The Offer

The headquarters of Blackwood Group towered above the city like a monument to power.

Eva stood outside the revolving glass doors, clutching the business card Adrian had given her the day before.

She glanced at her reflection in the polished glass.

A cream blouse.

Black trousers.

Her hair pulled into a neat ponytail.

Professional.

Simple.

Nothing like the glamorous women whose faces filled the business magazines displayed in the lobby.

"You can still leave," she murmured to herself.

No one knew she was here.

She could turn around, walk to the nearest bus stop, and pretend yesterday had never happened.

Instead, she stepped inside.

The lobby was breathtaking.

White marble floors reflected the morning sunlight streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Employees crossed the room with quiet confidence, each moving with purpose.

Everything about the building whispered wealth.

Not the loud kind.

The kind that didn't need to prove itself.

A receptionist looked up and smiled.

"Good morning. How may I help you?"

"I'm here to see Mr. Adrian Blackwood."

The receptionist's smile faltered for the briefest moment.

"Do you have an appointment?"

Eva placed the black business card on the desk.

"He asked me to come."

The woman looked at the card before immediately straightening.

"Of course, Miss Hart."

She picked up the phone.

"Mr. Blackwood's guest has arrived."

A few seconds later, she nodded.

"The executive elevator is waiting for you."

Executive elevator?

Eva thanked her and walked toward the private lift.

As the doors closed, her reflection stared back at her.

"What am I doing?" she whispered.

The elevator climbed silently.

Thirty floors.

Forty.

Fifty.

With each floor, her stomach tightened.

A soft chime echoed through the cabin.

The doors opened onto an entire floor occupied by only one office.

A tall man in a navy suit approached.

"Miss Hart?"

"Yes."

"I'm Daniel Brooks, Mr. Blackwood's executive assistant."

He offered a polite smile.

"This way."

They walked down a quiet hallway lined with modern artwork and enormous windows overlooking the city.

Daniel stopped before a pair of dark wooden doors.

He knocked once.

"Sir, Miss Hart is here."

"Send her in."

Daniel opened the door.

Eva took a slow breath before stepping inside.

The office was surprisingly understated.

No gold decorations.

No oversized chandeliers.

Just clean lines, shelves of books, and a massive desk facing the skyline.

Adrian stood near the window, his back to her.

Without turning around, he spoke.

"You came."

"I almost didn't."

"I expected as much."

He finally faced her.

Instead of yesterday's black wedding suit, he wore a charcoal-gray suit with a crisp white shirt.

Still perfectly composed.

Still impossible to read.

"Would you like coffee?" he asked.

She blinked.

"What?"

"Tea?"

"...No."

"Water?"

"I'm fine."

A faint hint of amusement crossed his face.

"You seem disappointed."

"I just thought..." She hesitated.

"You thought I'd start the meeting by asking you to marry me."

Eva looked away.

"...Maybe."

"I don't make important decisions in the first thirty seconds of a conversation."

She couldn't help smiling.

"That's reassuring."

He gestured toward the chair opposite his desk.

"Please."

She sat.

He remained standing.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

The silence wasn't awkward.

It felt... deliberate.

Adrian picked up a thin black folder from his desk.

"I asked you here because I believe honesty saves time."

"I agree."

"My fiancée and I were engaged for eighteen months."

Eva nodded quietly.

"Our relationship ended before the wedding."

"You mean she ended it."

"Yes."

He said it without bitterness.

Without embarrassment.

Just a fact.

"I don't intend to waste your time pretending otherwise."

Eva studied him.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because if I ask something extraordinary of you, you deserve the truth first."

She folded her hands in her lap.

"I'm listening."

Adrian opened the folder.

Inside was a neatly prepared document.

He slid it across the desk.

Eva frowned.

"What is this?"

"A proposal."

She looked at the title printed across the top.

Confidential Marriage Agreement

Her eyes widened.

Slowly...

Very slowly...

She looked back up at him.

Adrian met her gaze without flinching.

"I'd like you to read it before you say no."

The Terms

Eva stared at the document lying between them.

The words at the top seemed almost unreal.

Confidential Marriage Agreement.

She looked up at Adrian.

Then back at the contract.

Then at Adrian again.

Finally, she let out a quiet laugh.

"You actually had this prepared."

"I did."

"You were that certain I'd come?"

"No."

He took his seat across from her.

"I was certain I'd need a plan."

Eva shook her head.

"I don't know whether to admire that or be concerned."

"Most people choose the second."

A smile threatened to appear on her lips before she caught herself.

She lowered her eyes to the first page.

The agreement was surprisingly... ordinary.

No dramatic language.

No impossible demands.

It outlined a temporary marriage that would last one year.

Public appearances.

Business events.

Family gatherings.

Separate bedrooms.

Complete privacy outside of official obligations.

She flipped another page.

"I have to move into your house?"

"For appearances."

"And after one year?"

"The marriage ends."

"So... we divorce."

"Yes."

The word settled heavily between them.

Eva closed the folder.

"No."

Adrian wasn't surprised.

"I expected that answer."

"Good."

She slid the contract back across the desk.

"Then we're finished here."

"You haven't asked why I chose you."

"I don't need to."

"You should."

Eva sighed.

"Fine."

She folded her arms.

"Why me?"

Adrian leaned back slightly.

"Yesterday, when everyone else was panicking..."

He paused.

"You kept working."

She frowned.

"You were trying to calm the guests while solving a crisis."

"That was my job."

"You apologized for something that wasn't your fault."

She blinked.

"You challenged my uncle."

"He deserved it."

"You refused to flatter me."

"I didn't know I was supposed to."

A corner of Adrian's mouth lifted.

"Exactly."

Eva narrowed her eyes.

"What?"

"I've met hundreds of people who wanted something from me."

"And?"

"You were the first person yesterday who treated me like... a normal man."

She stared at him.

"You don't exactly make that easy."

"I know."

Silence settled over the office.

Not uncomfortable.

Just thoughtful.

Eva looked toward the enormous windows.

"You don't need a wife."

"No."

"You need a public image."

"Correct."

"And you're asking me to help you protect your company."

"I'm asking you to help protect thousands of employees whose jobs depend on this merger."

That answer caught her off guard.

She had expected him to talk about money.

Power.

His reputation.

Instead...

He talked about the people who worked for him.

"You really believe that?"

"I don't ask anyone to do something unless I believe it's necessary."

She studied him carefully.

For the first time, the billionaire sitting across from her didn't seem untouchable.

He looked...

Tired.

Not physically.

Emotionally.

As though carrying responsibilities no one else ever saw.

Still...

Her answer hadn't changed.

She pushed the contract toward him once more.

"I'm sorry."

"This isn't my life."

"I know."

"I don't belong in your world."

"I know."

"I'd spend every day pretending to be someone I'm not."

"I know."

She frowned.

"If you already know all that, why are we still having this conversation?"

Adrian reached into the inside pocket of his jacket.

He removed another envelope.

Unlike the contract, this one was plain white.

He placed it gently on the desk.

"I wasn't planning to show you this today."

Eva looked at it but didn't touch it.

"What is it?"

"Something my assistant found this morning."

She hesitated before opening the envelope.

Inside was a thin file.

The first page bore her name.

Eva Hart.

Confused, she turned the page.

Her eyes widened.

Medical reports.

Hospital invoices.

Payment notices.

Letters marked OVERDUE.

Her breath caught.

Slowly...

She lifted her head.

"How did you get these?"

"I had someone look into your background."

"You investigated me?"

"Yes."

Her cheeks burned with anger.

"That's an invasion of my privacy."

"It is."

"You don't even sound sorry."

"I told you yesterday I value honesty."

She stood so quickly that the chair scraped across the floor.

"You had no right."

"I didn't."

His calmness only made her angrier.

"You don't know anything about my family."

"I know your younger brother needs surgery."

Eva froze.

The room suddenly felt much colder.

"I know," Adrian continued quietly, "that you've been working two jobs for almost a year trying to pay for it."

She couldn't speak.

"I also know..."

He looked directly into her eyes.

"...that the hospital's final payment deadline is tomorrow morning."

The file slipped from Eva's trembling hands.

Pages scattered across the polished floor.

She didn't bend to pick them up.

Because only one thought echoed through her mind.

How could he possibly know that?

The file slipped from Eva's trembling hands.

Medical reports fluttered across the polished wooden floor.

She didn't move.

For several long seconds, neither of them spoke.

The silence in the office felt heavier than any argument.

Finally, Eva found her voice.

"You had someone investigate me."

It wasn't a question.

It was an accusation.

Adrian didn't deny it.

"I did."

Her laugh came out sharp and humorless.

"So this whole meeting..." She gestured toward the contract. "...was planned."

"Yes."

"You knew about my brother before I walked through those doors."

"Yes."

Her chest tightened.

"I almost feel sorry for you."

That caught him off guard.

"You do?"

"Imagine having so much money and power that you think it's normal to read someone else's private life like a business report."

For the first time, Adrian looked away.

Not out of guilt.

Out of thought.

"I understand why you're angry."

"No."

Eva shook her head.

"I don't think you do."

She bent down, gathering the scattered papers with trembling fingers.

One report slipped from her hand.

Across the top, in bold letters, was her brother's name.

Noah Hart.

Age: 14.

She quickly turned the page over before Adrian could see more.

It didn't matter.

He already knew.

She hated that.

More than the investigation.

More than the contract.

He knew about the most painful part of her life.

And she hadn't chosen to tell him.

When she finally stood, her eyes glistened, but no tears fell.

"My brother has nothing to do with this."

"I know."

"Then don't use him."

"I have no intention of using him."

"It feels like you are."

Adrian remained quiet.

Then he walked around the desk.

Not toward her aggressively.

Just enough to close the distance between them.

"I asked Daniel to investigate you because I needed to know whether I could trust you."

Eva folded her arms.

"So your idea of trust begins with spying?"

"No."

"It begins with protecting the people who depend on me."

She frowned.

"My company employs over forty thousand people."

His voice remained calm.

"Every major decision I make affects their lives."

He looked directly at her.

"I couldn't ask a stranger to become part of my public life without knowing who she was."

Eva wanted to argue.

She wanted to tell him he was wrong.

Instead...

She found herself wondering whether a man in his position had ever been allowed to trust anyone without caution.

That thought annoyed her.

Because she almost understood him.

Almost.

"It was still wrong."

"It was."

He answered so quickly that she blinked.

"I won't defend the method."

"But you'll defend the reason."

"Yes."

Eva sighed.

"This is insane."

"I've had that thought several times today."

Despite herself...

She laughed.

Just once.

A small sound.

It escaped before she could stop it.

Adrian noticed.

"So you do laugh."

She immediately looked away.

"Don't get used to it."

"I wasn't planning to."

Another silence settled between them.

This one felt different.

Less hostile.

Adrian glanced at the contract still resting on the desk.

"I won't pressure you."

"You already are."

"I'm asking you to consider it."

"I'm considering how quickly I can leave."

A faint smile crossed his face.

"I suspected that."

Eva picked up her handbag.

"I appreciate your honesty."

She walked toward the door.

"And I appreciate the offer."

Her hand settled on the handle.

"But my answer is still no."

She opened the door.

"Miss Hart."

She stopped.

Without turning around.

"I haven't told you the compensation."

She closed her eyes.

"It doesn't matter."

"It might."

"It won't."

"I'll pay you ten million dollars."

The room became completely still.

Eva slowly turned around.

She stared at him as though he'd spoken another language.

"...What?"

"You heard me."

"No."

She gave a disbelieving laugh.

"I must have imagined that."

"You didn't."

"Ten..."

She couldn't even finish the sentence.

"No one pays someone that much for a fake marriage."

"I do."

Her heartbeat echoed loudly in her ears.

For one terrifying second...

She imagined what that amount of money could do.

Noah's surgery.

His medication.

His physiotherapy.

A safer apartment.

A life where she didn't have to count every naira before buying groceries.

The thought frightened her.

Because it made the impossible...

Feel possible.

She tightened her grip on her bag.

"No."

Her voice was firmer this time.

"No amount of money is worth selling my freedom."

Adrian nodded once.

"I respect your decision."

She frowned.

"That's it?"

"I'm not in the habit of forcing people."

She searched his face for disappointment.

She found none.

Only quiet acceptance.

It unsettled her more than persuasion ever could.

Without another word, she walked out of the office.

Daniel, the assistant, stood as she passed.

"Have a good day, Miss Hart."

She managed a small nod before stepping into the elevator.

The doors slid shut.

The moment she was alone...

She leaned against the mirrored wall and let out the breath she'd been holding since she entered the building.

"This is crazy..."

She whispered.

Absolutely crazy.

She told herself she'd made the right choice.

So why...

Did it feel like she'd just walked away from something that wasn't over?

The elevator doors slid open onto the lobby.

Eva stepped out, still trying to steady her breathing.

The receptionist smiled politely as she passed.

"Have a wonderful day, Miss Hart."

"You too."

Her voice sounded distant.

Outside, the city moved as though nothing extraordinary had happened.

Cars crawled through traffic.

People hurried along the sidewalks with coffee cups in their hands.

A street musician played an old love song near the entrance to the building.

Life went on.

Yet Eva felt as though the world had shifted beneath her feet.

She tightened her grip on her handbag and began walking toward the bus stop.

Ten million dollars.

The number echoed in her mind like a stubborn song she couldn't silence.

"No," she whispered to herself.

She shook her head.

"It doesn't matter."

Money wasn't enough.

A fake marriage wasn't something she could simply walk into and walk away from unchanged.

She refused to become another headline attached to Adrian Blackwood's name.

She had made the right decision.

She had.

Her phone vibrated.

The screen lit up with a familiar name.

Mercy General Hospital.

A knot formed in her stomach.

She answered immediately.

"Hello?"

"Miss Hart?"

"Yes, this is Eva."

The nurse's voice was gentle.

"I'm calling regarding your brother, Noah."

Eva stopped walking.

"Is he okay?"

"He's stable."

She let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

"But..."

Her heart tightened.

"The doctor needs to speak with you as soon as possible."

"I'll be there in thirty minutes."

"We'll be waiting."

The call ended.

Eva didn't wait for the bus.

She flagged down the first taxi she saw.

"Mercy General Hospital, please."

The driver nodded and pulled into traffic.

The ride felt endless.

Every red light seemed determined to keep her away.

She kept glancing at the time on her phone.

Twenty-eight missed calls.

Most were from suppliers she'd worked with during the wedding.

She ignored them all.

Right now, only Noah mattered.

---

The familiar smell of antiseptic greeted her the moment she stepped into the hospital.

She rushed to the reception desk.

"I'm here to see Noah Hart."

The receptionist recognized her immediately.

"Room 312. The doctor is waiting."

Eva hurried down the corridor.

Her shoes echoed against the polished floor.

She reached the room and paused just outside the door.

Through the small window, she saw Noah sitting up in bed, headphones over his ears as he played a game on his old phone.

He looked up.

The moment he saw her, his face lit up.

"Eva!"

He pulled off his headphones and grinned.

"You came."

She forced herself to smile.

"Of course I did."

"You look tired."

"I had a busy morning."

"You always have a busy morning."

He laughed softly.

"I told you to stop worrying so much."

She walked over and ruffled his hair.

"And I told you to focus on getting better."

"I am getting better."

His smile faded just a little.

"...Right?"

Eva swallowed.

"You're the strongest person I know."

He rolled his eyes.

"You always say that when something's wrong."

Before she could answer, a knock sounded on the open door.

A man in a white coat stepped inside.

"Miss Hart."

She turned.

"Dr. Collins."

"May I speak with you for a moment?"

She nodded.

"I'll be right back," she told Noah.

He gave her a suspicious look but didn't argue.

The doctor led her into the hallway.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

Finally, he sighed.

"I'm afraid we've reached the deadline."

Eva's stomach dropped.

"The surgery has already been scheduled twice."

"I know."

"The hospital board won't approve another extension."

She looked down at her hands.

"I just need a little more time."

"I wish I could give it to you."

His voice was filled with genuine regret.

"But unless the outstanding balance is paid by tomorrow morning..."

He paused.

"We'll have to release the operating room to another patient."

Eva stared at him.

The words didn't seem real.

Tomorrow.

Not next week.

Not next month.

Tomorrow.

She felt the hallway spin.

"I've tried everything."

"I know you have."

"I've worked every extra shift I could."

"I know."

"There has to be another way."

The doctor's silence was answer enough.

Tears burned behind her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

Not here.

Not now.

She thanked him quietly and returned to Noah's room wearing the brightest smile she could manage.

For the next hour, she laughed at his jokes.

She listened to him talk about the football match he wanted to watch.

She promised they'd celebrate with pizza after his surgery.

She lied.

Again and again.

Because she couldn't bear to let him see the fear on her face.

When visiting hours ended, Noah hugged her tightly.

"I love you, Eva."

She hugged him back.

"I love you more."

She waited until the elevator doors closed behind him before allowing a single tear to fall.

Just one.

She wiped it away quickly.

Crying wouldn't solve anything.

As she stepped out of the hospital, the evening air felt colder than usual.

She reached into her handbag, searching for her bus fare.

Her fingers brushed against a thick envelope.

Confused, she pulled it out.

It was the white envelope Adrian had placed on his desk earlier.

She must have slipped it into her bag without realizing it.

Inside was a single sheet of paper.

No contract.

No legal language.

Just one handwritten sentence.

If you change your mind, call me before midnight. After that, the offer expires.

Beneath the message was a phone number.

Eva stared at it.

The hospital.

Noah.

The deadline.

The impossible choice.

She folded the paper with trembling hands.

Then slipped it back into the envelope.

Her phone showed the time.

8:17 p.m.

She had less than four hours to decide whether she was willing to change the course of her life forever.