The meeting was set at The Vault , a members-only restaurant known for its total privacy. Ariyah understood the message: this was a business deal, to be discussed in a secure location.
She dressed for the boardroom battle this was. She chose an outfit in midnight blue a sleek, powerful color. The dress was from a top designer, its structured blazer-style top cinching her waist before flaring over her hips, the skirt hugging her curves with elegant precision. She looked like a queen, not a pawn.
Wayne Collins was already seated when she was led to the secluded booth. He didn't stand, merely watched her approach. In the soft light, he was even more imposing. His suit was impeccable, his expression unreadable. Those storm-grey eyes tracked her, assessing, giving nothing away.
"Ariyah," he greeted, his voice a low baritone that vibrated in the quiet space.
"Mr. Collins," she replied, sliding into the booth opposite him, her posture confident.
"Wayne will do. We are to be married, after all." He said it without a hint of warmth. A statement of fact. "You understand the terms?"
"I do. Marriage to you unlocks my inheritance. A simple key-and-lock mechanism," she said, keeping her tone cool, professional.
"Not entirely simple." He leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table. The move was subtly domineering. "The clause gets us to the altar. But I am a man who secures his investments. A prenuptial agreement is non-negotiable. My assets remain mine."
"Understood. My grandfather's company and assets remain mine," she fired back.
A slight, almost imperceptible nod. "Of course. However, the inheritance is not my primary interest."
That surprised her. Her carefully maintained composure flickered. "Then what is?"
His gaze intensified, pinning her in place. "Legacy. The merger of our families' names has value. But true continuity requires heirs."
A cold trickle, part shock, part something darker and more thrilling, went down her spine. Heirs. Children.
"You're talking about children," she stated.
"I am securing a future. The Collins legacy, carried forward by a child who would also be the heir to the Jones empire. It is the ultimate consolidation." He spoke like he was acquiring a company. "This is the real contract. The marriage is the formality. The child is the substance."
Ariyah felt the ground shift. This wasn't just a marriage of convenience. It was a demand for her body, her future, wrapped in ruthless business logic. The man she secretly loved was negotiating for her womb.
"And my freedom until the wedding? My studies?" she asked, her voice remarkably steady.
"Your life is your own until the day you say 'I do'," he said. "After that, our lives merge. Your role as my wife, and eventually as the mother of my heir, becomes your primary focus. Your… influencer activities would cease. Discreetly, of course."
The control he was asserting was breathtaking. He wasn't just getting a wife; he was planning a dynasty, using the clause as his leverage.
She looked at him the sharp line of his jaw, the intense eyes she'd dreamed about. This was not the gentle confession of a secret admirer. This was a takeover bid. And the secret love she harbored felt like a dangerous weakness.
She leaned forward now, meeting his gaze head-on, a slow, deliberate smile touching her lips not warm, but challenging. "You have it all figured out, Wayne. But a contract requires agreement from both parties. You've stated your terms."
She paused, letting the silence stretch.
"Now you get to hear mine."