Chapter SIX

“That’s for me to state and for you to agree to” he drawls out, drawing himself nearer

“And if I don’t?” I try to reply confidently 

“Again love, you will find out if you take a sit” he says again this time his voice piercing through my chest

Ava, that’s your name, right?” he asks 

I nod, and something tells me he already has all the information about me, but I stay silent, watching him, wondering why I was brought here in the first place, “is this because of what I witnessed? I promised not to say anything” I say, my voice cracking, probably showing my distress.

No, it’s not that, I brought you here Ava, because I have an offer for you, he leans forward on the table crossing his hands across each other as he stares intently at me, like a predator chasing his prey.

I almost whimper in fear, “Offer? what could I possibly offer you?” I say, “I mean you are Leonardo Falcone”

“So, you do know who I am?”

“I’m pretty sure you have that information already, if you do know where I am from, you would know I know a bit about your family”

“Take a sit Ava” He says again this time demanding

I waste no time, taking a seat opposite him, my hands crossed over each other on the table.

“what will you like to have?” he says referring to the menu in front of me, at the same time, his hands signifying a waiter to come around the table.

“Water is fine”, I say, wanting to quench the thirst holding my throat hostage

“Hmmmm, he raises a brow at me, saying nothing, the waiter comes around and I watch as he pours a brown liquid drink into his glass, “Ava you must be wondering why I sent for you”

“more than ten minutes now” I reply my fingers clapping together in nervousness 

“Well I need a wife and after seeing you last night and of course as you mentioned earlier, doing a background check on you, I see you as the best candidate for the Job Ava.”

“me? Your wi..fe? I don’t understand?” I say shakily, my browns raised to the top of my head if it could.

“Yes my wife, I need a wife as soon as possible, one my family would have no access to, someone they do not know, I need to avoid an arranged marriage set up by my step-mother as possible, and you seem like the right candidate, we could help ourselves” he says, folding his hands beneath his chin, staring at me like I would have no choice but to accept his offer.

I have no time to register how handsome he looks, “what do you mean we can help each other out? What are you going to help me out with?”

“First of all, your brother, I could help him out with the best of doctors in any part of the world Ava.” He slurs out, the side of his lip raising to a smirk. 

He knows he has me in a chokehold with that single statement, I grab the glass of water, downing half of it, while he waits for me to finish and recover from my shock.

“And of course you get to live the best life, a stable house, any choice of business you want to open and of course a check of fifty million dollars when we marry, another check of twenty million after the first year of our marriage is complete and another check of thirty million when you provide me with a child, despite the gender.”

I grab the glass again, swallowing the last of the water, is this man offering me a hundred and twenty million in exchange of marriage?

“you have a habit of saying things you want to say in your head out loud” he full on smirks leaning on his chair 

“And how long will I have to be married to you?” I ask, will the child be conceived naturally?” I ask moving in my seat, will I have access to the child after the termination of the marriage?” 

“The marriage will have to last for five years and we must have the child in the second year of marriage, you will have to go through some fertility tests before the wedding, and yes, if you want access to the child after the termination of the marriage, you may.”

“Two years” I spit out without thinking, without thinking if I’ll be accepting this mouthwatering deal, I mean if I were to accept it, I would be set up for life, same goes for my brother, no more struggle with landlords, employers, just two years of a marriage with a pretty handsome man, that is if he were to agree to my offer of two years

“Hmmmm, I don’t see why I should agree to that, I need a marriage that appears real to my family and the media, two years would be too short for it to appear real.” He raises a brow at me

I tap my feet nervously, “Two years Mr. Falcone, a child within six months and we separate after the two years is done,” I try to say confidently

“So, you will be accepting the offer then?” he raises a brow at me “That was easier than I thought, he frowns.

I’ve been struggling my entire life, this s a life changing offer, I am not in any relationship, I always thought I would marry for love, since I’ve always been a lover girl at heart, but bills and struggling since I was young has never let me experience it, so why reject the offer, maybe after this I can finally focus on my life and get into a loving relationship.

“This would open so many doors for me, I don’t see why I should reject the offer” I tell him

“And also, he leans forward, his baby blue eyes just like the sea crashing beside me at the restaurant, I want my child to be conceived naturally, there’s no negotiation to it.” he says, his tone finalizing

I swallow, my hand moving to grab the glass of water again but this time its empty, my fingers nervously tuck my hair behind my ear, you mean?

“Ava you’re not a virgin, I know you know what I mean, it will be purely professional and only on the days that are needed, I mean your ovulation days, as soon as you’re confirmed pregnant, it will stop and we’ll never have to touch each other again.

Sweat gathers around my neck even though the fresh air from the sea blows over me, nervousness takes in, I stare at him from top to bottom again, he has a look in his eyes, he knows I will take the offer, I’m no virgin, I could do what is needed to secure the future of my brother, of my family, of my life.

“Will I have to live in the same home as you?” I ask wanting to know all the details, I can’t say yes without knowing what I will be getting myself into.

“Prior to the wedding, the engagement period, you will live in a separate apartment in London,”

“London?” I ask mouth wide; I’ve never been there but I’ll have to live there for the next two years it seems

“Yes, he nods, after the wedding, you will have to move to my estate, we will stage a proposal, and then the wedding will be in Italy, how the wedding goes will be entirely up to you as the bride and my wife.” He continues, his face serious now, all you have to do is accept the offer immediately and we will be flying out of Monaco as soon as possible.

“You can think about it,” he nods staring at my confused face, but only for a few minutes, he grabs his glass, standing from his seat, and walking towards the deck.

I stare at his back as he walks away, turning back to the empty glass, I just lost my job, I owe my landlord, my brother and grandparents are suffering in severe poverty, leaking roofs and my brothers sickness, feeding hand to mouth, I have the ability to change all of this, by marrying this unknown man, a man I just met, a man offering me enough money to solve all my problems and all I have to say is yes to him, be his wife for two years, bear him a child and all my problems will disappear into thin air.

It’s not hard to imagine what I would pick, after struggling for years, the only option is a yes, the only option is to marry Leonardo Falcone, all I have to do is pretend to be in love with him, and become Mrs. Falcone.

“Have you come to an answer?” I hear a voice behind me, not any voice but his voice

I swallow, “yes”, standing up and turning around, so submerged in my thoughts and worries that I didn’t see him move, “YES Mr. Falcone, I will marry you” I turn my head up towards him, staring up at his eyes and taking him in, this will be my husband for the next two years.

I could almost see his eyes light up in relief, “and, Ava, its Leonardo to you”, now what do you think about the paparazzi? He smirks, licking his lips, his fingers hiding in the pockets of his pants.