Athen followed Malachi into what looked like a study.
It was fine, though everything in it was black, the walls, the shelves, even the couch. He sat down and pointed to the seat across from him without saying a word. Athen hesitated before moving forward. Everything about the room, from the silence to his expression, felt too heavy for her.
She wasn't used to such seriousness; it made her uneasy. She sat awkwardly, unsure of what to do with her hands. Her gaze shifted between him and the dark surroundings, her heartbeat picking up. The longer the silence stretched, the more uncomfortable she grew. Finally, she took a quiet breath, ready to speak if he didn't.
Malachi finally opened his mouth, his tone calm yet commanding. "Marry me."
Athen blinked, certain she'd heard wrong. Before she could react, he picked up one of the documents on the table and slid it toward her. She stared at it, then back at him, completely lost.
"I'll help you with your career," he continued, his voice steady, giving no room for argument. "You just have to play the role of my wife."
Athen's heart skipped. She had expected anything but that. Her stomach fluttered uncontrollably, not just from shock but from the weight of his words. Her mind raced, was this some kind of joke? But looking at his serious face, she knew it wasn't.
"For how long?" she finally asked, her voice small, her hands gripping the document.
Malachi pointed at the document, his expression unreadable.
Athen's eyes followed his finger, but the moment she glanced at the pages, her head began to spin. There were too many words, too many legal terms, it felt overwhelming. She didn't even want to read it. Her gaze lifted slowly to meet his, searching for a hint of a joke or explanation.
"Forever," Malachi said, breaking the silence after noticing her laziness in reading the document. His voice was firm, deep, and left no space for doubt. "According to my family, divorce isn't allowed."
Athen froze. 'Forever?' The word echoed in her mind like a distant bell. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. This couldn't be real. Was this man serious? He was offering marriage; not a job, not a favor, marriage.
And to someone he barely knew. They hadn't even met under good circumstances. Nothing about this made sense. Her chest tightened as she looked down again at the papers, her heart racing. What kind of man proposed something like this so casually? What was she getting herself into? Was he a pervert? A human trafficking person?
She was tongue-tied, her throat suddenly dry. Her mind couldn't process anything — not the proposal, not the contract, not even the heavy silence that lingered between them.
Then Malachi's voice came again, calm and steady. "You will not lack anything as my wife. I will also find your father."
Athen's head shot up instantly, her eyes wide. "H–how do you know about my father?" she stammered.
No one knew. No one ever knew who her father was. It wasn't something she told anyone — not her friends, not even the people she worked with. Her past was something she had buried deep inside, locked away. But this man… how did he know?
Her heart thudded loudly in her chest.
"Judge Jacob Lang," Malachi said simply, his tone firm, unshaken. "I will help you find him if you want."
Athen's lips trembled. Her breath hitched. For years, she had been praying, hoping for even a single clue — a sign, a name, a location. She had begged God every night for a chance to meet him again. And now, this stranger, this cold, intimidating man, sat before her, offering everything she had ever wanted in exchange for something she couldn't even begin to understand.
Her world felt like it was spinning out of control.
That sealed it. Athen's trembling fingers reached for the pen resting beside the document. Her heart pounded so hard she could feel it echoing in her ears, but her mind was made up. Without another thought, she bent forward and signed her name at the bottom of the page. The black ink bled smoothly across the paper, sealing her fate with a single stroke.
When she was done, she looked up and said firmly, "Remember, you said you'll find my father."
Malachi's cold eyes lifted from the contract to meet hers. "You didn't read the contract terms," he said quietly, his tone unreadable.
Athen placed the pen down, her hand still shaking slightly. "As long as you can find my father," she replied, her voice unwavering, "I'll do anything."
A flicker of emotion, something sharp and unreadable, flashed across Malachi's face, but he said nothing.
Athen exhaled slowly, her chest tightening with both fear and resolve. "That's why I signed with…" she paused, her gaze distant as memories flooded back 'the calls, the desperation, the last hope she'd clung to'.
"…Darcy," she whispered, her voice cracking slightly.
Malachi leaned back against the couch, his sharp gaze still fixed on her. He noticed something about Athen in that short exchange, she really spoke her mind. She didn't sugarcoat her words or try to impress him. She was honest, maybe too honest for her own good. Somehow, that intrigued him. It meant that if they ever had issues, she'd speak up instead of pretending.
"That's very foolish of you," he said suddenly, his tone calm but cutting.
Athen blinked, her mouth parting slightly as she stared at him like he had just said something insane. "What?" she asked, confused.
Malachi's expression didn't change. His voice stayed cool and steady as he added, "You didn't even read the contract. What if I exploit you or something isn't sitting right with you? You just signed without a single question."
Athen frowned, her lips tightening. "You said you'd find my father. That's all that matters to me," she said, her voice low but steady.
Malachi studied her face for a moment, seeing the sincerity in her eyes. There was no fear, no calculation, just raw determination. He found it both reckless and fascinating. But she wasn't in business industry and maybe she has never signed any important documents with terms and conditions in her life.
"Still," he said quietly, "never hand over your life to someone without knowing the terms. Even if it's me."
Athen met his gaze, unflinching this time. "I already did," she replied softly.
For the first time after a long time, Malachi almost smiled, but the look that crossed his face was unreadable, hovering somewhere between admiration and warning.
Athen picked up the contract again, determined to actually read this time. But as her eyes scanned the first few lines, the words started to blur together. She was never a fan of reading, especially not long documents filled with legal terms she barely understood. With a small frown, she flipped to the next page, pretending to study it carefully.
After a few seconds, she looked up and said with all the confidence she could muster, "You're my husband. Why would you exploit me?"