Chapter 3 The Proposal

Lucy truly thought she couldn't breathe.

All the noises around her ceased.

Pupils continued to circulate around school.

Taxis continued to drive by.

People still whispered.

But all of this did not reach her ears.

Because there was a sentence that was repeating itself in her mind.

"Marry me, Lucy."

Her lips opened slightly, in shock.

"What?"

Hart Matthew's face was placid, expressionless.

"Seldom do I repeat myself."

Lucy looked at him as if he had lost his mind.

Maya appeared as if she was about to cry.

"Well, I think I must be having a hallucination," Maya whispered dramatically next to her.

After a lot of difficulty, Lucy was able to speak. "Mr Matthew, I believe that there is some misunderstanding here."

"There isn't."

"You don't know me very well."

"I know enough."

Lucy frowned harder. "No normal person would propose marriage to a stranger."

There was a slight smile on his face.

"I'm not normal."

It was an answer that irked her more than it should.

Lucy clasped her arms fervently. Come on, "I like the joke you told me yesterday, but this one is too far.

"It's not a joke."

He continued to speak in a quiet tone.

Serious.

Dangerously serious.

Lucy's heart was racing again.

She said carefully, "You are an incredibly wealthy CEO." "My name is student at caf‚."

"Is that the way you say it to make yourself look bad?"

"It changes reality."

Hart gazed at her intently for a while.

Then his gaze darted to the pupils who were taking notes from the sidelines.

His face quickly darkened.

"Walk with me."

Lucy blinked. "Excuse me?"

I don't like attention.

"You actually came with three high-end vehicles."

"But, I still appreciate privacy."

He turned and walked away without waiting for his father's permission to him, towards another area where he could hear the bustle less.

Lucy stood frozen.

Her arm was grabbed by Maya, who was excited. "GO!"

Lucy looked horrified. "Go where?"

"Your husband, the billionaire?"!

"He is not my husband!

"Yet."

Lucy glared at her before reluctantly following Hart Matthew.

When she arrived at him she realized how quiet the landscape was around him.

Cold.

Controlled.

Powerful.

The world seemed to bend around him.

Hart put her feet under a big tree where no one could see her, only to turn around to her full length at the last moment.

Close up, he was even less suitably handsome.

Lucy didn't like seeing that.

"Let's be straight with you," he said matter-of-factly. "I need a wife."

Lucy's eyes glazed over at him.

"Somehow that does not seem to be an explanation."

He seemed to grimace slightly, again.

"There's a catch."It's under certain conditions.

Is business this, then?"

"Yes."

She was disappointed... in a surprising manner, by that answer.

Lucy was able to easily brush that aside.

Of course it was business.

No one like Hart Matthew was smitten by a girl like her.

Carefully, "you need a fake marriage?" she asked.

"A contract marriage."

"And why exactly would I agree to that?"

Hart took a step towards the crowd.

Rather than that, don't even touch a single finger to her.

Just enough to make her jittery.

"Because you're drowning."

Lucy stiffened instantly.

He looked him into his eyes.

"There is a good amount of outstanding tuition balance," he calmly replied. "Three late payments. Part time job. Student loans. Academic stress."

Her complexion gradually turned pale.

"How did you find out all that?"

"To know things is my business."

She felt a little scared and shady in her breast.

Lucy took a small step back. "You have looked into me?

"Yes."

She was amazed at the honesty.

"Why?"

"Do not put strangers in my life on a blind basis."

Lucy felt conflicted.

One of her wanted to leave right away.

Another part wished that he would speak more.

Because deep down.

He wasn't wrong.

She was drowning.

Each day was a struggle.

Hart dug through his pockets again before giving her some more paperwork.

Lucy slowly lowered her gaze.

Her gaze turned to stone.

This was a statement of debts.

All her debts were neatly written out.

One last sentence was written at the bottom.

PAID IN FULL AFTER AGREMENT TO MARRIAGE CONTRACT.

Lucy's fingers shook a bit.

"This is insane."

"You're going to be given financial security," Hart continued. "A place to live. You'll be the one who deals with your expenses, and I'll be your wife."

"For how long?"

"One year."

Lucy raised her gaze. "And after that?"

"We divorce quietly."

The news of divorce was awkward.

She suppressed the sensation right away.

"How can this be possible?" she hissed.

"It makes perfect sense."

"To you maybe."

For the first time in his life, Hart's eyes relaxed.

Lucy, help is needed, you said.

"My own, I can do."

"Can you?"

Silence.

Painful silence.

Both knew the truth and for that reason it was best to rewrite the sentence in a natural human style.

Lucy was exhausted.

Working herself to the bone.

Barely surviving.

One semester away and they'll lose everything.

She didn't like the fact that he was able to see so clearly.

"It's not for sale," she said, "I'm not selling myself."

"You aren't."

So, what am I doing, then?"

His gaze was penetrating her.

"You would be my husband."

Her heart betrayed her almost.

He said it wasn't temporary, and that was the only way it sounded.

It sounded possessive.

Dangerously possessive.

Lucy turned her head away very quickly.

"This is crazy."

"Probably."

"It's not something people do in real life."

Now, slightly, before he lowered his voice, Hart leaned closer.

"Well the rich do worse things than that Lucy."

A cold shiver went down her back.

Then suddenly-

"MATTHEW!"

Both of them instantly turned.

A beautiful blonde woman in costly shoes was coming towards them, angrily.

Her mean, black eyes focused on Lucy.

And right away was filled with disgust.

Lucy's feelings of tension did not take long to build.

The woman came to a halt next to Hart before seizing his arm possessively.

"You refused my calls," she said snappishly.

Little by little her hand left his arm.

Coldly.

Without emotion.

There was a flash of anger in the woman's face that Lucy was able to see right after.

Then the woman looked at Lucy again.

This time more carefully.

Judging.

Calculating.

Dangerous.

"But who is she?" she snarled.

Hart's face didn't make it easy to read what he was feeling.

However, his subsequent words changed all of that.

"My future wife."