The elevator moved down quickly and smoothly. Inside the dark lift, the air felt heavy and cold.
Evelyn was still holding her breath. The tall man’s hand was still wrapped around her waist, keeping her safe and steady. His grip was firm, warm, and strong. She could smell his expensive cologne, a clean scent of rich wood and fresh rain.
She quickly took a step back, pulling away from his touch. Her face felt warm, but her mind was completely clear.
"I am so sorry," Evelyn said softly, keeping her voice calm. "I did not mean to bump into you."
The man did not say a word. He just stood there like a mountain, his dark eyes looking down at her face. He gave a tiny, slow nod, but his expression remained cold and unreadable.
The elevator bell chimed softly, and the doors slid open to the ground floor.
Evelyn did not waste a single second. She turned and walked out of the hotel lobby with fast, proud steps. She left the Grand Regency through the side exit, stepping out into the cool night air.
Her mind was racing like a fast train. She remembered the secret inheritance clause her father had written in his last will. Her father knew her stepmother was greedy. So he left a strict rule: Evelyn must be legally married before her twenty fifth birthday to claim her father's true estate and company shares.
Her twenty fifth birthday was today. Midnight was only three hours away.
If she did not marry someone before midnight, all her father's hard work would pass directly to her evil stepmother, Nora, and her cheating stepsister, Chloe. That was why she had been in such a rush to marry Liam. But now, marrying Liam was completely out of the question.
She needed a husband right now. It did not matter who he was. She just needed a legal marriage certificate signed before twelve o'clock tonight.
Evelyn crossed the busy street and walked into an upscale lounge called The Black Velvet. The place was dimly lit, filled with soft music, quiet chatter, and rich people drinking expensive glass bottles.
She walked straight to the long marble bar and sat down on a tall leather stool.
"Give me a strong drink," she told the bartender, her voice steady and sharp.
As the bartender poured a clear drink into a glass, Evelyn glanced to her right.
Sitting three stools away from her was the very same man from the elevator.
He was sitting alone in the dim light, holding a glass of dark whiskey. His expensive suit jacket was unbuttoned now, showing a crisp white shirt underneath. He was quietly observing the whole room with sharp, dangerous eyes, like a lion watching his territory.
Evelyn stared at his handsome, cold face. He looked powerful, neat, and calm. He did not look like a cheap scammer or a street thug. He looked like an educated, high class man who needed nothing from anyone.
A bold, crazy idea formed in Evelyn's mind. It was risky, but she had no other choice left.
She picked up her glass, stood up, and walked over to the stool right beside him. She sat down smoothly and placed a thin white paper on the marble bar between them. It was a copy of her father's inheritance document.
The tall man did not turn his head immediately. He casually took a slow sip of his whiskey, completely ignoring her presence.
"You look like a smart man," Evelyn spoke up, her voice clear, sweet, and confident. "And I am a woman in a very big hurry."
The man slowly turned his head to look at her. His deep eyes were dark like the midnight sky, sharp enough to cut through glass.
"Are you talking to me, miss?" he asked. His voice was deep, smooth, and full of authority.
"Yes," Evelyn said, leaning in slightly. "I have a business deal for you. A very simple one."
The man raised one dark eyebrow, looking mildly amused. "A business deal?"
"I need a legal husband before midnight," Evelyn said directly, without dropping her eyes for a single second. "No romance. No real feelings. Just a fake marriage on paper. If you marry me tonight, I will pay you five hundred thousand dollars cash the moment my inheritance is unlocked tomorrow."
She pointed to the paper on the bar. "You look like a decent gentleman who might need quick money or a good investment. I am offering you a easy half a million dollars for just signing a paper at the night registry office."
She watched his face carefully, waiting for him to laugh or call her crazy.
Instead, the man placed his whiskey glass down on the marble bar with a soft clink. He did not look surprised at all. He looked at her with piercing, unreadable eyes, as if he could read every single thought inside her head.
He reached out his long, clean fingers. Slowly and smoothly, he swiped her dad's inheritance document across the bar toward himself, taking his time to glance at the official red seal on the bottom.
Evelyn held her breath, her heart beating fast against her ribs.
The man raised his dark eyes back to her face. A tiny, dangerous smirk appeared on his handsome lips.
Julian Vance looked at her with piercing, unreadable eyes, slowly swiping her dad's inheritance document across the bar before saying, "I accept—on one condition."