Elena took it. Her hand was cold, but as his fingers closed around hers, a spark of something that wasn't business flickered in her eyes. She put the ring on, the weight of it anchoring her to a lie they both desperately wanted to believe. "To the merger," she said.
Should we explore what happens at their as a couple, or should we skip to the tensions of sharing a home?
"To the pretext," he replied, already wondering how he would convince her to stay when the twenty-four months were up. 3 : A Proposal as a Pretext
Elena arched a perfectly groomed eyebrow. "I’m listening."
"Three years, Julian," she said, tapping a silver pen against a thick legal folder. "That’s how long the merger has been stalled. Your board wants blood, and my family wants your territory. We are past the point of handshakes." Elena took it
Julian leaned back, the amber liquid in his glass catching the dim light. He wasn't looking at the merger papers. He was looking at the way Elena’s jaw tightened when she was bluffing.
Julian stood, walking slowly around the desk until he was inches from her. He didn't offer a handshake. Instead, he reached into his pocket and placed a velvet box on top of the legal documents. He flicked it open. A four-carat emerald shimmered under the chandelier. Elena didn't gasp. She went still. "What is this?" "A proposal," Julian replied. "This is a business meeting, Julian. Don't be absurd." "To the merger," she said
He didn't mention that he’d bought the ring six months ago. He didn't mention that the merger was the only way he could think of to keep her in the same room as him.