Amelia’s POV

I apologize, Miss, but you are not allowed inside at this time. Hi there! Give up!" When the receptionist did call, it was already too late. I was determined to enter and find out who this "Mr. Baker" guy was.

"Miss please, you can't go in!" She made one more vocal attempt before attempting to physically stop me but in vain. I took one last step and was at his door. With such force that it struck the wall, I opened his door.

"I am sorry, sir. I attempted to stop her. The secretary exclaimed, defending herself as though it were her last. I didn't give a damn about her sorry. My blood was boiling right now.

It's alright, Emily. I'll take care of it. He said, shoving her aside. She nodded and walked out of the office looking incredibly relieved.

"Miss, can I help you?" His question was asked with a burdened tone. I looked away from the secretary who had just left his office and returned to him right quickly. Analyzing the individual before me took me a few seconds. Well, he wasn't what I had anticipated, but I managed to get this. This is something I can manage.

I approached him straight and placed my purse on his desk. He glanced down at the purse for a moment before turning his gaze back to me, so I could tell that action alone had an impact on him. I placed both of my hands on his desk and leaned slightly forward. Gazing directly into his eyes, I raised my voice.

"What kind of twisted game are you planning? I have no idea, but I'm demanding that you stop right now. I'm warning you, Mr. Baker: if you don't, the fallout will be too great for you to bear." He just sat there, his head a bit inclined to his right, but I warned, making sure my eyes conveyed exactly what I was saying. He had no expression on his face. Not a hint of fear in his gaze. I was kind of on the edge of it, but I held my ground.

"Do I know you?" He asked, remaining composed the entire time. For a brief moment, my brows furrowed as I remembered that this man truly doesn't know who I am, and yet he wants to marry me. It's getting tougher for me to figure out what his problem was the more stuff becomes revealed. I leaned away from his table, a little more at ease. My arms were crossed over my chest.

"Oh, I forgot the fact that you know nothing about the woman you're proposing marriage to." With a hint of sarcastic enjoyment painted on my face, I said. His eyebrows raised a little, and he rolled his eyes up and down, obviously using this as an opportunity to give me a close look. Really. He was blind to the annoyance of that gesture alone.

"I see, so you're she." It was more of a statement than a question, and it was the tone he employed that struck me. A tone that was a little disheartening. Can this dude be any more disrespectful?

"I'm not even interested in understanding the purpose of this. All you have to do is quit putting my father in danger with your absurd litigation and stop expecting me to wed you as if you were a lamb offered as a sacrifice. I mean, come on, this isn't the 1500s and you can't treat people like money!" I could not imagine myself married to a man like him, so I cried and hoped that all I had said had reached him. Not in this lifetime.

I saw him inhale deeply before standing up, his muscular frame visibly blocking the sun's rays from the scene behind him. Alright, so I was the little one, or maybe he was enormous. Not an issue. This is something I can manage. I observed him leaving his chair and going past his table, only pausing when he was directly in front of me. His hands were tucked inside his pants pockets. He stood too close for comfort, so close that I had to back off a little. He was staring down at me, but I had to raise my head so our eyes met. I was still not going to back down and prepared to defend my future. I saw the contempt in his eyes. He was so tall!

"No." At last, he answered. That precise phrase is still echoing in my mind. He had a deep voice. My circumstances were unbelievable. I blinked a few times like I was trying to refuel and get my bearings. I was a little taken aback by the fact that he wasn't moving at all. That was a fact that I detested.

"Uh-Uh, No!?" I stammered a little when I asked.

"What were your expectations? You would barge in, issue a grave threat, and then all would be resolved?" Frustratingly calm, he asked.

I briefly turned my head away from him in an attempt to remember my retort speech.

"We're getting married Miss Smith and not even the heavens itself can change my decision." I turned back to look at him as he said that in a somewhat chilly manner. This was really amazing!

"Look, Mr. Baker, I'm not ready to get married and if I am, trust me, it won't be someone as self-centered as you." I used a very crude quote. I mean, I can accomplish the same thing if he can.

"Besides, I'm probably not your type." I blurted out, meeting his gaze directly. For one brief moment, a smirk-like expression emerged. It vanished so quickly that I began to question whether it had even shown up in the first place.

"That was not taken into account, but the answer is no if you want to know. You're not my kind of person at all. However, the only reason for this marriage is financial gain." He continued, which was even more energized. I had the impression that nothing I had spoken since entering this place had been heard.

"You are full of yourself, aren't you?" I shook my head, shocked by this.

"You have no idea."

"Look, Mr. Baker..." I uncrossed my arms, scowled, and pointed my index finger in his direction. I could feel my blood start to boil just looking at his face.

"I suggest that you change your so-called solution or we're going to have an issue." I grated my teeth and warned. I saw how he looked at my index finger, which was pointing directly at his face.

"I suggest Ms. Smith that you take your finger away from my face or you're going to look for it shortly." He continued fairly dryly, and I finally removed my finger from his face, feeling somewhat irritated by his warning.

"This minor matter will gain prominence after my lawsuits are resolved. Your father's business and my numerous lawsuits will fail along with the wealth it has delivered. It is therefore up to you, Ms. Smith, whose issue it will be." My spine tingled at his response.

"This is really crazy. This is absurd, you're mad!"

"That is debatable."

"You don't even know my name!" I made an excuse.

"Yes I do, Ms. Smith," he shot back.

"My first name!" The quiet confirmed what I had said.

"You don't even know my name!" Even more irate than before, I repeated. Without even knowing the most basic details about me, how could he possibly consider getting married?

"My name is Amelia. Amelia." I narrowed my eyes and sighed.

"Well Ms. Amelia, this isn't as dramatic as you're making it out to be, it's merely the easiest solution." He tried to think rationally.

"You can't force something like this upon me!" I made my case again with vigor. There was much to learn about this man. He was unusually cold and sardonic for a man who worked for a corporation that prided itself on being friendly.

"I'm not making you do anything, you know. Even so, none of your other possibilities seem very viable. Without any discussions, I wager that very soon, Ms. Smith, you will be by my side, grinning for everyone to see. With a tone that was both serious and menacing, he said.

"I don't take orders from annoying snobs like you, Mr. Baker!" I made eye contact and retaliated with confidence.

"Then I guess I'll have to add that to my agenda, teaching you to take orders." He retaliated angrily. Unconsciously, my fingernails dug into my hands' palms.

I grabbed my handbag and made the decision that I would do something I would regret if I didn't leave soon. I quickly turned around as I felt a firm, warm hand grab my arm and try to keep me from going.

As I glanced over my shoulder, I noticed his eyes twitch slightly in response to the intense anger I was feeling. He released his grip on me quite soon.

"Let's put on a show since you've saved me the trouble of having to search for you and your father and I have already talked about the proposition. Charles?" He hurried by me and extended his arm to grab a black velvet box that Charles was holding. For the longest time, I had no idea that another person was working at the office. My eyebrows were furrowed as I stared at the little black velvet box that Mr. Baker was holding. How in the world?

"Give me your hand." He gave an order and opened the box. A band of silver with a diamond resting on top. Is he saying this? What the heck did he pay for this? My father and I didn't approve of the arrangement.

"Since I arrived, have you comprehended a single thing I've said? I declared that the entire plan would not come to pass. I refuse to be your wife." He seized my left hand firmly, disobeying my words once more, and before I could respond, he placed the band onto my ring finger. My gaze was fixed on the brilliant diamond.

My mind was racing. My life had turned completely upside down just now. I hooked up with this crazy person who believes he is the world's owner in less than a day. I didn't choose to end up potentially engaged to a man I don't know. Is this even still a standard procedure?

With a puzzled and angry look on my face, I turned to face him again and realized that this man was completely crazy. Shaking my head in shock, I tried to remove the ring, which oddly felt locked and challenging to remove.

He must have observed my difficulties. "Ms. Smith, consider what you're doing," he scoffed.

"Many people lose their jobs when that ring gets removed. You forfeit your inheritance's wealth. Your father and you will have financial difficulties. Just wait a minute before you damage so much for many people besides just yourself—that small act can make such a big difference."

My mouth fell open. Is he trying to make me agree by using guilt? The only thing that stopped me was the idea of making life more difficult for several colleagues and their families as well. Those folks didn't deserve to suffer the same fate as my father, even though he had dug his own grave. I only needed to glance into his eyes to realize he meant it. My blood pressure spiked, making my heart thump so loudly in my ears. It was annoying to feel so powerless. In my entire life, I have never felt like this.

"Dude, you need to learn how to set boundaries! This is almost harassing; I could file a complaint." I huffed and straightened my back to project a more menacing image.

"I defy you. Are you sure you want to initiate legal proceedings? My finest attorneys are already prepared; I don't wish to undermine you, but if defending you means jeopardizing my business, I won't hold back. It's your dad's life's work on the line. You have the choice, Ms. Smith." Again, you've left me in utter silence. I turned my back on him, certain I'd made my point and hurried to the door.

"One more thing, Ms. Amelia." As soon as I grasped the doorknob, he abruptly stopped me. I was compelled to listen to his next cock and bull story while I remained motionless.

"You must arrive here by 10 in the morning tomorrow. We need to go to this conference. Ultimately, our choice must be publicized." He said, but every single thing he said made me feel even more angry. I turned the knob right away, pulled the door open, and hurriedly left, slamming the door behind me. I was suddenly overcome with tears as I realized I would be forced to marry an unbearable man because I had no other option.