Chapter 5 The wedding Deal

The conference room was too cold, and the quiet hung between them like a suffocating, dense fog. Sitting opposite Alex, Melissa's hands folded in her lap and her head spinning with a thousand thoughts she couldn't control. Always cool and collected, Alex stared at her with such intensity that it made her heart race slightly.

"I don't have time for games anymore, Melissa," Though his voice was quiet, the force behind it was obvious. Dalton won't give up. He's already started to rip things to shreds.

Thoughts whirling, Melissa gulped. She had noticed the fractures developing in Alex's empire. The pressure was building, and she could sense it closing in on her as well. But this... a union? A legal agreement? Though the circumstance was dire, it appeared impossible.

You are giving me an ultimatum? Her voice was almost a whisper, but her eyes remained fixed on his when she eventually enquired.

Alex remained unfazed. At this time, you are the only one who can assist me. Should you not marry me, Dalton will complete what he has started. And all you have constructed, all you have laboured for, will fall apart.

The words struck her like a punch to the stomach. Everything she had battled for was at stake: her career, her autonomy. But could she truly wed him? Could she sacrifice her dignity, her liberty, for the benefit of something she could not completely grasp?

The decision's burden suffocated her thoughts and pressed down on her. "I don't know whether I can do this," she said softly, the doubt in her voice obvious. You want me to join this, this chaos. I didn't agree to this.

Alex's eyes softened, but just a little. Melissa, you no longer have any options. His voice was calm and conclusive. "You either assist me or you see everything you have toiled for vanish.

Sitting opposite one another in his private office, Alex and Melissa's tension was apparent, growing with every passing second. The room was thick with unsaid words and unfinished ideas, the weight of the ultimatum hanging over it all.

Staring at Alex, Melissa crossed her arms and reclined in her seat. "So, this is it? I either marry you or everything I have toiled for will disappear.

Alex remained unfazed. He was as usual cool and in charge. "You make it sound so dramatic," he remarked, his lips twisting into a faint, knowing smile. "But yes, that's the final conclusion."

Her feelings were torn; her pulse raced. Never requiring anyone's assistance, she had spent years developing a profession on her own terms. But suddenly, confronted with the prospect of losing everything, Alex's words' weight drove her into a corner.

"I don't know whether I can only, " Her voice wavered as she gazed into his.

Though his gaze were fierce, his demeanour softened slightly. Melissa, I'm not looking for love; I want loyalty, Melissa, not love. I am requesting you to stand by me. That is all.

His speech had sincerity, but also something more sinister that attracted her to him even as she tried to back away. Every time she attempted to fight him and remain strong in her independence, he drew her back in.

Alex's voice fell to a whisper as he leaned forward a little. Melissa, this is more than only business.

Her heart leapt. She could sense the draw, the tension between them, and despite all, she couldn't overlook it. But was this attraction really another form of control? Or was she really in love with him?

Later that night, after the decision's gravity had settled in, Melissa found herself alone with Alex in his office. City lights flowing in through the floor-to-ceiling windows illuminated the dimly lighted chamber. Feeling little and unsure, she sat on the couch's edge. The noise of the gala had long since gone, replaced by a sombre tension that seemed to hang in the air.

Looking out at the city, Alex stood near the window. Even without staring straight at him, she could sense his presence and weight in the room.

Melissa whispered softly, her voice piercing the stillness, "You know, this isn't simple for me." Trying to calm herself, she gazed down at her hands. You want me to abandon what I have constructed.

Alex did not answer right away. Turning to look at her, his eyes were softer; the typical chill in them vanished for a minute. He moved closer to her, his presence covering the gap between them.

"I know," he murmured quietly, nearly gently. I am requesting a lot. But you are more than simply a component in this game. I wouldn't ask if I didn't believe you could manage it.

Melissa gazed up at him, her heart racing in her chest. What if I can't take it? The intensity of her feelings made her voice break. What if I can't be who you want me to be?

Alex stood in front of her, his eyes fixed on hers. For a brief moment, the hardness in his expression shattered and she noticed something human, something vulnerable in his eyes.

"I'm not asking you to be anyone but yourself," he whispered gently, his voice so intense it made her heart race. Trust me, then. Trust me, please. Then trust us, too.

As he extended out, his fingertips grazing hers, the space between them closed. Soft yet electric, the touch made the outside world vanish for a moment.

Her breath caught in her throat as Melissa shut her eyes. Her whole life had been spent avoiding the sort of entanglements Alex was proposing. But in that instant, the attraction between them was clear and she understood, with a shiver, that she could possibly be too far gone to return.

Every major newspaper, social media, and television screens all featured the press release. The talk of the town was Alex and Melissa's engagement. The media was bombarded with the shining image of billionaire CEO Alex Vance and the lady who would be his bride.

Melissa was unprepared for this. Once a distant, unimportant item, the attention is now uncomfortably concentrated on her. Every whisper she overheard, every look directed her way, made her feel more exposed and more vulnerable. What about Alexander? Everywhere, standing tall and proud in front of the cameras, his sharp jaw set in that recognisable, controlled attitude. Unmoved by the turmoil surrounding them, he was the picture of power.

Her phone buzzed once more, a continuous reminder of how dramatically her life had altered in the last week. Though a darkness fell over her first, it was a text from her attorney. Looking up, she found Alex standing at the doorway of her office, unreadable face and piercing gaze.

You okay? Though his voice was constant, something beneath it eluded her identification.

Trying to push back the lump in her throat, Melissa gulped. "I don't know what I'm doing any more, Alex," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

In two strides he crossed the room, his eyes fixed on hers. "You are doing what has to be done. What we ought to do.

But at what expense? Before she could stop them, her words spilt out. "This isn't simply a marriage; you're asking me to marry you. It's a commercial arrangement, and I'm not sure I'm ready to join this world you've created.

Alex's face tightened and darkened for a while. Melissa, this is not only about the wedding; It's about safeguarding what belongs to us, Melissa. What is my.

His words hung in the air, so heavy they suffocated the room.

Out of the blue, Melissa's phone buzzed an unfamiliar number. Her gaze fixed on Alex's, she hesitated before replying.

"You are being watched," growled a voice. "Just because you've struck a deal with the devil doesn't mean you're safe."

Melissa's stomach sank as the queue went silent.

The night before the wedding seemed like a million years in the making. Every part of the penthouse exuded an unsettling tension, and Melissa couldn't shake the impression that something terrible was lurking just below the surface. Her decision's gravity had her pacing the living room.

The next day came the grand wedding ceremony. Everyone would be watching, she could already sense the pressure building, the world's probing eyes on her. Though she hadn't signed up for it, she found herself caught in a game she couldn't seem to leave.

The phone rang once more, this time with a text from her attorney: "Dalton's men have been following you. Be cautious. This is far from done.

She choked. She should have been used to it by now, the always present danger, the impending threat of Dalton's wrath, but it still sent a chill down her spine.

Alex entered the room, his suit still crisp and his face chilly, and she spun around nearly shocked. He must have just come back from a conference. As he went towards her, the slight scent of his perfume still hung in the air, and for a while, the quiet between them seemed heavy and suffocating.

Melissa was unable to look him in the eye. "I don't know whether I can do this," she remarked, her words tumbling out before she could stop them.

Alex moved closer and his gaze softened. You have no say. Your decision is already set in stone.

"I did it to survive," she shot back, her voice laced with annoyance. "But I can't help but feel like I'm drowning in this..." this realm you have pulled me into.

He extended his hand, lightly brushing her arm with his fingertips, and the contact caused her heart to speed. She despised how much it changed her.

Alex murmured softly, "Melissa, you'll get through it." I will make sure you are safe.

Though his words were comforting, they did not alleviate the anxiety eating at her gut. She could not get rid of the impression that she was entering a far darker world than she had thought.

Her phone buzzed once more all of a sudden. An anonymous text said, "You're making a pact with the devil. You will come to rue it.

Her heart thumped in her chest. She looked up to Alex and caught his gaze. She murmured, the question between them weighty, "What have I gotten myself into?"

Alex moved up closer, speaking softly and personally. You are now my property. I will keep you safe now. You have to believe me. Rely on us.

His words made her heart race with hope. But the dread in her breast only grew. Now she could not turn back. There was no avoiding the perilous game they were playing; the wedding was tomorrow.