The door did not lead directly to the boss's office.

I ended up being trapped in a pitch-black corridor. It was small and there were concrete stairs leading downstairs, towards the unknown. I shivered. I took the step towards the door that I used to enter this scary place and then I stopped abruptly.

There are bodyguards outside of that door. I can't just leave the second I walked in, they will notice something isn't right and stop me from escaping. My thoughts were running frantically as I was trying to find a way out of the predicament I'm in deep shit, aren't I? What were you thinking, idiot?!

The only path I could choose right now is to carry on with my plan and go downstairs, find the boss, apologize for entering, explain my reasons, and hope they will be understanding.

As I started going downstairs tears welled up my eyes don't be such a baby I was angry with my inability to face dangerous situations. It didn't help anything that I was shaking and my breath was quick and uneven. At the same time, I was trying to be as quiet as I could.

Unfortunately, the stairs led me to a long corridor. Which way should I go? Left? Right?

"Antonio, look what do we have here. She looks like she's lost. Hey baby, did you come to play with us? "He said suggestively. Disgusting.

"Hey, you. Who let you come in here? "The other man asked with pure hostility. I took a step back and looked at the stairs, thinking of a way to escape. There was none. "I don't think so, come here," Antonio said, flawlessly deciphering my intentions. He strode towards me, grabbed my arm tightly, and started dragging me towards the door at the end of the corridor.

I had imagined my first meeting with the Vincenti brothers differently.

I was forcibly pushed into the room which resulted in me landing awkwardly on all fours. Really smooth Eliana, good job.

Catia was sitting on some strange man's lap, he was a handsome man who had light brown hair and brown eyes. He was dressed in a white suit I don't know how he could pull it off but he looked really good in his outfit.

I looked at the person in front of which I was kneeling right now. It was Rafael Vincenti, the man who a few minutes ago made his grand entrance. Now I could see up close how beautiful he actually was. His medium-length raven hair fell in delicate waves, he had olive skin tone and dark eyes. The aura around this man was dark and mysterious. He emanated danger, and I wanted to get away from here the moment I saw him. Unfortunately, too many factors. it made it impossible for me.

He was sitting in a large, red armchair, legs crossed. He was dressed in a black shirt and suit of the same color. On his left hand was a watch with a brown leather strap and a golden dial. There was a massive gold signet ring with a small red stone and some kind of engraving on his pinky finger.

I tried to get up to preserve what's left of my dignity by standing up, but Antonio who stayed close to me grabbed my hair into a fist and held me down so that I had no alternative other than to just kneel on the floor.

"This bitch broke into the basement"

"Antonio, search her"I grimaced as I felt that Antonio is groping me brutally.

"She has Melissa's key," Antonio said as he showed the silver card that I just used.

"Marco, go tell Melissa to pack her stuff. She no longer works here"

"Of course, sir"

Goddamn it, that girl lost her job because of me. Unfortunately, I was in a predicament where I had to focus on my own survival instead of worrying about others.

"What's your name miss?"Rafael asked calmly in a polite manner.

"Eliana Snow "

"Miss Snow, please explain to me your presence here"

"I wanted to speak with you"

"Many people want to speak with me yet no one was rude enough to break in and show up in front of me without an invitation. That's a first"

"It was really wrong I'm truly terribly sorry" my eyes were fixed on the floor. I felt awful as if I committed an unforgivable sin and now I should beg on my knees for forgiveness. Technically I was on my knees there was something in his harsh voice that triggered this reaction in me.

"It must be some very important matter, otherwise you wouldn't waste my time, right? "

"Yes of course I just... um... I" my face became red. Holy shit I can't even form a sentence in front of him.

"Why don't you tell us who you work for, kitten?" Asked the man in the white suit.

I touched the top of my head and I fucking forgot to remove that cat-ear headband. I felt like dying out of embarrassment right now.

"Who do I work for?" I was confused. "Currently, I'm unemployed but so far I was working at the coffee shop," I said truthfully not understanding the question.

"Lorenzo honey, is she stupid, or is she faking?" Catia asked in a rather unpleasant voice.

Oh, so this was Lorenzo. Shit.

"I don't know Sunshine, wait," Lorenzo stood up, came closer to me, and crouched down.

"We ask, my dear, who sent you here. Who are you spying for? You have the last chance to give an honest answer, or we will have to stop being nice"

That was their idea of nice?

"I am not a spy!"

"Don't raise your voice, bitch," Antonio growled, and he was already raising his hand, I closed my eyes tightly preparing myself mentally for the upcoming strike. Automatically I covered my face but the strike never came.

"Antonio, now is not a time to react with violence" Rafael chastised his employee "Miss Snow, if you are not a spy, tell me, what is your reason to be here?" His voice was neutral. Cold and distant. I wanted to run away somewhere, but I had no choice but to start explaining myself. There was no turning back.

"I'm afraid you won't take what I have to say now seriously because my story is rather unusual. I am about to inherit a large sum of money, for that someone is trying to force me into giving up my inheritance rights under the threat that he will hurt me if I won't do as I'm told"

"Let's say that is the case, what would you want me to do about it?"

"I was actually hoping you'd help me to find someone who would be willing to stay married to me for six months. Until the inheritance case is closed. It would serve as a good deterrent for my uncle to continue bothering me if there was another person with the right to inherit. In exchange, I would pay to you and to that person money for... your services?"

The man in the background cackled: our services! Rafael on the other hand remained cold and collected.

I was embarrassing myself, probably.

"I'm surprised. I thought you would ask me to kill a person who wants to take your life" I looked at him with a surprised and horrified expression because that thought never crossed my mind. Kill someone? No, that's so abstract, evil, and wrong. I could never. Then I saw it. Something in his expression shifted and his eyes started showing sparks of amusements as the corners of his lips lifted gently. "How interesting" he muttered. "How did you come to the idea that husband would help?"

"Because then my uncle would have two people to kill? I want to make it harder for him to attack me"

"If he's ready to kill one person does it really matter that there's a second or third to get rid of? In all cases, he gets life in prison for murder if he gets caught"

Well, what a practical and morbid way of thinking.

"I'd like to think that people consider murder as a last option for various reasons not only because they can end in jail for it"

"That's adorable. You want me to find you a husband, fine. That's easy. Of course, assuming that I will agree I have still yet to forgive you for trespassing. Tell me what's the name of a man who wants to kill you? "

"Harvey. Harvey Snow"

Suddenly Rafael became serious and an emotion I couldn't name appeared in his eyes. He wasn't laughing anymore.

"So you belong to that family. I remember the news about your parents' accident, my condolences," said Rafael. "Has your inheritance involved SFM company?"

"All of it will belong to me"

"That really makes things interesting. You about to inherit the largest firearms manufacturing company in the country"

"Yes. Harvey only runs it, but he doesn't own it, he has decision-making power since my father died that would change right after I inherit"

"There's something I cannot understand. Why do you want a husband, not bodyguards?"He asked calmly, taking a sip of his whiskey.

"I told you I want to make things easier for Harvey, killing one person is easier than killing two. And if I die but my husband survives he will have the right to inherit what technically belongs to me. I'd rather a strange man have assets than a family member that hates me enough to murder me. There's also another reason - I have temporary custody over my sister, I'd like to become her permanent guardian and it's substantially harder when I don't have a partner"

"If your husband has the right to inherit what's stopping him from making a deal with your uncle and murdering you for the money?"

"I- I don't know for sure. I thought that if we make a fair deal that person will not want to betray me. Especially if there is someone who overseeing that both sides fulfill the terms of the agreement, someone like you"

"You're sweet, innocent little girl aren't you Miss Snow? But I am touched by your faith. You're offering me and the person who would pose as your husband money I'm not interested in this offer. SFN of the company is another matter"

"You want my parent's company?"

"I want shares. Let's say 40%"

"That's... a lot"

"Indeed. But you won't need to pay any additional person for pretending to be your husband"

"I'm not following... why?"

"Because I will be the one marrying you"

_____

Dear Readers,

Please let me know if this story interests you. I don't know if this idea is good enough to continue and I have other stories posted I can invest my time into so I would appreciate your opinion.