The sharp sound of a woman's heels echoed through the hallway of RA Jewels.
Annabelle Bradford walked toward the receptionist's desk with a male assistant beside her, holding a file tightly in his hands.
She had spent the last few days working on the proposal in that file.
It was supposed to be the solution to the problem that had been troubling her for months.
If she got the contract, RA Jewels would have a chance to recover.
If she didn't, she wasn't sure how much longer the company could survive.
"Please tell your CEO that a representative of RA Jewels wants to have a word with him," the woman said to the receptionist.
The receptionist looked at her before picking up the phone.
"Okay. Let me get in contact with the boss."
She spoke for a few seconds before ending the call.
"You can go in, ma'am."
The woman nodded.
"Thank you."
She turned towards the large wooden door at the end of the hallway.
For a moment, she stopped.
She had negotiated with businessmen before. She had faced difficult clients and rejected offers without thinking twice.
But this meeting was different.
The person waiting behind that door had something she desperately needed.
Annabelle took a deep breath before knocking.
"Come in."
She pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The first thing she noticed was how quiet the office was.
A man sat behind a large desk, completely focused on the documents in front of him. He didn't look up when she entered.
Jason Grayson.
The only grandson of the Grayson family and one of the most powerful young businessmen in the country.
Annabelle had heard enough about him to know that getting him to agree to a business deal would not be easy.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Grayson."
Jason finally raised his eyes from the documents.
His expression remained calm as he looked at her.
"Sit."
Annabelle walked towards the chair opposite him and sat down.
"My name is Annabelle Bradford. I am the CEO of RA Jewels."
"I know."
His answer made her pause.
"You know?"
Jason returned his attention to the document in front of him.
Annabelle looked at him for a few seconds.
She had no idea how he knew who she was, but she decided not to waste time asking.
She had come for business, not conversation.
"I am here to ask for the rights to dig for gold in the suburb area controlled by the Grayson family."
She took the proposal from her assistant and placed it on Jason's desk.
"Please have a look."
Jason picked up the document.
He went through it silently.
Annabelle watched him carefully.
She had spent days preparing that proposal. She had gone through the numbers several times and made sure the Graysons would benefit from the deal.
This was not a proposal she had thrown together because she was desperate.
After a few minutes, Jason placed the document back on the desk.
Annabelle waited.
"What do you think?" she finally asked.
"I am not interested."
Annabelle's expression changed slightly.
"You haven't even made a counteroffer."
"I don't need to."
She stared at him.
"Then what exactly is the problem with the proposal?"
"There is no problem with the proposal."
"Then why are you rejecting it?"
Jason looked at her.
"Because I don't want the deal."
Annabelle took a slow breath.
She had expected him to negotiate.
She had expected him to ask for a higher percentage of the profit or add another condition to the contract.
She hadn't expected him to simply reject it.
"Mr. Grayson, RA Jewels is offering a profitable deal. The Graysons will also benefit from it."
"I know."
"Then why—"
"Why are you so interested in this particular area?"
Annabelle stopped talking.
Jason leaned back in his chair.
"I have received several proposals concerning that area. Yours is not the first."
Annabelle folded her hands together.
"Because I believe it is a good investment."
"That isn't the real reason."
"It is."
Jason looked at her for a few seconds.
"Your company has been struggling."
Annabelle's expression changed.
He knew.
"How do you know that?"
"I do my research before making business decisions."
Annabelle didn't respond.
She hated the fact that he had discovered something she had tried so hard to hide.
RA Jewels had been struggling for months, but she had refused to let anyone outside the company know how serious the situation was.
She had worked too hard to build the company.
She wasn't going to let people look at her like she had failed.
"I can still make this project profitable," she said.
Jason said nothing.
"Give us the rights," she continued. "You won't regret it."
He remained silent.
Annabelle waited for his response.
Nothing.
"Mr. Grayson?"
Jason finally looked at her.
"What are you willing to offer?"
Annabelle sat up slightly.
She had expected this.
"Whatever is reasonable."
"Whatever?"
"Yes."
Jason's expression remained unchanged.
"Are you sure?"
Annabelle nodded.
"Yes."
Jason leaned forward slightly.
"Then I have one condition."
Annabelle's attention immediately shifted to him.
"What condition?"
Jason's eyes remained fixed on hers.
"Marry me."
Silence filled the room.
Annabelle blinked.
Once.
Twice.
She stared at him, trying to understand what she had just heard.
"Excuse me?"
"Marry me."
Jason said it as calmly as if he had asked her to sign another business document.
Annabelle couldn't believe what she was hearing.
She had come into the office expecting to negotiate a business contract.
Instead, Jason Grayson had just asked her to marry him.
And she had no idea why.