جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 9

Mia stared at the number on her banking app until it blurred: two hundred and forty dollars. Rent was due in nine days, and eleven job applications that month had brought back nothing but polite rejection emails, if they answered at all.Kessia was away for the weekend, visiting her cousin, so the apartment was quiet except for the hum of the ancient refrigerator and the sound of Mia's own heartbeat, loud and useless in her ears.She had a business degree, a mother back home who called every Sunday and asked, carefully, if things were getting better, and nothing else to show for the last two years. Things were not getting better. They hadn't been for a long time.Two years ago she had walked across a graduation stage in a cheap gown she'd rented for the day, certain that a degree meant something would open up for her. Instead it had bought her a folder of transcripts nobody wanted to look at and a mother who still believed, every single Sunday, that her daughter was doing fine in the

Mateo stared at his phone, his heart still hammering."Unbelievable," he muttered, pacing the room like something caged. "I can't lose my company over this."Felix had heard the whole call on speaker, and the furrow between his brows hadn't smoothed out yet."I lied about the fiancée to cover for you, and it only made things worse," he said."He set a deadline for a relationship that doesn't exist. A week to introduce a woman and start planning a wedding.""That's ridiculous," Felix agreed.Mateo let out a frustrated breath. "I'm not letting my father hand my company to someone else just because I'm single.""So what will you do?""I don't know. What would you do?""Your dad's probably bluffing. Wait it out, he won't actually do anything.""My father is a man of his word.""Maybe he just wants to know there's a woman in your life. He probably doesn't actually want to force a wedding.""You think so?""I do. Just introduce him to whoever you're seeing.""There's no one.""Then get into

Mia rang the gate bell after the cab dropped her at the address Mateo had given her. The gate alone was bigger than her entire apartment building."I have an appointment with Mr. Moore," she told the security guard who came to open it."Mia Scott?""Yes.""Come in. That door there is the entrance, he's expecting you," he said, motioning her forward.She nodded and followed the path he pointed out. As soon as she stepped inside, Mateo came down the stairs to meet her."Ah, Mia. You made it," he said. At least he didn't sound angry."Hello," she managed."This way," he said, leading her to a table set for two. "Let's get down to business."She nodded, nervous, and took her seat."I'm Mateo Moore, CEO of Emeralds Group, only son and heir of Chairman Emeralds Moore, who is very eager to finally meet the woman in my life."He explained that his father was expecting them for a simple dinner, that she would be introduced as the woman he was seeing. He gave her a quick rundown of details she

"I want you to marry me, Mia. Not for real, a paper marriage. I need you to give me a baby within a year, and then we file for divorce and go our separate ways," Mateo said, eyes fixed on hers."We'll sign a contract, just us and a lawyer. To everyone else, it'll look like a real marriage. In return, I'll pay you fifty million dollars. Thirty upfront, twenty when it's over."She couldn't breathe. She pushed the car door open and stepped out.They were parked by the bridge. She walked to the rail and stared at the water, letting the wind hit her face. She needed air. She needed to think.A marriage. A baby contract. Fifty million dollars.It sounded insane, and also, God help her, tempting. One year of her life. One year with a man she didn't love, though she was attracted to him, sure, but was that enough to say yes to sharing a home, a bed, her own body with him?Could she actually give him a child?Mateo came to stand beside her in silence, waiting, not pushing.She stared at the wa

“You’re not supposed to be here,” Mateo said, standing.“I’m not supposed to be a lot of places, and yet.” Desmond’s smile didn’t waver as he crossed the room and extended a hand toward Mia. “Desmond Moore. I’d say it’s a pleasure, but let’s be honest with each other from the start.”Mia shook his hand out of reflex, immediately wishing she hadn’t.“She doesn’t need to hear anything from you,” Mateo said.“Relax. I only came to congratulate the happy couple.” Desmond’s gaze lingered on Mia a beat too long. “Two weeks to a wedding. That’s fast, even for you, Mateo. Almost like you’re hiding something.”“We’re in love, Desmond. Try to contain your excitement.”“Of course you are.” Desmond turned to Mia. “Tell me, Ms. Scott, how exactly did you two meet? I’d love the story for the wedding toast.”Mia’s pulse spiked. “We met through work.”“How romantic.” Desmond’s smile sharpened into something colder. “I do love a good origin story. I’ll be sure to look into it, since I’ll be a guest wh