Chapter Eleven

Lauren couldn't believe what she was hearing. The nerve of this man! He had actually gone behind her back and dug into her personal life without her knowledge or permission. Who did he think he was?

"You had someone investigate me?" Lauren asked, lowering her voice as she stared at him.

"I wanted to know who I was dealing with." Ryan's expression remained unchanged as he adjusted his silver watch.

"Who you were dealing with?" She raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "I'm not a company you're planning to buy."

"No, but I'm considering entering into a legal arrangement with you. I prefer knowing the facts before making a decision." He leaned back, looking entirely unbothered.

Lauren pulled her hands away from the table. "That's incredibly intrusive."

"Perhaps." Ryan gave a small shrug. "But it gave me the information I needed."

"And what information is that?" she asked, her stomach already tightening.

"That you need money. A considerable amount of it." His gaze held hers, as though he had no idea how humiliating those words sounded.

Lauren pressed her lips together. She wanted to know how much of her private life he had uncovered, but his calm, matter-of-fact attitude made her feel as though her financial struggles were simply another advantage he could use.

Ryan reached into his jacket and placed a slim folder beside his coffee.

"I've put together a few basic terms. The marriage will last twelve months. We'll have separate bedrooms, and there'll be no expectation of intimacy or children. You'll accompany me to family gatherings, business functions and other important events when necessary. In public, we'll behave like a married couple." He opened the folder, glancing over the papers as though he were discussing an ordinary business transaction.

Lauren stared at him. "You're serious?" Her fingers hovered over the folder without touching it.

"Entirely." Ryan looked up, his face unreadable.

"And when we're not attending these functions?" she asked, folding her arms.

"We go about our separate lives. You'll have your own space and freedom. You won't have to share a bedroom with me unless you want to." His eyes briefly travelled over her face before meeting hers again. "I'm not unreasonable, Lauren."

She nearly choked on her latte. Setting the cup down, she shot him an incredulous look.

"How considerate of you." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"You're welcome." A faint smile touched his lips.

Good Lord. What an insufferable, pompous asshole.

"And after twelve months?" she asked, ignoring the amusement on his face.

"We get divorced. The agreement ends, and we both move on." Ryan closed the folder and rested his palm on it.

Lauren shook her head slowly. "You're making marriage sound absolutely wonderful." Her expression hardened as she looked at him.

"I'm not offering you romance, Lauren. I'm offering you an arrangement." He delivered the words without hesitation.

She hated how casually he discussed something she had always considered sacred. Worse, his stupidly attractive face occasionally distracted her from how irritating he was.

"And what exactly do I get out of this arrangement?" she asked, raising her chin.

Ryan named the amount.

Lauren went still. For a moment, she wondered whether she had heard him correctly. The money was enough to change everything.

She could pay off her debts, stop worrying about rent and bills. She could invest in businesses, build something of her own and spoil the people she loved.

She might never have to work again unless she wanted to.

It was the kind of financial freedom she had only ever dreamed about.

And all she had to do was pretend to be Ryan Callahan's wife for twelve months.

"Do you always solve your problems by throwing money at people?" Lauren asked, tightening her fingers around her cup.

"Money is a useful tool. It can make certain problems disappear." Ryan took a calm sip of his coffee.

"That must be a wonderful way to live." She gave him a bitter smile.

"It has its advantages." He set his cup down. "And in this case, it gives you an opportunity to put your finances in order."

Lauren's smile vanished. "So you think because I'm struggling, I'll agree to marry a man I barely know?" Her cheeks warmed with indignation.

"I think you're intelligent enough to recognise a good offer when you see one." Ryan's dismissive tone made her want to throw the folder at him.

"You're unbelievable." She pushed her cup away.

"I'm giving you a choice. You can take the contract, have a lawyer review it and decide whether it works for you. I'm not asking you to sign anything today." He nudged the folder towards her.

Lauren glanced at it, then back at him. "You really have everything planned, don't you?"

"There's no reason to make this complicated." Ryan adjusted his cuff. "We'll tell our families we met, got to know each other and decided to marry. That's all anyone needs to know.”

For the first time since he had made the proposal, Ryan found himself wondering whether Lauren would actually accept. He had expected questions, perhaps even a little resistance, but something about the fire in her eyes made him realise that getting her to agree might be considerably more difficult than he had anticipated.