Darius stiffened, eyes narrowing on her but his composed expression didn't waver. He seemed to be calculating, assessing her.

“You're really something, you know that right?” He asked, a hint of amusement in his tone. He stood and walked to the wall of glass behind his desk, his back to her, and lit a cigar.

Her wedding with Jasper was set for three weeks from now. If she didn't get married, she would be the one people laughed at.

A realisation dawned on her; this wasn't about getting the money for Kyle's treatment anymore, she wanted to make Jasper suffer for betraying her like this.

If she needed the money so badly, she could go to the loan sharks. Those bastards would be happy to have her repay them for the rest of her life! But this was a pathetic excuse to kill two birds with one stone and she knew it.

She wanted to ruin Jasper, to make him feel a fraction of what she felt when she walked in on him with someone else, spewing nonsense about her.

She turned to Darius, she really didn't have that much time left on her.

“Are you going to help me or not?” She asked, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

“What's in it for me?” He asked, turning on his heel and walking towards her.

“I can humiliate Jasper without having to marry you.” He announced, pulling to a stop right in front of her.

She bit her lip. Why didn't she think of that? She clearly needed him, not the other way around.

She swallowed. “I’ll give you a wife. I know your sexuality has been in question for a while now. If you marry a wife, you refute the rumors.”

She might have spoken to him once in her entire relationship with Jasper but Darius was often on the headlines of major tabloids. He has never been seen with a woman and many were starting to wonder if he was impotent or something.

He sat on the edge of his table, a smirk curled on his lips. “I see I caught your interest.”

He leans closer, his arm pulling her seat closer to him, their nose almost touching. “You'll have to try harder than that, Caliste. I don't have to prove anything to anyone, any publicity is good publicity if you ask me.”

She swallowed, why did she think this would be easy? She's talking to a man whose nickname is the king of negotiation. Of course, he's not going to do this if he has nothing to gain.

“What do you want?” She asked, dread filling her stomach. She felt like she knew the answer but she didn't want to admit it.

He smiled, his fingers gripping the arms of the chair as he turned it to face him completely.

“I think you know what I want,” he murmured. “You get my name. My money. My fame. And even my body.”

Her breath hitched, it was in fact what she thought it was. She shook her head violently, she couldn't do that.

“I want a contract marriage. Nothing else. And a time limit.” she said.

Her voice was steady but her hands were clenched into fists.

He nods. “And a contract marriage is what you’ll get. No strings attached. One year.”

She narrowed her eyes, “I won’t sleep with you.”

She couldn't trust herself around this man. No one should! He looked like the type to make you fall helplessly for him. What if she sleeps with him and she develops feelings? No. She had enough Vanes for one lifetime.

“Of course. We'd be fucking.”

Her body stiffened.

Darius leaned closer, his voice smooth, teasing. “I will fuck you. If you can accept that... then I will make sure Jasper grovels at your feet. I’ll ensure your brother’s surgery is paid for.”

He straightened, studying her reaction before he delivered the final blow.

“And I’ll make sure you never have to work a part-time job again. You’ll have all the time in the world to study. To build your dream of running a tech company..”

Goodness, is there anything about her that this man didn't already know? He listed everything she wanted, everything she'd craved for.

It was a win to some extent. Kyle's surgery would be paid for, she can finally focus on school, graduate without worrying about money…

And all she had to do was sleep…well, fuck a man that looked like a Greek god?

What other option did she have? That cheating bastard, Jasper? The loan sharks? She would be drowning in debt till she's six feet under! It would be stupid to say no but her body remained frozen, her mind racing.

And time was ticking. Kyle needs that surgery.

Could she really do this? Sell herself to this man for a year? She clipped her fingernail with another, his unwavering stare making her heart pound wildly in her chest.

Finally, she met his gaze. “Fine. I accept your conditions. But if you go back on your word, I swear I'll ruin you.”

She had no clue how she could possibly ruin a man as powerful as Darius but it would be worth the try.

Darius chuckled, his smirk widening.

“I'm a man of my word, Caliste.”

He pulled away, straightening his suit as he glanced at his watch. Then, his gaze flickered back to her.

“Shall we go then?”

She frowned. “Go where?”

“Well, there’s much to be done if we’re getting married today.”

Her eyes widened. “Today?!”

He smirked. “The sooner the better.”

“I need to go to the hospital. My brother needs that surgery right now.”

Silence. Caliste sighed.

“I need to see that he's fine and that you kept your word. Then I'll keep mine.” She said but Darius remained silent.

She groaned. “I have nowhere to run to. I know you would find me even if I crawled under a rock.”

Darius rubbed his temple, exhaling. “Fine. We’ll take care of him first. Give me a moment.”

Then, right in front of her, he pulled out his phone, dialed a number, and put it on speaker.

“Prepare the operating room,” he ordered.

Wait, is he calling the hospital her brother was in?

There was a pause, then a voice responded. “Sir?”

“There's a patient in your hospital. Kyle Morgan. Make sure you’re prepared to operate in the next hour. You are to treat him as a VIP patient. Nothing but the best.”

Caliste stared at him, stunned.

The person on the line gasped. “Mr Vane. My apologies. I didn't recognise…”

“Just get it started already. I heard he doesn't have much time left.”

“Understood, sir. May I ask who the patient is to you?”

Darius’ gaze flickered to her. Then, smoothly, he said, “My brother-in-law.”

Caliste narrowed her eyes on him. Does he always have to sound so smug when he says things?

The doctor on the line lets out a chuckle.

“Congratulations, Mr. Vane.”

He smiled. “Thank you. We will be there in less than twenty minutes.”

“Yes sir.”

She had answers to her questions. Darius was, in fact, stalking her.