"I. Am. Engaged."
The words fell into the cabin like a bomb with a silent timer.
For one stretched-out moment, no one moved. Not because they didn't want to—because they couldn't. The air itself seemed stunned, thickened by those three syllables that shouldn't exist in the same universe as Asher Sinclair.
Kaya stood frozen, her tablet already on the floor where it had fallen. She didn't reach for it. She didn't blink. Her entire body had gone stiff, like her soul had pulled the emergency exit and left her on autopilot.
Rowan, however, looked like he was actively going through the five stages of grief at once.
Denial in his eyes.
Anger in his jaw.
Bargaining in the twitch of his fingers.
The police officers stared at Asher with the kind of suspicion usually reserved for men caught lying in court.
The lead officer was the first to breathe.
"What do you mean," he asked slowly, "you are… engaged?"
Asher's expression remained completely calm, which was almost offensive in itself. He stared back at the officer like the question was a personal insult to basic vocabulary.
"What does any person mean when they say they're engaged?" Asher replied dryly. "It's a fairly common phrase. Even among those who don't believe in romance."
Rowan's head turned sharply toward him.
Kaya didn't move.
The officer narrowed his eyes. "So you're telling us you're engaged… to Alessia Moretti?"
Asher's gaze snapped to him so sharply it could've sliced steel.
The room chilled.
Even Kaya, frozen as she was, felt it: that death-glare was not a look. It was a sentence.
Rowan swallowed audibly.
The officer held his ground—but his shoulders tightened the slightest bit.
Asher spoke again, voice low, controlled, and edged with pure irritation.
"Stop adding your imagination to my sentence," he said. "I said I'm engaged. I did not mention to whom."
The officer's brows lifted. "Then who?"
Asher's eyes stayed cold. "That's not relevant to your investigation."
"It is," the officer argued. "If your engagement is with a woman tied to organized crime—"
Asher's jaw tightened. "You are still doing it."
Rowan, who had been silent until now, finally found his voice.
"Officer," he said smoothly, stepping forward with legal composure even though his face was pale, "with respect, you're building a narrative based on speculation. That's not how investigations work."
Kaya finally blinked. Slowly.
Is this real?
Asher continued, not looking away from the officer.
"I will marry my fiancée at the start of next month," he said.
That line hit differently.
The police officers stiffened.
Rowan's eyes widened again. He looked like he was about to faint.
Kaya's brain produced only one thought:
Marriage? In THIS economy? With THIS man?
The lead officer cleared his throat. "You will… marry her."
"Yes," Asher said simply.
"Do you have proof of this engagement?"
another officer asked.
Asher's lips curved faintly as if he found the entire idea amusing.
"I will give you proof," he said smoothly.
"Come on 1st February."
Kaya felt her soul stumble back into her body just to scream.
Rowan whispered, "Oh my God."
Asher continued, as calm as a man ordering coffee.
"Be here," he said, eyes on the officer. "This office. 10:00 a.m. exact."
The lead officer frowned. "You're inviting the police to your—"
"Marriage paperwork signing," Asher corrected.
Kaya's mouth fell open.
Rowan's face twitched like he was trying very hard not to explode.
Asher's voice turned colder.
"There won't be many people," he continued. "I care about privacy. My fiancée cares about privacy. We are not disclosing this yet."
The officer looked skeptical. "So you're saying this is a private marriage—"
"It's not a wedding," Asher replied flatly. "It's paperwork."
Rowan muttered, "Romantic."
Asher ignored him.
"You want proof?" Asher said to the police.
"You will get it. You will witness me signing the marriage papers with her."
The officer exchanged glances with his colleagues. They were clearly weighing risk.
Because accusing Asher Sinclair without proof was dangerous. But backing down too easily made them look weak.
Rowan stepped in again. "Officer, you don't want to escalate this. There's no legal basis."
The lead officer hesitated.
Finally, he nodded slowly. "Fine. We will come on 1st February."
Asher gave a single sharp nod. "Good."
"But," the officer continued, voice warning, "if there is no marriage taking place that day—if this turns out to be another false statement—then we take action."
Rowan's jaw tightened.
Kaya's stomach twisted.
Asher's expression didn't change.
He only said, calmly and confidently, "You won't get that chance."
The officer's brows lifted.
Asher's voice dropped colder. "Don't worry.
But make sure—as soon as you leave this office—my name is cleared from your side."
The lead officer hesitated again. Then nodded once more.
"Understood," he said. "We'll update our report to reflect your statement."
"And," Asher added, voice turning razor sharp, "this investigation—based on gossip—ends here until you have evidence."
The officer held Asher's gaze for a long second.
Then he turned. "Let's go."
The police left the cabin.
The door clicked shut behind them.
The cabin fell silent.
Not normal silence.
The kind of silence that comes after a bomb, when everyone is still waiting for the rest of the building to collapse.
Asher stood there, calm again, as if he hadn't just casually invented a marriage timeline.
He watched the door for a second longer.
Then he turned.
And finally noticed.
Rowan and Kaya were still standing like ghosts.
Their skin had lost color.
Rowan looked like he'd just watched his brother commit a crime.
Kaya looked like she had mentally stepped out of her body again and was reconsidering her life choices.
Asher frowned. "What happened to you both?"
Neither moved.
Asher narrowed his eyes. "Guys."
Still nothing.
Asher sighed, deeply offended by their lack of functionality.
"Kaya."
She twitched.
"Rowan."
Rowan blinked once. Twice.
Then suddenly—like the world finally loaded again—both of them burst.
"What do you mean WHAT HAPPENED?!" Rowan shouted.
Kaya spoke at the same time. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE ENGAGED?!"
Asher flinched slightly at the volume.
Rowan pointed at him like he was prosecuting a case. "You just told the police you're getting married!"
Kaya stepped closer, eyes wide. "In front of officers! With cameras outside! With LAW!"
Asher raised a hand. "Lower your voices."
Rowan ignored him. "You said it like it was normal! Like you were ordering a new laptop!"
Kaya gasped dramatically. "Sir, you said it like you were ordering coffee!"
Rowan whirled toward Kaya. "Coffee would've been less dangerous!"
Kaya nodded. "Much less."
Rowan snapped back to Asher. "Who are you marrying?"
Asher replied, calm. "No one."
Kaya's jaw dropped. "Then WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?!"
Asher tilted his head slightly. "Because it was necessary."
Rowan threw his hands up. "Necessary?!"
Kaya looked genuinely offended. "Sir, necessary is rescheduling a meeting. Necessary is buying printer ink. Necessary is not—"
She gestured wildly. "—INVENTING A FIANCÉE!"
Rowan leaned forward, eyes blazing. "Do you realize what you just did?"
Asher's gaze narrowed. "Yes."
Rowan's voice rose. "Then explain, because my brain is actively rejecting this information."
Kaya nodded vigorously. "Mine too."
Asher exhaled slowly, as if explaining reality to these two was exhausting.
"It was the fastest way to shut them down," he said evenly.
Rowan stared. "By announcing marriage?"
"Yes."
Kaya's eyes widened. "You could've said 'I'm innocent.'"
Asher looked at her like she was adorable and wrong. "I did."
Rowan snapped, "No, you said you're engaged!"
Asher spoke with cold logic. "The accusation was that I'm linked to illegal business because of that woman. If I present another relationship, the accusation weakens."
Rowan frowned. "So your solution was… replace the mafia girlfriend rumor with a mystery fiancée rumor."
"Yes."
Kaya whispered, "This man is insane."
Rowan nodded. "Clinically."
Asher's gaze flicked to them. "It was necessary for the company."
Rowan's voice softened slightly—legal brain engaging. "You wanted to protect the stock."
"Yes."
Kaya swallowed. "And you think fake-engagement news will help?"
Asher replied calmly, "It will confuse them."
Rowan blinked. "That's… actually strategic."
Kaya stared at Rowan. "Don't you dare support him."
Rowan raised both hands. "I'm not supporting, I'm acknowledging his madness has structure."
Kaya looked back at Asher. "Sir, what if they ask for proof?"
Asher stared at her.
Kaya stared back.
Then realization struck her like lightning.
Her face drained again.
"WAIT," she whispered. "They DID ask for proof."
Rowan groaned. "Oh my God."
Kaya stepped closer. "Sir… you invited police to your marriage paperwork signing. On 1st February. At ten in the morning."
Asher nodded once. "Yes."
Rowan said slowly, "You are aware that 1st February is soon."
Asher replied, "Yes."
Kaya's voice cracked. "And you just casually promised there WILL be a bride."
Asher finally sighed, as if that was the obvious part.
Rowan shook his head. "How are you not stressed?"
Asher's gaze sharpened. "Stress is inefficient."
Kaya stared at him like he was a different species.
Rowan spoke carefully. "Asher… you need an actual plan."
Asher turned to his desk, picked up a file, then set it down again with maddening calm.
"I already have one," he said.
Kaya squinted. "You do?"
Rowan leaned forward. "You better."
Asher looked at Kaya. "First, suppress all news."
Kaya nodded quickly. "Okay."
"Second," Asher continued, "issue an official announcement denying rumors."
Kaya's fingers flew over her tablet already. "Yes. We can draft a statement. Strong language. Defamation warning. Commitment to ethics—"
Rowan nodded, already mentally editing.
"And then," Kaya said, looking up, "what?"
Asher's gaze met hers.
A pause.
Too calm.
Too deliberate.
Then he delivered the last line like a command.
"Find me a bride."
Silence.
Kaya stared at him.
Rowan stared at him harder.
The cabin's air turned solid again.
Kaya's mouth opened slowly. "Sir…"
Rowan whispered, horrified admiration mixing together. "No way."
Asher's expression remained unreadable. "Yes way."
Kaya's voice came out small. "You want… me… to find you a bride."
Asher nodded once. "Correct."
Rowan blinked. "This is insane."
Asher replied coolly, "No. This is business."
Kaya swallowed.
Her mind screamed.
I'm going to die.
Not from being fired.
Not from mafia rumors.
From being tasked with arranging Asher Sinclair's marriage like it was a calendar appointment.