The Live-In Son-in-Law Is the Supreme Tycoon

Chapter 2: Part 1 The Marriage Proposal Nobody Expected

“What is it with him today?” she muttered under her breath.

Vanessa leaned over her shoulder, curious. “Still your father?”

Diana exhaled slowly. “He never calls this much.”

“Then answer it.” Vanessa tapped her.

“I will... later.” She declined the call once more, her thumb moving with quiet reluctance.

Almost immediately, the phone began ringing again.

This time, the laughter around her faded more noticeably. Her friends exchanged uneasy glances, sensing that something was wrong.

Richard Sterling was not a man who acted impulsively. Across the city, he was known for his calm, calculated demeanor, a businessman who could negotiate billion-dollar deals without raising his voice.

If he was calling repeatedly like this, then something serious had happened.

Diana hesitated for only a moment before answering. “Dad?”

She barely managed to say the word before his voice burst through the speaker, sharp and furious. “Where are you?”

The force of his tone made her instinctively pull the phone slightly away from her ear. “I’m shopping.”

“Shopping?” His voice rose, disbelief sharpening every syllable. “Diana, do you remember what today is?”

She closed her eyes briefly. Of course, she remembered. She had chosen not to dwell on it.

“Yes,” she admitted quietly.

“Then why are you still wasting time?” her father yelled.

“Dad—” she continued but got interrupted.

“No.” His interruption was immediate and absolute. “I gave you six months.”

“I know.” She rubbed the back of her neck.

“I told you clearly,” her father continued. “If you don’t introduce your fiancé before tonight’s board meeting...” His voice dropped, becoming dangerously calm, “You will lose every right to become President of Sterling Group.”

The weight of his words settled heavily in the air.

Diana stood frozen, her fingers tightening slightly around the phone as her friends watched her in silence, unable to interrupt.

Richard continued, his tone firm. “The directors are already gathered. They believe you’ve ignored my condition, and I have defended you long enough.”

“Dad, just give me another month,” she pleaded, her composure beginning to crack.

His interruption was sharp: “You’ve already had six.”

“I haven’t found the right person,” she countered

“Then perhaps you weren’t looking.” The disappointment in his voice cut deeper than his anger ever could. “You have one last chance,” he said after a brief pause. “Bring your fiancé home. Today.”

Before she could respond, the line went dead.

Diana slowly lowered the phone, staring at the blank screen as though it might offer her a different outcome.

The confidence she had carried just moments ago had completely disappeared, replaced by something far more uncertain.

Vanessa stepped closer, her voice softer now. “What happened?”

Diana swallowed. “If I don’t introduce someone tonight... I lose Sterling Group.”

Her friends reacted immediately, their shock impossible to hide. “What?” one of them exclaimed. “I thought Uncle Richard was bluffing.”

“He never bluffs,” Diana replied flatly.

Another friend folded her arms, thinking quickly. “So... what now?”

No one answered. The question lingered, unanswered and pressing. Outside the boutique, Jack had nearly reached the mall exit.

He wasn’t thinking about Diana or the earlier insults. His mind was occupied with something far simpler as he tried to recall whether he had left his wallet in his apartment or in the back seat of his car.

His phone buzzed again.

This time, it was his chief of staff.

Chairman, the presidential delegation has arrived at headquarters.

Jack glanced at the message, then typed a brief reply.

Reschedule.

Just one word.

Within seconds, controlled chaos erupted inside Greenwood Holdings. The President had already adjusted his schedule twice to accommodate the meeting, and now it was being postponed yet again. No explanation, no warning.

Only the Chairman’s decision.

Jack slipped his phone back into his pocket as though nothing significant had occurred. To him, it was simple—he preferred finishing one matter before moving on to the next.

Meanwhile, inside the boutique, Diana paced in front of the checkout counter, her heels clicking sharply against the polished marble floor. “I can’t believe this,” she muttered.

Vanessa watched her carefully. “Then stop pacing.”

“I’m thinking,” she said as she dropped her bag on the ground.

Vanessa smirked. “No, you’re panicking.”

Diana shot her an irritated glance. “I am not.”

“You absolutely are.” Vanessa insisted.

Before she could respond, Chloe suddenly turned toward the glass entrance. “Wait,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “Isn’t that him?”

Everyone followed her gaze.

Through the glass, they saw Jack standing near the curb, apparently waiting for transportation. He stood with his hands tucked casually into his pockets, watching the steady flow of traffic with quiet patience.

Vanessa tilted her head slightly. “You know... he’s actually handsome.”

Another friend nodded in agreement. “I noticed that earlier. He has a nice face.”

“And he’s tall,” someone added.

Chloe laughed. “Too bad he’s broke.”

The group burst into laughter again, though this time it carried less mockery and more curiosity.

Vanessa’s smile slowly faded as a thought began to form. “Actually... I just had a ridiculous idea.”

Diana glanced at her. “What?”

Vanessa pointed toward the man outside. “Him.”

Diana blinked. “What about him?”

“You need a fiancé,” Vanessa said plainly.

“So?”

Vanessa continued, “He needs money.”

The words hung in the air, shifting the tone of the conversation entirely.

Another friend’s eyes widened as realization dawned. “Oh... I see where you’re going.”

Vanessa’s grin returned. “Think about it. Nobody said your marriage has to be real.”

Diana turned her gaze back toward Jack.

He remained where he was, standing quietly beside the curb. He didn’t look impatient or frustrated. Instead, he appeared completely at ease, as though waiting did not bother him at all.

Vanessa continued, her voice persuasive.

“He’s good-looking. He doesn’t seem dangerous. And based on what we saw earlier, he’ll probably agree to almost anything if money is involved.”

Another friend let out a short laugh. “A contract marriage.”

Vanessa Added “Exactly.”

Diana shook her head, though her voice lacked conviction. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’m completely serious,” Vanessa replied. “You only need him for one year. After that, you get a divorce, and everything goes back to normal.”

Chloe snapped her fingers. “Problem solved.”

The idea settled between them.

At first, it sounded absurd, completely unreasonable. Yet the longer Diana considered it, the more it began to take shape as a solution rather than a joke.

She wasn’t searching for love. She didn’t want a real husband. She needed a legal fiancé, someone temporary, someone without influence.

Someone who would not interfere with her life. Someone who could disappear after one year without leaving a trace. Her gaze drifted toward Jack again.

At that moment, he stepped slightly aside to allow an elderly janitor to pass with a cleaning cart; he even offered a small, polite smile as he thanked the man.

The gesture caught her off guard. Most wealthy shoppers wouldn’t have noticed the janitor at all.

“He doesn’t seem arrogant,” Chloe admitted.

Vanessa nodded thoughtfully. “And after the way you embarrassed him, he’ll probably agree if you offer enough money.”

Diana pressed her lips together. Could it really be that simple?

There had to be something she was missing. She glanced toward the entrance again.

Jack’s driver had still not arrived, and he remained standing alone, almost... peaceful.

For reasons she couldn’t explain, that calmness irritated her all over again. How could someone who had just been humiliated in front of dozens of people appear so unaffected?

Was it pride? Or indifference?

Either possibility made her want to test him.

Vanessa nudged her. “Go.”

Diana responded in shock, “What?”

“Ask him,” Vanessa added

Diana let out a short, incredulous laugh. “You’ve lost your mind.”

“Have I?” Vanessa challenged. “What’s the worst that could happen? He says no?”

Another friend added quickly, “If he refuses, you’ll never see him again. But if he accepts, you keep your inheritance.”

The logic was simple, brutal, and sounded effective. A quiet tension settled over the group as Diana looked once more through the glass doors.

Jack was still there, standing against the backdrop of the moving city, as though untouched by its noise and chaos.

She inhaled slowly, steadying herself. Then she exhaled. “Fine.”

Her friends exchanged excited looks. “You’re actually doing this?”

Diana straightened her coat, her expression regaining its composure. “I’m only making him an offer.”

Vanessa grinned. “Oh, this I have to see.”

Diana turned and walked toward the exit. Her heels struck the marble floor with sharp, echoing clicks, each step more decisive than the last.

Outside, Jack sensed someone approaching and turned. Their eyes met for a long moment; neither of them spoke.

Then Diana broke the silence, her voice steady. “I’ve changed my mind.”

Jack raised an eyebrow slightly. “I’m willing to pay for your shopping.”

He regarded her with mild curiosity. “That’s generous.”

She added, “It isn’t charity.”

“I didn’t think it was,” he responded with a fair smile.

She folded her arms, her posture firm. “I have a condition.”

Jack’s expression remained calm and unreadable. “What condition?”

Diana stepped closer, closing the distance between them. Her voice was controlled, deliberate, and unwavering. “Marry me.”