The first thing Leah noticed was the silence.

Not the peaceful kind she was used to—but the suffocating, heavy silence that filled the Chang family living room. The kind that made her chest tighten before anyone even spoke.

Her father sat slumped on the couch, his usually proud posture completely gone. Papers were scattered across the glass table—contracts, reports, numbers she didn’t fully understand but somehow already feared.

Her mother’s eyes were red.

That alone was enough to send a chill down Leah’s spine.

“Dad… what’s going on?” she asked softly, stepping further into the room.

No one answered immediately.

"Someone please say something

Her father finally exhaled, running a tired hand through his hair. “We’re in trouble, Leah.”

The words landed harder than she expected.

“What trouble? What are you saying? How bad is it?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her mother let out a quiet sob.

“Bad enough,” her father said slowly, “that we might lose everything.”

Leah felt the ground shift beneath her.

Everything?

The company? The house? The life they had built?

“That’s not possible,” she said quickly, shaking her head. “The business has been stable for years. You said—”

“I said what I hoped would be true,” he cut in, his voice breaking slightly. “But something happened. Funds disappeared. Investors pulled out overnight. It’s like…” He paused, his jaw tightening. “It’s like someone planned this.”

Leah’s stomach twisted.

“Can it be fixed?” she asked, clinging to the last thread of hope.

Another silence.

Then.......

“There might be one way.”

The unfamiliar voice came from the doorway.

Leah turned sharply.

And for a moment, everything else faded.

The man standing there didn’t belong in their world.

Tall. Impeccably dressed. His presence alone seemed to command the entire room without effort. His dark eyes were calm, almost indifferent—but there was something sharp behind them. Calculating. Dangerous.

“Who are you?” Leah asked, her brows furrowing.

Her father stood up immediately, his expression tense. “Leah… this is Mr. Steve Gross.”

The name meant nothing to her.

But the way her father said it did.

“He’s the CEO of GROSS Ltd.,” her father added.

Leah’s breath caught slightly.

Even she had heard of that company.

Steve stepped forward, his gaze settling on her with unsettling precision.

“So,” he said calmly, “you’re Leah Chang.”

Something about the way he said her name made her uneasy.

“Yes,” she replied carefully. “And you are in my house.”

A faint hint of amusement flickered in his eyes—gone as quickly as it appeared.

“I prefer efficiency,” he said. “So I’ll get straight to the point.”

He glanced at her parents briefly before looking back at her.

“I can solve your family’s financial problem.”

Leah’s heart skipped.

Her father stiffened. “Mr. Gross—”

“But,” Steve continued, cutting him off smoothly, “nothing comes for free.”

Of course it didn’t.

Leah straightened, crossing her arms slightly. “What do you want?”

For a brief second, the room felt too small.

Too quiet.

Then he said it.

“Marriage.”

The word hit like a slap.

Leah blinked. “Excuse me?”

“I will clear your family’s debts, restore your company, and ensure your financial stability,” Steve said, his tone as calm as if he were discussing a routine business deal. “In return, you will marry me.”

“No.”

The answer came instantly.

Firm. Unshaken.

Leah didn’t even need a second to think.

“I don’t even know you,” she continued, her voice rising slightly. “And you think I’ll just agree to marry you because you throw money around?”

Steve didn’t react.

If anything, he looked… expectant.

“As I said,” he replied, “nothing comes for free.”

“You’re insane.”

“Leah,” her father warned under his breath.

“No, Dad,” she said, turning to him. “This is ridiculous.”

Her chest tightened as another thought surfaced—one she couldn’t ignore.

Daniel.

She could almost see his smile, hear his voice, feel the warmth of something real and certain.

There was no way—

“I’m not marrying him,” she said firmly.

Steve watched her in silence for a moment.

Then he reached into his coat and placed a document on the table.

“Take your time,” he said. “But understand this—”

His gaze locked onto hers, sharp and unyielding.

“You don’t have many options left.”

Leah’s fingers curled slightly at her sides.

Her father looked away.

Her mother said nothing.

And for the first time since she walked into the room…

Leah realized something terrifying.

This wasn’t just an offer.

It was a countdown.