The world around her seemed to vanish.
Jade stood frozen. The words "Will you marry me?" echoed in her mind like a bell struck too hard.
The box…
The ring…
Daniel.
Everything was too real.
Gasps rippled through the crowd gathered outside the house. Her mother stood by the doorway, stunned, one hand covering her mouth. Gabriel took a step forward, but even he couldn't speak.
Daniel remained still, kneeling before her, his hand outstretched steady, patient… unshaken. His amber eyes locked onto hers with unwavering intensity. No smile. No plea. Just the weight of a man who had made up his mind.
Daniel slowly closed the ring box with a soft click.
After a long pause, Jade suddenly burst out laughing, breaking the stunned silence.
Everyone around her was taken aback by the unexpected reaction.
She glanced toward the window with a sharp, sarcastic smile and said,
"Where are the hidden cameras? This has to be some kind of joke.
Jade looked at Daniel with a sharp glare.
"Just because we've bumped into each other two or three times doesn't mean marriage is suddenly on the table."
Daniel smiled faintly, unfazed.
"It won't be a love marriage. Think of it more like an arranged marriage… or a contract marriage."
That surprised Jade even more.
Her mother, standing close by, was visibly shaken. Questions swirled in her mind: Who was this man? Why did he want to marry her daughter? And why did he, a seemingly wealthy gentleman, take such an interest in Jade?
"You don't discuss these kinds of things at the doorstep, sir…" she started but then stopped herself.
"Daniel… Daniel Ooman," he said calmly.
"Mr. Ooman, please come in," Madame Lee replied, trying to maintain her composure.
Daniel and his two bodyguards stepped inside.
Closing the door firmly behind them, Madame Lee turned to the neighbors waiting outside and said sharply,
"Don't you all have better things to do? Go on, get out of here!"
She slammed the door.
Inside the small living room, an uncomfortable silence settled. Daniel stood tall, his presence almost too large for the modest space. His bodyguards positioned themselves quietly near the entrance, statuesque.
Jade crossed her arms, standing in front of him with narrowed eyes.
"So this is a business deal now? A contract marriage?" she scoffed. "How charming."
Daniel didn't flinch.
"I'm offering protection. Stability. A partnership," he said, voice calm but firm. "And something tells me you need all three."
Jade's jaw tightened. He wasn't wrong but she wasn't about to admit that.
Her mother looked between them, still trying to piece everything together.
"I think I deserve to know what's going on," Madame Lee said, voice low. "Daniel Ooman, who are you really? And why my daughter?"
Daniel turned to her, polite but direct.
"I'm the heir to the Ooman Group. And I need Jade… because she's the only person who ever looked me in the eyes without fear …. and also she's the only person that can help me "
That silenced the room.
Jade blinked. Her mother gasped softly, placing a hand on her chest.
"And what exactly do you want from her in return?" Madame Lee asked cautiously.
Daniel's gaze went back to Jade.
"Just her name on the contract. The rest… she'll decide," Daniel said calmly.
"Mr. Ooman…" Madame Lee began, unsure.
"Daniel," he interrupted gently, offering a polite smile. "Please, call me Daniel, Madame Lee."
She coughed lightly, a hint of pink rising to her cheeks. He was undeniably charming.
"Well then… Mr. Daniel ehem, Daniel," she corrected, slightly flustered. "Marriage isn't something to take lightly. It's not just about contracts or arrangements. I don't want my daughter marrying without love… or without being loved in return."
Daniel's smile faded. He stood still, saying nothing his expression unreadable.
That's when Gabriel, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke up.
"How exactly can a girl from a modest family help someone like you?" he asked coldly. "Sounds like you're just using her. I don't support this so-called 'contracted marriage.'"
Daniel slowly turned to him.
"And you are?" he asked coolly.
"Gabriel. Her brother, her best friend."
Daniel's tone sharpened, still polite but firm.
"Alright. You're all of that. But you're not her father."
He let the words hang for a moment before adding,
"The only permission I need… is from Miss Lee and Madame Lee."
Gabriel's expression darkened. He didn't trust Daniel not one bit.
The two men exchanged sharp glances, small jabs slipping into their words like quiet daggers.
Tension filled the room.
But Jade remained calm, her gaze steady.
She wasn't the naive girl they thought she was. No, she was already thinking, analyzing.
Daniel's words echoed in her mind: *"I'm offering protection. Stability. A partnership."*
Maybe… just maybe, he wasn't entirely wrong.
With his help, she could reach her goals faster. Prove to everyone who mocked her, who looked down on her, that she wasn't useless. Maybe just maybe standing beside a person like him to give her the power to face people who had always made her to feel small . She could finally enter the world of the elite, face the very people she secretly envied… and maybe, that envy was the root of her resentment all along.
She took a deep breath and raised her hand slightly.
"Mom, Gabriel calm down."
Both turned to her, startled.
Jade looked at Daniel with a half-smile, voice laced with sarcasm.
"This whole contract marriage idea… it's not so stupid after all. In fact, it's kind of interesting."
"Jade!!" Madame Lee and Gabriel shouted in unison.
But Jade just smiled, unfazed.
Turning back to Daniel, she tilted her head slightly.
"Can I give you my answer tomorrow?"
Daniel met her eyes, his expression unreadable but then he nodded once.
"Of course."
He then turned to Madame Lee and Gabriel, bowing slightly.
"Thank you for your time. Please excuse me."
Without another word, he exited the house, his guards following quietly behind him.
As the door shut, silence returned only now, it buzzed with unspoken thoughts and impossible possibilities.
.
.
Inside Daniel's car.
Luccianho sat beside him in the back seat, glancing his way.
"So, since you've decided to marry her, I assume you got the confirmation you needed at the charity gala last night," he said.
Daniel gave a small nod.
*— Flashback —*
Inside Daniel's penthouse.
"I need to confirm what I've been suspecting," Daniel said quietly, pacing near the large windows.
"Como?" Luccianho asked in Portuguese, frowning.
Luccianho continue in english "Since you won't be seeing each other again…"
He stopped, hands in his pockets, lost in thought then said
"can't just show up at her place—that would seem strange… Wait. The charity gala tomorrow.
I want her to be there.
Luccianho raised a brow.
"I don't think the agency will agree. And from what I heard, she had a minor conflict with them."
Daniel smirked.
"They won't have a choice… And as for her? Don't worry she'll come."
He turned to the tall glass windows, staring out at the city lights below.
"All I need… is one more kiss to confirm it."
— End of Flashback —
Luccianho gave a small, impressed smile as he looked at his boss.
Only Daniel Ooman could plan something like this so calmly.
.
.
.
At Jade's house.
Gabriel and Madame Lee stared at her, stunned.
"How can you even *consider* accepting a proposal from a complete stranger?" Madame Lee asked, clearly distressed.
"He's not a stranger, Mom. Besides… Gabriel knows him," Jade replied casually.
"What?!" Gabriel snapped, raising his hands defensively as Madame Lee threw him a sharp look.
"I don't know him! Don't listen to her!" he protested.
"And Madame Lee," he continued, pointing dramatically, "this guy has a terrible reputation. I mean there are rumors"
"What kind of rumors?" Madame Lee asked quickly.
Jade rolled her eyes.
"Don't listen to him. He's just jealous because I might get married before he does," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Nonsense!" Gabriel barked.
Jade brushed them both off with a sigh.
"Relax. If I don't like the terms of the contract, I won't accept. Simple as that," she said, walking off toward her room.
But her mother followed, nearly furious.
"Miss Lee! There has never been an arranged marriage in this family and it is not going to start now!"
Jade paused at her door, shook her head with a sigh, and entered her room without a word.
She closed the door gently behind her, leaned against it, and muttered to herself:
"What I really want to know… is how he even got my address."
.
.
.
The next morning.
Jade stirred awake as her phone buzzed with a message.
"My driver is waiting for you. Get ready and come to my house ."
She blinked at the screen, then let out a small laugh.
"Oh, so now I'm Cinderella," she muttered to herself, smirking.
She got ready quickly, styled her hair with minimal effort, and walked into the kitchen where her mother was preparing breakfast. Leaning down, she placed a kiss on her cheek.
"There's someone waiting outside… right in front of the house," her mother said, a little uneasy.
Jade grabbed her bag and replied with a playful tone,
"It's my future husband. He sent a car and driver for me." Her voice was half amused, half sarcastic.
Her mother rolled her eyes.
"If I said anything, you wouldn't change your mind anyway, would you?"
Jade grinned. "Mom, you know me too well."
She picked up an orange from the table. "See you later!"
With that, she walked out.
Madame Lee let out a long sigh as the door closed.
"Where on earth did she get this attitude from…? ."