The screech of tires sliced through the air, followed by the dull thud of Varnie slamming the brakes hard.

The woman in front of him stood frozen with her eyes wide. One foot was still in the crosswalk and the bumper of his car rested a breath away from her legs. He jumped out of the driver’s seat, heart racing.

“Are you okay?” he asked, voice slightly hoarse. “I didn’t see you…”

“You think?” she snapped, brushing a curl from her cheek. “You nearly turned me into street art"

Varnie blinked. She wasn’t hurt, not visibly. But she wasn’t panicking either. In fact, she looked maddeningly composed.

“I’m sorry,” he said again, more sincere now. “You just came out of nowhere"

“No,” she corrected sharply. “You weren’t paying attention"

He opened his mouth to argue, then shut it with a sigh. “You’re right. I wasn’t"

She narrowed her eyes, taking in his tank top and grey joggers, disheveled hair, and the slightly wild look in his eyes.

“Are you in a rush to ruin someone else’s day too?” she asked with a bit of sarcasm in her tone.

That startled a laugh out of him. “Actually, I was just trying to salvage mine"

She tilted her head, finding herself curious “By mowing people down?”

“No,” he said with a dry smile. “By meeting a friend. I needed to clear my head"

“From what?”

He hesitated. Then, with a tired breath, said, “My mother"

That made her chuckle softly. “Must be serious if you almost committed a felony to get away"

Varnie gave her a sheepish grin. “She called this morning. Said she’s found the perfect match for me. The daughter of her business partner. It is an alliance disguised as marriage"

“Let me guess,” Isabella said, folding her arms. “You’re the heir of something rich and exhausting"

“Something like that,” he muttered, then added, “Varnie Walker. CEO of Walker Tech" he stretched out his hand for a shake.

She didn’t react, just kept her arms crossed on her chest.

“No offense,” she said, “but I don’t keep track of CEOs. I have better things to do"

His brow lifted. “Like walking into traffic?”

“I was at the crossing,” she said defensively. “You were the one on a mission to destroy pedestrians"

“Fair,” he admitted with a smile “Let me at least buy you a coffee. It’s the least I can do"

She studied him for a long second before sighing. “Fine. But I’m ordering the expensive one since you are a CEO”

“Sure princess” Without another word, Varnie walked to the passenger side and opened the door for her.

She hesitated, arching a brow. “Still trying to kill me?”

“If I wanted to finish the job, I wouldn’t open the door,” he said with a chuckle.

The ride was quiet for a few moments. He didn’t blast music. Didn’t talk. Just drove with surprising calm for a man who seemed to be unravelling inside. Eventually, they pulled up to a café tucked between two old brick buildings. It was cozy, homely and his favorite place.

Just as Varnie leaned back in his chair, the front door of the café swung open and a short woman in her late fifties bustled in. Her apron was dusted with flour, and her silver-streaked hair was tied in a loose bun.

“Varnie Walker,” she exclaimed spotting him, wiping her hands on her apron as she hurried over. “You finally show your face again, eh?”

Varnie stood with a sheepish smile and let the woman wrap him in a firm hug. “Hi, Mama D"

Isabella blinked, surprised.

Mama D pulled back and squinted at Isabella with the kind of curiosity that made people squirm. “And who is this beautiful young woman? Is this your date?”

Before he could speak, she turned to Isabella, taking her hand. “If he’s bothering you, blink twice. He’s stubborn but mostly harmless"

Isabella’s lips twitched. “Only one near death experience so far"

Mama D gasped, swatting Varnie’s arm. “You almost ran her over, didn’t you?”

“It’s not as dramatic as it sounds,” Varnie muttered.

Mama D chuckled. “It’s always dramatic with you. Stay as long as you like. Coffee’s on me today”

With a wink, she bustled back inside the kitchen, leaving them both slightly stunned and amused. Their orders came not long after.

“So,” Isabella said, blowing on her drink, “what’s your escape plan? You clearly don’t want to marry your mom’s chosen one"

He stared at the foam on his coffee. “That’s the thing. I don’t have a plan"

She raised a brow. “You’re a CEO with no backup plan?”

He smirked. “I was hoping my friend would help me sort my head out, but then I almost flattened you, and... well"

“Well?”

Varnie looked at her, she was really gorgeous, with a face like an angel and a body like a goddess he spoke recklessly “What if I married you instead”

She blinked. “What?”

“Not for love okay, just for the press. It would be a contract. One year…. I deal with my family. You get... whatever you need. Money, a place, security. No strings"

She blinked again with her mouth open, then laughed. “You’re serious?”

“I am" he frowned a bit.

“You’re proposing marriage,” she asked “to a woman you nearly killed"

“Technically, I almost hit you. No actual physical injuries"

“You say that like it helps"

He grinned locking eyes with her

“Why me?” she asked, half humored, half-curious. “You don’t know me. I could be a gold digger. Or married. Or a cult leader"

Varnie leaned back, watching her. “Because you were here”

Isabella blinked, startled by the honesty in those words. “Because I was here?” she echoed.

He shrugged. “Yes, and that made me think, maybe someone like you, is exactly what I need to flip the script"

She didn’t reply. Just looked at him. The breeze caught the corner of a napkin between them, fluttering it off the table.

Varnie took a sip of his drink, keeping his eyes on her.

“So what do you say?”

Isabelle looked at him with a mix of expression for a while. She didn’t know what was going on, but one thing that kept coming to her mind was how this is a perfect opportunity to be a new person and get her revenge on Thomas and her cousin.