The thunder seemed to explode inside Lin Wei's skull, making her eardrums buzz. Outside the window, the rainstorm finally poured down. The dense rain hit the huge floor-to-ceiling windows crazily, twisting the bright urban neon outside the window into a vague and cold halo, just like her chaotic heart at this moment.
"Marry me."
These two words were still swirling coldly in the air, with the cedar-like cold breath on Gu Heng's body, which wrapped around her, making her almost breathless. Her eyes were fixed on the gold-plated document in front of her - the Marriage Contract Agreement. The cold golden font, like a poisoned chain, exudes a seductive and deadly breath.
Gu Heng has returned to the floor-to-ceiling window, with his back to her. The straight and lonely back, against the backdrop of the rain, was like an insurmountable iceberg, isolating all the temperature and sound of the outside world. In the space, only the sound of raging rainstorm outside the window and her own drumming heartbeat were left.
Ten minutes.
Lin Wei took a deep breath and pinched her nails deeply into her palm. The sharp pain forced her confused thoughts to gather a trace of clarity. She is not an unworldly little girl. She is Lin Wei, an analyst who can find the best solution from complex financial data. No matter how absurd the proposal is, she must analyze the pros and cons in the shortest time and find the core terms.
She stretched out her trembling fingers and opened the heavy agreement.
The terms are clear, cold and logical, just like Gu Heng himself. Lin Wei forced herself to work and scanned the printed regular words word by word with her concentration on analyzing financial reports.
**Core Clause I: The nature of marriage. ** Pure contractual relationship, for a period of two years. Both parties are only nominal husband and wife, fulfilling the necessary public partner obligations (such as family gatherings, specific social activities). There is no substantial requirement for marital relationship.
**Core clause two: Lin Wei's obligations. **
1. Move into the residence designated by Gu Heng immediately (the address is attached after the agreement).
2. In front of the public and the Gu family, play the role of "Mrs. Gu" to show love, decenity and loyalty. It needs to be guided by an image consultant to meet the decent requirements of the Gu family.
3. Do not interfere with any private affairs and business decisions of Gu Heng.
4. Do not disclose any information about the contractual marriage. Violators will bear huge liquidated damages and legal responsibilities.
5. You need to cooperate with all the necessary occasions designated by Gu Heng, including but not limited to family dinners, charity activities, etc.
**Core clause three: Gu Heng's obligations. **
1. Within 24 hours after the contract takes effect, all debts owed by Lin's Textile to Gu's Bank will be fully paid off (the specific amount is listed, so large that Lin Wei's eyelids will jump), and the bankruptcy liquidation procedure for Lin's Textile will be canceled.
2. After Lin's textile debt is settled, an interest-free loan will be provided for the short-term operation restart of Lin's textile (the specific amount is also listed, which is enough to relieve the urgent need).
3. During the contract period, Lin Wei's basic living needs were guaranteed, and agreed residence and reasonable living expenses were provided (specific standards are attached, which are amazingly luxurious).
4. At the expiration of the contract, the two parties peacefully dissolved the marriage, and Gu Heng paid Lin Wei an additional "confidentiality and labor compensation" (the amount was also amazing).
**Core Clause 4: Confidentiality and breach of contract. ** The confidentiality clause is extremely strict, and the amount of liquidated damages is high enough for Lin Wei and her father to spend the rest of their lives in debt repayment. If any party violates its core obligations, the other party has the right to terminate the agreement immediately and pursue legal responsibility and huge compensation.
Lin Wei's eyes repeatedly looked at those cold numbers and harsh terms. Every word is like an ice cone, piercing her shaky self-esteem.
**Playing the role of "Mrs. Gu"** - this means that she will completely lose her freedom and become a vase and a puppet he carefully created. Her proud professional ability and social status will be swallowed up by the golden cage of "Mrs. Gu".
**Do not interfere in any of his affairs** - she will live in his shadow, knowing nothing about him, like a real tool.
**Confidential** - She will carry this absurd secret alone and cannot tell anyone, including her closest father.
And what he could give her... Lin Wei's eyes fell on those two numbers again: paying off the astronomical debt and saving her father's efforts; providing restart funds to give Lin's textile a chance to survive. This is the only straw she can grasp and save her father at this moment. The price is her freedom, dignity, and... her life in the next two years.
"Oh..." A very light and self-deprecating sneer overflowed from Lin Wei's lips. What a fair deal. Use her freedom and dignity in exchange for money and a chance to breathe. Naked, cold and ruthless, just like Gu Heng.
She raised her head and looked at the man who was still with his back to her. His figure was motionless in the rain, like a sculpture without emotion. Does he need her? A "wife"? A tool? What kind of woman does he want for a man who stands at the peak of power? Why is it her? A dejected rich man with a huge debt and no way out? The agreement does not mention the real reason why he needs this marriage. What's hidden behind this? Huge benefits? Or is it a deeper trap?
Countless questions are rummering in my mind. But Lin Wei knew that she didn't have time to investigate deeply. Ten minutes is the time limit for him to give alms. And her father's time is less.
The sound of rain outside the window seems to be quieter, but the air is more sticky and depressing. Lin Wei closed her eyes. Her father was lying on the hospital bed with a haggard but forced smile. The desperate eyes of the old employees who had followed her father for decades in the company, and the picture of her mother holding her hand and asking her to take good care of her father and "Lin" before her death... Scenes clearly emerged, pressing the heavy pain in her heart.
When I opened my eyes again, there was only an almost tragic determination left in those always calm and rational eyes. All the struggles, humiliations and unwillingness were forcibly pressed into the deepest part of her heart. She picked up the heavy and valuable Montron pen on the table. The cold metal touch made her fingertips tremble.
Gu Heng seemed to sense her movements and slowly turned around. His eyes fell on her again, still deep and cold, as if he was evaluating a commodity that was about to be sold.
Lin Wei didn't look at him. Her eyes fell on the blank in the signature column at the end of the agreement. She took a deep breath, as if to squeeze out the last hesitation in her chest. Then, she bent down and the tip of the pen hovered on the paper.
"Mr. Gu," her voice was unusually calm, with a coldness after the dust settled, "I have finished the agreement."
Gu Heng didn't say anything, but just looked at her quietly, waiting for her final judgment.
The tip of Lin Wei's pen finally fell. The black ink was scattered on the expensive paper, and her name - "Lin Wei" - was written one by one. The handwriting is clear and stable, and even has a hint of the sharpness of her former professional woman. But only she knew that the knuckles holding the pen were pale because of excessive force.
When the last stroke fell, she felt as if she had drained all her strength and put an invisible shackle on herself.
She straightened up, gently put the pen back in place, and then pushed the signed agreement in the direction of Gu Heng.
"I signed it." Her voice was not loud, but it clearly penetrated the afterglow of the rain, "The contract takes effect. Mr. Gu, I hope you can fulfill your obligations as promised.
Gu Heng's eyes swept over her signature on the agreement, which was clear but single-minded. In those bottomless cold eyes, there seemed to be something very subtle that fluctuated, so fast that it was difficult to catch. He didn't pick up the agreement, but nodded slightly, with a plain tone, as if everything was expected:
"Very good. Miss Lin, from now on, you are Mrs. Gu.
He pressed the internal phone, and his voice was simple and cold: "Secretary Zhang, come in."
Almost at the same time as the words fell, a middle-aged woman in a professional suit with a meticulous expression pushed the door in, holding a folder and an exquisite velvet box.
"General Mr. Gu."
"Send Miss Lin... No," Gu Heng's eyes fell on Lin Wei and corrected, "Send Mrs. Gu to 'Yunqi Waterfront'. Give her a copy of the agreement. In addition," his eyes turned to the box in Secretary Zhang's hand, "Give this to her."
Secretary Zhang respectfully handed a copy of the agreement and an open velvet box to Lin Wei. In the box, there is a huge diamond ring lying quietly. The perfectly cut diamond reflects a cold and dazzling light under the top light, which is very similar to the essence of this contract marriage - dazzling but not warm.
"Mrs. Gu, please follow me." Secretary Zhang's voice is respectful but alienated.
Lin Wei's eyes stayed on the dazzling diamond ring for a moment, and then took the copy of the agreement expressionlessly, but did not touch the ring. She straightened her back, like a green bamboo that was about to be transplanted into a cold land, and silently followed Secretary Zhang to the door.
At the moment when she was about to step out of the cold office, Lin Wei's steps almost stopped imperceptiblely. She tilted her head slightly, and the afterglow from the corners of her eyes turned to the man standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window for the last time.
The rainstorm gradually stopped, and the city outside the window flashed with wet lights under the rain, but it still looked distant and indifferent. Gu Heng's figure is still isolated on the glass, vague, as if it is integrated with the cold world under his control. He didn't look back.
Lin Wei withdrew her gaze, no longer hesitated, and followed Secretary Zhang into the exclusive elevator.
The elevator door closed silently, isolating the world that symbolized power and coldness, and completely sent her into this uncertain transaction in the name of marriage. The slight sense of weightlessness caused by the descent of the elevator made her feel in a trance that she was falling into a bottomless whirlpool.