3 : A Proposal As A Pretext -

"To the pretext," he replied, already wondering how he would convince her to stay when the twenty-four months were up.

Elena reached out, her fingers hovering over the stone. "And if I say yes? We have to make it look real. The galas, the press, the shared home." 3 : A Proposal as a Pretext

"A small price for a billion-dollar empire," Julian said, offering his hand to help her up. "To the pretext," he replied, already wondering how

"It’s a pretext," he corrected, his voice dropping an octave. "The board won't block a merger between husband and wife. It creates a single legal entity that’s untouchable. We sign a pre-nup tonight that dissolves the marriage in twenty-four months, once the acquisition is finalized. You get your family’s legacy back, and I get the seat at the head of the table." We have to make it look real

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.