Part 2: “Mr. Ashford is a resourceful man.”

Part 2:

“Mr.

Ashford is a resourceful man.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

“No,” the woman admitted. “It isn’t.”

Sophie looked through the glass at Lily’s sleeping face.

“What does he want?”

“He would like to discuss a business proposal. Tomorrow at noon.”

“No.”

“Ms. Bennett, your sister’s surgery can be scheduled within forty-eight hours if you meet him.”

Sophie closed her eyes.

She remembered the ballroom. The offer. The slap. The shame.

Pride rose in her like fire.

Then Lily coughed weakly in her sleep.

The fire died.

“Text me the address,” Sophie said.

The restaurant Julian chose was the kind of place where people did not look at prices because prices were for ordinary people. The hostess led Sophie to a private room in the back, where Julian Ashford sat alone at a table set for two.

He stood when she entered.

The gesture felt almost insulting.

“Sophie,” he said. “Thank you

“Don’t.” She remained standing. “Don’t pretend this is polite. What do you want?”

Julian studied her for a moment.

Then he gestured to the chair.

“Sit down. Please.”

She hated that one word.

Please.

As if manners could soften what power had already done.

She sat.

A waiter appeared, but Julian dismissed him before Sophie could even touch the menu.

When they were alone, Julian placed a folder on the table.

“Your sister needs surgery,” he said. “I’ll pay for it. Surgery, specialists, medication, private care, rehabilitation. Everything.”

“In exchange for what?”

“Marriage.”

Sophie stared at him.

The word made no sense.

“What?”

“A legal marriage,” Julian said. “On paper at first. Publicly convincing. Privately structured.”

“You’re insane.”

“I’m practical.”

“No. Practical is buying a car with good mileage. This is deranged.”

For the first time, something close to amusement flickered across his face.

“I need a wife

“You could marry anyone.”

“Yes.”

“So why me?”

Julian leaned back.

“Because you slapped me.”

Sophie blinked.

“That’s your reason?”

“One of them. You have pride. Fire. A spine. You didn’t hesitate to defend yourself even when I had every advantage.”

“You insulted me.”

“I did.”

“At least you know.”

“I know more than that,” he said quietly. “I know I was wrong.”

Sophie did not answer.

Julian opened the folder and slid it toward her.

“One year of marriage. You’ll live in my home. Attend public events when necessary. Present yourself as my wife. In private, we maintain separate lives. Separate bedrooms. No expectation of intimacy. After one year, we divorce quietly. You

Sophie’s throat tightened.

Lifelong.

He had found the one word strong enough to break her.

She opened the folder with shaking hands. The contract was dense, cold, legal. But the numbers were clear.

Immediate payment for Lily’s surgery.

Monthly allowance.

Tuition for Sophie to finish nursing school.

Medical care for Lily regardless of the marriage outcome.

It was not a proposal.

It was a cage lined with velvet.

“You wanted to buy one night,” Sophie said, looking up. “Now you want to buy a year.”

Julian’s jaw tightened.

“That night was a mistake.”

“You mean getting slapped was a mistake?”---