Chapter 27: A Risk With A Reward
For the three people sitting at the table, once they were one hundred percent sure of what Lyle had said, "shock" was an understatement. They stared at him in disbelief. Eira blinked once, then twice, her mouth slightly open as her mind raced, trying to comprehend the gravity of Lyle’s proposal. Marriage? To him?
Her pulse thundered in her ears, and she struggled to maintain her composure. Marry him? Of all the things she’d expected—threats, blackmail, maybe even force—this was not one of them. She stared at him, trying to understand his angle, but his violet eyes revealed nothing except the cold certainty that he had already made his decision.
"You can’t be serious," Eira finally said, her voice low and disbelieving.
Lyle’s expression didn’t change. "I’m very serious. You’ll have everything you need: money, power, protection, control. And I’ll have what I need—my stability, my cure. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement."
Eira’s chest tightened with a mix of dread and defiance. "And if I refuse?"
"Then, as I said before," Lyle replied smoothly, "I’ll take what I need anyway. But I’d prefer to avoid any unpleasantness. This is the easiest path—for both of us."
Her thoughts churned, a thousand possibilities and consequences flashing through her mind. Marrying Lyle Aelion was certainly something most girls would want, and in her situation, where it seemed like she was the one benefiting the most. But in truth, everything would still be in Lyle’s hands. Every decision, every shred of power and control she would gain—it would all come from him. If this were a marriage built on love and trust, perhaps she wouldn’t have these doubts. But Lyle Aelion was a stranger to her, an enigma, and that made everything uncertain. Still, she had something he needed, something she now realized he truly needed.
So, there’s no need to panic, Eira, she thought to herself. As long as you play your cards right, you can be in control too.
With this thought, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "Like a contract marriage?"