The convoy tore through the streets of Manhattan, pulling up to the heavily guarded VIP entrance of a premier private hospital on the Upper East Side.
Arthur stepped out of the SUV, carrying Elsie-still swallowed by his suit jacket-in his arms. A team of medical staff was already waiting with a gurney.
Elsie was rushed into a massive, luxurious private suite. Dr. Silas Grey, the chief of medicine, quickly went to work, checking her vitals and cleaning the cuts on her cheek and forehead.
Arthur stood in the hallway. He stared through the blinds of the glass wall, watching Elsie wince as the nurse applied antiseptic. His jaw was clenched so tight a muscle ticked violently near his ear.
Silas walked out of the room, pulling his stethoscope from his neck.
"She's physically fine," Silas reported, glancing at Arthur. "Soft tissue bruising, mild concussion. But her nervous system is completely fried. She's in a state of extreme hyper-vigilance."
Silas crossed his arms, a smirk playing on his lips. "I've known you for a decade, Arthur. I've never seen you scramble the family's emergency medical team for a woman."
Arthur shot him a look so cold it could freeze boiling water. "Shut your mouth, Silas."
Arthur pushed the door open and walked into the room.
The nurse had changed Elsie into a soft, cotton hospital gown. She was sitting up against the pillows. She looked pale and exhausted, but the terrifying panic in her eyes had been replaced by a sharp, clear focus.
Arthur pulled a chair to the side of the bed. He placed a sleek, silver laptop on her tray table.
He hit the enter key. A massive, highly detailed due diligence report flooded the screen, accompanied by several audio files.
"This is every cent Fenton has bled from the Phillips Group over the last three years," Arthur said, pointing at the screen.
Elsie's hand trembled as she scrolled the mouse. Her breath hitched. Fenton hadn't just stolen money; he had mortgaged the company's core assets to offshore loan sharks.
She clicked an audio file. Fenton's voice filled the room, laughing with board members about how easy it was to forge her parents' signatures.
Elsie's chest he heave. Her eyes burned with a furious, blinding hatred. If Arthur hadn't intervened, her parents' entire legacy would have been sold for scraps.
The door opened. Lee Weston stepped in.
"Sir, the FBI has frozen Fenton's secret accounts," Lee reported efficiently. "Belle's credit cards are declining across the city. And I've leaked the audio of Belle facilitating the... transaction with Mortimer to her country club. She's currently being escorted off their premises by security."
A dark, vindictive thrill shot through Elsie's veins. She looked up at Arthur, her emotions a tangled mess of gratitude and deep suspicion.
She took a deep breath. "These resources. The FBI, the market manipulation. This costs millions. What do you want from me in return?"
Arthur looked at her, a flicker of genuine respect in his eyes. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his long legs.
"My name is Arthur Michael," he said smoothly. "I am the primary heir to the Michael family trust."
Elsie's lips parted in shock. The Michael family. They owned half the financial institutions in the country. He was American royalty.
Arthur ignored her reaction. "My grandfather's will has a stipulation. To unlock the core capital of the trust, I must be married by my thirtieth birthday, and the marriage must remain stable."
He leaned forward, his dark eyes locking onto hers. "I need a wife who is obedient, who has no powerful backing to cause me trouble, and who will never demand real affection from me."
He gestured to her. "You are currently ruined in polite society. You have nothing. You are the perfect candidate."
Elsie let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh. In the eyes of this billionaire, her absolute destruction was just a convenient business asset.
Arthur stood up. He placed both hands on the edge of her bed, leaning over her, his presence utterly overwhelming.
"Marry me," Arthur commanded softly. "And I will not only put Fenton in a federal prison, but I will give you the capital to take back absolute control of the Phillips Group."
Elsie bit down on her lower lip. The memory of her parents' crushed car. The memory of Aisha forcing her into that dress. The scales in her mind tipped violently.
She looked up, meeting the intimidating stare of the most powerful man she had ever met. "How long does this contract last?"
The corner of Arthur's mouth twitched upward into a microscopic smile.
"Until I get everything I want," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "Or until you take back everything that is yours."
