A Deal with the Devil

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its sleek, modern design and cold, unforgiving chairs, she knew it was over. The firm's representatives sat across from her, nodding politely, but t

void of any warmth. "Your vision is... admirable, but I'm afraid we're going to have to pass. There are too many risks involved, and

She nodded, trying to mask the frustration

offering a polite smile that didn't reac

erything, and yet nothing seemed to work. Her company, her dream, was slipping through her fingers. The thought of losin

she walked toward the subway station, the weight of the city seemed to press down on her, its towering buildings mocking her

, interrupting her spiraling thoughts.

now? Had he come to mock her failure? To make her fe

answer. Against her better judgment, she slid her fi

h as always, greeted her immediately. "I

carrying the sharpness of her frustration. "It looks like

sympathy. "But I also suspected you'd take the high road, as you

words catching her off

ur company, right? You need a solution, and you know as well as I do that it's not going to come from

urate. He had a way of cutting to the heart of things,

, her voice tinged with skepticism. "Because the last t

s voice growing more confident. "I'm offering you a way out. A wa

l her pulse q

'll take care of everything. Your company will be saved, your debts erased, and you

at kind of man made such an offer? But then the reality of her situation set in the crus

she said, more to

p control. But the marriage is the key. I don't expect love, but I do expect loyalty

his the answer she had been waiting for? Or

uietly, though she al

w how to survive. I admire that. But the truth is, you're out of options. So you have a ch

on the surface take the deal and save everything, or turn away and risk it all. But something

his?" she asked, still search

ef but loaded with meaning. When he spok

n of knowing I've made a very smart investm

r phone. This wasn't just a business deal. This was a trap. A dange

already at the edge. The abys

, her voice betraying none of t

g," Chris replied. "I suggest you ma

at, the lin

spin around her, everything blurring as the reality of Chris's offer settled into

n her life would nev