Chapter 1:The Marriage Proposal
The rain came down so hard that night that Amara could barely see the road ahead.
Her fingers tightened around the steering wheel as she drove through the empty streets, her heart pounding.
She had received the phone call less than an hour ago.
“Come home immediately.”
That was all her mother had said before hanging up.
Now, as Amara pulled into the driveway of her family home, she noticed something strange.
There were two black luxury cars parked outside.
She didn't recognize either of them.
Amara stepped out of her car and hurried toward the front door. Before she could open it, she heard voices coming from the living room.
A deep male voice.
Cold. Calm. Powerful.
“I don't have all night.”
Amara froze.
Who was that?
She slowly opened the door.
Everyone turned toward her.
Her mother was sitting on the sofa, looking frightened. Her father stood beside the window with his head lowered.
And sitting comfortably in the center of the room was a man Amara had never seen before.
He wore an expensive black suit. His face was handsome but completely unreadable.
His eyes met hers.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then he stood.
“Amara?” he asked.
She swallowed.
“Yes.”
He looked at her as though he had been expecting her.
“My name is Adrian Blackwood.”
The name meant nothing to her.
But judging from the fear on her father's face, it meant everything to him.
Amara turned to her parents.
“What is going on?”
Her father finally looked at her.
“We need to talk.”
“No,” Amara said. “You need to tell me why a stranger is sitting in our house.”
Adrian's lips curved into the faintest smile.
“I wouldn't call myself a stranger.”
Amara stared at him.
“You are.”
“Not for long.”
A chill ran down her spine.
Her mother suddenly began crying.
“Amara, please sit down.”
She didn't move.
“What happened?”
Her father took a deep breath.
“The company is in serious trouble.”
Amara's expression changed.
“How serious?”
“We've lost almost everything.”
The room became silent.
Her father continued.
“The bank will take the house within days.”
Amara felt the blood drain from her face.
“What?”
“There is one way to stop it.”
She looked at Adrian.
He was watching her.
“No,” Amara whispered.
Her father lowered his voice.
“Adrian has offered to settle our debts.”
Amara stared at him.
“Why would he do that?”
Adrian finally answered.
“Because I want something in return.”
Her heart began beating faster.
“What?”
He took one slow step toward her.
“I want you to marry me.”
Silence.
For several seconds, Amara couldn't breathe.
Then she laughed.
It wasn't because anything was funny.
It was because she couldn't believe what she had just heard.
“You're insane.”
Adrian's expression didn't change.
“Perhaps.”
“You don't even know me.”
“I know enough.”
“I will never marry a man I don't know.”
Adrian looked at her father.
“Then your family loses everything.”
Amara's smile disappeared.
Her father closed his eyes.
She suddenly realized that this wasn't a proposal.
It was a deal.
A deal she had never agreed to.
A deal her family had already accepted.
She looked at Adrian again.
“Why me?”
For the first time, something changed in his eyes.
Something dark.
Something almost painful.
“Because,” he said quietly, “you are the only woman who can become my wife.”
Amara's heart skipped.
“But there is one thing you don't know.”
She stared at him.
“What?”
Adrian stepped closer.
“This marriage will have rules.”
“What rules?”
His eyes locked onto hers.
“You will never ask about my past.”
Amara frowned.
“And?”
“You will never enter my private office.”
Her suspicion grew.
“And what else?”
Adrian leaned closer and lowered his voice.
“Most importantly, Amara…”
He paused.
“You must never fall in love with me.”
Thunder exploded outside.
Amara stared at him, unable to speak.
She didn't know why.
But at that exact moment, she had the terrifying feeling that saying yes to Adrian Blackwood would change her life forever.
And somewhere deep inside her heart, she already knew one thing.
This man was hiding something.
Something dangerous.
