CHAPTER 4 THE PROPOSAL

"Get out of my way kid" a rough voice said from behind the glass doors.

I stopped moving my heart jumping up into my throat. Lian had just run forward with his shoes squeaking on the mall floor and then he bumped into a man wearing a fancy black suit.

"Lian," I said, running to him, my heels making noises on the floor.

The man was really tall. He did not fall down. He just looked at Lian, his jaw getting tighter. I stopped moving and I could not breathe. His eyes were a grey color, the same color as the eyes that looked back at me when I brushed Lian's hair.

Everything around me stopped. I did not hear the mall noises or the people talking. The mans big shoulders got stiff he stared at Lian like he saw a ghost.

"Are you little man" the man asked, his voice was deep and smooth. He did not sound angry he sounded surprised.

Lian did not cry he just rubbed his forehead. "I'm okay you're very tall like a tree" he said.

"Lian come here" I said, my voice was shaking.

I went between them my hands were shaking too. I put them in my coat pockets my fingers touched a credit card. I remembered a night at a club the smell of rain and a man wearing cologne.

The man looked at me his grey eyes were curious. He did not know me I was a stranger to him.

"Your son should be careful" he said, looking at me for a while. "The floor is slippery here."

"He's fine we're leaving" I said, taking Lians hand and pulling him away.

We got into our car I did not look back. My legs felt weak I could barely breathe. The man was still standing there watching us leave.

Two hours later I was walking around my apartment looking at the city lights. Lian was playing with his toys in the room. I was still shaking I poured myself a glass of water. My teeth were chattering.

The phone on the wall made a noise it made me spill water on my shirt.

"Ms. Dave" the security guard said, "there's a Mr. Dante Valenti here he wants to talk to you about Morriston Tech."

My heart stopped, *Dante Valenti*, the man who owned the city. He found me in than two hours.

"Send him up" I said, closing my eyes.

When the elevator doors opened Dante stepped out. He was wearing a shirt, no tie. He looked around my apartment like he owned it.

"Ms. Dave" he said, walking towards me. "You're a woman to find."

"Mr. Valenti" I said, trying to sound calm. "This is my home, not a meeting room. You should not be here."

He laughed it was not a laugh. "I don't waste time with others, Ms. Dave. I heard Morriston Tech has an owner, a smart investor who made the company successful. I did not expect it to be you."

"I don't like being followed" I said, feeling a drop of sweat on my neck.

"I did not follow you because of the mall" Dante said, looking at me closely. "I'm here because our companies are going to compete. Morriston Tech has what I need Valenti AI has what you need."

"We're doing fine on our own" I said, holding my elbows tight.

"You're doing well. You're going to fight with other companies" Dante said, his voice was smooth and dangerous. "I can help you. I'm not talking about a normal partnership."

He took out a document and put it on the table. "A marriage contract, one year. We tie our names and companies together. You get my help I get a wife to make my grandfather happy."

I felt angry *another man trying to use me*. "Are you crazy" I said, stepping up to him. "You think you can buy me for a year to make your grandfather happy? I'm not a thing you can buy Mr. Valenti."

Dante did not move his eyes were interested. He was not used to people talking back to him.

"It's a business deal" he said, using my name. "No feelings just help each other."

Before I could say anything Lian came into the room holding his toy car. "The tall tree man is in our castle" he said.

My heart stopped again I tried to push Lian back. Dante was faster. He got down on his knee he was at Lians level. His face was soft his shoulders were relaxed.

"Hey buddy" Dante said, his voice was gentle. "We meet again did you find your dragons, in this castle?"

Lian. Took a small step toward Dante not being afraid at all. "Mommy said the dragons are in the computer but I think you look like a knight " he said.

Dante laughed in a voice and that made me feel weird inside. It was nice to see this strong and scary man being kind to my son. I felt something in my chest that I did not understand. It was like I wanted to touch his hair. I remembered when a stranger helped me a time ago when I was very sad and alone.. Then I told myself to stop thinking about that. I reminded myself that Dante is a person.

Lian looked at Dante with a face. "Why do you keep staring at me like that?" he asked. "You have the eyes as the mirror " he said.

It got very quiet after that. Dante stopped smiling. His whole body became stiff. He looked into Lians eyes. It seemed like he was breathing harder. The room felt cold all of a sudden.

"Lian go to your room now " I told him trying to sound calm. My voice was shaking. I took Lians arm and almost pushed him down the hallway then I closed the door behind him.

When I turned around Dante was standing up. He looked very tall. His eyes looked dark and scary like he was trying to figure something out. He looked at me. Then at the papers on the table and his chest was moving up and down fast. He seemed like a man who found a clue but did not know what it meant.

He did not ask me the question that I was afraid of. Instead he took a step back, toward the elevator still looking at me.

"Think about it " Dante said in a scary voice. "I do not like it when people say no to me twice."

The elevator doors. He stepped inside leaving the papers on the table. It felt like he left a threat behind.

CHAPTER 5 ENEMY RETURN

A sharp and arrogant voice cut through the talk in the conference hall. "You really think you can just ignore my emails" it said.

I did not turn around away. I swallowed hard. Tightened my fingers around my champagne glass. That voice had given me dreams for five long years. It was the tone David used when he told me I was just a tool to help his family business. I took a breath and let my shoulders drop before I turned to face him.

David Jones stood there looking like the mistake I left behind in the rain. His hair was perfectly slicked back. His suit looked expensive.. His eyes had a frantic and desperate look that he could not hide. The news about the stock market had not lied. Jones Tech was losing money. He needed a miracle.

"Mr. Jones I presume" I said. My voice was smooth and empty of emotion. I did not offer my hand. I just looked at him with an indifference that made his jaw twitch.

"You must be June Dave" David said. His eyes narrowed as he looked at my face. He took a step closer. His brows pulled together in a tight frustrated line. He stared at my eyes then my lips. Back up to my short chestnut hair. "The mysterious majority shareholder of Morriston Tech. You have been causing a lot of trouble for my team."

"I do not think we have anything to discuss" I said. I turned back to the glass windows that looked out over the city. My heart was beating fast. I kept my posture straight. "Morriston Tech is not looking for a buyer. Especially not a company that is doing badly on the market."

"Listen to me June" David said. He stepped into my space and his breath smelled faintly of whiskey and expensive mints. He reached out to grab my elbow. I pulled my arm back before he could touch me. He froze with his hand in the air. "We need to talk. You look... Do I know you from somewhere"

"I highly doubt that Mr. Jones" I said. My body reacted in a way that I did not like as a cold sweat broke out across my shoulder blades. "I do not move in the circles as failing tech executives."

"No it is not that" David said. His eyes were locked on my chin. He was breathing harder. His fingers were tracing his lower lip as he stared at me. "Your voice. The way you stand. It feels like I have seen you before."

"You are grasping at straws because your company is dying" I said. I kept my tone sharp to throw him off. "If you will excuse me I have real business partners to attend to."

"We are not done yet" David said. His face turned red with anger. "Morriston Tech has the data we need to save our software launch. I do not care who you think you are June. You are going to sit down with me and sign a partnership agreement. I will make sure your company can not operate in this city."

"Is that a threat" I asked. I tilted my head. Let a slow mocking smile spread across my lips. "Because the time a man threatened me he ended up begging for mercy."

then my phone vibrated in my clutch. I pulled it out. Was glad for the interruption. The screen showed a number but I recognized the prefix. It was the line of the Valenti estate.

"Excuse me" I told David. I walked away before he could say anything. I went through the crowd of investors. Stepped into a quiet area near the emergency exit. I pressed the phone to my ear. "Hello"

"Have you looked at the papers yet" Dantes deep voice said. There was no greeting or small talk. He went to the point. "My grandfathers doctors just gave me an update. He wants to see me with a fiancée by the end of the week. If you sign the contract tonight the Valenti legal team will block David Jones from touching your shares by tomorrow morning."

"How do you know David is here" I asked. My fingers were gripping the phone tightly.

"I know everything that happens in Maverick City" Dante said. His voice was calm and commanding. "He is June. Desperate men do things. Sign the papers. Let me handle him."

"I can handle my problems Dante" I said. I used his name without thinking. "I did not build my company over five years just to hide behind another mans suit."

There was a silence on the line. I could hear his breathing and for a second the past five years threatened to overwhelm me. The way he spoke to me reminded me of a deep memory. I shook my head to clear the thought. It was impossible.

"You are stubborn" Dante said. His tone was lighter and almost amused. "I like that in a business partner.. Do not let your pride ruin your empire. The offer stands until midnight."

He hung up before I could say anything. I stared at the screen and my breath caught in my throat. I tucked the phone back into my bag. Stepped out of the quiet area. I immediately ran into David again. He was standing there with his arms crossed and a dark obsessive look on his face. He did not look angry anymore. He looked completely consumed by a thought.

"You are hiding something June" David said. His voice was quiet and dangerous. "I just called my assistant. He tracked your financial movements. Your company appeared out of five years ago funded by an offshore account that nobody can trace. Five years ago. That is the same time my runaway fiancée disappeared."

"I do not care about your history David" I said. I used his name with a cold bite that made him gasp.

"You called me David" he whispered. He stepped in front of me to block the doors to the elevator. His eyes were wide and almost manic. "You have been calling me Mr. Jones all night. Why did you just call me David"

"Because you are annoying me and I want you to get out of my way" I said. I pushed past him with all the authority I had. The elevator doors. I stepped inside. I pressed the button for the lobby. David tried to step in with me.. I used my heels to block the sensor and the doors shut between us. The last thing I saw was his furious face staring at me through the glass.

An hour later David was back in his office at Jones Tech. The room was a mess with papers over the desk. He could not stop thinking about the woman from the conference. The way she carried herself and the sharp twist of her lips. It was all wrong because Isabella had been an crying girl.. The eyes were identical.

"Sir" his assistant said. He knocked gently on the door. "I found the files you requested from the storage vault."

"Leave them on the desk and get out" David said. He did not look up from his tablet where he was scrolling through June Daves public profile pictures.

The assistant dropped a box on the desk and left. David ripped the top off the box. Pulled out old folders from his wedding planning five years ago. He tossed aside the menus and seating arrangements. Searched for something tangible.

His fingers finally brushed against a velvet pouch at the bottom of the box. He pulled it out. Opened it. Inside was a printed photograph that Isabella had given him on the night before their scheduled wedding. It was a picture of her when she was younger sitting on a bench in a park.

David held the photograph up to the light of his desk lamp. He picked up his tablet. Showed June Daves latest corporate portrait and held them side by side.

The hair color was different. The makeup was different. The expensive clothes and confident posture were completely opposite.. As Davids eyes dropped to the bottom of the photograph he noticed a tiny distinct detail. In the old picture Isabella was holding a toy car that she had saved from her childhood.

David zoomed in on the tablet screen. Looked at the background of the picture June Dave had taken inside her office. Sitting on the corner of her desk was that same battered toy car with a small scratch near the left wheel.

Davids breath caught in his throat. His chest rose and fell rapidly as a wild and terrifying realization washed over him. The papers, in his hand shook violently.

David whispered into the room. His eyes were wide, with shock and anger as he looked at the photograph. "It is you" David said. "You did not die, Isabella. You have been planning this the time, Isabella."

CHAPTER 6 CONDITIONS

IN DANTE’S OFFICE;

Dante said his voice was low and serious "You have three minutes left June." He did not look up from the screen of his tablet. He was sitting on a leather sofa in a private room at the tech center. His long legs were. His dark hair was a little wet from the rain outside. The smell of his cologne filled the small room and it made my chest feel tight.

"I do not need three minutes Mr. Valenti " I said, stepping closer to the glass wall that looked out over the floor below. My fingers were holding the strap of my handbag tightly. "I need you to explain something to me. A man with your money and power does not just give out wedding rings to people he does not know."

Dante finally looked up at me. His eyes were grey and hard to read, like steel. He turned off his tablet. Set it down on the table. Then he leaned back. Looked at me his eyes on my chin. I was trying not to shake.

"I already explained it to you June " Dante said, his voice smooth. "My grandfather is the person I owe anything to. He is very sick. He wants to see the Valenti family secure before he dies. He wants a woman who can stand next to me without making a fool of herself. He wants stability. You want to be safe from David Jones. It is a deal."

"There is nothing about a fake marriage " I said, turning to face him. I was feeling hot and sweaty. "You want me to just sign my life away for a year because your family is pressuring you? I am the owner of Morriston Tech. I am not some girl looking for a rich man to save me."

Dante stood up slowly. He is a big man and he made the room feel small. He walked over to me. Stopped just a few inches away. I had to look up to see his face. "I know who you are June " he said. "You are a woman who has been hiding and building a business for a time. I have read your computer code. You are very smart. You do not need someone to save you. You do need a partner who can help you."

I felt a little scared. I was trying not to show it. Dante was very close to me. I could feel his warm breath on my skin. I looked at his throat. Saw his pulse beating. He was an intelligent man, not just a rich guy with a lot of money. I felt a warm feeling in my chest but I pushed it away. I could not trust him.

"If I do this " I said, my voice a little shaky. "If I sign that paper it will be on my terms. Completely on my terms Mr. Valenti."

Dante tilted his head a little. Smiled. He did not look angry that I was being stubborn. He looked a little amused. "What do you want, June?" he asked.

I reached into my bag. Pulled out a piece of paper. I had written down what I wanted on the way to the tech center. My hands were shaking a little. I tried to hold the paper steady. "These are my conditions " I said. "Read them."

Dante took the paper from me. Started to read. His voice was flat and even. "You want bedrooms at all times. The marriage is business, no romance or sex." He looked up at me his eyebrows raised. "You think I want to force myself on you June?"

I crossed my arms over my chest. "I do not know what you want Mr. Valenti.. I need boundaries."

Dante. Kept reading. "You want me to leave your son Lian alone. I will not discipline him. Make decisions about his school or routine without your permission." He looked up at me his jaw a little tight. "I agree. Your son is your responsibility. I am not trying to be his father."

I felt a little better. "Read the one " I said.

Dante read the condition. "You do not want me to dig into your past before you came to Maverick City five years ago. Your history is your own." He chuckled a a low rough sound. "You have a lot of secrets, June.. I think we can help each other."

then Dantes phone started ringing. The screen said "Grandfather". Dante did not move to answer it. He just stared at the phone his face getting harder. The phone stopped ringing then started. Dante still did not move.

"He has been calling every ten minutes since I told him I found someone " Dante said, his voice a little tight. "He thinks I am going to be alone. He is an old man, June. If he does not see a signed agreement by midnight he will get on a plane from the capital even if his doctor says he should not."

The phone kept ringing making the room feel tense. I looked at Dante. Saw that he looked trapped. He looked like a man who was trying to protect someone he loved. It was a little surprising because he seemed powerful and in control.

"Where is the pen?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Dante looked up at me his eyes intense. He reached out. Picked up a heavy silver pen from the desk. He held it out to me his hand steady.

I walked over to the desk where the papers were. They looked like a trap waiting to catch me. I remembered the time I signed a contract about marriage. I remembered the white dress, the laughter and the pain. My breath was coming in gasps and the room was spinning.

"June " Dante said, his voice. Firm. He was standing behind me his chest almost touching my back. "If you are going to faint do it after you sign the paper."

I was not going to faint. I was angry. I took the pen. Signed the paper my hand shaking a little. Then I turned around to face Dante.

"It is done " I said, my voice trembling. "Now keep your word, Dante. Keep David Jones away from my son."

Dante looked at the paper then signed his name next to mine. Then his phone buzzed again. It was a text message, from his security team. Dante looked at the screen. His whole body went rigid. His eyes turned black with anger.

*June Dave.*

I said "What is it". I felt a cold dread settling deep into my stomach as I watched Dantes jaw clench.

Dante slowly turned the phone screen toward me. It was a live security feed from the lobby downstairs at Morriston Tech. David Jones was standing by the glass elevators talking frantically to the front desk guards. He was not looking for a business meeting anymore. David Jones was holding a printed photograph in his left hand and he was pointing directly at the security camera with a wild manic grin on his face.

Dante said "He's not here for Morriston Tech, in June" and his voice dropped to an icy whisper as he stared at me. Dante said "He just told my guards he's here to claim his wife.”