What in the rasclaat bomboclaat thing even happened back there in the boardroom?
Andrea stood in Sebastian's office, shivering, frozen, and confused out of her mind. He had spoken to her so sweetly right after announcing she was his fiancee…
"Sweetheart, how about you go to my office while I take care of the meeting?"
Sweetheart?
Office?
Fiancee??
Her fingers were still touching her cheek, the same cheek he had kissed. She blinked once… twice… trying to wake herself from whatever dream or madness this was.
How did she go from being single for four solid years… to suddenly being someone's fiancee?Without… without any proper dating? Without any 'I like you'? Without anything?"
She shook her head slowly, her fingers brushing her cheek again.
A small chuckle escaped her, but her eyes stayed wide and fixed on nothing.
"Is Sebastian bipolar… or does he have twelve different personalities? Did he not just bypass her like a nobody a while ago?" she whispered to herself...
The last time at the club was something else. She still hadn't recovered from that one. And now today? This man had casually walked into the boardroom, saw her like she was some lost pepper seller and suddenly… claimed her. As a fiancee, a whole damnn FIANCEE.
Her brain couldn't even process it in order. She had known him for barely a week. That was how long she had been in this man's orbit and already she was wearing a title that some girlfriends dream of for years to get.
Even Ethan took six years before he proposed to her.
Meanwhile Sebastian? He blinked twice and decided, Yes. This one. This is my fiancee now.
Andrea sank slowly into the leather chair, hugging herself.
"How am I going to do this?" she asked softly. "And… do I even want this?"
Her heart didn't answer.
Still trying to figure out which direction her life had just taken, Andrea snapped her head up when the door opened. Sebastian walked in immediately.
He didn't even look at her.
Andrea stood so fast her chair almost toppled. She could feel sweat drizzling down her spine under her dress. Her fingers shook. Her breath was uneven. She watched him quietly for a second. He looked drained… stressed out… almost like someone had dragged him through fire.
But she needed answers. She needed him to speak. She needed him to take responsibility for whatever madness he had just created downstairs…
When she realized he wasn't going to say anything, she rushed toward him.
"What the fuck went on there?" Andrea demanded, her teeth clenched so tight it felt like they might crack.
Sebastian finally looked at her for the first time since he entered.
"Marry me," he said firm with zero expression.
Andrea's face slowly began to crumble.
He really is bipolar, she thought. 100 percent confirmed.
"It's for six months," he added, his tone steady. "You'll be compensated. No personal obligations. Just a signature. I need a wife on paper."
Andrea opened her mouth to answer...to yell, to curse, to tell him he was insane. But he cut her off again.
"I need to protect what's mine," he said sharply. "I'll make it worth your while."
Andrea opened her mouth again. And again said nothing. Only a small tremble escaped her lips.
"I… I can't do that," she whispered. She repeated it, voice cracking. "I can't."
"I'll give you twenty-four hours to think about it," Sebastian said simply.
Then without waiting for her to breathe, blink, or protest, he turned and walked out.
The door closed behind him.
After her breakup with Ethan, she had vowed with her whole chest that she would never step into another relationship again. Never. Not even a date.
And now? Now she was somehow standing inside the possibility of a contract marriage with a man she barely knew.
"How the hell… did I get myself here?" she whispered
Andrea stood there for a couple of minutes and slowly stepped out of the office. When she came out, she fidgeted a little, seeing Mr Victor at the far end with Sebastian standing in front of him as they spoke. Andrea lowered her head slightly, shy of everything happening on their side.
"This is one of the best days of my life," Mr Victor said, his voice thick with happiness. "Thank you… Thank you for finally letting me see this day. Thank you for being the man I always hoped you would be."
Sebastian simply nodded and then walked away. From where Andrea stood, she could feel the heaviness in him as he watched her.
Slowly, Andrea walked up to Mr Victor's section. She bowed slightly in front of him, and he smiled at her, so pure that she could almost feel it warm her chest.
"How did I end up introducing you both when you were already dating and knew each other all along?" he chuckled, tapping his forehead. "How silly of me."
Andrea looked at him quietly. She wanted to tell him everything, that what happened was new to her, that she herself was only just finding out she was a fiancee. But she couldn't bring herself to do it; Mr Victor looked too happy. She didn't want to spoil his happiness.
She stood still and let him talk, let him praise her as if she deserved all of it.
Then he gently patted her shoulder.
"I've known you in this hotel for two years, and I'm so glad you're here. You've become my daughter-in-law, Miss Paloma Moon," he said, smiling once again before turning to walk away.
Andrea watched him go, biting her lip. Without a word, she stood there as Mr Victor disappeared down the hallway.
She inhaled slowly, forcing her racing mind back into work mode.
If she kept thinking about Sebastian's offer, she was going to lose her mind.
She headed for the service elevator that led to the executive floors. Her badge blinked green and the doors opened. As the elevator ascended, she drew in a long breath.
Work. Just work and focus.
But the moment she stepped onto the operations floor, everything was already falling apart…Staff rushed back and forth. Two supervisors were whispering urgently over a tablet. Someone dropped a whole stack of linens on the floor.
Andrea quickened her steps…."What's going on here?" she asked sharply.
One supervisor, Jenna, hurried toward her…"Ms Moon, thank God. Housekeeping just reported a major issue."
Andrea blinked. "What kind of issue?"
Jenna held out the tablet. A live feed from Suite 1402….one of the penthouse-level premium rooms, one of the most expensive in the entire hotel.
"Oh no…"
The entire suite was flooded with actual water…Pouring from the ceiling which was cascading off the chandelier like a damn waterfall.
Carpets drenched. Furniture soaked. The room looked like it had been underwater for hours.
"How long has it been like this?" Andrea demanded.
"Housekeeping discovered it fifteen minutes ago," Jenna replied. "The guests checked out this morning. No one noticed earlier."
Andrea pressed a hand to her forehead…A flood in a luxury suite on a day when the hotel was already under pressure? This alone would cost thousands, maybe tens of thousands of dollars.
"Where's maintenance?" Andrea asked.
"They said they'll be here in ten minutes."
"Ten minutes?" Andrea snapped. "If the wiring gets worse and RD sees this, we're doomed."
"We know, ma'am, but they're dealing with something else."
Andrea paused mid-step…"Something else?" she repeated slowly.
Jenna hesitated…And that hesitation told Andrea everything she needed to fear.
"There was another incident," Jenna said quietly.
Andrea exhaled sharply. "What incident?"
"A VIP guest checked in from overseas," Jenna explained. "The reservation was confirmed under the old system… but the system says the room assigned to him is already taken."
Andrea's eyes widened. ..A VIP double booking at Titan Tower, that was a suicide.
"Where is he?" Andrea asked.
"Waiting in the Sapphire Lounge," Jenna whispered. "And he's furious."
Andrea let out a slow, dying breath. Of course the universe wasn't done with her.
A flooded penthouse.
A double-booked VIP.
An angry foreign guest and now… she was apparently someone's fiancée.
"Goddammit," she muttered.
Andrea quickly rushed out from there, and seconds later she was already holding a tray of coffee and one of the hotel's best snacks, hoping to appease their very upset guest. She decided to go herself, as the general manager and not send any staff. At least she could speak nicely and assure the guest that everything would be fixed within minutes.
Holding the tray carefully, she headed straight toward the elevator that led to Sapphire Lounge.
When she stepped out from the elevator, she entered the large, open lobby. It had wide cream sofas, soft golden lights, tall green plants at each corner and a calm scent of vanilla. The place looked simple and classy at the same time, the kind of beauty that relaxes anyone who walks in.
Andrea tightened her hold on the tray and walked inside.
At the far end, she saw a gentleman in a fitted dark suit. His back faced her. One hand was in his pocket and the other held a phone to his ear. He was looking outside through the glass wall, as if lost in the view. He hadn't seen her yet.
Andrea inhaled softly and stepped forward.
"Good afternoon, sir… housekeeping delivery," she said gently. "We are truly sorry for the inconvenience caused. I personally came to…"
She bowed slightly and waited for him to answer..
But instead… she heard him speak into the phone and said a name she had sworn she would never hear again.
"…Babu…"
The moment that word touched her ears, Andrea froze. Her heart jumped painfully as her hands trembled so hard she took an unsteady step back.
No… it couldn't be….Then the man slowly turned.
And in that same second, as his face came fully into view…the tray slipped from Andrea's shaking hands and everything crashed to the floor with a loud shatter…