Chapter 95 Sell Herself Again
The moment Quinley spotted David, her heart plummeted to rock bottom.
She pretended not to see him and tried to slip back into her apartment, her hand moving quickly toward the door handle. But David was faster—he took the steps two at a time and wedged himself through the doorway just as she tried to close it.
"Quinny, are you okay?" His roguish smile was infuriatingly charming, but Quinley didn't release her grip on the door.
"Dr. Brown, I'm exhausted and need to rest. If you have something to discuss, contact me later."
Her dismissal was ice-cold and final.
"Actually, I do have something urgent. Really urgent." David raised his voice while still blocking the doorway.
Quinley released the door and walked back into her apartment. David immediately followed and locked the door behind him.
"I didn't invite you in."
"I'm here to protect you, Quinny. Look—" He grabbed her arm and pulled her toward the balcony.
From her apartment window, Quinley could see far more people than usual milling around the complex. They clearly weren't residents—strangers circling her building like vultures waiting for prey.
"Who are they?"
Her frown deepened. These people were obviously waiting for her.
"Shhh—" David pressed a finger to his lips just as aggressive knocking erupted from her front door.
He crept to the peephole and peered out, then tiptoed back to report. "There's a whole crowd out there."
The knocking intensified, each rap more insistent than the last.
"Ms. Elikin, we know you're home. Could you please accept our interview?"
The voices identified themselves as reporters.
"Ms. Elikin, sources claim you interfered in the relationship between Apex Global Group CEO Zachary Jennings and Ms. Alicia Davis, leading to their broken engagement. Is this true?"
They'd started their interview whether she responded or not, hurling questions through the door.
Quinley stared coldly toward the entrance but remained silent.
"Go to your bedroom. I'll tell them you don't live here anymore and get rid of them."
"Don't." Quinley caught his arm, her voice barely above a whisper.
Opening that door would give ammunition to anyone looking to create scandal, regardless of who answered.
The crowd didn't disperse until dusk finally fell.
"Any idea who's behind this?" David sprawled across her sofa, remarkably relaxed for someone trapped in a siege. Being confined with Quinley felt like a privilege rather than a punishment.
"I know."
"Quinny, this isn't worth it." David leaned closer, his expression growing serious. "What Zachary did today was admirable, but do you understand what it'll cost him? Breaking with the Davis family at this moment is basically digging his own grave."
Despite his playboy reputation, David understood power dynamics with crystal clarity.
"Do you know who framed my father?"
The casual question carried unexpected weight.
Quinley remained silent as David's smile turned bitter. "Harold's handiwork. Killed two birds with one stone—played both the Brown and Jennings families like puppets. He thinks I'm clueless, but I'm not that stupid."
"If you're not that stupid, why are you still going after Zachary?"
David crossed his legs with practiced nonchalance. "Because if I don't play along, you think Harold will spare my father or me? Quinny, smart people pick the winning side. I can't gamble with the Brown family's future or my own. Besides, Zachary isn't entirely innocent in what happened to my dad."
Self-preservation was human nature. In the face of real consequences, twisting facts and sacrificing others meant nothing.
But Quinley felt nothing but contempt for his choices.
"Quinny, do you think Alicia will let this go?" David's question came from nowhere, catching her off guard.
When had Alicia ever let anything go?
"That's her choice."
Quinley settled into the single armchair, resigned. She'd always been a thorn in Alicia's side. Now that Zachary had broken their engagement, Alicia would need someone to blame.
Quinley would make the perfect target.
"You might not care about yourself, but what about your parents? What about Dennis? You do care about your family, don't you?"
Of course she did. And because she cared, they became weapons Alicia could use against her.
Quinley's silence was answer enough.
"Harold's ambitious—he wants Apex Global Group and he'll get it. The Davis and Jennings families have been fighting for control of Rosewood City for nearly a century. Whoever wins or loses, what does that have to do with us? But if you get dragged into their war, you'll just become collateral damage."
This version of David felt like a stranger, but his logic was sound.
"So what do you suggest I do to stay out of it?"
Quinley met his gaze directly. His lecture on consequences wasn't just about helping her see the situation clearly.
David's smile confirmed her suspicion. He pulled a folded paper from his pocket, smoothed it on the coffee table, and slid it toward her.
"This is a cooperation agreement. If you're interested, just sign at the bottom. I guarantee I'll fulfill every responsibility outlined here."
Quinley picked up the document, and her eyes widened as she read. It was a marriage contract—she would marry David in ceremony only, no legal registration. Three-year term. During that period, David would protect both Quinley and her family. When the contract expired, if she hadn't fallen in love with him, it would terminate with no strings attached.
The agreement was clearly tailored specifically for her situation—solving her immediate problems while keeping her out of the family feud entirely.
"What's in it for you, Dr. Brown?"
David shrugged. "A chance. A chance to protect you, or maybe a chance to make you love me."
"And your conditions?"
There was no such thing as a free lunch, and Quinley knew better than to trust surface appearances, no matter how altruistic they seemed.
"Quinny, you know why I like you so much? You're the smartest woman I've ever met." David's grin was genuine. "I only have one condition—you stay by my side for these three years."
The terms weren't unreasonable or harsh.
Quinley's mind raced, calculating risks and benefits with mechanical precision.
"If I have this baby, the child takes my name only." Her voice was steady, businesslike.
Smart people dealing with smart people didn't need elaborate games.
David didn't hesitate, raising his right hand in mock oath. "I agree."
If he was willing to accept everything, what was she still hesitating about?
This marriage would be purely transactional—mutual benefit with clear boundaries.
The Brown family might not match the Jennings' power, but they still carried weight. David's protection would extract her from the feud immediately.
More importantly, it would keep her family safe.
And Zachary wouldn't have to sacrifice his position worrying about her.
Three years ago, she'd sold herself to Sylvia to save Colin's life. Today, to escape this whirlpool, she was ready to sell herself again.
Quinley stood, found a pen, and signed the agreement.