All Chapters of THE VALENTINE PROPOSAL : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

44 Chapters

PROVING GROUND 3

LIORAThe bar was loud and packed with people. My team had insisted on celebrating after the presentation. They dragged me to some trendy place downtown where the music was too loud and the drinks were too expensive."To Liora," Derek shouted over the noise. He raised his glass. "Who proved all of us wrong."Everyone clinked glasses. I tried not to cry. A week ago these people thought I was just the boss's girlfriend. Now they were treating me like I actually belonged."I was wrong about you," Derek said. He was on his third beer and getting sentimental. "You earned your spot. Nobody can say you didn't.""Thank you," I said. It meant more coming from him than anyone else.Someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around and Everett was there."You came," I said."Of course I came." He smiled. It was a real smile and not the polite CEO smile he gave to board members. He pulled me into a warm half hug. "You think I'd miss celebrating your win?"He ordered a drink and actually stayed. Usually

PROVING GROUND 4

LIORAI went to my room and closed the door. Then I let myself cry. Quiet tears that I wiped away as fast as they fell.I was so stupid. Of course he didn't feel the same way. This was business to him. A transaction. I was just the girl who proposed in a lobby and gave him a way out of his parents' matchmaking.I hugged my pillow and tried to sleep. But all I could think about was the way he'd looked at me tonight. The way he'd laughed. The way he'd shared real parts of himself.Maybe I'd imagined it. Maybe I'd seen what I wanted to see instead of what was really there.Down the hall, Everett lay in his bed staring at the ceiling. He'd almost said it back. The words were right there. I'm falling for you too.But Claire's face flashed in his mind. The check his parents wrote. The way she'd left without fighting for him.Everyone had a price. Everyone left eventually.But Liora wasn't Claire. She'd proven that today. She'd stood up to the board, to Ramsey, to everyone who said she didn'

THE GALA

LIORAThe week before the gala passed in a blur. Everett was busy with damage control from whatever Ramsey had done. I was busy launching the campaign. We barely saw each other except at night when we were both too tired to talk.But the notes kept coming.I found one Tuesday morning. "You were right about the emotional marketing angle. The early numbers are incredible. -E"I wrote back. "Told you so."His response came that night. "Don't get cocky. It's only been three days."Thursday he left me a coffee on the kitchen counter with a note. "Remembered you like extra cream. -E"I smiled for an hour after that.Friday morning Margaret woke me up early. "Hair and makeup team is here. The gala starts at seven."I spent four hours getting ready. They did my hair in loose waves. My makeup made me look like someone else. Someone who belonged at charity galas with billionaires.The emerald dress fit perfectly. I put on the diamond earrings Everett had insisted on buying. I looked in the mirr

EXPOSED

LIORASunday morning I woke up to my phone ringing. Unknown number. I almost didn't answer."Hello?""Liora Jovan?" A woman's voice. Professional. "This is Rebecca Chen from People magazine. I'm writing a piece about you and Everett Montague. Do you have time for a few questions?""No. Sorry." I hung up.It rang again immediately. Different number."Miss Jovan, this is David Park from Entertainment Weekly—"I hung up and turned off my phone.Margaret knocked on my door. "The press wants interviews. About the gala. About your relationship. Mr. Montague's publicist is handling it but they thought you should know.""Tell them no comment.""They're offering money. Substantial amounts for exclusive interviews."I thought about my student loans. About how much money substantial meant. "Still no."Margaret nodded. "I'll let them know."I got dressed and went to the kitchen. Everett was already there reading something on his tablet. He looked tired."You okay?" I asked."Ramsey leaked somethi

Chapter 15

LIORAMy phone would not stop ringing, repeatedly.At first, I tried to ignore it. I really did. I left it on the table and walked away like it wasn’t my problem, as if giving it enough space would somehow make it stop.But of course it didn’t.The screen kept lighting up over and over again. Calls. Messages. Notifications piling on top of each other until I couldn’t even see the wallpaper anymore.I already knew what it was. I didn’t need to check. Everything was out, every single thing was out.I walked back, picked up the phone, and stared at the screen for a few seconds before switching it off completely.The silence that followed didn’t feel like relief at all. It actually felt worse, unsettling in a way.Like I had just cut myself off from the outside world, but it was still there, waiting.Everett’s phone started ringing almost immediately after.He didn’t answer it. He just stood there, staring at it, his jaw tight, his expression unreadable.“This is spreading faster than I ex

Chapter 16

LIORAMr Zylar finally spoke, his tone calm.“This isn’t the place for accusations, Miss Jovan.”“No,” I said, meeting his gaze with a challenging fire in my eyes. “This is the place where you decide whether I deserve to be here or not.” I looked around the table.“If you’re going to judge me, then judge my work,” I said. “Not who I’m with or how we got together.”A brief silence followed after my words.One of the board members cleared his throat. “The campaign has performed exceptionally well.” “That’s true,” another nodded in agreement.It wasn’t full support, but it was enough to shift things slightly in my favour, I hoped.“We’ll need time to review everything,” another board member said. “Both the contract and your position.”“Take all the time you need. I’m sure y’all can come to the most reasonable decision.” “If you’ll excuse me.”Without waiting for anything else, or anyone to give me permission to leave, I turned and walked out.I didn’t stop walking, still maintaining my

Chapter 17 Just breathe, Liora

LIORAI rested my head against Everett’s shoulders as his arm circled me protectively.Yes, protectively.That was exactly what it felt like. The kind of safety I never thought I’d experience with him that day when I said yes to this arrangement.He was right. I was tired.My eyes fluttered close as exhaustion overtook me, and sleep followed right after.The next time my eyes opened again, I was lying on a soft mattress in a room that wasn’t mine, my mind still foggy from just waking up. My gaze landed on Everett at the foot of my bed, helping me take off the last pair of my shoes.“When did we arrive?” I asked, taking in the rich interior of the room. “Is this your room?”I asked two questions at once.“Like ten minutes ago. Yes, this is my room,” he answered both questions at once.I just fully relaxed on the bed, watching as he got up and began taking off his suit, then unbuckled his belt, the clinking sound filling the room as he did so.My body tensed up, breath hitching in my th

Chapter 18 An offer

LIORAWhoever it was he was calling, it seemed like he really didn’t want me to hear their conversation.But for whatever reason, even though I wasn’t the type who cared to eavesdrop, I found myself slipping out of the bed, quietly tiptoeing to the bathroom.My ear pressed against the bathroom door, trying to listen to what was being said inside.I could barely hear little to nothing at all.Then I finally heard something, a very familiar name."Fine, Diella, just send me the address," I heard Everett say.My eyes widened, and I quickly spun around, tiptoeing back to the bed before I got caught.Pretending to be asleep again, I heard the bathroom door open and the sound of Everett’s footsteps crossing the floor as he entered the closet.A few minutes later, he came out, fully dressed I presumed, because when he approached me, I could smell his cologne more strongly now.Leaning in, he planted a soft kiss on my head before pulling away and leaving the room. I stood up the moment he lef

Chapter 19 Dinner date

EVERETTLeaning in close enough, I watched as her eyes shut tightly, her grip on my arm loosening, waiting for my lips to touch hers, but instead of kissing her, I leaned toward her ear."Stop pushing your luck, Diella," I said, before pulling away completely.Her eyes snapped open. She looked flustered, but I didn’t wait around.Our business was concluded for the night, so I left the diner.While driving home, I couldn’t quite put my mind at ease. I was confident in Diella’s resourcefulness, but could she actually pull this off?And what would Liora think of me if she found out I went in secret, without her knowing, to make a deal with a woman that despised her so much?I wasn’t sure she would understand, so I decided not to tell her at all.When I got back home, Liora was still on the bed, fast asleep.Moving as quietly as I could so as not to wake her up, I took off my clothes and stepped into the shower for a quick bath.*****[The Next Day]LIORAIt was a Saturday, so we didn’t n

Chapter 20 Agreement

Chapter 20DIELLA"Is that so?" he muttered, the edges of his lips curving into a wide smile.There was intrigue in his eyes, just the kind of expression I needed to see on his face before I would shatter it."We both know you were the one who leaked that contract to the press in order to sabotage Everett, so I'm going to go ahead and lay out my offer."I noticed as the smile on his face quickly vanished for a second before appearing again."Hold on, is this why you're here, to beg on behalf of a man who ditched you for someone else?" he chuckled mockingly. "You know what, I think I'll pass on whatever deal you're offering."I clutched the glass in my hands tightly, trying to suppress my anger."I wonder what the press will say if they found out you were the one who leaked that document."The smile dropped from his face, replaced by a wrinkled frown."What proof do you have? The press feeds on facts, not mere gossip.""Oh, trust me, I have proof." My hand dipped into my bag to retriev

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