Page 41 of The Rancher's Second-Choice Wife

Huh?

Poppy found herself seated across Valerian ten minutes later, but instead of the romantic candlelit dinner she was expecting, he had her even more confused over the contract he wanted her to sign.

“I don’t understand. I don’t want your money—”

“I know you don’t,” Valerian said calmly, “but I need to make sure you’re taken care of, in case something happens to me.”

“I don’t think I like the sound of that.”

“The rebels in Risto think of me as the enemy because of the deal I made with the royal family. There’s a slight possibility that they’ll want me dead—”

Poppy could feel herself paling as the full import of his words started to sink in.

“And I need to know you’ll be okay even if I’m not around.”

“But—”

“If I have to be completely honest, this offshore account is also meant to dissuade you from feeling lonely if I’m gone. Contrary to popular opinion, money - if there’s more than enough of it - makes a better bedfellow than another man.”

Poppy didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She had never imagined Valerian to be a jealous man. She had been working for him for eight months, and not once had he acted jealous over his ex.

Yet here he was, meticulously ensuring that his wealth would keep her from seeking another man’s company in case...he wasn’t around for long.

Poppy bit her lip hard to stop it from trembling. Just the thought of someone wanting to hurt Valerian made her want to cry. It made her feel so helpless, knowing the kind of enemies he had.

Please God. Please protect him. Please.

“There’s another contract I need you to sign.”

Poppy could only shake her head at this point. “Another one? What for?”

“Have you heard of Heart’s Match?”

Poppy’s confusion grew. “Everyone’s heard of it.” The company was the first and most successful of its kind, with its female CEO having arranged marriages for billionaires and their (e)mail-order brides.

“Then you know who Charlotte is?”

“The CEO?”

“Yes. I needed her help with the second contract. It’s another failsafe, so to speak. And it will only take effect if the royal family manages to take back control of their kingdom.”

“I still don’t get it.”

“Charlotte has come up with a PR plan that would effectively introduce you as my wife while employing certain legal measures to keep Camelia from saying anything against you in public.”

“But I’m not your wife.”

“Yet.”

Valerian had already gone down on one knee before he had even finished speaking.

Is this real? Can this really be happening? I can’t believe this is real.

When he reached to pull out one more thing from his pocket, it was not another pen, but a small velvet box.

And inside of it, of course, was a diamond ring.

“I can’t wait for the world to know I’m the luckiest man alive,” Valerian said roughly. “It kills me that I have to keep it a secret. You deserve more. You deserve everything. And one day...I swear it, Poppy. I swear I’ll give you everything. But right now, I can only ask you this. Will you be my wife in secret?”

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