Chapter 8 – A Deal With The Devil
I stared at Xander, his words still lingering in the air. Expose Jenna. Show Jacob what he’s been missing. A plan was forming in my mind, and for the first time in months, I felt a spark of something I thought I’d lost–hope.“]
“This plan,” I said slowly, leaning forward. “How exactly do you see it working when Jacob’s in another state?“}
Xander smirked, leaning back in his chair as if he had been waiting for that question. “Jacob will be here tomorrow.”
My eyebrows shot up. “What? How do you know that?”
“I just acquired a company,” Xander said casually, his tone almost too smooth. “A rather big one. Jacob is flying in tomorrow to finalize a deal with the new CEO.”
My jaw dropped. “You’re the new CEO?“}
“That’s right,” he confirmed, a glint of amusement in his eyes.
A smile tugged at my lips as I imagined Jacob walking into a boardroom, expecting to meet a powerful ally, only to find Xander sitting there, smug as ever. “I wish I could be there to see his face,” I admitted, unable to hide my amusement.}
“You’ll be there, Rose, Xander said, his tone serious. “That’s part of the plan.”
I blinked. “What do you mean?”
“For this to work, we need to make an impact,” Xander explained. “We’re not just showing Jacob that he made a mistake–we’re showing him that you’ve moved on, that you’re stronger without him.“}]
I narrowed my eyes. “How do we do that?”
Xander hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward, his gaze locking with mine. “We get married.“}
The air seemed to still around us. I blinked, sure I’d misheard him. “What?”
“You heard me,” he said calmly.
“Xander, that’s insane,” I said, shaking my head. “I just got out of a marriage–a horrible one, mind you. I’m not jumping into another one just to spite Jacob.”
“This isn’t about spiting Jacob,” Xander said firmly. “It’s about making a statement. If he sees you happy, confident, and married to someone he sees as his rival, it’ll drive the point home. He’ll realize exactly what he lost.“@
“And what about me?” I demanded. “I’m not some pawn in your rivalry, Xander.”
“You’re not a pawn,” he said, his voice softening. “You’re the queen. And queens make their own moves.”
I scoffed, crossing my arms. “You have an answer for everything, don’t you?“}
“It’s a gift,” he said with a faint smirk.
I rolled my eyes, but a small part of me couldn’t deny that his plan made sense. “What happens after?” I asked hesitantly. “If we go through with this and… it doesn’t work?”
“Then we file for divorce,” Xander said with a shrug. “No strings attached.”
I studied him, searching for any hint of ulterior motives. “And what do you get out of this, Xander? Be honest.”
His expression turned serious. “The satisfaction of messing with Jacob is intriguing enough,” he admitted. “But more than that, Rose, I just want to see you win. You deserve that.“@
His words were so genuine, so unguarded, that I felt my defenses crack. “You’re really serious about this,” I said softly.”
“As serious as I’ve ever been,” he replied.
I took a deep breath, my mind racing. Marrying Xander felt like a gamble–one I wasn’t sure I was ready to take. But then I thought of Jacob’s smug face, of the way he and Jenna had broken me, and something inside me hardened.
“Fine,” I said finally. “Let’s do it.”
A slow smile spread across Xander’s face. “You won’t regret this, Rose.“}
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I said, standing up. “Let’s just get this over with.”
An hour later, we were standing in front of a judge at the courthouse, the paperwork for our marriage license in hand. It all felt surreal, like I was watching someone else’s life unfold.
“You don’t have to look so grim,” Xander whispered as we waited for the judge to process our documents.
“This isn’t exactly how I pictured my second marriage,” I shot back.”
“Think of it as a strategic partnership,” he said with a wink.
I shook my head, a reluctant smile tugging at my lips. “You’re impossible.”@
“True,” he admitted, “but you’re still here.”
Before I could respond, the judge called us forward. The ceremony was quick, efficient, and entirely unromantic. When it was over, Xander handed me a small ring–nothing flashy, just a simple band.
“I thought you might want something understated,” he said as he slid it onto my finger.
“Thanks,” I said quietly, staring at the ring. It felt strange, almost foreign, but a small part of me appreciated the thought he’d put into it. As we left the courthouse, the reality of what we’d just done began to sink in. I was married. Again. To Xander Biden, of all people.
This is insane,” I muttered as we walked to his car.
