Chapter 3 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

"Marry me." Emma almost spilled her coffee. "I'm sorry, what?" "You heard me." With his back to her and his reflection as hard as stone in the glass, Mr Cross stood at his office window. "It's the only way to control the narrative." "Have you completely lost your mind?" "On the contrary." His face was calculating as he turned. "I'm thinking more clearly than ever." "Mr. Cross..." "Damian," he pointed out. "If we're discussing marriage, you might as well use my first name." "This isn't funny." "Do I look like I'm laughing?" He pulled out a big booklet and headed to his desk. "The vocabulary is straightforward. One year of marriage. Appears in public. Shared dwelling quarters. You receive five million dollars in exchange, along with total immunity from Vanessa's charges. "You expect me to just agree to this insanity?" "I expect you to be rational." His tone became stern. "Tomorrow is the board meeting. If we don't offer them something more important to concentrate on, Vanessa's proof will destroy us both. "And a fake marriage is your solution?" "A strategic alliance." He bent over. "One that benefits us both." "How exactly does this benefit me?" His grin became rapacious. "Ask Michael, your brother. His creditors would undoubtedly be delighted to hear from him. Emma's heart froze. "What about Michael?" "His debts from gambling. He owes some... shady guys the money. Did you believe I wouldn't find out? "You're blackmailing me?" "I prefer to think of it as mutual benefit." His eyes did not meet his smile. "To maintain the company's reputation, I need a wife. To save your sibling, you must have money. "Simple business." "There's nothing simple about this." "No?" He invaded her personal space by circling the desk. "Let me then make things simpler. If you don't sign the contract, everything you value will fall apart. Your decision." "And if I say no?" "Then you lose everything." His voice grew dangerously softer. "Consider Michael. Imagine what they will do to him if he is unable to pay. Emma grasped for the document, her hands shaking. "This is insane." "Insanity is the cost of control, Miss Carter." He extended his pen to her. "Sometimes we have to embrace chaos to create order." "One year?" "Three hundred and sixty-five days of pretending to be madly in love." He curled his lips. "Think you can manage that?" "Can you?" "I've been managing appearances my whole life." The signature line was tapped by him. "Your turn." Emma's thoughts were racing as she gazed at the page. "I want conditions." "You're not exactly in a position to negotiate." "Then I walk." Her back straightened. "Good luck explaining to the board why your fake fiancée backed out." His eyes sparked with something like appreciation. "Name them." "Michael pays his payments right away. Every one of them. "Done." "I keep my job, my apartment, my independence." "There is no negotiating on the unit. To sell this, we must live together. "All right. However, I would like a private room in your penthouse. "Anything else?" "Yes." She slowly looked into his eyes. "You tell me the truth about Project Phoenix." The room's temperature appeared to plummet. "That's not part of this deal." "It is now." She delayed signing the contract. "No truth, no signature." He looked at her for a long time. "You're playing a dangerous game." "So are you." She refused to back down. "What's it going to be?" Vanessa's name flashed on the screen when his phone chimed. "Tick-tock, Mr. Cross." Emma had a steely voice. "What's more valuable? Your business or your secrets?" With his mouth clenched, he turned off the phone. Weapons were never the only focus of Project Phoenix. It has to do with control. "What kind of control?" "The kind that can bring governments to their knees." His voice trailed off as he stepped closer. Vanessa did more than simply pilfer blueprints. The secret to digital warfare was taken by her. "And you let her?" "I trusted her." He laughed bitterly. "Biggest mistake of my life." "Until now?" Emma pointed to the agreement. "No." Her eyes met his own. "This might be my first right decision in years." Hesitantly, she picked up the pen. "If I find out you're lying..." "You won't survive long enough to do anything about it." He had a keen smile. "Miss Carter, that is not a threat. It serves as a warning. She put her signature on it. That afternoon's news conference was a frenzy. Emma was blinded by camera flashes as Damian put a possessive arm around her waist. He told the reporters, "Love finds us in unexpected places," in a kind and well-practiced voice. "Emma has been my rock through recent difficulties." "Mr. Cross!" A reporter yelled. "What about the rumors regarding Vanessa Thompson?" "Ancient history." Cross's hold on Emma's waist became more firm. "The future is what matters now." Emma's phone rang with a text from an unidentified number that evening when she was packing her condo. "My little girl, congratulations on your engagement. Unfortunately, you will not survive to witness the honeymoon. Inquire about Singapore with your new partner. Inquire about the true fate of the last individual to approach Project Phoenix too closely. Even better, inquire about the burial spot he has already purchased under your name. - V" Emma's numb fingers let go of her phone. She jumped as she heard Damian's voice behind her. "Ready to go home, darling?" He was standing at the doorway as she turned, his face unreadable. "Did he tell you about the kill switch?" her phone buzzed one more. That one set inside the wedding bands? You'll find out soon enough, so don't worry. Emma, tick tock. As soon as you signed those documents, the countdown began. PS: "Hello, Singapore." "Everything okay?" Cross moved in closer. Emma forced a smile. "Perfect." However, a second message appeared on her screen as he escorted her to his waiting vehicle: "Emma, Project Phoenix wasn't about weaponry. The alteration of DNA was at issue. And you know what? Just now, you offered to be the next test subject. The contract of marriage? It has nanobots all over it. You now have them in your blood. Inquire with Damian about the fates of the previous three "fiancées" who signed it. Sweet dreams, future Mrs. Cross. She glanced in the rearview mirror at Damian's image in the driver's seat. She thought for a second that his pupils were glowing an odd blue. It was the same shade of blue as the line she had just signed. Identical to the blue of the project files titled "Phoenix: Phase Four." The countdown has started. A computer screen in Singapore came to life, showing two DNA sequences combining to form something completely different: Emma Carter is the subject. Topic B: Mr Cross Present Situation: Change Started