Veronica didn't sleep that night.
She tried. She really did.
She lay in bed, turned off the lights, closed her eyes… but her mind refused to quiet down. Every thought seemed to pull another one in, and then another, and another.
Before she knew it, she was sitting on the edge of the bed again, staring at her phone.
The headline was still there.
"Verdan Group Under Investigation for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud."
She locked the screen with a sharp motion.
It felt like a nightmare that refused to end.
Her father was still in the hospital.
The company was practically frozen.
And now… that absurd proposal.
Marriage.
She let out a long breath.
"This makes no sense…"
But the more she thought about it, the clearer one thing became:
Leon Alighieri was not the kind of man who made offers without a reason.
There was something behind this.
Something she didn't understand yet.
The next morning, the car came to a stop in front of a towering glass building in the heart of the financial district.
Alighieri Corporation was engraved in metallic letters at the entrance.
Veronica stepped out, a strange weight settling in her chest.
She didn't know exactly what she was expecting to find inside.
An arrogant businessman.
A cold manipulator.
Someone looking to take advantage of her family's downfall.
Either way—
She had no intention of making this easy.
The receptionist led her to a private elevator.
"Mr. Alighieri is expecting you."
Of course he is.
The elevator rose in silence.
Tenth floor.
Twentieth.
Thirtieth.
Each number lighting up on the panel seemed to tighten the pressure inside her chest.
When the doors finally opened, a long hallway stretched out ahead.
At the very end—
One door.
Large.
Dark.
Imposing.
Veronica walked toward it.
For a brief moment, she thought about everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours.
If someone had told her this story two days ago, she would have laughed.
Now it was her reality.
She knocked.
"Come in."
The voice from inside was calm.
Deep.
Controlled.
She pushed the door open.
The office was massive—but surprisingly simple.
No excessive luxury.
Floor-to-ceiling windows revealed the entire city below.
Near the glass, a man stood.
He turned as she entered.
Leon Alighieri.
He was younger than she had imagined.
Early thirties, maybe.
Tall.
Composed.
But what truly stood out were his eyes.
Dark.
Observant.
As if he was constantly analyzing everything around him.
"Miss Verdan," he said.
Not warm.
But not rude either.
Veronica crossed her arms.
"So, it's you."
Leon raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Were you expecting someone else?"
"No."
She walked a few steps into the room.
"I just didn't think someone could make a proposal like yours so… casually."
He gestured toward the chair in front of his desk.
"Would you like to sit?"
"I'd rather stand."
He didn't insist.
Just watched her for a few seconds.
"I assume you have questions."
"A lot."
"Go ahead."
She didn't hesitate.
"Why me?"
The question hung in the air.
Leon moved slowly toward the desk.
"Because your family needs help."
"And you suddenly became a philanthropist?"
The corner of his mouth twitched.
Almost a smile.
"Not exactly."
"Then let's skip the act," she said sharply. "What do you really want?"
Leon placed both hands on the desk.
"An agreement."
"A marriage is not an agreement."
"In most cases… it is."
Veronica let out a humorless laugh.
"You're talking about this like it's a business contract."
"Because in this case, it is."
He picked up a document and slid it toward her.
"Read it."
She glanced down.
Marriage Contract.
It felt unreal.
Clauses.
Conditions.
Minimum duration.
Confidentiality terms.
"Two years?" she asked.
"That's enough."
"Enough for what?"
"To resolve certain matters."
Her eyes lifted.
"What kind of matters?"
He didn't answer immediately.
"Business matters."
"This is starting to sound like a terrible idea."
"Maybe it is."
Silence settled between them.
Not uncomfortable.
More like a quiet battle—each trying to read the other.
Veronica closed the document.
"You want to marry me."
"Yes."
"In exchange, you save my family."
"Yes."
She tilted her head slightly.
"And you expect me to believe this is just a deal?"
Leon's voice remained steady.
"You don't have to believe it."
"Just decide."
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
Veronica thought about the hospital.
Her mother's exhausted face.
The company sinking.
She hated the idea of this marriage.
But she hated even more the thought of losing everything.
"Let me ask you something," she said.
"Go ahead."
"Did you have anything to do with what happened to my family?"
Leon looked straight at her.
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"I am."
She tried to read him.
But Leon Alighieri was impossible to decipher.
"Then why help us?"
He took a moment before answering.
"Because sometimes… certain things need to be corrected."
That didn't explain much.
But it didn't sound like a lie either.
Veronica exhaled.
"You know this is insane, right?"
"I do."
"And you still want to go through with it."
"I do."
She stared at him.
Trying to understand the man in front of her.
Trying to understand the deal.
In the end, it all came down to one impossible choice.
Save her family.
Or keep her freedom.
She picked up the pen from the desk.
Spun it between her fingers.
"If I agree… don't expect this to be a real marriage."
Leon answered without hesitation.
"I don't."
She took a deep breath.
"Then I guess we have a deal."
At that same moment…
Across the city…
Daniel Armand stood in front of a television.
A news ticker ran across the bottom of the screen:
"Sources suggest Alighieri Corporation may take over Verdan family debts."
The glass in his hand shattered.
Pieces fell to the floor.
He barely noticed.
His eyes were locked on the screen.
"No…"
He grabbed his phone.
Dialed a number.
"Find out what's going on between the Verdans and the Alighieris."
A voice responded on the other end.
Daniel's tone dropped—cold.
"Because if Leon Alighieri is trying to take Veronica from me…"
His grip tightened around the phone.
"…that's a mistake he's going to regret."