Chapter 4: A Proposal Like No Other

My heart raced as I sprinted through the labyrinthine corridors of Drake Technologies, the rhythmic clack of my heels echoing off the sleek, chrome walls. The classified files from the whistleblower weighed heavily in my bag, each step a reminder of the dangerous knowledge I now possessed. I'd barely escaped the men in black suits who had chased me from my apartment, and now here I was, infiltrating one of the most secure buildings in the city.

I rounded a corner and collided with a wall of muscle and expensive cologne. Strong hands steadied me, preventing my ungraceful tumble to the floor. I looked up, ready to mumble an apology and dash away, when my breath caught in my throat.

Ethan Drake.

The man himself.

His steely gray eyes locked onto mine, a mix of surprise and intrigue dancing in their depths. "Dr. Chen, I presume?" His voice was rich and smooth, like aged whiskey.

I blinked, momentarily stunned. "How did you—"

A commotion down the hall cut me off. The sounds of shouting and running feet grew closer.

Ethan's expression hardened. Without a word, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into a nearby office, closing the door quietly behind us. The room was dark, illuminated only by the city lights filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

"Those men," I gasped, trying to catch my breath. "They're after me. After this." I clutched my bag tighter.

Ethan's eyes narrowed. "The whistleblower's files."

My jaw dropped. "You know about—"

He held up a hand, silencing me. "Dr. Chen, I've been expecting you. Though I must admit, I didn't anticipate such a dramatic entrance."

Outside, the sounds of pursuit grew louder. Ethan moved to a painting on the wall, swinging it aside to reveal a hidden safe. His fingers flew over the keypad.

"I don't understand," I said, my mind reeling. "You're Ethan Drake. Your company... the data I've been analyzing... it all points to—"

"A conspiracy that goes deeper than you could imagine," he finished, pulling a sleek tablet from the safe. "One that threatens not just my company, but the entire global economy."

He turned to me, his face grave. "Dr. Chen, I need your help. Your economic theories, combined with the technology we're developing here... it might be our only chance to prevent a catastrophe."

The door handle jiggled. Someone was trying to get in.

Ethan stepped closer, his voice dropping to an urgent whisper. "I have a proposal for you, Dr. Chen. One that will give you unrestricted access to all of Drake Technologies' data. But it comes with a price."

My mind raced. This was everything I'd ever wanted – the key to proving my theories, to revolutionizing global economics. But the intensity in Ethan's eyes told me the cost would be steep.

"What's the price?" I asked, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.

The door shuddered as someone threw their weight against it.

Ethan's next words froze me to my core.

"Marry me."

For a moment, I thought I'd misheard him. "What?"

"A marriage of convenience," he clarified quickly. "My board of directors is pressuring me to settle down, to project a more stable image. You need access to my company's data. Together, we can unravel this conspiracy and save the global economy."

The absurdity of the situation hit me. Here I was, in a dark office with the most eligible bachelor in tech, being proposed to while mysterious agents tried to break down the door. It was like something out of a bad spy novel.

And yet...

The possibilities raced through my mind. With full access to Drake Technologies' resources, I could finally prove my theories. I could change the world.

But at what cost?

The door splintered. We were out of time.

Ethan held out his hand, his eyes boring into mine. "Dr. Chen – Olivia – do you trust me?"

I stared at his outstretched hand. Every logical part of my brain screamed that this was insane. I barely knew this man. The files in my bag hinted at dark secrets within his company. For all I knew, he could be behind the men trying to capture me.

But there was something in his eyes. A desperation, yes, but also a glimmer of hope. And in that moment, I made a decision that would change the course of my life forever.

I took his hand.

The instant our skin touched, the world around me exploded into a kaleidoscope of numbers and graphs. Stock prices, market trends, economic indicators – they flashed before my eyes in a dizzying array. I saw boom and bust cycles, the rise and fall of currencies, the intricate dance of global trade.

And through it all, a pattern emerged. A hidden rhythm to the chaos, a secret melody playing beneath the surface of the world's economies.

I gasped, staggering backward. The vision faded as quickly as it had come, leaving me disoriented and breathless.

Ethan steadied me, concern etched on his face. "Olivia? What's wrong?"

Before I could answer, the door finally gave way. Three men in black suits burst into the room, guns drawn.

"Step away from Dr. Chen," the lead agent barked.

Ethan moved in front of me, shielding me with his body. "Gentlemen, I believe there's been a misunderstanding. Dr. Chen is my fiancée."

The agents exchanged confused looks. The leader lowered his weapon slightly. "Your... fiancée?"

I stepped forward, my mind still reeling from the strange vision but knowing I had to play along. "That's right. Ethan and I were just... celebrating our engagement."

I forced a smile, holding up my left hand. To my shock, a massive diamond ring sparkled on my finger. When had Ethan slipped that on?

The lead agent's eyes narrowed. "Mr. Drake, we have reason to believe Dr. Chen is in possession of classified documents."

"Nonsense," Ethan said smoothly. "I can assure you, my fiancée has done nothing wrong. Now, if you'll excuse us, we have a celebration to get back to."

For a tense moment, I thought the agents wouldn't buy it. But then, slowly, they lowered their weapons.

"Our apologies for the intrusion, Mr. Drake," the leader said stiffly. "We'll see ourselves out."

As they left, closing the splintered door behind them as best they could, I turned to Ethan. "That was... How did you..."

He smiled, a mix of charm and mischief. "I always come prepared, Dr. Chen. Now, shall we make our engagement official?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but a wave of dizziness washed over me. The strange vision from earlier threatened to overwhelm me again. Numbers and patterns danced at the edges of my consciousness.

"Olivia?" Ethan's voice sounded far away. "Olivia, what's happening?"

I tried to focus on his face, but the world around me began to blur. The last thing I saw before darkness claimed me was Ethan's concerned expression and a string of glowing numbers floating in the air between us.

As I fell into unconsciousness, a single thought echoed through my mind:

What have I gotten myself into?