The hotel suite felt too still.
Amara dropped her keycard on the marble counter and leaned against the wall, exhaling a breath that felt heavier than the day deserved.
Travis Alden.
Of all the people in the world to ask her to marry him, he had to be the one.
Her bag slid from her shoulder, hitting the couch with a muted thud. She didn't even bother turning on the lights. The faint gold glow from the city spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, washing everything in that soft, melancholic warmth that made loneliness look beautiful.
She sank into the couch, kicking off her shoes. Her fingers found the edge of her sleeve, brushing absently over the faint line of scars along her arm. They weren't visible anymore, not really. Time had faded them. But she could still feel them when her thoughts drifted too far.
"Contractual marriage," she muttered under her breath, half scoffing. "Who even says things like that out loud?"
Travis Alden, apparently.
She tilted her head back and shut her eyes. He said those words as if he was talking about a business merger, not a human life.
The man didn't even flinch when she'd called him arrogant. He smiled.
Amara exhaled sharply through her nose, reached for her phone, and scrolled to the one person who'd understand or at least react the way she needed.
Celeste.
Her thumb hovered over the call button for a second. Then she pressed it.
It rang twice.
"Amara?" Celeste's voice came through, warm and slightly breathless, like she'd just been chasing after one of the twins. "Hey, love. I was just thinking about you."
Amara smiled faintly despite herself. "That's a scary coincidence."
Celeste laughed softly. "Please, I'm a mother of two. I live on coincidences now. How are you? You sound tired."
Amara leaned back into the couch. "I am. Tired and slightly offended by the world."
"That's your default setting."
"Accurate." She rubbed her temple. "How are the girls? Don't tell me they've started a rebellion again."
"Oh, you mean today?" Celeste teased, the smile in her voice evident. "Selene decided she's a fairy now, and Celsa insists she's a dragon. My office room from the company looked a bit unprofessional before I left today and now, my living room looks like a fantasy warzone."
A small laugh escaped Amara. "I miss them already."
"They miss you too. Selene keeps asking when Aunt Amara's coming back to read her the story."
Amara smiled. "She remembers that?"
"She remembers everything," Celeste said fondly. "Celsa too. Though she's pretending not to care."
"Give them kisses from me."
"Always." Celeste's tone softened. "Now, what's going on? Because you don't call me sounding like this unless someone's done something incredibly stupid."
Amara hesitated for a beat. "You're right."
Celeste laughed. "I'm always right. So who is it this time? Your fans?"
Amara's voice shifted, clipped but calm. "No."
That one word was enough. Celeste went silent for a moment.
"Okay," she said slowly. "Then who? A new book idea?"
Amara drew a deep breath, letting it out as a long sigh. "Travis Alden."
There was a pause. Then Celeste made a confused noise. "Wait — Travis Alden? As in the coffee guy?"
"The very same."
"What did he do?"
Amara stared at the city lights. "He asked me to marry him."
Celeste went completely still. "...Come again?"
"He asked me to marry him," Amara repeated flatly, "in a coffee shop. Like he was ordering another espresso."
There was a sharp inhale on the other end of the line. "What?"
Amara could almost see Celeste's expression.
"Yeah," Amara said, deadpan. "Apparently, he wants a wife for one year. Contractual marriage. Convenient, emotionless, and practical. All the romantic things."
Celeste burst out laughing. Not mocking, but sheer disbelief. "Oh my God. You're serious?"
"Dead serious."
"Did he hit his head on something?"
"Probably a stack of financial reports."
Celeste tried to catch her breath between laughs. "This is— Amara, this is insane! What did you say?"
"I laughed. Thought it was a joke. Then I realized he wasn't joking."
Celeste's voice turned incredulous. "He wasn't joking?"
"Nope. Completely sober. Completely sane. Completely him."
"Oh, I have questions. So many questions."
"I figured you would."
Celeste made a noise halfway between a groan and a laugh. "Okay, back up. Why does the coffee guy Travis Alden want to marry you just for a year?"
"He said it's to keep his family and the board off his back. The press wants him to look stable. His inheritance depends on it."
"Uh-huh," Celeste said skeptically. "And out of all the women on this planet, he chooses you?"
"That's what I asked him."
"And?"
"He said he trusts me."
Celeste snorted. "That's rich."
"Apparently, I don't come with baggage, I don't play games, and I don't want anything from him."
Celeste let out a disbelieving hum. "So he basically said, 'you're too tired to ruin my life.'"
"Pretty much."
"Oh, Amara." Celeste sighed, half laughing, half pitying. "You really attract the emotionally constipated ones, don't you?"
Amara smiled faintly, leaning her head against the couch. "It's a talent."
"So, did you at least tell him no?"
"I didn't tell him anything. Yet."
There was silence for a heartbeat. Then Celeste's tone sharpened. "Yet?"
Amara's lips curved slightly. "He said he'd send the terms in writing. I might read them."
"Oh no," Celeste groaned. "Amara, please tell me you're not considering this madness."
"I'm not," she said quickly. Then, quieter, "Not really."
Celeste pounced on the hesitation. "Not really?"
"I just…" Amara sighed. "You should've seen him, Cel. He wasn't desperate, but there was something in his eyes. Something— I don't know. Honesty, maybe. Also, he's really good looking. A good sex won't hurt."
Celeste hummed thoughtfully. "Honest desperation is still desperation."
"I know."
"Then don't let it pull you in."
Amara rubbed her temple. "It's not like I'm planning to say yes. But you know how my brain works. Now I can't stop thinking about why me."
"Men like that crave control, even in the women they choose to marry for convenience." Celeste said softly.
Amara was quiet.
Celeste went on, gentler now. "You have a habit of walking into things that are too heavy, Amara. Because deep down, you think you can handle them. You always do. But this one? This feels like a trap wrapped in a gift box."
Amara smiled faintly. "You make it sound poetic."
"It's not poetry. It's survival."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Celeste finally asked, "What did he offer you?"
"A publishing firm."
There was a beat. "A what?"
"A fully functional mid-sized publishing company. Mine to own."
Celeste exhaled in disbelief. "You're kidding."
"I wish I was."
"Wow."
"Exactly."
Celeste made a low whistle. "So he's not only insane, he's generous."
"Or strategic."
"Both," Celeste muttered. Then, after a pause, "Would you ever take it?"
Amara stared at the skyline, her reflection faint in the glass. "No. I don't want to owe anyone anything."
Celeste's voice softened. "That's my girl."
Amara smiled faintly. "You sound like my conscience."
"I practically am."
"Unfortunately." She chuckled.
Celeste chuckled, then quieted. "But seriously, Amara. This whole thing, it's not just weird. It's dangerous. You don't know what being tied to a man like that could do to you."
Amara's gaze drifted to the skyline again, her voice quiet. "Maybe I do."
Celeste frowned. "Meaning?"
Amara didn't answer right away. "Nothing."
"Amara…"
"Really, it's nothing." She forced a smile into her tone. "Let's just agree that Travis Alden is out of his mind, and I'm not that bored yet."
Celeste sighed, relenting. "Good. Keep it that way."
"I will."
There was a pause. Then Celeste asked gently, "Are you okay, though? Really okay?"
Amara hesitated. "I will be."
Celeste smiled softly through the line. "You always say that."
"Because it's always true."
"Promise me something?" Celeste murmured.
"What?"
"That you won't let this man mess with your head. Even if he comes wrapped in good intentions."
Amara closed her eyes. "I promise."
"Good." Celeste exhaled, the sound of soft laughter in the background. "Okay, I_"
Celeste trailed off. Amara could hear her sharing a kiss with Dominic in the background.