Chapter 6 The Rules

Lucy tried not to stare at him.

She failed miserably.

Hart Matthew sat across from her with the calm confidence of a man who owned everything around him.

Maybe he did.

Even the restaurant staff treated him differently.

Respectfully.

Carefully.

Almost fearfully.

Meanwhile Lucy sat stiffly in her chair trying not to panic over the five different forks placed beside her plate.

"You're nervous," Hart observed calmly.

"I wonder why."

A faint smirk touched his lips.

"You dislike luxury places."

"I dislike places where the water probably costs more than my monthly transport fare."

That actually made him laugh softly.

The sound caught her off guard again.

Lucy blinked.

"You laugh?"

"Occasionally."

"You should do it more often. You look less terrifying."

Hart leaned back slightly, golden-brown eyes fixed on her.

"Terrifying?"

"You walked into my campus with enough security to start a small war."

"That was minimal."

Lucy stared at him in disbelief.

Rich people were insane.

A waiter arrived moments later with their meals.

Lucy immediately froze after seeing the elegant dishes placed in front of her.

She quietly leaned closer to Hart.

"I don't know what any of this is."

His eyes darkened with amusement.

"It's pasta."

"Rich people pasta looks suspicious."

Hart looked dangerously close to smiling again.

Lucy hated how relaxed she felt around him sometimes.

That itself felt dangerous.

As they ate, silence settled briefly between them.

Not awkward.

Just heavy.

Intentional.

Hart watched her carefully throughout the meal.

Like he was studying every expression she made.

Every movement.

Every reaction.

It made Lucy self-conscious.

Finally she placed her fork down.

"You still haven't explained why me."

Hart's gaze remained steady.

"I did."

"No. You explained the contract. Not the reason."

Silence.

Then he finally answered.

"You interest me."

Lucy frowned immediately. "That cannot possibly be enough reason to marry someone."

"For normal people maybe."

"There you go again with the mysterious billionaire nonsense."

His expression remained unreadable.

"I watched you before approaching you."

Lucy stiffened slightly.

"How long?"

"A few weeks."

Her eyes widened instantly.

"You WHAT?"

"You work hard."

"That's not the point!"

"You never complain."

"That still isn't the point!"

Hart ignored her outrage calmly.

"You smile at customers even when exhausted. You help people even when struggling yourself. You continue moving forward no matter how difficult things become."

Lucy fell silent slowly.

Nobody had ever noticed those things before.

Nobody.

"You observed all that?" she whispered.

"Yes."

Something shifted quietly inside her chest.

Dangerous warmth.

She quickly pushed it away.

"That still doesn't explain marriage."

Hart's expression darkened slightly this time.

"My grandmother is pressuring me to marry Vanessa."

Lucy instantly understood.

"And you don't want her."

"No."

"So I'm your escape plan."

"You're more than that."

The words came too quickly.

Too naturally.

Hart seemed to realize it immediately because silence followed afterward.

Lucy's heartbeat quickened unexpectedly.

Before she could process it properly, he reached into his pocket and slid another document toward her.

"The contract terms."

Lucy stared at it nervously.

"You really came prepared."

"I dislike wasting time."

She slowly opened the file.

Inside were several pages neatly organized.

Rules.

Conditions.

Agreements.

The seriousness of everything suddenly became painfully real again.

Lucy scanned the first page carefully.

RULE ONE: The marriage remains secret from the public temporarily.

RULE TWO: Lucy Jade will continue her education uninterrupted.

RULE THREE: Hart Matthew will clear all educational and personal debts immediately after agreement.

RULE FOUR: Both parties will maintain public respect toward each other at all times.

RULE FIVE: No romantic obligations required.

Lucy paused there.

No romantic obligations.

Why did that sentence bother her slightly?

She continued reading quietly.

RULE SIX: Lucy Jade will move into the Matthews residence after marriage.

RULE SEVEN: Divorce occurs after one year if both parties agree.

Lucy slowly looked up again.

"You really thought through all this."

"I think through everything."

That much was obvious.

Lucy closed the file carefully.

"This still feels unreal."

Hart leaned slightly forward.

"Then let me make it simpler."

His intense gaze locked onto hers completely.

"You need help."

Lucy looked away instantly.

"And I need someone I can trust standing beside me."

Her chest tightened.

Trust.

That word sounded strangely personal coming from him.

"You barely know me."

"I know enough."

Silence stretched between them again.

Lucy hated how tempting the offer sounded.

Freedom from debt.

Security.

A chance to breathe again.

Maybe for the first time in years.

But the cost terrified her.

Because deep down.

She already knew this arrangement would never remain simple.

Not with a man like Hart Matthew.

A soft vibration interrupted the moment.

Hart glanced at his phone.

His expression immediately turned cold.

Lucy noticed it instantly.

"What happened?"

Instead of answering, he slowly turned the phone screen toward her.

Lucy's breath caught sharply.

Photos.

Pictures of them together outside campus yesterday.

Headlines already spreading online.

MYSTERY WOMAN SPOTTED WITH BILLIONAIRE CEO HART MATTHEW.

WHO IS THE GIRL BESIDE MATTHEWS ENTERPRISES CEO?

Lucy's face slowly lost color.

"Oh my God."

Hart's jaw tightened dangerously.

And for the very first time since meeting him.

Lucy saw genuine anger in his eyes