She Hired Him as Her Fake Husband… He Never Expected to Fall in Love
Chapter 9
Six months later, Charlotte faced the hardest decision of her career.
A rival corporation offered Bennett Holdings an enormous acquisition deal.
If she accepted, she could make the family billions.
But the deal would require closing several factories and laying off thousands of employees.
The board supported it.
Charlotte didn’t.
Ethan reviewed the documents.
“It’s profitable.”
“I know.”
“So why not accept?”
“Because it’s wrong.”
He looked at her.
“That sounds familiar.”
She smiled.
“From you?”
“Maybe.”
She rejected the deal.
The board revolted.
Daniel demanded another vote.
This time, Charlotte wasn’t afraid.
She stood before them.
“This company was built to last generations.”
She looked around the room.
“If our success depends on destroying the people who built it, then it’s not success.”
Ethan sat in the back.
He smiled.
She had changed.
Not because he had saved her.
Because she had learned to trust herself.
After the meeting, Charlotte found him outside.
“You’re proud of yourself.”
“Very.”
She laughed.
Then Ethan became serious.
“I want to ask you something.”
“What?”
“Why are you still wearing your engagement ring?”
She looked at her hand.
It had been the fake ring they’d used for the family.
She smiled.
“I forgot it wasn’t real.”
Ethan looked at her.
“What if I replace it?”
Her heart skipped.
“With a real one?”
“Yes.”
She laughed.
“You planned this?”
“No.”
He took a small box from his pocket.
Charlotte stared.
Inside was a simple diamond ring.
“I don’t want the company.”
“I don’t want your family name.”
“I don’t want a contract.”
He looked at her.
“I just want you.”
Charlotte’s eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
He slipped the ring onto her finger.
This time, it was real.
