The Municipal Palace stood majestically over Neo-Luminara, resembling a crown forged from steel and glass, its spires reaching for the stars.
Inside, the mayor's private office radiated an air of calculated luxury,polished black marble floors glead under soft lighting, walls adorned with rare artifacts whispered stories of history, and a floor-to-ceiling window frad a breathtaking view of the city's shimring skyline.
Damien Armitage leaned against the window, swirling a glass of Solaris Vintage in one hand while his sharp gaze lingered on a distant skyscraper.
The room was enveloped in silence, punctuated only by the gentle hum of the climate control system.
Suddenly, the double doors slid open with a soft whisper.
Jessica Armitage entered with purpose, her ice-blue gown replaced by a sleek black suit that exuded confidence.
Her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor as she wasted no ti on pleasantries.
"He refused." It wasn't so much a question as it was an accusation.
Damien took a asured sip of his drink before responding faintly, "He did."
Jessica's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "I told you he would."
With an unhurried sip from his glass, Damien replied coolly, "And yet here we are."
Crossing her arms defiantly, Jessica fixed her piercing gaze on her father's back. "Why?"
Finally turning to face her, Damien's expression remained inscrutable. "Why what?"
"Why push this?" Her voice dripped with disdain. "You knew Arthur would never agree. He despises , and I loathe him."
A thin smile crept across Damien's face, humorless and cold. "Feelings are irrelevant."
"Not to ," Jessica shot back.
Setting his glass down deliberately on the obsidian desk, Damien said calmly, "Then you're thinking like a child,not an Armitage."
Jessica clenched her fists tightly against her sides. "Enlighten ."
Taking a deep breath as if explaining sothing painfully obvious to soone slow to grasp it, Damien continued: "Arthur Osborn controls the Osborn Family, a year ago they were just another declining dynasty teetering on collapse.
But when Arthur took charge? In one year he resurrected them from near ruin and surpassed their forr glory! Their businesses now span every industry; each one holds massive potential worth trillions."
His gaze sharpened dangerously as he added, "And he is untethered,no alliances or obligations make him dangerous."
Jessica narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "So you want to leash him?"
"I want to own him," Damien corrected smoothly. "Marriage is simply the cleanest way to achieve that."
She let out a sharp laugh that echoed through the office like shattering glass. "Clean? You just asked for sixty percent of his company as dowry! That's not a proposal,it's war!"
Damien's expression remained impassive as he leaned back, his voice steady. "It's a negotiation tactic: start high, settle for less."
Jessica raised an eyebrow, skepticism etched across her face. "And what happens if he refuses to settle?"
The mayor's smile turned icy, sending a shiver down Jessica's spine. "Then we remind him why crossing an Armitage is a grave mistake."
She studied him intently, searching for hidden truths. "This isn't just about power, is it? There's sothing more at play here."
Damien stayed silent, his gaze fixed on the city lights outside the window, his reflection ghostly and distant.
Jessica stepped closer, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "What aren't you telling ?"
"The Eastern Consortium is making moves," he finally revealed.
Her heart raced at the ntion of the Consortium. "They haven't been a threat in years!"
"Because soone owed a favor kept them in check," Damien replied quietly. "But that favor is running out. Their new chairman has… ambitions.
Fifteen years ago, I managed to keep them from stepping into Neo-Luminara after winning my election, offending them in the process, but now they're poised to gain a foothold here. If they do, everything we've built will be at risk."
Jessica felt her mind spin with possibilities. The Eastern Consortium, a syndicate of old-world industrialists and rcenaries,had been a persistent thorn in Damien's side for decades; without protection, he would have faced their wrath long ago. But lately? They'd been suspiciously quiet.
"And Arthur is what? A shield?" she questioned sharply. "Even if you control him, what can he really do? His influence pales next to such a behemoth like the Eastern Consortium."
Damien tightened his grip on his glass as if drawing strength from it. "Arthur possesses imnse potential and resources that could withstand them,even if he can't confront them directly himself. With him on my side, I can buy us ti... but if he won't stand with us…His voice trailed off ominously.
Jessica inhaled sharply as realization dawned upon her. "So this is all about making a preemptive strike."
"It's survival," Damien affird.
She turned away from him and began pacing the length of the office; her heels clicked rhythmically against the polished floor like an urgent trono counting down their options.
"There are other ways! We could pressure his businesses,cut supply lines or buy out employees! You're the mayor,you hold all the cards! Just draft up so policy targeting him!"
"And risk igniting open conflict?" Damien countered with a shake of his head. "No way, the Consortium would pounce on that weakness imdiately."
Jessica spun around, her eyes blazing with intensity. "Then why not just *kill him*?"
The words sliced through the air, sharp and unforgiving, plunging the room into a heavy silence.
Damien t her gaze unwaveringly. "Because a dead Arthur becos a martyr. A married Arthur? That's an Armitage."
Jessica's breath hitched in her throat. She had always known her father was ruthless, but this, this crossed a line she hadn't expected.
"You're asking to marry a man I despise," she said softly, each word laced with disbelief.
Damien's tone softened just enough to show he cared,slightly. "I'm asking you to do what's necessary for our family."
Her nails dug into her palms as anger surged within her. "And if I refuse?"
The mayor's expression darkened like storm clouds gathering overhead. "Then you're no daughter of mine."
Those words landed like a dagger, twisting deep in her heart.
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