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.

The rain lashed against the floor-to-ceiling windows of Julian’s penthouse, but inside, the silence was more suffocating than the storm. Across the mahogany desk sat Elena, her expression a mask of professional indifference. 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

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." "To the pretext