3 : A Proposal As A Pretext -

"To the pretext," he replied, already wondering how he would convince her to stay when the twenty-four months were up.

He didn't mention that he’d bought the ring six months ago. He didn't mention that the merger was the only way he could think of to keep her in the same room as him. 3 : A Proposal as a Pretext

"It’s a pretext," he corrected, his voice dropping an octave. "The board won't block a merger between husband and wife. It creates a single legal entity that’s untouchable. We sign a pre-nup tonight that dissolves the marriage in twenty-four months, once the acquisition is finalized. You get your family’s legacy back, and I get the seat at the head of the table." "To the pretext," he replied, already wondering how