Chapter 2

VENUS

“Marry me.”

“W-what?” I stammered, pushing my oversized glasses up my nose. His eyes followed the motion with obvious irritation. Sue me—I can’t afford new ones.

“You heard me the first time,” he said, voice flat, expression bored, like I was wasting his precious oxygen.

God, I hate him. That condescending stare he always gives me—like I’m gum on the bottom of his thousand-dollar shoes. He’s made this job a personal hell, and now he wants to add this to the list?

“Is this your latest twisted idea of a joke?” I asked, arms folded, voice sharp.

“Marry me and I—”

“No.” I cut him off before he could finish, and for once, I shocked him. His eyes flicked up like he hadn’t expected a rejection.

“No?” he repeated, disbelief creeping into his voice.

“You want me to say it in Spanish?” I deadpanned.

“You haven’t even heard my offer—”

“And I don’t want to.” My voice rose a notch. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but I’m not a pawn in it.”

Maybe it was the stress talking—balancing work, hospital visits, scraping by on fumes—but I was done playing polite.

“A million dollars,” he said coolly. “I’ll pay you a million dollars.”

My jaw literally dropped.

He smirked, clearly enjoying the effect.

Was he insane? Delusional? Drunk?

“Did you hit your head?” I asked, genuinely concerned. “You’ve made my life a nightmare, and now you’re dangling a million-dollar carrot like I’m supposed to bite? My answer’s still no.”

“Take your time and think about it.”

Aaron doesn’t do calm. Especially not with me. And yet here he was—collected, calculating.

And God help me… a million dollars could mean everything. Mom’s medical bills, a new apartment, a second chance.

But no. I shook the thought away.

“I have actual work to do—your work,” I snapped. I dropped a stack of documents on his desk with a loud thud. “So if you’ll excuse me…”

I turned on my heel and left without waiting for permission.

Holy. Shit.

Did I really just do that? Talk back to him? My boss?

What if he fires me?

No—he can’t fire me for not marrying him. Right?

...Right?

I spent the rest of the day in silence. No barking orders, no random emails, no coffee demands. Just… silence. I finished everything and clocked out, but not before stopping at his office.

“I’m done for the day. Anything else you need?”

He didn’t even look up. “No. You can go.”

Fine. At least he wasn’t glaring at me like usual.

On the way out, I ran into Jude—one of the few bright spots in this place.

“You’re leaving early,” he said, raising a brow.

“Yeah, no more work today. Thought I’d go see my mom,” I replied with a tired smile.

“Tell her I said hi.”

“I will.” I waved and headed out.

When I got home, the place was quiet. Dain wasn’t back yet—thank God.

But then… my stomach dropped.

My room was a mess. Torn apart. Ransacked.

No. No. No.

I bolted to the closet where I kept the money. The box was there, but it was empty. Every dollar I’d scraped together for Mom’s chemo—gone.

My hands shook as I ran them through my hair.

Only one other person has a key to this apartment. No signs of a break-in. No broken locks. No forced entry.

Only one person could’ve done this.

Dain.