Chloe looked around the office. There wasn't anyone else there.
"I'm speaking to you," Donovan said.
"What?"
"Marry me," Donovan reiterated.
She was still collecting her thoughts. With just a month left until college graduation, she had thought about marriage before, but it was the furthest thing from her mind now.
Chloe wondered if Donovan was testing her. Considering the implications for a CEO, being involved with an intern, while not a direct disadvantage, could still cast a negative light. He probably wanted to see if Chloe harbored any inappropriate thoughts.
Chloe was a bundle of emotions. To her, Donovan's warm embrace, coupled with his eyes, naturally made him different from other men, but she also knew a relationship between them wasn't possible.
Donovan's decision to marry her, a woman mismatched in background, was definitely not motivated by affection.
Recalling Donovan's demeanor when he returned her phone, Chloe's suspicion solidified: he must be afraid that she would cause him trouble.
So, she lied, "I have a boyfriend now."
" At the stage of discussing marriage?" Donovan asked.
"Not quite. After all, I haven't graduated yet, and I don't have the financial stability," Chloe responded with feigned calm.
"How far has this relationship progressed?" Donovan unexpectedly took an interest in Chloe's personal life.
Caught off guard by Donovan's probing, Chloe blurted out, "We've moved in together."
"Living together?" Donovan furrowed his brow slightly.
Chloe noticed the skepticism in Donovan's eyes and knew what he was thinking. She quickly elaborated, "I've been in a relationship with this boyfriend for several years. We started living together right after I moved out of the dorms. It wasn't long until we found the right house."
"Aren't you going to ask me why I want to marry you?" Donovan wasn't particularly shocked when he heard about Chloe's boyfriend.
"Why?"
"My father, Samuel, is gravely ill. He wants to see me married before he passes, but I don't have a girlfriend. As for why I chose you, the reason should be obvious to you. I looked around, and you were the best fit," Donovan said, sitting in his office chair with an air of having everything under control.
The phrase "best fit" stung Chloe's pride. They had slept together, which, in his mind, apparently made her the ideal option. Seeking someone else might lead to hesitation or reservations, but with Chloe, that particular hurdle had already been cleared.
Although Chloe had been aware that Donovan's desire to marry wasn't out of affection, hearing his reason still filled her with inevitable disappointment. It seemed the night they spent together not only stayed with him but was clearly etched in his memory. Furthermore, Donovan's tone carried a hint of disdain for Chloe. Despite asking for her help, deep down, he looked down on her.
In his eyes, she was nothing but a woman who had schemed to get involved with her boss. She had slept with him and then deliberately left her phone in his room, evidently seeking a wealthy husband while pretending to be unattainable. How could she expect him to hold her in high regard?
"What are your terms? Name them," Donovan said disdainfully, "but they'd better not exceed five million dollars."
Five million was indeed a large sum of money, but it was not completely beyond Chloe's ability to refuse.
After a moment of silence, she cautiously suggested, "Mr. Blake, you might want to consider creating a fake marriage certificate."
"If my brother Samuel catches wind of this, it could be problematic."
"In addition, the document is secondary. The essential part is finding a suitable person. Samuel needs to see this individual to feel reassured," Donovan patiently responded to Chloe's question.
Chloe was slow to catch on, nodding her head and then biting her lip, contemplating how to decline. Observing Chloe's hesitation, Donovan added, "This marriage would come with a time limit. If you agree, we can go to the courthouse tomorrow. As for the end date…"
"I disagree!" Chloe stated firmly.
Donovan fell silent.
Words Donovan had left unsaid would never find their way out. He just stared intently at Chloe.
For the first time, someone had refused him.