Aidan had never seen a woman with a pair of green eyes so intense it felt like she was piercing deep into his soul.
"Will you marry me?" Anna repeated with an edge of desperation as she grabbed both his hands.
Aidan forced his mouth shut, glanced away briefly before looking back at her.
Should he blame himself for saving her? Is this what he got instead of a thank you? A marriage proposal?
She let go of his hands and he felt the absence immediately. He watched her try to stand up and he rose to help her. If someone had told him two hours ago that he would be here, helping a woman get off a hospital bed instead of being at work, he wouldn't believe it.
"First, let's get out of here. We need to talk..."
"You need to be on bed rest," he cut her short as she unclipped the strip attached to her veins. She dropped the pants of water, grabbed his hand and her phone before walking to the exit.
Aidan couldn't believe he was letting this weird woman drag him out.
His intention when he saw her unconscious body in the car was to bring her to the hospital and leave, but the moment he noticed the brakes were tampered with, he just couldn't leave.
He knew someone was behind it and he wanted to unravel that.
She looked so innocent and small, she could pass for a baby. But in his line of work, he knew there was more to the face.
They took the elevator down and their eyes met. She flashed him a smile and stretched her hand. "I'm Annalyn Lorenzo. What about you?"
He stared at her for a moment, unsure of telling her his name or accepting her silly proposal.
Marriage was the last thing on his mind.
He didn't take her hand. The elevator dinged open and he stepped out. He was so sure she was kidding about wanting to marry him because it sounded so absurd, he found it hard to believe. He heard her following him behind and decided he was going to drop her off wherever she wanted, perhaps the police station, and then leave.
When they got out, Aidan pointed to his car. A small Peugeot car he usually rode to work every morning.
Anna stared at the car for a moment, probably wondering why it was so small. Without a word, she jumped into it and he did the same.
"Where to?" he asked, sparing her a glance.
She refused to answer. Instead, she folded her arms around her bosom and asked, "Won't you marry me?"
Sheer irritation darted through him.
"Do you go around asking people to marry you?" he found himself asking, and her eyes stiffened.
She turned away, her gaze finally leaving his. Without a word, he kicked the car engine into action and drove away from the hospital.
The silence was awkward and uncomfortable so he asked again. "Where can I drop you?"
"Your house," she replied sharply and the car stopped abruptly.
"What?!" he exclaimed with utter disbelief.
Her gaze burned over him and he started to frown when she revealed, "My fiancé tried to kill me."
With a mix of confusion and curiosity, his brows furrowed.
"And my step-sister. If my step-sister is involved like I assume she is, then it means my step-mother is also aware so going back home right now is not a good idea. Don't you think so?"
Aidan scoffed, his stomach churning with irritation. "Is that why you want me to marry you?"
"Technically," she replied nonchalantly.
A vein began to throb in his temple and he sucked his lower lip, frustration gnawing at his heart.
"Warren and I were supposed to be married in two weeks so I can get my inheritance but I caught him cheating on me with my step-sister this morning before the accident."
His eyes darted back to her. "Is that why you think he is responsible for the brake failure and for drugging you?"
"Yes," she replied firmly. He was about to tell her they needed substantial evidence to back up that claim when she added, "Warren whispered something into Sophie's ears before she left his apartment this morning and when I went back home, I drank the coffee in the living room. It's either Warren had Sophie tamper with my car brakes or the brakes were tampered with back at home. And the coffee I drank was always made by either Sophie or Kathryn."
Aidan furrowed his brows. "Who is Kathryn?"
"My step-mother," Anna answered rather quickly.
"But we don't have any evidence to provide to the police..."
"I'm not going to the police..." she cut him short, which was something he detested.
"And why?"
"Because going to the police will give me away. I don't need any evidence because I don't intend to have them locked away. All I need is to get my inheritance. If I don't get married in two weeks, whether to Warren — which I definitely will not do — or to anyone else, I will lose the company to Sophie and Kathryn."
There was a genuine reason behind her sudden proposal after all.
Still, it sounded silly. Proposing marriage to just anyone was absurd.
She didn't even know him.
"Warren and I have been together for two years. He needs to get married too to get his father's company and since he has made his choice, I guess I need to make mine too."
Aidan was watching in silence, wondering what it would be like to be married to a vulnerable green-eyed woman like her.
"It's going to be a marriage of convenience and I don't mind paying you if that's what you want. Just name your price!" she flashed him another smile, making him wonder how she could go from being on a deathbed to a sad woman who just got heartbroken and now to a woman who was carefree.
Anna tapped him lightly on the shoulder and he faced her squarely. "You don't need to be shy. I can pay you really. Just name it!"
He almost laughed.
There was no denying she was loaded. And she was willing to pay for his services.
"So?"
Amusement filled his expression as he asked, "Are you sure you can pay me my price?"
With confidence, she nodded her head intermittently. "Sure, I will. I'll do anything to get back at that jerk and get the company so I definitely can pay you."
Aidan nodded in understanding and uttered firmly, "I want your sister's head on a plate in two hours. Can you do that?"
Horror filled her expression instantly and he let out a chuckle.
He couldn't remember the last time he laughed like he just did. Apparently, he was greatly amused by this woman, and sticking around with her for a few months didn't seem like a bad idea.
"What the hell was that? What the hell did you just do?" she slapped his shoulder playfully and he laughed again. "Who the hell are you anyway?"
That was it.
She didn't know him and he was damn sure she didn't want to know who he was. Still, he was damn curious to know how she'd react if he told her who he was, and what he did.
He knew women of high class like Anna went for men of the same caliber. That must be the reason why she wanted to marry this Warren guy, but now he cheated on her, and she wanted someone else. He figured who he was wouldn't matter to her because of how desperate she was.
Aidan knew he had nothing to offer her.
"You don't want to know," he said, trying to keep up with the light atmosphere.
"I want to. We are getting married anyway..."
"I haven't accepted yet," he reminded her.
She nodded in agreement. "So what's your name?"
He watched her with a smile as curiosity filled her expression. "I'm Aidan."
"Aidan?" she asked to be sure and he nodded. "Aidan. So?"
To stop her from going ahead with digging deep into what she wasn't ready to know about him, he decided to change the topic.
"For how long do you need to be married?" he inquired, starting the car again, his head swirling with an idea.
"12-24 months at least so it doesn't look like I got married for the inheritance," she answered, a touch of bitterness in her voice.
Twelve months was equivalent to a year and that was a lot already. And twenty-four months was definitely impossible.
Still, he didn't oppose her. "I accept."
A surprised gasp left her plump lips. "Really? You'll marry me?"
"Yes, I will."
"Wow. I..."
"But on one condition," he suddenly interrupted her with a smile.
Her jaw dropped slightly and she stared at him with suspicion before asking, "What condition?"
"On the condition that there will be no sort of negotiation. I tell you my price and you give it to me."
Anna nodded without hesitation, urging him to go on. "Just name it. I'll have the cash arranged. How much do you want? A million dollars? Two million? Just name it and I'll have that transferred as soon as...."
Aidan quickly blurted out, "I'll marry you if you accept to transfer 30% of your company shares to my name."
He watched her mouth drop agape as the words registered in her brain, and she exclaimed loudly in disbelief, "What?"