Sweet For You, Ruthless For Others
Chapter 34: Marry Me? Marry me.

Chapter 34: Marry Me? Marry me.

I stiffened, my fingers curling into fists as I glared at him. "I didn’t exactly plan to stay for long."

That wasn’t true, though. Not entirely.

I had a solid plan—yesterday, even earlier today. For years, I had mapped out my future with careful precision. Graduate with top honors in business, return home, prove my worth at my father’s company, and make him see that I wasn’t some disposable afterthought. That I mattered.

Tonight was supposed to be another step in that direction. I had socialized, smiled in all the right places, played the part of the perfect daughter. I had done everything right.

And yet, here I was. Still being discarded.

Still being reminded that no matter how hard I tried, I would never be enough.

His jaw tightened, his discomfort now obvious. "And you’re leaving in the middle of the night?" Niklaus asked, his voice low, controlled—too controlled. "Alone?"

I forced a smile, though it felt like glass cracking on my face. "What were you even doing here?" I countered, sidestepping the conversation. "Following me?"

His head tilted slightly, his gaze assessing. "Waiting."

That single word sent a ripple through me. I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. "For who?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"For you, Mia."

The way he said it—like it was the most obvious thing in the world—made my heart stutter.

I opened my mouth, ready to argue, to throw up my walls again, but the exhaustion settled too deep in my bones.

The night had stripped me bare, leaving me with nothing but my tangled thoughts and the weight of uncertainty.

I had nowhere to go, no real plan, only the vague idea of boarding a plane back to the States.

To what, though? A father who barely tolerated me? A family that would rather pretend I didn’t exist? A future of scrambling to survive on my own, picking up the pieces they had so easily shattered?

The realization pressed down on my chest like a vice.

"You shouldn’t leave," Niklaus said suddenly, cutting through the storm in my head. His voice was softer now, but still firm. "You don’t have to go."

I blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"Stay."

I let out a humorless laugh. "How? I’m not wanted here."

His gaze never wavered. "I want you here." he growled. Wow.

The air between us shifted, thickened. I felt it wrap around me, making it harder to breathe.

"What’s happening?" My voice was unsteady as I glanced around, as if the car itself would provide me with some sort of clarity.

And then—

"Marry me."

The words detonated in the space between us, shattering the fragile grip I had on reality. My brain short-circuited, struggling to process what I had just heard.

No. No, I must have misheard. That’s the only explanation.

Marry me?!

My pulse skyrocketed, a frantic drumbeat in my ears. My lungs forgot how to function. My tongue felt heavy, useless.

"What?" I choked out, the single word scraping against my throat.

This isn’t real. It can’t be.

But his eyes—calm, steady, unreadable—told me otherwise.

"Marry me." He repeated.

I threw the grenade right back at him. "No."

His brows lifted, clearly not expecting that response. "No?"

"No."

"Oh." He blinked, looking genuinely perplexed.

I let out a disbelieving laugh. "What were you thinking?"

His expression smoothed over, his confidence creeping back like it had never left. "I was thinking you’d have power. Comfort. Security." He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to something silkier, more coaxing. "No one would dare mistreat you again. They’d respect you, fear you."

I folded my arms. "Oh, so this is a revenge fantasy now?"

He smirked. "Wouldn’t you like that?"

I hated that I didn’t immediately say no.

Instead, I focused on his next words. "Cars. Chauffeurs. Endless rows of—"

"Oh my God, who even says ’endless rows of servants’ anymore?" I cut in, arching a brow.

Niklaus exhaled through his nose, clearly exasperated. "That’s not the point."

"No, Niklaus," I shot back, shaking my head. "That’s—" I trailed off, realizing what I had just done.

His eyes sparked with amusement. "You said my name."

I lifted a shoulder. "Well, if you can randomly propose marriage, we’re on a first-name basis now."

His smirk deepened. "So American of you."

"Oh, like you weren’t already judging me?" I scoffed. "You’ve been calling me Mia since we met."

Something flickered across his face. Something unreadable.

That wasn’t the first night we met.

But he didn’t say it out loud.

Instead, he leaned back against the seat, watching me like he already knew how this would end. "Marrying me would open doors for you, Hermia. Whether you admit it or not, it would make your life easier."

I rolled my eyes. "You sound like a textbook sugar daddy."

His grin turned wolfish. "Is that so?"

I shook my head, disbelief coating my voice. "You can’t seriously think I’d agree to this."

His gaze darkened, something sharp settling in his features. The teasing edge was gone, replaced by something more ruthless.

"Fine," he said, his tone turning colder. "Then let’s talk business."

I frowned. "Business?"

"You owe me." He declared

My stomach flipped. "Owe you?"

Niklaus leaned in, his presence overwhelming even in the confines of the car. "You’re not leaving the country until the debt is settled."

A chill ran down my spine. "What debt?"

He arched a brow, as if the answer was obvious. "I don’t trust you, and I don’t like wired money."

My jaw dropped. "You want me to pay in cash?"

He nodded. "With interest."

I gaped at him. "Are you insane? The dress is torn anyway!" I gestured wildly, the motion only drawing attention to the slit my sister had created.

Niklaus’s gaze flickered downward for a fraction of a second before meeting mine again, something unreadable lurking beneath the surface.

I swallowed hard.

This man was impossible.

And worse?

I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to run anymore.

This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om