I stiffened for a moment, then started weighing my options. “For a woman, reputation means more than life itself. If I actually go through with this, what’s in it for me, Mr. Jennings?”
Edward fixed his eyes on me, his tone probing. “So, what do you want out of this?”
“Anything I ask for, you make it happen,” I replied. If I straight-up asked for cash, that’d be like trying to rob a lion—might even get me in legal trouble. But if I could get his backing at work, use his network, then whatever I gain is up to my own ability.
Edward arched a brow. “Ms. Murphy, you really don’t hold back, do you?”
“Mr. Jennings, you want me to fake a marriage—this is a major life event. I’m putting everything on the table here, so being a little greedy is only fair, right?” I knew how much weight Edward’s words carried. Honestly, I didn’t have much room to say no.
Edward let out a small, amused laugh. “Trust me, I’ve met people way greedier than you. You’re pretty mild, honestly.”
I felt a wave of relief wash over me. “So, Mr. Jennings, you’re really saying yes?”
“Ryan comes before anything else. If you want my help with your job, just say the word—I’m in,” Edward replied, not even hesitating.
But then another worry crept in. “Ryan’s not easy to fool. If he finds out the marriage is fake, is he going to go after the guy I pick as my fake husband and beat him to death or something?”
Edward’s expression shifted for a moment, then he said seriously, “Well, that depends on how good your acting is, Ms. Murphy.”
“I’m no drama student—my acting skills are nothing special,” I replied.
Edward’s piercing eyes scanned me from head to toe before locking onto my face. “Ms. Murphy, if you can’t act, then it’s your pretty face and figure that got you your ex-husband, right?”
Hearing that, I couldn’t help but think, did Edward just read me like an open book?
Yeah, my family’s just middle-class. If Jared hadn’t noticed me back in college, there’s no way I could’ve jumped social ranks and turned into a rich lady overnight.
Edward was just stating facts, but honestly, it kind of stung.
“What are you getting at, Mr. Jennings?” I shot back, my jaw clenched in anger.
Edward drummed his fingers on the armrest. “What I’m saying is, if your acting sucks, you’d better start practicing. Don’t make it so sloppy that you can’t clean up the mess when it blows up.”
My heart skipped a beat in panic. The way Edward stared at me just now was like a tiger eyeing its prey—it made me seriously uneasy.
“But what if I blow it? Do you have a backup plan, Mr. Jennings?” I couldn’t help but ask, a little curious.
Edward said, “No backup plan. But… if you mess it up, I’ll step in myself. Think you could handle dealing with me directly, Ms. Murphy?”
“What?!” I jumped up from my seat, totally freaked out. “Mr. Jennings, are you for real?”
But Edward just looked at me, completely serious. “I’m not joking. If that’s what it takes to make Ryan give up, I’ll do it.”
“Mr. Jennings, that’s way too much!” I shot back, my anger bubbling over.
“I never said I’d actually get involved with you—it’s all just for show. And believe me, my acting skills are miles ahead of yours,” Edward said as he stood up.
Edward loomed over me, closing the distance with every step. “Ms. Murphy, a smart, ruthless woman will always get further than some naive sweetheart. With your looks, if you had a bit more edge, you could easily surpass your ex-husband.”
My eyes went wide—I just couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Is he for real? I thought, staring at Edward in shock.
Before I could even react, Edward reached out with a teasing edge, hooking his finger under my chin and lifting it up. “If you can make this happen, your career worries are over. Whatever you wish for, I’ll make it happen.” My heart skipped a beat—was he really promising me the world, just like that?
I let out a shaky breath, and when his finger left my chin, my legs went weak. I nearly collapsed back onto the couch, feeling completely unsteady.
Edward lowered his gaze to me. “I think I finally understand why Ryan likes you. Maybe it’s that stubborn look on your face. For him, it’s really that simple.”
My mind was a mess, completely at a loss. When I looked up at him, Edward leaned in, caging me in with his arms on either side of the chair, his gaze flickering over my face. “Remember, this stays between us.”