Jane's POV
"We need too talk Jane," Allen said, turning to look back at me.
"What? Didn't we just talk now, are you planning something else...?" I asked, leaning closer.
"No, see this, it might feel different and at the wrong time, but I just figured out to protect you fully, er have to do something else," He said, stepping closer, his eyes darting to Celine and back to me.
"You're speaking like this is—"
"Marry me," he dropped, flexing his jaws like it was nothing.
"T-that was a terrible joke, please leave when you're done," I replied with a scoff and turned alongside Celine.
"It is not a joke Jane, I need you to marry me," He added again.
"I don't seem to understand, marry you for what exactly? Bear children?" I asked, my nerves flaring.
"The child you're carrying, yes, but I'm not asking you to marry because of it, I'm asking you to marry me because of you,"
My mouth went dry. Words gathered in my throat but none of them formed sentences. Celine stopped breathing beside me like even her lungs were afraid to interrupt.
"You're asking me to marry you because of… me?" I repeated, unsure if the room was tilting or if my knees were giving up.
Allen nodded once. No dramatics. No hesitation. It was the calmest life-changing sentence I'd ever heard.
"I don't understand," I said, shaking my head slowly. "You barely know me. You don't even like talking about yourself, and I don't trust half the people in my own life. Why would you think marriage is an answer?"
"Because your husband—" he paused, correcting himself, "your ex-husband has already escalated. The threats around you aren't just about the scandal anymore. They want you vulnerable. They want access. Being tied to me legally makes you untouchable. At least for now."
My stomach twisted. "So this is a protection plan."
"No," he said sharply. "It's the most effective strategy to keep you alive."
Celine's hand brushed my arm. "Jane… listen to him."
I pulled away slightly. "This is insane. People don't just propose because a situation is dangerous. They hire more guards. They move cities. They don't jump to marriage."
"You're not dealing with normal people," Allen replied. "Your ex isn't just angry. He's cornered. And men like him are most dangerous when they're losing power."
"Even if that's true," I breathed out, "why you? Why not just… put me under protection somewhere else?"
"Because he's not acting alone," he said. "Marcus is involved. And Marcus doesn't go after random people. He goes after leverage. You. Me. Anyone who was present that night. Anyone who threatens the narrative they want."
A chill ran through me. Hearing my fear confirmed out loud made everything sharper, harsher.
"And you think a marriage certificate fixes that?" I whispered.
"It forces their hand," he replied. "They can't target you without targeting me. And that's a war they're not prepared for."
I stared at him, searching for cracks—manipulation, ulterior motives, anything. But he stood still, jaw set, eyes steady, as if he had already accepted the consequences.
"You said you're asking me because of me," I said quietly. "What does that mean?"
His gaze softened—not dramatically, just enough to make my chest tighten.
"It means I see the way you fight," he said. "Even when you're terrified. Even when you're tired. You don't crumble. You keep standing." His voice dropped lower. "And I respect that."
The room felt too small.
"This wasn't part of your plan, was it?" I asked.
"No," he said. "But neither was you."
Celine's eyes widened at that, and I felt her fingers clutch the bedsheet.
I let out a shaky breath. "Allen, marriage isn't a shield. It's… everything. If we do this, it doesn't go away when the danger does."
"I know," he said simply.
"And you're ready to deal with that?"
"Yes."
My pulse throbbed against my ribs. "What if I say no?"
His expression didn't change, but the air thickened.
"Then I reinforce the security around you, move you someplace more concealed, and we fight this from a distance. But your ex will push harder. Marcus won't stop. And the window we have to stay ahead of them will shrink."
"So saying no makes everything riskier."
"Yes."
"And saying yes binds me to you in ways I can't undo easily."
"Yes."
He wasn't sugar-coating it. He wasn't begging. He was giving me the truth in the cleanest form possible, and somehow that made it harder to breathe.
Silence wrapped around us for a moment.
Finally, I spoke.
"I don't make decisions like this fast," I whispered. "I've already lived through one wrong marriage. I won't walk into another trap."
"This isn't a trap," he said. "This is a choice. And you'll make it when you're ready."
I swallowed hard. "So you're not expecting an answer right now?"
"No," he replied. "But time isn't on our side. There's something else you need to know… before you decide."
My heart tightened. "What is it?"
Allen stepped closer, lowering his voice.
"Your ex-husband isn't just planning something," he said. "He's already moved. He signed off on something last night."
Celine sat up straighter. "Signed off on what?"
Allen's jaw flexed.
"On a contract," he said. "A contract with Marcus. And the target… is you."
The air in the room shattered. My breath stopped. Celine gripped my arm.
I barely heard my own voice when I whispered:
"What kind of contract?" Allen's eyes darkened.
"The kind that doesn't leave survivors."
And just like that, the floor beneath my life shifted again.