Elena looked at the ring, then up at him. The logic was cold, efficient, and utterly ruthless—exactly like the man standing before her. "A pretext," she whispered, testing the weight of the word. "Purely," Julian lied.
Julian stood, walking slowly around the desk until he was inches from her. He didn't offer a handshake. Instead, he reached into his pocket and placed a velvet box on top of the legal documents. He flicked it open. A four-carat emerald shimmered under the chandelier. Elena didn't gasp. She went still. "What is this?" "A proposal," Julian replied. "This is a business meeting, Julian. Don't be absurd." 3 : A Proposal as a Pretext
Should we explore what happens at their as a couple, or should we skip to the tensions of sharing a home? Elena looked at the ring, then up at him
Julian leaned back, the amber liquid in his glass catching the dim light. He wasn't looking at the merger papers. He was looking at the way Elena’s jaw tightened when she was bluffing. "Purely," Julian lied