Nicholas sat comfortably in the backseat of his car, his posture relaxed yet commanding. He stole a glance at Vivian, who remained quiet beside him, her thoughts clearly racing. The silence stretched between them as the city lights blurred outside the tinted windows. Vivian could feel the weight of Nicholas's eyes on her, but she refused to fidget. She had already shown enough vulnerability tonight. Now, it was time to hold her own.
"Let's get something to eat," Nicholas said abruptly, breaking the silence.
Vivian blinked in surprise, looking at him from the corner of her eye. "Now?"
"Now," he replied, with the same smug expression he'd worn since the beginning of the night. He tapped on the window, and Williams, the driver, nodded.
Within minutes, the car pulled up in front of an exclusive restaurant. Its sleek façade gleamed under the city lights, and two suited doormen stood at attention as Nicholas stepped out. He didn't wait for Vivian to catch up; he strode inside, his long coat swaying behind him. Vivian followed, trying to appear unfazed by the high-end clientele, all of whom seemed to recognize Nicholas immediately.
They were seated at a corner table, secluded and private, just as Nicholas had requested. The restaurant was the kind where the portions were small, the service silent, and the prices astronomical. Vivian had never been in a place like this, and it didn't take long for her to feel out of place. Nicholas, however, looked perfectly at home.
He glanced at her with a raised eyebrow. "Don't worry, you won't be paying for this. I wouldn't want my fiancée starving herself before our wedding."
"I didn't think I would be paying," Vivian shot back, her sarcasm sharp, though it faltered under the realization that this arrangement was fast becoming real. She wasn't just Vivian anymore, at least not in Nicholas's eyes. She was soon to be his wife.
A waiter appeared, and Nicholas ordered for both of them without consulting her. Vivian felt a pang of annoyance but bit her tongue. Nicholas wasn't the type to ask. He was the type to decide. She would have to get used to that.
Minutes later, plates of exquisitely arranged dishes were placed before them. Vivian looked down at the meal and then back at Nicholas, whose eyes held a glint of amusement as he watched her reaction.
"Eat," he said, leaning back in his chair. "You'll need to get used to my generosity. I don't want my fiancée to be lean while we're married."
Vivian narrowed her eyes. "Generosity? Is that what you call this?"
Nicholas shrugged, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Call it what you want. I like to take care of what's mine."
She swallowed her retort and took a small bite. The flavors were extraordinary, but her mind was too distracted to fully appreciate it. She felt like she was making a deal with the devil, and each moment that passed only solidified that feeling.
Nicholas's gaze didn't leave her as they ate, his expression unreadable. After a few bites, he waved the waiter over and ordered a takeaway box. Vivian frowned in confusion.
"What's that for?" she asked.
Nicholas smirked. "You'll take the rest home. I don't want you starving after I drop you off. Get used to this, Vivian. You're going to be my wife, and I have certain expectations. I don't want you looking frail or neglected."
Vivian bit the inside of her cheek. She didn't like the way he phrased it like she was an object to be maintained. Still, she needed this. If marrying Nicholas was the price she had to pay for getting her inheritance back, she'd do it.
Once the waiter had delivered the takeaway box, Nicholas leaned forward, his eyes suddenly more serious. "Now, let's discuss the terms of this marriage."
Vivian straightened, putting her fork down. This was the moment she had been waiting for the moment where she could lay out her boundaries.
"I'll marry you," Vivian began, her voice steady, "but when the time comes, I'll walk away. No attachments, no complications. We'll end this marriage cleanly, and I won't interfere in your personal business. I want my inheritance back, and that's all."
Nicholas studied her for a moment before shaking his head. "There's no end to this marriage, Vivian. Once we're married, it's for life."
Her eyes widened In shock. "What?"
"You heard me," he said, his voice low but firm. "There will be no divorce, no annulments. We will stay married for as long as I see fit. I don't enter agreements with an exit plan."
Vivian's heart raced. She hadn't expected that. She opened her mouth to argue, but the intensity in Nicholas's gaze made her pause. He was serious , deadly serious.
"And one more thing," Nicholas continued, "we'll sleep in the same room. Same bed. I won't have a wife living separately from me, even if it's only a contract. We'll be like any other married couple."
Vivian felt the ground shift beneath her feet. This wasn't what she had signed up for. She had expected a marriage of convenience, a transaction. But Nicholas wanted something different, something far more binding.
"That's not what I agreed to," she managed, her voice trembling slightly.
"It's what I'm offering," Nicholas countered, his expression unyielding. "If you want my protection and the resources to reclaim your inheritance, these are the terms. Take it or leave it."
Vivian clenched her fists under the table, weighing her options. She needed this marriage, but the idea of being tied to Nicholas with no escape terrified her. And the thought of sharing a bed with him? That was a line she hadn't expected to cross.
"You said no unnecessary misunderstandings," Vivian said, trying to regain some control of the conversation. "If we're doing this, then we settle things together. No secrets, no fights over petty things."
Nicholas nodded. "Agreed. I don't have time for drama. If there's an issue, we deal with it. No running off, no sulking."
"Fine," Vivian muttered. "But I want time before you announce our engagement. I need to prepare."
Nicholas's gaze sharpened. "Time?"
"Yes," Vivian insisted. "You can't just throw this at me. I need time to adjust. You can't rush this."
Nicholas tapped his fingers on the table, his eyes thoughtful. "Normally, I'd agree. But Kate mentioned something at the party. Apparently, your stepmother plans to visit my mother soon and push for a match between Kate and me. We need to act before she has a chance."
Vivian's heart sank. Of course, Evelyn wouldn't waste time. She should have known Kate would drag Nicholas into her schemes as soon as possible.
Nicholas leaned closer, his voice soft but firm. "I want this engagement public soon, Vivian. The sooner we announce it, the sooner we shut down any plans your family has."
Vivian swallowed, her mind racing. She hadn't expected things to move so quickly. But she could see the logic in Nicholas's argument. If they didn't act fast, Evelyn and Kate would manipulate the situation. And once they had Nicholas's mother on their side, it would be even harder to fight back.
"Fine," Vivian said at last, her voice barely above a whisper. "But let's take it one step at a time."
Nicholas smiled, satisfied. He signaled for the bill, and within minutes, they were back in the car. The ride to Vivian's apartment was quiet, the weight of the agreement settling heavily between them.
As they pulled up outside her building, Nicholas handed her a business card with his personal number. "Tomorrow. My office. We'll finalize the contract."
Vivian nodded, slipping the card into her pocket. Nicholas watched her closely for a moment, his eyes unreadable.
"Goodnight, Vivian," he said softly.
"Goodnight," she replied, stepping out of the car, her mind still spinning from everything that had just happened.
As the car drove away, Vivian stood in the cold night air, clutching the takeaway box in one hand and Nicholas's card in the other. She had gotten what she wanted but at what cost?.