Chapter 9
Alicia pressed the doorbell, shifting uneasily on the doorstep.
A housekeeper opened the door, surprise flickering across her face at the sight of Alicia–soaked to the skin and looking utterly disheveled.)
“Oh, my dear” The woman had no idea what Alicia had been through, but she welcomed her in all the same. She fetched a fresh pair of slippers and, with a gentle touch, draped a soft shawl around Alicia’s shoulders &
“Mr. Lynch is in a video meeting,” she said kindly. “He told me you’d be coming. Just have a seat in the living room and wait a moment, will you? I’ll go make you some warm sweet soup.”
Alicia fell a pang of gratitude. Kindness from strangers was rare in her life, but something about this housekeeper put her at ease.
She glanced nervously around the living room, mesmerized by the elegant décor. She didn’t dare sit down–worried she’d sully Mr. Lynch’s spotless cream sofa.l
It was obvious: Mr. Lynch was a man of means and refined taste. Judging by the immaculate order of his home, he was probably a gentleman, too.”
She waited barely three minutes before Mr. Lynch emerged from his study–not long at all.
He was dressed casually, likely straight from the shower, his hair still damp and tousled.
Mr. Lynch looked about the same age as Vincent, but his features were sharper, more striking–the kind of face that would hold its own
even among movie stars.
Suddenly, Alicia felt a wave of insecurity and second thoughts. Why would someone like him ever want to marry her?3
“Mr. Lynch,” she managed, her voice tentative.
o you?”
He paused, taking in Alicia’s drenched and bedraggled state. “Did you just save the world or something? What happened to
Alicia froze, dropping her gaze, embarrassed. For someone with such a reputation, Mr. Lynch’s bluntness was unexpected–almost unkind.
“Wilms, take her to get cleaned up and find her some dry clothes,” he said, frowning as he looked Alicia up and down. “Anyone who didn’t know better would think a stray wandered in.”
His words were laced with sarcasm, but then he turned and fatched some cold medicine, mixing it into a glass of water and bringing it over to her.”
Alicia was almost taken aback. Acts of kindness had been so rare for her. “Th–thank you.“!!
“Drink up, then go take a hot shower. We’ll talk when y you’re done.” He handed her a folder with a contract inside–the words “Prenuptial Agreement” clearly printed on the cover!
Alicia nodded, downed the medicine in one gulp, and followed the housekeeper out of the room, feeling like a lost puppy.
Mr. Lynch watched her go, raising his hand as if to stop her, but it was too late. Was the water not hot enough, or the medicine not bitter? She just gulped it down in one go. This Alicia… she was something else.
When Alicia came out of the shower, she was surprised to find a set of clean, comfortable clothes laid out on the guest room bed: a simple oversized T–shirt and a pair of shorts.)
The housekeeper tapped on the door, smiling warmly as she entered. These belonged to Mr. Lynch’s niece. She stayed here for a while not long ago. They’re brand new and freshly laundered–don’t worry about it.”
Alicia waved her hands quickly. “I don’t mind at all… I just don’t want to ruin them,”
“It’s no trouble. She has more clothes than she knows what to do with. Think of them as a gift. The woman set down a steaming bowl of sweet soup and slipped out.”
Alicia dressed and glanced down at herself. Her legs were long and pale, but the shorts exposed every bruise and scar–the remnants of a recent car accident and countless other injures. It was almost too much to look at.
After much hesitation, she finally dried her hair and stepped out.
Tyrone Lynch was in the living room, still waiting, speaking quietly on the phone.
Alicia lingered just out of sight, not wanting to disturb him.
He caught sight of her, ended his call, and picked up the prenuptial agreement. “Shall we talk?”
She nodded and stepped forward. “Mr. Lynch, could you tell me your terms?”
He laid the contract on the coffee table. “Marry me. The arrangement will last three to five years–until my grandfather passes away. there’s to be no talk of divorce. We won’t have to act as a real couple, and the marriage will stay private. You’ll play the part of my
granddaughter in law for family gatherings. Hear’s my secondary credit card–use it however you need while we’re manied. When it youll keep this apartment in Seaview City Everything else is spelled out in the contract “%
Alicia stared at him, stunned. He sounded less like a man proposing manlage and more like someone offering a business partnership, a
job
But the terms.. were generous beyond anything she’d imagined:||
