XAVIER'S POINT OF VIEW

I should have been standing at the altar.Instead, I was watching security footage.

The monitor replayed the same scene for what felt like the hundredth time.Isabella walked into the bridal suite.A few minutes later, her makeup artist left then the hairstylist, then her bridesmaids.

But Isabella.......Never came out.I leaned both hands against the conference table, my eyes never leaving the screen.

"Run it again."The technician obeyed without question.The footage restarted,Same hallway,Same door but still same result.

"Sir..."The head of security stepped forward.

"We've searched every floor of the hotel."

"No sign of her?"He lowered his head.

"No, sir."A muscle ticked in my jaw.

"This hotel has over three hundred cameras."

"I know."

"So explain to me how a bride disappears without being seen."No one answered.

Tap.......Tap......Tap.

The sound of a cane striking the marble floor echoed through the suite.I didn't have to turn around because I already knew who it was......My grandfather.

He stopped beside me.

"I warned you."I finally looked at him.

"This isn't the time."

"It is precisely the time."His voice was calm, but that made it worse.He wasn't angry,He had already made up his mind.

"The board has been informed."I frowned.

"What?"

"If today's wedding does not take place..."He met my eyes.

"...your position as Chief Executive Officer will be reviewed immediately."Liam let out a disbelieving laugh.

"Reviewed?"Grandpa didn't even glance at him.

"Victor will assume control until the board reaches a final decision."I looked away.

Victor??My cousin had spent years trying to prove I wasn't worthy of leading Kingsley Group.Today was the opportunity he'd been waiting for.

"This is ridiculous," I said.

"My bride disappears, and somehow I'm the one being punished?"His expression didn't change.

"You are not being punished."

"You are being tested."I laughed bitterly.

"By losing everything?"

"If you cannot protect your own future..."He paused.

"...how can you protect this family's future?"The room fell silent again.

Liam finally broke the silence.

"So..."He rubbed the back of his neck.

"What's the backup plan?"

"There isn't one," I answered.

"There has to be."

"There isn't."He started pacing.

"We're running out of time."

"I know."

"The guests are already talking."

"I know."

"The press is outside."

"I know."He stopped in front of me.

"Then think."I closed my eyes.For the first time in years...I had no solution.

Then......A memory surfaced.

The young woman kneeling on the marble floor.Broken champagne glasses scattered around her.nstead of blaming the waitress who dropped the tray, she smiled.

"It's okay."

"We're a team."Later...She walked into this very room carrying the marriage documents.

She hadn't stared at me like the way other girls had.She hadn't tried to impress me....She'd simply done her job.Even when everyone around her was panicking...She stayed calm.

My eyes opened.Liam noticed immediately.

"You've got an idea."I reached for my jacket.

"It's not a good one."He grinned.

"Those are usually your best ideas."I slipped my arms into the sleeves while Grandpa watched me carefully.

"What are you going to do?"I fastened the first button.

"What I have to."Without another word, I walked out of the suite.The hallway buzzed with anxious employees pretending everything was under control.

It wasn't,Nothing was.As the elevator doors opened onto the ballroom level, the noise hit me all at once.Guests whispered behind champagne glasses.

Reporters crowded the entrance,The musicians stood awkwardly beside the stage, unsure whether they were supposed to keep playing.

Then.......I saw her.She was standing near the head table, carefully adjusting a crooked centerpiece while another employee apologized for knocking it over.

"It's fine," Naomi said with a reassuring smile.

"We still have time."She fixed the flowers herself.

I stared at her for a long moment then I started walking.She noticed me when I was only a few feet away and her smile faded into confusion.

"Mr. Kingsley?"I stopped in front of her.

"I need your help."She blinked.

"My... help?"

"Yes."

"With what?"I looked straight into her eyes.

"Marry me."

NAOMI'S POINT OF VIEW

"Marry me."For a second...I simply stared at him then I laughed.Not a polite laugh.....A genuine, uncontrollable laugh.

"I'm... I'm sorry." I covered my mouth.

"That was actually funny."Mr. Kingsley didn't laugh.His expression remained unreadable.The smile slowly slipped from my face.

"...You're serious?"

"I am."I blinked twice, waiting for him to smile or admit this was some strange billionaire joke.He didn't.

"You can't be serious."

"I've never been more serious."I looked around the ballroom.Several guests were watching us from a distance, pretending not to.

A waiter nearly walked into a flower stand because he was too busy staring.Even the musicians had stopped pretending to rehearse.Heat rushed to my face.

"Mr. Kingsley..."

"Xavier."

"What?"

"My name is Xavier."I frowned.

"This isn't the time to correct me."

"No," he said calmly.

"It isn't."

"Then why are you asking me to marry you?"His jaw tightened.

"My bride disappeared."

"I know."

"I have less than an hour before this wedding is officially declared a failure."

"I'm... sorry."

"So am I."His answer came quietly.

For the first time since we'd met, I noticed how exhausted he looked.The expensive tuxedo,The perfectly tailored jacket,The polished shoes.None of them could hide the dark circles beneath his eyes.

For a brief moment......I almost felt sorry for him.Almost.

"But why me?"

"You stayed calm when everyone else panicked."I frowned.

"What?"

"You helped your coworker instead of blaming her."

"Anyone would've done that."

"No."His gaze remained fixed on mine.

"They wouldn't."I opened my mouth but closed it again.Surely...That couldn't be the reason.

"You don't even know me."

"I know enough."I laughed again, though this time it sounded uncertain.

"Mr... Xavier..."He raised an eyebrow.

"Even if I wanted to help....which I don't......marriage isn't something you ask a complete stranger."

"I know."

"You don't."

"I do."

"No, you really don't."A small silence settled between us.Then he asked,

"Do you trust me?"

"What?"

"I asked if you trust me."

"I met you less than ten minutes ago."

"Fair enough."He slipped one hand into the pocket of his tuxedo.

"I'm not asking because I'm in love with you."

"Good."

"I'm asking because I need your help."

"And I'm not qualified."

"You are."

"No."

"Yes."I folded my arms.

"You really don't give up, do you?"

"I've been told I'm persistent."

"I'd use another word."One corner of his mouth lifted.It was the first hint of amusement I'd seen from him all day.

"I probably deserve that."I sighed.

"Look..."

"I truly am sorry about what happened."

"I can't imagine how difficult today must be."

"But marrying you isn't the answer."I turned to leave.

"I'll pay you."My steps stopped.Slowly...I looked back.

"I'm sorry?"

"I'll compensate you for your time."I stared at him.

"You think I'm saying no because of money?"

"No."

"Then why bring it up?"

"Because what I'm asking will change your life."His voice was calm.

"So it should change mine too."I shook my head.

"You can't buy a wife."

"I'm not trying to."

"It certainly sounds like it."

"I'm offering a contract."I blinked.

"A... what?"

"A temporary marriage."I couldn't help laughing again.

"This gets crazier every second."

"It will last one year."

"And then?"

"We divorce."I stared at him as though he'd lost his mind.

"You've planned all this already?"

"I've had a very stressful morning."

"I can tell."He glanced toward the ballroom entrance where reporters crowded behind the glass doors.

"If this wedding doesn't happen today..."

"My company suffers."

"My employees suffer."

"Thousands of people could lose their jobs."His words caught me off guard.I'd expected him to talk about money,about reputation.Not...People.

Still...It wasn't enough.

"I'm sorry."I shook my head.

"I can't."For a second......Neither of us spoke.Then he took one slow step toward me.

"What if I offered you fifty million dollars?"Everything around me seemed to stop immediately.

I searched his face, waiting for the punchline.

"...How much?"His eyes never left mine.

"Fifty million dollars."

NAOMI'S POINT OF VIEW

"Fifty million dollars."The words echoed in my head.Surely.......I'd heard him wrong.

I stared at Xavier, waiting for him to smile, laugh, or tell me this was some bizarre prank but he didn't.

"You can't be serious."

"I am."

"No..."I shook my head slowly.

"People don't just offer strangers fifty million dollars to get married."

"They do when they have no other choice."For a long moment, neither of us spoke.The ballroom buzzed with whispers around us, but somehow it all sounded distant and I looked him up and down.

Perfectly tailored tuxedo,Calm expression,Confident posture.He certainly looked like a billionaire.Maybe billionaires really did solve problems by throwing money at them.

"I think you've officially lost your mind."A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"My best friend said the same thing."I sighed.

"Mr. Kingsley..."

"Xavier."

"Fine. Xavier."I rubbed my temples.

"Even if I wanted to help.....and I don't.....you can't expect me to marry someone I met less than an hour ago."

"I don't."

"Then why are we still having this conversation?"

"Because I think you're still listening."I hated that he was right.

"I need a wife," he continued calmly.

"You need money."I frowned.

"You don't know anything about me."

"No."

"But judging by your shoes, you've been wearing them for years."I looked down instinctively.

The black heels I'd bought during my second year of college had been repaired so many times I'd stopped counting.

"The stitching on your uniform has been redone by hand."I glanced at my sleeve.Mom had stitched that last month.

"And when your supervisor handed you the marriage documents, you held them like they were made of glass."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You care."His answer was immediate.

"You care about your work."

"You care about people."

"You stayed behind to help someone who couldn't offer you anything in return."He looked straight into my eyes.

"I don't need a perfect wife."

"I need someone I can trust."His words caught me off guard.Trust?....He trusted me? After barely knowing me?

"You don't even know my favorite color."

"I don't need to."

"You don't know whether I snore."

"I can survive."

"You don't know if I burn toast."

"I'll hire a chef."I blinked....Was he...Joking?A tiny laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

"There it is."

"What?"

"You smiled."I immediately looked away.

"I wasn't smiling."

"You were."

"I wasn't."

"You definitely were."

"This is unbelievable."

"It really is."For the first time all day...He actually smiled....It wasn't a broad grin.Just enough to soften the exhaustion in his face.

And somehow...That made him even more handsome.

Stop it, Naomi.I mentally slapped myself.He's your boss's client and he's asking you to marry him.....Focus.

"I'm still saying no."His smile disappeared.

"I understand."Relief washed over me.Finally....He was giving up but then another voice interrupted.

"She's refusing?"I turned.

The man who had brought me into the suite earlier walked toward us with two lawyers behind him.

He looked between Xavier and me before offering an apologetic smile.

"I'm Liam."He extended a hand.

"Xavier's best friend."I shook it politely.

"Naomi."

"So you're the woman who's making my best friend sweat."Xavier shot him a look.

"Liam."

"What?"He lifted both hands innocently.

"I'm just trying to help."He turned back to me.

"Can I have sixty seconds?"

"I suppose."He nodded gratefully.

"Thank you."He lowered his voice.

"They're lots of people here, let's go somewhere less crowdy"He said and began walking while Xavier and I followed behind him. I noticed I was receiving lots of stares and I quickly looked away.

"I know this sounds insane."He said immediately he stopped walking.

"It does."

"It is."I couldn't argue with that.

"But Xavier isn't a bad man."

"I never said he was."

"He won't force you."

"I know."

"And if you say no..."He glanced at Xavier.

"...he'll accept it."I looked at Xavier and he gave a small nod.

"I will."For some reason...That made this even harder.Because he wasn't trying to manipulate me....He wasn't threatening me.

He was simply asking and waiting.

My phone vibrated again and I frowned.It was another call from the hospital.

This time...Fear settled deep inside my chest and I answered immediately.

"Hello?"

"Miss Bennett?"It was Nurse Angela.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you again."

"Is something wrong?"

"We've just received an update from Dr. Hassan."I stopped breathing.

"The surgery has been scheduled."Tears immediately filled my eyes.

"That's wonderful."

"It is."

"But..."My heart sank.

"The payment must be completed within twenty-four hours."Twenty-four hours.

"Otherwise..."The nurse's voice softened.

"We'll have no choice but to give the operating slot to another patient."The world seemed to tilt beneath my feet.

"I..."

"I understand."

"We're sorry."The call ended and I lowered my phone with trembling hands.

My mother.....Twenty-four hours.Years of saving,Still not enough.I closed my eyes.No...There had to be another way,There had to be.

"Naomi."Xavier's voice was gentle.

"You don't have to tell me."I looked at him.

"But someone you love needs help."A tear escaped before I could stop it and I quickly wiped it away.

"I'll figure something out."

"You don't have much time."

"I know."Silence stretched between us then Xavier took one slow step closer.

"If you agree to this marriage..."His voice remained steady.

"...the fifty million will be transferred today."I stared at him.

"...Today?"

"Immediately after the ceremony."Another silence,Longer this time.My mind screamed at me to walk away but my heart whispered something else.

Mom.....I slowly looked down at the contract the lawyer had placed on the nearby table. It needed just my signature,One impossible decision.....One chance to save the only family I had left.