Emily stared at Alexander Knight as if he had just suggested something completely insane.
"You want me to stay married to you?" she asked slowly.
"Temporarily," Alexander corrected calmly.
Emily shook her head immediately. "No. Absolutely not. I'm not pretending to be anyone's wife—especially not a billionaire's."
Alexander didn't seem surprised by her reaction. Instead, he walked over to the small table in the room and poured himself a glass of water.
"You should think about it carefully before refusing," he said.
"There's nothing to think about!" Emily snapped.
Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
He placed the glass down and looked directly at her.
"Last night you told me your landlord was threatening to throw you out of your apartment."
Emily froze.
"And you said your job interview yesterday didn't go well," he continued calmly.
Her face slowly turned pale.
"How do you remember all that?" she asked quietly.
Alexander shrugged slightly. "Unlike you, I wasn't drunk."
Emily looked away, embarrassed. She hated the fact that a complete stranger knew so much about her problems.
Alexander's voice softened just a little.
"If you agree to stay married to me for six months, I will pay your rent, cover your living expenses, and make sure you never have to worry about money during that time."
Emily's heart skipped.
Six months?
That sounded like a long time… but the offer was tempting.
"You're serious?" she asked.
"Completely."
Emily's mind began racing. Her landlord had already given her a final warning. If she didn't pay the rent soon, she would have nowhere to go.
But marrying a stranger—even temporarily—felt crazy.
Alexander seemed to read the conflict in her expression.
"You don't have to love me," he said calmly. "You just have to play the role of my wife in front of my family and the public."
Emily hesitated.
Her eyes moved to the large windows showing the luxurious city skyline.
A life without constant financial stress…
It sounded almost unreal.
Finally, she looked back at Alexander.
"What happens after six months?" she asked.
Alexander answered without hesitation.
"We get divorced."
The room fell silent.
Emily took a deep breath, knowing that whatever decision she made now could change her entire life.
And Alexander Knight was waiting patiently for her answer.