Chapter 2 - THE CAR RIDE AND THE TRUTH
Damian looked as if he had been struck by lightning. "Mr. Vance! Please! It was an accident—I didn't know—"
"Marcus," Julian called out calmly.
A broad-shouldered man in a tactical coat stepped out from the shadows near the entrance. "Yes, Mr. Vance?"
"Have Mr. Cross and Miss Langford escorted out of the building. Revoke their security passes for all Vance-owned properties." Julian looked down at Ava, his thumb absently rubbing a soothing circle into the small of her back. "And send the bill for Ava’s dress to Sterling North’s chief executive officer directly."
"Right away, sir."
Victoria shrieked softly as Marcus gestured toward the doors. Damian tried to speak again, but two security guards stepped in front of him, physically walking him out of the ballroom under the shocked gazes of New York's elite.
Ava felt faint. She was leaning almost entirely against Julian’s sturdy frame.
"Come," Julian murmured softly in her ear. "You're freezing."
Before she could process what was happening, Julian unbuttoned his custom wool overcoat and draped it over her shoulders. It was warm, heavy, and smelled faintly of expensive cedarwood and silver rain. He led her away from the gaping crowd, through the VIP exit, and down to a waiting black Maybach parked at the curb.
The driver opened the heavy door, and Julian helped her inside before sliding into the leather interior beside her. The door clicked shut, cutting off the city noise completely.
Ava pulled the coat tightly around herself. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling. "And why did you just tell the most powerful people in New York that I'm your fiancée?"
Julian reached over to the bar console, pouring two fingers of amber bourbon into a crystal glass and handing it to her. "Drink this. It will stop the shivering."
Ava took a small sip. The liquid burned pleasantly down her throat. "Answer me, please."
Julian turned to face her, leaning back against the leather seat. "My name is Julian Vance. And what I said back there wasn't entirely a lie, Ava. It was a proposal."
Ava stared at him as if he had grown a second head. "A proposal? We’ve never spoken before tonight!"
"You haven't spoken to me," Julian corrected smoothly. "But I’ve been watching you for six weeks."
Ava’s eyes widened. "You're stalking me?"
"I don't stalk," Julian replied, his voice calm and matter-of-fact. "I evaluate investments. Six weeks ago, your company organized the port authority gala. I saw you work sixteen hours straight, fix three major logistical failures caused by your incompetent boss, and then give your own catered dinner box to a homeless man outside the venue."
Ava blinked, remembering that rainy Tuesday in October.
"I saw a woman with incredible resilience, absolute integrity, and zero desire to manipulate others for personal gain," Julian continued, his grey eyes locking onto hers with intense seriousness. "Attributes that are nonexistent in my world."
"That doesn't explain why you told people we're engaged!" Ava protested.
"My grandfather's trust will vest in ninety days," Julian explained. "To retain majority voting rights of Vance Logistics, the terms stipulate that I must be married to a woman of clean moral character who is not affiliated with any rival estate. If I don't, my uncle—who would happily sell our ports to foreign cartels—takes control."
He leaned in closer, his commanding presence filling the space. "I offer you a contract, Ava. Six months as my fake fiancée. A private apartment in Manhattan, a personal security team, and ten million dollars deposited into your account upon completion. In return, you attend events by my side and help me secure my family's legacy."
Ava sat in silence, her mind spinning. Ten million dollars. Enough to never worry about rent again. Enough to buy back her grandmother's vintage bracelet. Enough to live a life free of debt and humiliation.
May you like
"And what about Damian?" Ava asked softly.
Julian smiled—a dark, dangerous tilt of his lips. "Damian Cross spent four years using your kindness to build his future. Now, we use my power to dismantle his."
