Chapter 8. The Proposal

I was growing increasingly frustrated with Cecilia's stubborn refusal to talk to me. She was behaving like a fool, wasting my precious time. However, I had little choice but to wait.

I had asked Marta to take me to Cecilia's family home to gather information on her whereabouts, but her stepfather was the one who received us. After he treated my secretary and me poorly, we left without a single clue about where Cecilia might be.

My father had set a strict deadline for me to find a bride, and time was running out quickly. There was no Plan B. I knew a bit about her history and her past, both because she had previously worked at my company and because my secretary was familiar with her. Cecilia was the only girl I knew who was in a difficult enough situation to consider the proposal I was about to make.

When I ordered my third drink, I took the opportunity to inquire about how much longer the shift would last. Cecilia, with a discreet gesture, indicated it