Chapter 4 - Cassian Rossi’s Impossible Offer
Clara screamed.
Cassian grabbed the photograph before she could.
The woman didn't resist.
“She needs to see it.”
Cassian studied the image.
His jaw tightened.
“Who took this?”
“Derek.”
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
Clara shook her head.
“No.”
The woman looked at her.
“Your husband was planning to disappear.”
Cassian turned.
“Name.”
“Marina Bell.”
“Connection to Derek?”
“Former accountant.”
Clara stared at her.
Marina opened the folder again.
“He wasn't only stealing money.”
“What was he doing?”
“Selling information.”
Cassian's eyes narrowed.
“To Viktor?”
“To several people.”
Clara's stomach twisted.
Marina placed another photograph down.
This one showed Derek with Viktor Volkov.
Then another.
Derek speaking to a lawyer.
Then another.
A contract.
Cassian read it.
His expression changed.
“What?”
Clara asked.
He didn't answer.
Marina did.
“Derek promised Viktor that if the debt wasn't paid, he'd give him access to you.”
Clara's blood ran cold.
“But why me?”
Marina looked at her.
“Because Viktor believed you knew where Derek had hidden the missing money.”
“I don't.”
“I know.”
“Then what does he think I have?”
Marina pointed to Clara's purse.
“The key.”
Clara instinctively grabbed it.
Cassian noticed.
“What key?”
“I don't know.”
Marina smiled sadly.
“Derek gave you something before he disappeared.”
Clara searched her memory.
Nothing.
Then she remembered.
Three days before leaving him, Derek had given her an old silver key.
He had told her it was for a storage unit.
She had thrown it into the bottom of her purse.
She pulled the key out.
Cassian stared.
Marina whispered:
“That's it.”
Cassian immediately took the key.
“No one touches that storage unit.”
Clara looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because whatever is inside is worth more than three hundred thousand dollars.”
“What?”
Cassian looked at Marina.
“How many people know?”
“Viktor.”
Cassian's face hardened.
“Then we're running out of time.”
Clara shook her head.
“I can't be involved in this.”
“You already are.”
“I just want my son.”
“You'll have him.”
Cassian stepped closer.
“And you'll have protection.”
“I don't want protection from you.”
“You need it.”
“I need a normal life.”
Cassian's eyes softened.
“So do I.”
Clara looked at him.
For a moment, the intimidating mafia boss disappeared.
She saw only a tired man.
Then he said something she never expected.
“Marry me.”
Clara blinked.
“What?”
“Temporarily.”
“No.”
“You misunderstood.”
“I heard you.”
“Viktor believes you belong to me if you become my fiancée.”
“You want to use marriage as protection?”
“Yes.”
“That is insane.”
“It works.”
“Why would you do this?”
Cassian looked toward Noah's room.
“Because I made a promise.”
“To whom?”
“To myself.”
Clara waited.
He didn't explain.
She shook her head.
“I can't marry a stranger.”
“Then don't.”
“What?”
“Pretend.”
He placed a ring on the table.
Simple.
Elegant.
Clara stared at it.
“Until this is over.”
She didn't touch it.
Cassian turned away.
“Think about it.”
That night, Clara couldn't sleep.
She watched Noah breathe.
She thought about the rain.
The diner.
The document.
The key.
And the man who had given her a choice when everyone else had taken choices away.
At dawn, she walked into Cassian's office.
He was standing by the window.
Clara held the ring.
“I'll do it.”
Cassian turned.
“But there is one condition.”
“What?”
“You never lie to me.”
Cassian nodded.
“I agree.”
Clara put the ring on.
Neither of them noticed the small camera hidden inside the clock across the room.
May you like
And on the other side of the city, Viktor Volkov watched the footage and whispered one sentence:
“Now she belongs to Rossi...”
