Chapter 4 The Deal
Adeline folded her arms tightly across her chest, staring at Julian as if he had just lost his mind.
“Have you completely lost it, Hale?” she asked, her voice heavy with disbelief. “Marriage? You’re actually serious about that? You think getting married is a sensible suggestion?”
Julian merely shrugged, his calmness bordering on infuriating. “I’m just offering the most practical solution to a problem you created, Carter. Whether you take it or not is your choice. I’m not forcing anything.”
Her eyes narrowed, irritation flashing across her face. “How exactly is marrying you the best solution? Have you forgotten our families hate each other? Our fathers would have our heads if we even mentioned this. They’d never agree.”
Julian let out a low chuckle, amused by her outrage. “Unlike you, Adeline, I have a little more control over my father. I can make him see reason, especially if I explain how it benefits both sides, and who says we have to make it some kind of grand romance? We could tell everyone it’s a strategic move to clean up the scandal, something we both agreed on for the sake of our families.”
Adeline arched a brow, unconvinced. “You really think you can convince Edward Hale that this is a good idea? And what are these benefits you’re talking about? How does marrying you, while I’m still technically married, help my reputation?”
Julian stepped closer, his expression sharpening. “Think, Adeline. Right now, you’re the face of a scandal involving an affair. The press will eat you alive, your father will be furious, and your ex will milk every ounce of pity he can get from it, but if we shift the story, if we turn it from an affair into a love story between two people from rival families, it changes everything.”
She frowned, still not convinced. “You’re going to have to explain that better, Hale, because I’m not seeing how this helps me. Marrying you just makes me look like the woman who cheated on her husband with a rival’s son and then married him. How is that any better?”
He sighed, as though explaining something obvious to a stubborn child. “Adeline, do you really think anyone will care about Patrick Sterling after this? The moment we make an announcement, the media will be too busy obsessing over how our marriage could ‘end the decades-long feud’ between the Carter and Hale families. They’ll rewrite the narrative for us.”
He began pacing, the way he always did when his mind was in overdrive. “Think about it. You and I would be a power couple. A merger between two of the most powerful families in the country. We’d control half the market between us. Public opinion would turn in our favor overnight, and trust me, no one would be talking about the scandal, they’d be talking about our 'against all odds' love story.”
Adeline bit her lower lip, mulling it over. As much as she hated to admit it, his argument made sense. Patrick had never been a name worth remembering; the media would drop him the second she appeared beside Julian Hale. They’d be far more interested in the alliance than the affair.
Still, she wasn’t naive. Julian never did anything without a reason. He didn’t move unless it benefited him somehow, and that thought alone made her wary.
She turned to face him fully, arms still crossed. “What’s your angle, Julian? Why help me at all when you could just deny everything and walk away untouched?”
He stopped pacing and met her gaze. For a moment, his expression was unreadable, then he laughed softly. “You always were too clever for your own good, Adeline.”
She raised an eyebrow, waiting.
“There isn’t an angle,” he said, voice even. “But I’d be lying if I said there’s nothing in it for me. An alliance with your family strengthens my standing and my father’s influence, and honestly…” His lips curved into a faint, teasing smile. “There’s something satisfying about being the one who pulls you out of the mess you created.
She rolled her eyes. “So it’s business, then?”
“Mostly,” he admitted. “But it’s not just business. Our families have been at each other’s throats for decades, and this could change that. We could change that.”
Adeline exhaled slowly, her mind racing. The feud between their families had been an endless source of tension and blood-boiling competition for as long as she could remember. If this union could finally put an end to it, it would be a major victory for everyone.
And yet, she couldn’t ignore the warning bells in her head. Julian Hale always had a plan, and in every plan, he was the one who came out ahead.
“Fine,” she said finally, pushing off the couch and standing tall. “I’ll go along with it. We’ll announce the marriage, but for your sake, Hale, don’t cross me. If I find out you’re playing me, I will make you regret it.”
Julian chuckled softly, his laughter rich and low. He extended a hand toward her, that familiar smirk still tugging at his mouth. “Then let’s seal it, Carter. I promise, you won’t regret having me as your husband.”
She hesitated, then placed her hand in his. His grip was firm, confident, way too confident. She expected him to let go, but instead he pulled her toward him in one smooth, deliberate motion.
Caught off guard, she stumbled forward, her palms flattening against his bare chest. He was still warm from the shower, his skin smelling faintly of soap and something unmistakably masculine.
“Now that you’ve agreed to marry me,” he murmured, his voice dipping low, his breath brushing her ear, “remember this. What happened between us last night? It’s not going to just stop there. And, Adeline…” his tone deepened, the edge of challenge unmistakable, “I’m not going to take no for an answer.”
Her pulse quickened, betraying her, and the air between them grew taut, charged with something that neither of them dared to name. She didn’t need to respond; he could see it in her eyes and feel it in the way she hadn’t stepped back, and even though she knew she should, Adeline Carter had no intention of saying no.
