The first thing she noticed was light?

Am I dead? She thought.

Elena’s eyes fluttered open as sunlight penetrated in through the tall, arched windows above her. Her lashes were wet, her dress clung to her body and her throat was dry. She squinted, as her head throbbed.

Instantly, her senses were filled with the smell of fine leather, musk and coffee?

She jerked upright.

But her back ached, and her head pounded from the impact. “God..” she winced, as her hand flew to the side of her head. Then her gaze dropped to her body, she was no longer cold or drenched. A thick plaid duvet slid off her shoulders, she was on a velvet chaise.

The ceilings were high , minimalist furniture graced the walls, shelves lined with books, stone walls and floor to ceiling glass windows overlooked the city skyline. Her brows furrowed, “A penthouse?” she murmured.

Soon, footsteps echoed from a distance.

“You’re not dead, good for me.” A voice pulled her attention sharply, and she turned. There he stood, the man that saved her. He stood tall, with broad shoulders and a perfectly lean build. In his hands was a tray holding two cups, while he was dressed in a black sweater and slate gray slacks.

She blinked back repeatedly, “I…” she stuttered, her voice cracked. “Th-there was a truck.” Her gaze held his,

“You were trying to get run over by one,” He said flatly.

“Oh.” She mouthed. “I didn’t ask you to help me…”

He raised a brow,

“You didn’t ask me to…?” He let out a small scoff, “Charming.”

He set the tray down on the table in front of her, and then took a seat across the room, far from her. Her eyes soon caught the leather gloves he was wearing, who wears gloves in their house?

She eyes raked him, more carefully this time. He looked insanely familiar, like she had seen him from somewhere but she couldn’t remember. It was like the answer was at the tip of her tongue and she couldn’t force it out.

Then she caught sight of a picture frame sitting on the table beside him, the lady in it, she recognized her. Her eyes widened, before her brain could process, she blurted,

“You’re Canaan Thorne.”

He raised a brow,” That’s what the papers say, isn’t it?”

She took the duvet off her body so she could place her feet on the ground.

“You’re the billionaire who collapsed at his own wedding.”

The silence that followed after was deafening. He didn’t admit it, but didn’t deny it either. The way his gaze lingered on her, and how his jaw ticked meant it was true, and coming from someone he just met, he didn’t look impressed.

“I remember.” She continued softly. “You passed out when you tried to kiss her, you almost died. They said it was a panic attack.”

Canaan scoffed angrily. “Of course they did.”

Elena leaned forward, her hand reached for a cup in the tray. “Then what really happened?”

He remained quiet, his hands balled into fists like he was trying so hard not to remember. Then he shook his head softly, like he was throwing the thoughts away.

“If I knew you wouldn’t mind your business, then maybe I should have let that truck run you over. You didn’t like the idea of being saved anyway.”

Elena paused the cup at her lips, she blinked back softly before placing it back in the tray. He wasn’t quite different from what the papers draw him out to be, he matched every word, rude, sarcastic and just stone cold.

He didn’t even know who she was? But did it matter, who was she now anyway? She lost everything, so there was nothing to brag about.

“I brought you here because I need something, and clearly you’re just as miserable as I am if you’re willing to get yourself killed.” He continued, as his gaze never left hers. “So I think it’ll be easy to be on the same page.”

She stiffened, but forced herself to let out a small exhale.

“W-what are you talking about?”

“You need to destroy a merger before it finalizes in two days.” He said bluntly, her gaze shifted in shock and her brows furrowed, how could he have known? Did Mr. Darrel call? Did he search her phone?

“How did..”He cut her off,

“Your stupid husband wouldn’t shut up about something big he’ll soon acquire. He said he’ll be bigger than my company soon.” His eyes watched her closely, like he was trying to read her reaction.

“And of course I don’t take threats lightly. I had to look into it.”

A soft scoff escaped Elena’s throat, “He ruined my life and he bragged about it too?” Her eyes shook, tears threatened to pour from them. She hadn’t cried enough, she still had more tears in her.

Canaan noticed how she swallowed repeatedly and turned her face away from him, he groaned but got up from the couch and walked away. In a few minutes he came back with a tissue box,

“Here” His hand stretched towards her, and she took it from him.

“I read everything.” He continued as he strolled back to his seat, “Every financial stunt he pulled. You married a thief, and apparently a cheater too.” He finished, her gaze snapped up sharply as she turned to him.

He knew about Cassia too…

“I know he’s taking everything, he’s erasing everything your father ever built.”

Her heart thudded at the thought of it,

“You want to help me?” She asked in a disbelieving tone.

“No,” He said calmly, “I want to help myself. But you’re useful, and if I back you up, then you’ll have a chance of getting your birthright back.” He paced around in one spot.

Her jaws clenched, there it goes again, that word…

‘useful’. No one wants anything genuine anymore? People just enjoy using each other?

“Publicly, we’ll be engaged. The board will back you, my name will give you power until you get yours back.”

“Engaged?” she repeated.

“Temporarily.” He stopped pacing, and folded his arms across his chest as he leaned on the couch’s armrest. “It’s a performance, in return I get public image points.”

She let out a disbelieving chuckle, “Why would someone like you care about image?”

He didn’t answer, and tore his gaze away from her. Then, he reached into his inner coat pocket and slid out a sleek envelope.

“I had my lawyer draft this early, it might look rushed.” He leaned off the couch, “it’s the contract for our deal, and you have until midnight.”

Her hands shook as she reached for it, then he turned to leave the room, then paused at the doorway.

“I don’t care that you know about my wedding.” He said without looking back.

“Just never talk about it again.” And then he walked away.

Elena’s gaze lingered at the doorway despite him not being there, before her attention shifted back to the paper in her hands. Was it a coincidence that the day she lost everything, she got a deal to get it back?

Maybe God did listen to her, and he paired her with a man who seemed more mysterious than he led on. He used the same word Jacob did, useful…

If he was using her to get what he wanted, why couldn’t she do the same? That was the trending thing, using people. Her grip tightened around the envelope, the paper felt heavier than anything she’d ever held.

She opened it, her gaze dropped to her name written beside his in silver in. The last time she got married, she almost committed suicide. Yet a marriage would save her company?

Later in the evening, she searched the house for Canaan till she found him in his study. Still wearing those gloves, his attention fixated on the book in his hand.

“Mr. Thorne.” She knocked slightly on the open door,

His attention shifted to her, he dropped his legs from the table and turned his swivel chair to face her squarely.

“So, have you signed it?”

She moved slowly towards him with the paper in hand, then suddenly his phone buzzed twice on the table. She paused, and his attention shifted to it as he picked it up.

A scoff escaped his throat as his eyes remained glued to the screen, her hands clenched the paper tightly. Was she really about to do this?

“Mr Thorne I can’t….” He cut her off,

“Take a look.” He dropped his phone on the table and pushed it to her, her gaze held his before she looked down hesitantly

NEWS ALERT: Billionaire heiress Elena cruz officially dumped by her husband. “Ex-husband files divorce, claims irreconcilable differences amid financial scandal”

Her fingers trembled,

He made it public.

He wanted the world to know she’d been discarded. That he had stripped her down to nothing. She sucked in her bottom lip to hold back the tears, as the screen gleamed on her face.

Canaan picked up the phone, “You were saying?”

Her chest heaved in anger, she wanted Jacob to suffer, and she wanted to be the one to put him through it.

“I’ll do it.” she blurted.

“I’ll become Mrs. Thorne.”