Chapter One: The Astor's Proposal

"Dad, you can't be serious," Emma said, sitting across from her dad in his office. "Arranged marriage? That's so outdated. Who does that these days?"

Mr. Miller groaned deeply, his shoulders dropping beneath the weight of the load he bore.

Four years ago, Emma's father failed in business and ended up in a mountain of debt. Many creditors came to demand the money.

In order to pay off his debts as soon as possible, he had no choice but to turn to the Astor family for help, because the two families had made a deal years back to marry their kids when they came of age.

He hoped Emma would marry Jason, and the Astor family would give him a huge amount of money to help him get through the debt.

The Astor family was rich and powerful, but Jason Astor was a notorious playboy.

"I realize it's not perfect, Emma. But the company is on the edge of disaster. Richard Astor's deal is our final lifeline."

"And what if I refuse?" Emma questioned, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her father's look softened, his eyes held a tinge of sadness. "Then we lose everything. The firm, our means of livelihood... everything your mother and I fought so hard to build.”

Emma's brows wrinkled in irritation. "But dad, why me? Why do I have to compromise my happiness for the benefit of the company?"

"Because you're the heiress, Emma. The face of the Miller Group. Marrying Jason Astor would not only salvage our firm but assure its future success," her father emphasized, his tone begging.

Emma's heart sunk at her father's words.

She wasn't comfortable with the idea of being used as a negotiating tool in a business transaction, but she understood very well where her father was coming from.

Emma felt a stab of shame at her father's remarks. She understood how much the Miller Group meant to him, how he had put his heart and soul into its success. She couldn't face the notion of being the one to ruin all he had strived for.

As her mind raced with conflicting feelings, her father spoke a word that brought her emotional turmoil to a crashing end.

"Jason Astor."

Emma met Jason just once during childhood, he had left New York for Australia since middle school. He recently just got back to New York.

Her breath froze in her throat at the sound of his name, her heart missing a beat at the memories it conjured. Jason Astor was the kid she had liked from afar since they were young. The child who had always been so cold and remote, but had stolen her heart with his calm power and unmistakable attractiveness.

For years, Emma had cherished a hidden crush on Jason, her affections buried deep behind layers of yearning and unfulfilled desire. And yet, here he was, invading her life once more in the most unexpected of ways.

Emma's mind swirled with a million ideas as she examined her father's proposition. She knew it was a gamble, a plunge into the unknown. But she also knew that she couldn't stand the notion of letting her father down, of witnessing the Miller Group implode under the weight of its own doom.

With a heavy heart and a fresh resolve, Emma made her choice.

"I'll do it," she murmured gently, her voice barely heard over the sound of her own pulse. "I'll marry Jason Astor."

As the words left her lips, Emma felt a surge of both relief and uneasiness flood over her. She didn't have any idea what was in store, however she knew that she was able to do anything it took to save her dad's company and safeguard the inheritance he had struggled so hard to gather. And if it meant marrying the intriguing Jason Astor, then so be it. Who knows? She could win his heart too.

Tears glistened in Mr. Miller's eyes as he reached across the desk to hold Emma's hand hard on his own. His voice choked with emotion, "Thank you, Emma." You have no clue what this means to me."

Emma offered her dad a consoling smile, her own eyes sparkling with unshed tears. " I'll take the necessary steps to save the company, dad," she said serenely. " I won't let you down."

Mr. Miller pulled out Emma's hand and recovered an envelope directly in front of him. "I've already drawn up the necessary paperwork," he stated, his voice firm despite the emotions screaming inside him. "The wedding will take place in two days' time, at the Astor estate."

Emma's heart skipped a beat at the news of the forthcoming wedding, her head racing at the notion of marrying Jason so soon. But she put aside her doubts and worries, focused instead on the work at hand.

"So soon?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper, skepticism coloring her words.

Mr. Miller nodded seriously, his attention riveted on his daughter's disturbed countenance. "I'm afraid we don't have much time, Emma," he said, his tone soft but strong. "The longer we delay, the higher the danger to the company.”

"What about Jason? Is he aware of all these?" she questioned, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mr. Miller's countenance softened. "I've already spoken to Richard Astor," he said. "He assures me that he will speak with Jason and he'll be definitely ready to fulfill his end of the bargain."

Emma nodded, her thoughts racing with a million questions and anxieties. She shoved them aside, focusing instead on the commitment she had made to her dad and the future that lay before her.

As she stood from her seat and advanced towards the door, Emma couldn't help but feel a sensation of discomfort crawling over her.