BE CAREFUL HOW YOU USE THOSE WORDS

ISABELLA'S POV 

I was now seating inside Nicholas Montgomery's car, a big, heavy coat covering me up. My clothes had dried up a bit and so had my hair thanks to the heater that was on. Nicholas was seated beside me, his eyes fixed on the monitor before him.

"I heard you've been waiting for me" He broke the long silence between us.

"Yes," I let out a breath, rubbing my palms together to warm myself up. Nervousness wreck havoc inside me, the thought of Nicholas Montgomery seating beside me, ringing continuously in my head. I couldn't believe it. The country's most dangerous man is in the same car with me.

"To what do I owe your sudden visit, Ms. Sterling?" He demanded.

Drawing in a deep breath, I steadied myself. This wasn't how I wanted us to meet- me in a pathetic state but it was time to act professional. 

"I'm here to ask for your help" I went straight to point.

"Help?" He raised an eyebrow and turned. Piercing steel grey eyes bored right through me, sending every nerve in me sky rating. Those eyes, why do I feel like I've seen them somewhere?

"Yes. I need your help, Mr. Montgomery."

His expression remained blank and unreadable. "And what made you think I'd be willing to help you?"

"Let me put it a more professional term. I'm here to propose a deal" I replied but he didn't say anything. Letting our a breath, I summarized everything that has happened these past months, leaving out only one thing - my heart condition. 

The entire time I spoke, his face revealed nothing, not even a flicker of empathy. Well, I wasn't expecting a reaction from him. 

"That's why I'm here, Mr. Montgomery. I want to take back everything they stole from me. I want to make them suffer, to see them on their knees, begging for mercy." My voice hardened, and my fists clenched. Releasing my grip, I continued, "But I realised I couldn't do it alone. That's why I've come to you."

After a moment of silence, his eyes narrowed. "And what do I gain from helping you?"

I had predicted he would ask that. Ethan was right. Nicholas Montgomery does not get involved in anything that won't benefit him.

"This is my proposal, Mr. Montgomery: help me get my revenge, and in return, I will play the role of the perfect wife you need." I offered. His pupils dilated slightly.

"I see. You've done your research," he remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

He was right. I had done my homework. According to Ethan, Nicholas's grandfather, Mr. Montgomery has an empire and in his will, he had made Nicholas his successor. But there was a condition. Nicholas was to get married before 35 and right now, he is 34. If he's unable to keep his marriage until he turns 35, the empire will be handed over to his rival, his Uncle. Right now, he was in a tight spot, and I planned to use that to my advantage.

"It's a win-win, Mr. Montgomery," I pressed. "You help me get my revenge, and I'll help you secure your inheritance. After a year, when the position is officially yours, we can annul the marriage and go our separate ways."

His steel grey eyes bore into mine, observing, assessing, scrutinizing, like he was able to read all of me right way, just like the man I met that night. Why do they have the same eyes?

"You've certainly done your research." He leaned in. "But you seem to have missed something crucial, Ms. Sterling." Despite sitting, his large frame casted a shadow. It made me wonder just how small I was compared to this man. 

"I can easily get any woman to play the role of my wife. So tell me, why should it be you?"

I swallowed, feeling the suffocating heat of his closeness and the dangerous aura that surrounded him.. Now I understood why people described him as a burning furnace, capable of incinerating anyone who dared get too close. 

No. This isn't the time to be afraid. Looking back into his eyes, I forced a smirk up my lips. "I don't doubt that many women would kill to be your wife, Mr. Montgomery. But tell me, why haven't you chosen one yet?" 

His brow creased slightly.

"It's not that you can't, Mr. Montgomery. You wouldn't, because you've calculated the risk. If you had made it public that you wanted a wife, your enemies will use that opportunity to strike. They might send spies to try to win you over and ruin your life" I laid out, praying hard that he would fall of it.

Reaching out, he grabbed my jaw, tilting my face up to meet his eyes, as if daring me to back down. His gaze was pure intimidation. Anyone in my shoe would have peed in their pants.

"How sure am I that you aren't one of them?" He demanded.

"You've already investigated me, Mr. Montgomery," I said, a forced chuckle escaping my lips. "You know that I'm not one of them. I am just a pathetic, helpless, woman who has lost everything and has nothing else to lose. A woman willing to offer anything to get what she wants" 

To my shock, his grim expression softened slightly, a trace of amusement flickering in his eyes. A hard gulp wobbled down my throat. I had expected him to be surprised. Instead he was, intrigued?

"A woman with nothing else to lose?" His lips curved into a grin so devious , it that made my heart drop to my stomach. I tried to shift back a bit but his hand circled my waist and pulled me back in, our faces inches apart.

"What makes you think you can play the role of wife perfectly, Ms. Sterling?" He whisper. My heart was hammering against my ribcage at this point, nervousness and fear twisting in my gut. I need to remain calm. This was a test. He is trying to make me cower out of fear and even though it was working, I couldn't let him know I was trembling inside. So I took a bold step.

I reached out and cupped his face, leaning even closer. "When a woman is out for revenge, there are no limit she won't push, no boundaries she won't cross to get what she wants" I answered, praying my lips and hands weren't trembling, the way my inside was. 

"You seem rather confident," he drawled.

"I am."

A heavy silence stretched between us, our breaths mingling in the tension-filled air. His cold eyes bore right into my soul, threatening to reck all my nerves.

"Why do you think only I can help you with your revenge?" He finally broke the silence.

"You have the power, fame, money, and intelligence I need. What else could I ask for?"

"So, you're essentially asking me to let you use me. How does that make you any different from the women sent by my enemies?"

"There is a difference, Mr. Montgomery. I'm not masking what I want. Yes, I want to use you and in return, you can use me however you want and discard me anytime you want"

His eyes darkened, a predatory smile spreading across his lips. "Be careful how you use those words, Ms. Sterling."

"I'll keep that in mind," I replied, forcing a confident smile.

"Fine" He let go of my waist and shifted back to his position.

"Wait, what?" His reply caught me off guard and my eyes widened in surprise.

"You heard me, Ms. Sterling. I accept your proposal"

Wait. That felt too easy. My plan was to keep coming back until he agreed. How had he accepted so quickly?

"What's wrong?" He smirked. "You didn't think I'd say yes?"

"No, that's not it," I stammered.

"You assumed it would take more convincing," he mused. "You gave an enticing offer. Weighing the pros and cons, what's there not to accept? Besides, you're right—I'm running out of time" He shrugged, leaning back on his seat.

Joy bubbled inside me, and I fought the urge to squeal. "Thank you for accepting, Mr. Montgomery."

"I'll start preparing the contract immediately. It should be ready in three days"

My eyes widened even more "You want me to come back in three days?"

"Yes. I would advise you get your terms and conditions ready by then. Let's see where this will lead us" He drawled.

Overwhelmed with excitement, I pressed my lips together to suppress a smilw, fighting the urge to jump. I composed myself "Thank you, Mr. Montgomery. I look forward to it...