Freedom in Exchange

Sofia blinks repeatedly, entirely convinced that she has misunderstood him.

"What?" she asks, her voice trembling slightly in the dim light of the vehicle.

Edward meets her stunned gaze without the slightest change in expression.

"A fake wife," he says.

His answer is delivered with such calm, absolute matter-of-factness that it takes her several seconds to process what he has just said.

"A fake wife, sir?" she whispers, her eyes wide with shock.

"Yes," he replies evenly.

The luxury sedan continues gliding smoothly through the city streets, the heavy silence inside growing denser with every passing second.

Sofia stares at him with parted lips, struggling to find her voice.

"I... I am sorry, sir," she murmurs, letting out a nervous, breathless laugh that dies away almost instantly.

"I do not think I heard you correctly."

"You heard me correctly," Edward states.

She searches his face intently, hoping to find some hidden trace of amusement or a teasing joke.

There is nothing, not even the smallest hint that he is playing with her. Her heartbeat quickens rapidly against her ribs.

"M-Mr. Dallion..." She struggles awkwardly to find the right words.

"Why would someone like you... ask someone like me?"

"My parents refuse to stop arranging meaningless corporate marriages until I present a legal wife," he explains evenly.

"This is simply the most practical solution."

Sofia lowers her eyes to her trembling hands, entirely unable to handle the profound confusion filling her face.

"But..." Her voice drops to a barely audible whisper. "I am only a maid."

Edward watches her quietly, letting her process the weight of his words.

"I have nothing to my name," she says.

She laughs weakly, though there is no genuine happiness behind the sound.

"I do not know how to speak properly in high society. I do not understand business etiquette. I have never even attended a single day of college."

Her fingers tighten together nervously.

"I do not belong in your world."

Edward does not interrupt her self-doubt.

"I do not even own decent clothes," she adds, forcing another bitter smile to her lips. "I do not think I would even know which fork to use during a formal dinner."

Edward watches her quietly for a moment before he speaks again. His voice remains completely steady, carrying neither a demand nor an aggressive persuasion.

"They are simply inconveniences."

His answer catches her completely off guard.

Edward continues unfazed.

"I do not need a woman who understands corporate politics. I do not need someone who knows which wine matches which specific meal. And I certainly do not need someone pretending to impress my family."

His eyes remain locked onto hers.

"I need someone who will never betray our agreement."

His words strike her much harder than she initially expects.

"You barely even know me," she points out softly.

"I know enough."

"Once we arrive at Dallion Tower, you will never go back to the Vance family."

Slowly, she looks back to meet his gaze.

"So I will ask you only once." His eyes hold hers without a single trace of hesitation.

"Do you prefer to stay by my side under a business agreement... or would you rather go back to your old life?"

Sofia feels her heartbeat pounding fiercely against her ribs.

"If you accept," Edward continues, "you will become my legal wife for a period of one year. It remains strictly a paper arrangement. Behind closed doors, we will lead completely separate lives. I will never expect you to fulfill any domestic duties as my wife, and I will never force you to do anything against your will."

He pauses momentarily, ensuring she has enough time to absorb every single word.

"In return, I will provide you with a safe home, absolute security, proper medical care, a full education, and complete financial independence."

His tone remains measured and thoroughly businesslike.

"When the year concludes, you are free to walk away with enough capital to build whatever future you desire."

He keeps his gaze on her.

"The final decision rests entirely with you."

She lowers her eyes downward to examine her own trembling hands.

No more dark basements. No more cruel beatings. No more agonizing over where her next meager meal will come from.

Freedom.

It is a word she has encountered only in the pages of the books she secretly borrows whenever no one is watching.

With cautious movements, her trembling fingers reach out to lightly grasp the fabric of his suit sleeve.

She lifts her tear-filled eyes up toward his face.

"Are you truly certain..." Her voice shakes noticeably. "You will not regret choosing a lowly maid, Mr. Dallion?"

Edward answers without the slightest hesitation.

"I did not choose a maid."

His typically cold expression softens almost imperceptibly at the edges.

"I chose the only decent human being residing in that entire mansion."

A single tear slips quietly down Sofia's pale cheek.

For the very first time in her twenty-four years of life…

Someone finally sees her as a person.

Someone truly believes that she possesses inherent value.

She takes one shaky breath before offering a small, resolute nod.

"I accept your proposal, sir."

Her voice emerges as a fragile whisper.

"I will stay... for the duration of one year."

A faint expression of quiet approval crosses Edward's features.

Neither of them speaks again, yet the silence lingering between them feels fundamentally different than before.

Several minutes drift by in quiet contemplation.

Edward notices Sofia constantly wringing her fingers in her lap. From the corner of his eye, he studies every subtle movement with sharp, silent precision.

"Are you already regretting your decision?" he asks flatly.

His deep voice slices through the quiet atmosphere like a sharp blade.

Instantly, Sofia jerks her head upward.

"N-No, sir."

She shakes her head much too quickly to be convincing.

"I am not regretting anything at all."

Edward raises a single, skeptical eyebrow.

"That was remarkably unconvincing."

He leans back comfortably against the leather seat with effortless authority.

"If you harbor any lingering doubts, voice them now. We are nearly at the tower."

Sofia lowers her gaze once more, staring intently at the rough, calloused skin covering her hands.

"I..." she murmurs softly.

"It feels completely unreal."

She swallows hard against the tight knot in her throat.

"Everything that transpired tonight... I keep expecting to wake up shivering back in the servants' quarters."

Edward remains silent for a brief moment.

The passing neon streetlights briefly illuminate the unreadable contours of his face.

"You will do no such thing," he states at last.

"You are wide awake."

"And you are entirely safe."

Her fingers tighten around each other until her knuckles turn stark white.

"So many people stood and watched..." she whispers bitterly.

"They all simply stood there while I was humiliated."

Her voice cracks under the weight of the memory.

"This... is the absolute first time anyone has ever treated me like an actual human being."

A dangerous, icy darkness settles deep behind Edward's eyes.

"Their actions mean nothing," he says coldly. "A room full of cowards is not worth your attention."

His gaze remains fixed straight ahead through the windshield.

"Forget it. Start again."