Chapter 6 - The Devil's ProposalMariana stared up at him, her breath caught in her throat. "A... new contract? What kind of contract?"
Alejandro walked over to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out over the sprawling, perfectly manicured gardens where security guards patrolled with military precision.
"My public image requires maintenance," Alejandro began, his voice dropping into a measured, strategic cadence. "The board of directors has been pressuring me to soften my profile. They want a family man, or at the very least, a man connected to stability, charity, and community values. A ruthless real estate mogul closing municipal land grabs makes great headlines, but terrible PR when we negotiate government contracts."
Mariana frowned, trying to piece together where she fit into his corporate chess game. "What does that have to do with me?"
Alejandro turned back around, his eyes locking onto hers with terrifying clarity. "Everything. For the next six months, you and your daughter will not be hiding in the service quarters. You will move into the master guest suite on the second floor."
Mariana’s jaw dropped. "What?!"
"Listen carefully," Alejandro commanded smoothly. "You will act as my live-in fiancée during public appearances, charity galas, and board functions. In exchange, your debt for the ruined painting is wiped clean, your salary is multiplied by ten, full healthcare and elite education funds are established for Valentina, and my legal team will permanently sever Lucas Delgado’s parental rights, ensuring he can never touch or find either of you again."
The silence in the study became deafening.
Mariana sat frozen, her mind struggling to process the sheer insanity of the words she had just heard. A fake fiancée? To Alejandro Rivas—the most eligible, ruthless, and feared bachelor in the country?
"You... you're joking," Mariana stammered, shaking her head. "This is insane. Why me? Why not hire an actress? Why not some socialite from your own circle?"
"Socialites talk to the press. Actresses leak contracts to gossip blogs," Alejandro replied, stepping closer, his shadow falling over her and sleeping Valentina. "You are desperate, isolated, completely dependent on my protection, and possess zero social standing. You are the safest, most controllable variable I could possibly choose."
The brutal honesty hit Mariana like a physical slap. He didn't see her as a woman; he saw her as a variable. A tool. A shield for his corporate empire.
Yet, as she looked down at Valentina, the alternative flashed violently in her mind: being thrown onto the street today, hunted by her abusive ex-husband, starving in the freezing winter cold, losing everything.
"And if I refuse?" Mariana whispered.
Alejandro’s expression hardened into absolute ice. "Then security escorts you out the front gates within five minutes. And by tomorrow morning, Lucas Delgado will receive an anonymous tip regarding your exact whereabouts."
May you like
The trap snapped shut. There was no escape.
"I accept," Mariana said, her voice hollow and trembling.
