“That’s right. I pay you to manage my PR and make my image impressive to my fans and the world, so marry me. It’s part of your job since this scandal happened and you came up with the only solution,” he smirked. “I... I... can’t...” Claire’s eyes widened with nervousness as she found herself trapped in this situation, struggling to find the right words. “Well, I will pay you a monthly salary to be my contract wife. The tenure will be a year until my image is established as a family man and committed to my woman. Then I will divorce you, and you will be free,” he offered. Claire blinked at her boss, dumbfounded. “Listen, Adam, that’s impossi—” she began to refuse, but Adam cut her off. “I’ll pay you half a million a month, with additional perks, and I’ll cover all your expenses,” he declared, making the offer even more tempting. Half a million! Half a million! Half a million!The words kept echoing in her ears. This amount was a huge deal for her. She was an orphan raised by her grandmother and her uncle after her parents died in a car accident when she was five years old. Although her uncle’s family didn’t love her, she was grateful they provided her with a roof over her head and food to eat when she was alone. She was on her own her whole life and tried not to be a burden on her uncle. She earned a scholarship to the best school and completed her degree. She also worked part-time jobs to cover her expenses while studying, and as soon as she finished her studies, she was selected for the job as Adam Whitmore’s PR manager. Her grandmother was the only one who truly cared for her. Now, her grandmother was in the hospital and very ill. The money Claire earned wasn’t enough to cover her medical bills. Her uncle had refused to spend money on her grandmother, saying she was old and they still had to live. However, he also took money from Claire’s earnings, arguing that they had supported her during her difficult times. Claire had paid back her uncle’s support by becoming Adam Whitmore’s PR manager. She also managed her cousin Hannah’s auditions and secured her an ad campaign to kick-start her modeling career. Not to mention, her boyfriend, Daniel, was entirely dependent on Claire for money. Daniel was a drug addict and gambler who had lost his job and was now living off Claire’s income. She felt conflicted and confused, her head aching with a whirlwind of thoughts and possibilities. As Adam’s PR manager, she had a responsibility toward him as well. If she accepted Adam’s offer to be his contract wife, all her problems could be solved, and Adam’s public image would improve as well. However, the job offer and the salary were incredibly tempting as well. She was drawn to say yes, but she needed to discuss it with Daniel and her uncle first. This marriage would benefit everyone with no real loss, right?! Right! Yet something inside her was stopping her from agreeing immediately. She felt torn as if accepting the offer would be a betrayal of Daniel, even though the marriage would only be a formal arrangement and not real. “Adam, I need time to think,” Claire found herself saying absentmindedly. Adam smirked, pleased that he had managed to break through her reluctance. “What is there to think about? You’d be Adam Whitmore’s wife for the world to see and have money as well. This offer is better than any other job you could find,” he said smugly. Claire suddenly remembered why she was frustrated with him. He was undeniably attractive and hot, but he was still her asshole boss.“If you want to negotiate terms, conditions, or salary, call my lawyer and draft a contract. We can get married immediately after that,” he suggested indifferently. He hadn’t seemed eager to marry just moments ago, and now he couldn’t wait?! What an impossible personality he had! Claire huffed in frustration at the thought. “Before we decide anything, I want to discuss it with my family and my boyfriend,” Claire said firmly. Boyfriend? Adam raised an eyebrow at this revelation. So she had a boyfriend—that was why she wasn’t interested in him. He felt an unfamiliar pang of envy at the thought. He never imagined he would feel this way about a simple man. Adam maintained his cold demeanor, his expression unyielding. “All right, talk to them,” he said dismissively. “But remember, this offer is too good to pass up. With the amount of money in your bank account, you can marry your boyfriend after a year and both of you can live a lavish life.” Claire’s heart sank at the reality. She knew Adam was right. Both her uncle and her boyfriend were in dire need of money, and she also needed the funds for her grandmother’s medical treatment. She couldn’t see any reason they’d oppose her marrying Adam. “I’ll take my leave,” Claire mumbled, standing up and heading for the door. “Don’t dawdle, Claire. Time is of the essence, and you know it,” Adam’s voice cut through the air sharply. Claire paused, her hand on the door, and nodded without turning around. Adam turned to Sammy, who sat there in stunned silence. Adam couldn’t help but chuckle at his assistant’s expression of disbelief. Although Claire had left without giving a definitive answer, Adam was confident she would return with a “yes.” He decided to call Mia to share the news but frowned when she didn’t pick up. As he was about to get up and read his script in his study to avoid further distractions, his phone rang. He smiled when he saw Mia’s name flash on his phone. Her name alone still had the power to make his heart skip a beat. “Hey, Mia!” he said brightly as the call connected. “Why didn’t you answer? Where have you been?”“I was… busy, Adam,” Mia’s weary voice came through the phone. “What’s going on?” “I’m getting married, Mia!” Adam declared, biting his bottom lip with impatience as he awaited her reaction. "What are you saying? All of a sudden? To whom? Why so soon?" Mia bombarded Adam with a barrage of questions after his shocking declaration. She couldn't understand if he was pranking her or if he was serious about getting married. The men in her life were so complicated. But the most complicated one was her ruthless mafia husband. Adam chuckled softly at Mia’s eagerness. "Hold on and take a breath, Mia," Adam's voice softened, emphasizing his longing for the only woman he had ever loved. "I have always wanted to marry you and no one else. I still do if you ever change your mind and want to come back to me."