Chapter 29 Unwelcome Proposition
Olivia：POV
I froze in my tracks at the sound of Jason's voice, my body instantly tensing. It had been over a month since our public breakup, and I'd been perfectly happy keeping it that way.
"Olivia." Jason stepped out from behind a black Audi, his perfectly tailored suit unable to hide the tension in his shoulders. "We need to talk."
"I don't think we have anything left to discuss," I replied coldly, gripping my keys tighter. "Move aside."
Instead of backing off, he grabbed my wrist. "Just hear me out. Five minutes, that's all I'm asking."
I glared at his hand on my arm. "Remove your hand, or security will do it for you."
He let go but didn't step back. "Please, Olivia. Not here in the parking lot. Just coffee. I promise it won't take long."
Something in his voice—a desperation I'd never heard before—made me pause. Against my better judgment, I nodded. "Five minutes. That's it."
The coffee shop across the street from Radiance was quiet this time of evening. I deliberately chose a table near the front window, in full view of the street. Whatever Jason wanted to say, I wasn't giving him the privacy to make a scene.
"What would you like? My treat," Jason said, already standing before I could object. "Latte, right? Extra shot?"
I was about to refuse, but my phone buzzed with what looked like an urgent work email. "Fine. Thanks," I said absently, already scrolling through the message from office.
Jason returned a few minutes later with two cups. I was still absorbed in my phone, typing a quick response about tomorrow's client presentation. He set my latte down and slid into his seat.
"So?" I prompted, finally looking up and taking a sip of the coffee. "What's so important that you had to ambush me outside my office?"
To my complete shock, Jason slid out of his chair and dropped to one knee beside our table. Several patrons turned to stare.
"What the hell are you doing?" I hissed, mortified.
"Olivia Parker," he said, reaching for my hand which I quickly pulled away, "I made the biggest mistake of my life. I'm sorry. I was a fool—every man makes mistakes, but I swear I'll never let you down again." He pulled out a small velvet box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a massive diamond ring. "Marry me. Let me make it right."
I stared at him, momentarily speechless from the sheer audacity. Then I started laughing—a sharp, bitter sound that made nearby customers shift uncomfortably.
"Are you actually serious right now?" I kept my voice low but couldn't hide my disgust. "You think an apology and a ring erase what you did?"
"Liv, please—"
"Don't 'Liv' me. I caught you cheating, Jason. How long would you have kept it up if Charlotte and I hadn't compared notes? Were you planning to marry me while keeping her on the side?"
He had the decency to look ashamed, but his eyes kept darting around the coffee shop, as if more concerned about who might be watching than my response.
"It was a mistake," he insisted. "One I'll regret forever. But we can move past this."
I leaned forward. "Let me be perfectly clear: there is no 'we' anymore. You're not getting another chance. We're done."
I took another sip of my latte, needing the caffeine to deal with this absurd situation. The coffee tasted slightly bitter, but I attributed it to my anger.
As I stood to leave, Jason lunged forward and grabbed my wrist again. His fingers dug painfully into my skin.
"You can't just walk away from me," he said, voice dropping to a harsh whisper.
Pure instinct took over. Years of self-defense training kicked in, and I twisted my arm sharply while pressing my thumb into the pressure point on his wrist. Jason yelped in pain as I reversed his hold, bending his arm back at an awkward angle.
"Don't touch me again," I said calmly, releasing him. The few customers still watching quickly averted their eyes.
Jason massaged his wrist, his face flushed with humiliation. "I'm sorry, truly. I just... Olivia, a merger between our companies would benefit us both. Nexus Tech could provide the technological infrastructure for Radiance's expansion."
And there it was—the real reason behind this sudden proposal.
"So that's what this is really about," I said, understanding dawning. "Your stock dropped after our little public confrontation, didn't it? The board's not happy with all the negative publicity, so you figured making me your wife would smooth everything over."
His silence was confirmation enough.
"Well, I'm not interested in being your corporate band-aid, Jason. You're going to have to fix your reputation without me."
I reached for my purse, but a sudden wave of dizziness hit me. The coffee shop seemed to tilt sideways for a moment. I gripped the edge of the table to steady myself.
"Are you okay?" Jason asked, suddenly solicitous, though something in his eyes looked almost... expectant.
"I'm fine," I mumbled, though my tongue felt strangely thick. "Just tired."
Had I eaten today? I tried to remember. Apart from drinking some coffee here and having a granola bar at lunch, I hadn't had anything else after that. Could it be low blood sugar? But I hadn't experienced these symptoms at the office at all.
I looked down at my mostly empty coffee cup, and a chill of realization ran through me. The bitter aftertaste. Jason's insistence on buying the coffee. His strangely expectant expression.
"What did you put in my drink?" I tried to say, but the words came out slurred and barely audible.
"I need to go," I managed, trying to stand but finding my legs unresponsive.
"You're in no condition to drive," Jason said, his voice strangely clearer than everything else. "Let me help you."
He was beside me now, arm around my waist, supporting my increasingly limp body. We were moving toward the door.
"What's happening?" I tried to say, but I wasn't sure if the words actually came out.
"You're just tired," Jason's voice whispered in my ear as he led me toward the parking lot. "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."
My mind was screaming warnings, but my body wouldn't respond. Through the fog descending over my consciousness, I felt Jason's grip tighten around me as he leaned close.
"You don't want to marry me? Fine," he whispered, his voice no longer solicitous but cold and calculating. "We don't need a ceremony to make this arrangement work. Some things can be... negotiated differently."