Are You Even A Man?

"What are your terms? Let's hear them," Brentley asked, knowing that Claire agreeing to marry him couldn't be that simple. He wasn't arrogant enough to believe that someone like Claire would fall head over heels for him at first glance.

Claire hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, "First, our marriage will not be public, but privately, we have no relationship. You are you, and I am me." "Go on," Brentley replied nonchalantly.

"Second, you must have no improper thoughts about me. You can't do anything to violate me. We won't share the same room, and even if we do, we won't share the same bed," Claire continued, looking directly at Brentley.

"Any other conditions?" Brentley couldn't help but smile. He could already sense that Claire didn't truly want to marry him. She just wanted Brentley to play along so she could secure the investment for the Harris Family.

"The third condition is that you have no right to interfere with anything I do," Claire said slowly. "No right to interfere with anything?" Brentley smiled faintly and asked softly, "What do you mean by that?"

"It's very simple. If I meet a man I like, I can date him, and you can't interfere. Similarly, if you meet a woman you like, you can do whatever you want, and I won't interfere," Claire explained.

"So, you want us to be a couple in name only, right?" Brentley asked.

"Exactly. This is our first meeting. If I were genuinely willing to marry you, you'd find it unbelievable, wouldn't you? So, it's better to lay everything out clearly. That way, it's fair for both of us," Claire said slowly.

"I don't see how any of this benefits me," Brentley Carter said, narrowing his eyes. "If you marry me, the Harris Family gets financial support, and I get a wife. That's fair. But if we do it your way, I'm just playing along in your facade. The Harris Family gets the money, but what do I get?"

Claire Harris was momentarily taken aback by Brentley's sharpness. She hadn't expected him to catch on so quickly. "I understand your situation. You need money, right? If you agree to my terms, I'll give you $5,000 a month as compensation," Claire said softly.

"Are you trying to keep me, then?" Brentley asked with a smirk.

"Interpret it however you like," Claire replied coolly. "Given your current financial situation, $5,000 a month is no small amount. Think it over. If you agree to my terms, we can get the marriage certificate anytime."

Erica, standing nearby, began to understand Claire's intentions. Claire's demands were outrageous. If Brentley agreed, even if he married Claire, he'd be nothing more than a living puppet.

Marrying someone as beautiful as Claire but being unable to do anything, while Claire could see other men without his interference, was clearly an insult. No self-respecting man would agree to such terms.

Moreover, Claire offering Brentley $5,000 a month as living expenses was even more degrading. A grown man taking an allowance from a woman was humiliating.

"Claire must be desperate to go on this blind date with Brentley," Erica thought. "She's deliberately humiliating him to make him back off."

"The conditions Cousin Claire proposed were so harsh, there's no way Brentley would agree. If he doesn't, their engagement will be called off, and it would be Brentley who backs out. Cousin Claire is really smart!" Erica stood beside Claire, secretly feeling relieved.

"Do you think five thousand a month is too little?" Brentley's voice interrupted Erica's thoughts.

"What? This jerk is actually agreeing? Does he have no self-respect? Not only is he agreeing, but he also thinks five thousand a month is too little? Who on earth is this Brentley?" Erica turned to look at Brentley, her expression filled with disbelief.

At this moment, Erica's impression of Brentley had hit rock bottom. She had thought he was just shameless before, but now she felt he was utterly without dignity.

"If you think five thousand is too little, how about ten thousand?" Claire, also surprised that Brentley would agree to her unreasonable demands, asked softly after a brief pause.

"Sure, ten thousand a month. We'll get the marriage certificate in a couple of days. I can agree to your terms," Brentley replied casually.

"You... you really agreed?" Claire asked in utter disbelief at how quickly Brentley had accepted.

"Yeah, I think ten thousand a month is quite a lot. Do you know how many bottles I'd have to collect to make that much?" Brentley replied with a grin.

"And you don't mind if I have relationships with other men?" Claire continued to question.

"I don't mind at all. As long as you give me ten thousand a month, it's like you're my sugar mama. A sugar mama can have other people too, I don't care..." Brentley said, baring his teeth in a smile.

Claire looked at Brentley standing before her, her expression filled with exasperation and disappointment. She couldn't fathom how a man could be so unambitious.

Brentley's thoughts, however, were quite simple. Since Claire didn't like him, there was no point in forcing her to marry him. Although Claire was incredibly beautiful and charming, he knew that a forced marriage would never be sweet.

The reason Brentley wanted to marry Claire was because of a stipulation in the will, and Claire's desire to marry Brentley was solely for the benefit of the Harris Family.

Both of them were just fulfilling their own needs, so there was no question of anyone wronging the other.

Brentley's earlier display of indifference and greed was merely a facade to conceal his true identity. After all, the $10,000 Claire will give him each month was nothing to him.