Chapter 5: The Meeting

The car that was "waiting outside" turned out to be a black Mercedes with tinted windows and a driver who looked like he moonlighted as a bodyguard. Sophie slid into the backseat, the leather upholstery so soft it felt like sitting on a cloud.

Elena sat beside her, scrolling through emails on her phone with the efficiency of someone who billed by the minute. "We're going to his office first. He prefers to conduct business on his own territory."

"What should I expect?"

"Honesty." Elena looked up from her phone. "He's going to ask you direct questions, and he expects direct answers. Don't try to be what you think he wants—he's very good at seeing through pretense."

The car pulled up in front of a gleaming skyscraper that seemed to stretch endlessly into the gray sky. Sophie recognized the building—everyone in the city did. The Blackstone Tower, headquarters of one of the most powerful corporate empires in the world.

Her stomach dropped. "Your client works for Blackstone Global?"

"Something like that." Elena was already getting out of the car, leaving Sophie to follow or sit there looking foolish.

The lobby was all marble and modern art, with the kind of understated elegance that screamed money. Elena strode across the space like she owned it, her heels clicking authoritatively against the polished floor. Sophie hurried to keep up, feeling increasingly out of place in her department store suit and scuffed shoes.

The elevator ride to the forty-second floor was silent except for the soft classical music piped in through hidden speakers. Sophie watched the floor numbers climb, each ding marking another step away from the world she knew and into something that felt increasingly surreal.

Elena led her down a hallway lined with abstract paintings that probably cost more than Sophie's annual salary had been. They stopped in front of a set of double doors made of dark wood that gleamed like water.

"Remember," Elena said softly, "be yourself. But be the best version of yourself."

The doors opened, and Sophie stepped into an office that was bigger than her entire apartment. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of Manhattan, and the furniture looked like it belonged in a museum. But it was the man standing with his back to them, silhouetted against the storm-darkened sky, who made her breath catch.

He was tall—taller than she'd expected—with broad shoulders that filled out his perfectly tailored suit. His dark hair was slightly mussed, as if he'd been running his hands through it, and when he turned around, Sophie felt the full impact of the most intensely blue eyes she'd ever seen.

Alexander Blackstone. She recognized him now from magazine covers and newspaper photos, though those images hadn't captured the presence he commanded in person. He looked like a man who was used to owning everything he surveyed, including the people in his orbit.

"Mr. Blackstone," Elena said formally, "may I present Sophie Chen."

Alex stepped forward, extending his hand. When Sophie took it, she was surprised by the calluses on his palms—unexpected roughness on a man who probably hadn't done manual labor a day in his life.

"Miss Chen. Thank you for coming."

His voice was deeper than she'd expected, with a slight rasp that suggested too many late nights and too much stress. He gestured toward the seating area by the windows, and Sophie found herself sitting across from one of the most powerful men in the city, trying not to look as intimidated as she felt.

"Elena tells me you're interested in a business arrangement."

"She tells me you need a... companion." Sophie mentally kicked herself for the hesitation. Be direct, she reminded herself. He appreciates honesty.

Something that might have been amusement flickered in Alex's eyes. "That's one way to put it. What I need, Miss Chen, is a wife."

Sophie blinked. "Excuse me?"

"A wife. For one year. In name only." Alex leaned back in his chair, studying her reaction. "It's a business arrangement, nothing more. You would live in my home, appear with me at social functions, and convince the world that we have a happy marriage. In return, you would be compensated generously."

Sophie looked at Elena, who was watching the exchange with professional interest, then back at Alex. "You want to marry me? You don't even know me."

"I know enough. You're intelligent—Elena wouldn't have brought you here otherwise. You're in financial distress, which means you're motivated to make this work. And you're not connected to my social circle, which eliminates certain... complications."

"What kind of complications?"

Alex was quiet for a moment, his gaze drifting to the windows and the storm beyond. "Let's just say that my previous relationships have been subject to scrutiny and speculation that I'd prefer to avoid."

Sophie thought about the gossip magazines she'd seen in grocery store checkout lines, the photos of Alex Blackstone with various beautiful women, the speculation about his love life that seemed to fascinate the media. She'd always assumed it was just rich people's problems—the kind of issues that seemed trivial to someone worried about making rent.

"Why me, specifically?"

"Because you need this as much as I do." Alex's honesty was brutal in its simplicity. "Because you're not looking for love or romance or anything that would complicate the arrangement. Because you're desperate enough to say yes to a stranger's proposal."

The words stung, even though they were true. Sophie lifted her chin, meeting his gaze directly. "And what do you get out of this, besides the obvious?"

"The obvious?"

"Control of your company. I did my research on the way up here." Sophie pulled out her phone, showing him the Wikipedia page she'd found. "Alexander Blackstone, heir to the Blackstone empire, unmarried, subject of speculation about his commitment to taking over from his grandfather."

Alex's eyebrows rose slightly. "Thorough."

"I'm not stupid, Mr. Blackstone. You don't offer someone life-changing money unless you're getting something equally valuable in return." Sophie tucked her phone away. "So what aren't you telling me?"

For the first time since she'd entered the office, Alex smiled—a real smile that transformed his entire face. "Elena was right about you."

"Is that a good thing?"

"It's the only reason you're still sitting here." Alex leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "My grandfather's will stipulates that I must be married by my thirty-third birthday to inherit full control of the company. I have six months."

"And if you're not married?"

"Control passes to a board of trustees. Permanently."

Sophie studied his face, looking for signs of deception and finding none. "So you're as desperate as I am."

"More so. You're only responsible for yourself and your father. I'm responsible for thousands of employees and a legacy that goes back three generations."

"Your father?" Sophie was surprised by his knowledge of her situation.

"Elena is very thorough in her background checks." Alex's expression softened slightly. "I'm sorry about his illness. Alzheimer's is... difficult."

Sophie felt tears threaten and blinked them back. She would not cry in this office, in front of this man who clearly saw emotions as weaknesses to be exploited.

"If I were to agree to this—and I'm not saying I am—what would the terms be?"

Elena pulled out another document, thicker than the first. "One year marriage contract. You would live in Mr. Blackstone's residence, attend social functions as required, and maintain the appearance of a happy marriage. Separate bedrooms, no physical intimacy required or expected. Complete financial support during the marriage, plus the compensation we discussed."

Sophie flipped through the contract, her head spinning at the legal terminology. "This says I can't work during the marriage."

"Your job will be being my wife." Alex's tone was matter-of-fact. "That's a full-time position."

"And after the year is up?"

"The marriage is quietly dissolved. You receive your final payment and disappear from my life completely." Alex stood up, walking back to the windows. "No continued contact, no tell-all books, no attempts to leverage our association for personal gain."

Sophie read through more of the contract, noting the extensive non-disclosure agreements, the clauses about public behavior, the detailed expectations for her role as Mrs. Alexander Blackstone. It was thorough to the point of being invasive.

"You want to control every aspect of my life."

"For one year. In exchange for more money than you'd make in a lifetime at your previous job."

Sophie thought about her father, about the stack of medical bills, about the eviction notice in her purse. She thought about the life she'd been trying to build that had just crumbled around her, and the strange, impossible opportunity that had been laid at her feet.

"I need time to think about this."

"How much time?"

Sophie looked at Alex, then at Elena, then out at the storm raging beyond the windows. In the distance, lightning split the sky, illuminating the city in brief, brilliant clarity.

"Twenty-four hours."

Alex nodded. "Elena will provide you with her contact information. Whatever you decide, Miss Chen, I want you to know that I respect your position. This isn't an easy choice for either of us."

As Sophie stood to leave, Alex called out to her. "Miss Chen? For what it's worth, I think you're braver than you know. Not many people would even consider what we're discussing."

Sophie paused at the door, looking back at the man who had just offered to change her entire life. "Mr. Blackstone? For what it's worth, I think you're more desperate than you want to admit. Not many people would marry a complete stranger to save their inheritance."

Alex's laugh followed her out of the office, rich and genuine and somehow reassuring. As the elevator descended back to the real world, Sophie realized she was already starting to think of her answer.