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Four

Leonardo's Point of View

"What did you say?" I asked, trying to mask the surprise in my voice. The shock on Amelia's face almost made me smile—she probably thought I’d lost my mind.

I leaned back in my chair and calmly repeated, "You heard me."

No one gets a marriage proposal like this, especially not from me. But it had to be this way. I needed to marry to get my father and the damn board off my back. I had to save my company.

No one fit the profile like Amelia. The women I knew were more than happy to cozy up to wealth and power. That was the last thing the company needed after my recent scandal.

"I don't understand," Amelia said, frowning at me. "Marry you?"

I nodded. "Yes. I need you to pose as my wife."

"Pose? So we wouldn’t actually get married?"

I sighed. "No, we would actually get married. Legally."

She shook her head, trying to process what I was saying. As she thought it through, her expression shifted from surprise to fury.

"You think this is funny?" she yelled. "Is this some kind of game? I’m already embarrassed enough after last night’s soap incident, and now you want to humiliate me more?"

Her anger caught me off guard. Shock, maybe—but I didn’t expect anger.

"I'm not mocking you, Amelia," I said firmly. "I'm serious."

She shook her head and stood up. "I can't believe this," she muttered. "I thought you were different, you know? God, I’m such a fool."

I watched her, intrigued.

"I have to go," she said, heading for the door.

"Don’t go," I said.

She glanced over her shoulder and scoffed. "I’m definitely not staying. This is insane!"

As she reached the door, I realized the amount I'd offered might not be enough to convince her.

But my neck was on the line.

"If you leave, I’ll have to report you to HR for theft. Maybe even involve the police."

She froze with her hand on the doorknob. For a moment, she didn’t move. Then, slowly, she turned around.

"I thought you said it didn’t matter," she said softly.

"I know what I said," I replied. "But that was yesterday, before I found out I'm on the verge of losing my company. You can walk away, but I'll fire you for theft. Or... you can marry me."

She narrowed her eyes. "That’s a very unfair ultimatum."

"Yes," I said sharply. "I know. Trust me, I'm in the same boat as you."

"Definitely not," she said coldly.

I gestured to the chair for her to sit back down. "Let me explain."

She hesitated, but I knew I had her. I really wasn’t going to fire her—I wasn’t heartless, and I knew she was in a tough spot financially. But she didn’t know I was bluffing, and that was all that mattered.

As she walked back to the chair, she perched on the edge, knees together, hands folded in her lap. That smile I liked was gone.

And it was my fault.

"I need to save face with the board of directors. They’re upset about my public behavior and the image it gives the company."

"I don’t blame them," she said firmly.

I looked at her before continuing.

"You need my help here as much as I need yours, so I wouldn’t get too high and mighty about it," I said. "I need you to be my wife—legally—and play the part for six months."

"Why only six?" she asked.

For someone in a tough spot, she had a lot to say.

"I need you until my probation period ends. When I became CEO, I started a one-year probationary period with the board. I have six months left," I explained. "For the next six months, you’ll live with me rent-free, I'll cover all your expenses, and when it’s over... I’ll pay you three million dollars."

She choked when I mentioned the money.

"Three million... are you serious?"

I nodded. "I’ve never been more serious. But there’s a catch."

She narrowed her eyes. "Oh?"

"You have to be convincing enough to persuade the board."

"Oh," she said, pouting.

"Seems like a fair deal for three million, don’t you think?"

"I guess," she murmured, processing everything I’d said. I didn’t know what that amount meant to her—money didn’t hold the same value for me as it did for others. But I knew she needed it, and three million was more than enough.

She frowned, and I wondered if she’d go along with the deal. It was a lot of money, but being married to a stranger for six months… God, I didn’t even know if I could. I wasn’t the marrying type. But if I wanted the company, I had to.

"We’ll get a clean divorce at the end," I said cheerfully. "You’ll have your own room in my apartment, you’ll live comfortably. And don’t worry, you won’t have to sleep with me."

Her eyes darted away, and her face turned bright red.

"Unless you want to," I added.

Her blush deepened. She coughed and shifted in her seat.

"Of course, you’ll need to make appearances as my wife," I continued. "Play the part and all. A kiss or two might be required. And neither of us can date anyone else during this time."

She gave me a skeptical look.

"Rest assured, I'm entirely capable of restraining myself, Amelia."

"Three million?" she asked softly.

"Three million."

"I’ll do it," she said, surprising me.

"That was easy."

"No, I’m not done," she said. "I’ll do it, but I have my own conditions."

"You’re not in a position to make demands," I said.

"From where I stand, neither are you," she countered. "Or should I step back and let you find someone else?"

I grunted. She wasn’t stupid—she had to know the women I usually dated weren’t marriage material, not even for a performance.

"Or better yet," she pressed. "I could go to the media and expose you for attempted blackmail and a sham marriage. The board would catch you red-handed."

Ouch. She was tougher than she looked.

"Fine," I said. "What is it?"

"If I’m moving in with you, you’ll need to cover my mother’s expenses too. You need to hire a housekeeper and a nurse to look after her. Someone who can cook, clean, and make sure she’s okay. She can’t be alone. Consider it an advance on the three million."

It seemed fair. More than fair.

"Okay," I agreed. "It’s a deal."

"And not later, Leonardo," she said, her eyes fierce. "I need these arrangements now."

Damn, her fierceness was exhilarating. I wanted to grab her and kiss her.

"Understood," I said, trying to sound calm. "I’ll take care of it immediately."

She nodded, and I could see a glimmer of relief in her eyes. But there was still tension between us, something we needed to resolve. She was willing to do her part, and now it was my turn to ensure she was comfortable and safe in this arrangement.

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