The Girl in the Hoodie is Mine

ELLA’S POV:

Jason blinked at me, utterly baffled. "Ella, what is going on?"

"My father," I began, narrowing my eyes at the man in question, "has decided that you’re the perfect candidate for his ’condition.’"

Jason frowned. "Condition for what?"

"For me to take over the Kingsley Empire when married," I said flatly, crossing my arms over my chest.

Jason’s eyes widened, and his jaw slackened as the weight of my words sunk in. "Wait. You’re saying... he wants me to—"

"To marry me, yes," I said bluntly, cutting him off.

Jason’s gaze darted between my father and me, his expression a mix of shock, confusion, and something else I couldn’t quite place. "Is this some kind of joke?" he finally asked, addressing my father.

"No joke," my father said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. "It’s a logical decision. You’ve proven yourself capable in business, and from what I’ve observed, you and Ella already have some form of rapport. You complement each other well." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"Oh my God," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "Dad, you can’t just pick someone and decide—"

"I can, and I have," he interrupted, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Jason, to his credit, seemed to be handling the situation better than I would have expected. "Sir, I appreciate the... compliment," he said carefully, "but don’t you think this is a decision that Ella and I should make for ourselves?"

My father tilted his head slightly, considering Jason’s words. "You’re not wrong," he admitted. "But let me remind you both—this isn’t just about emotions or personal preferences. This is about securing the future of the Kingsley Empire. And whether you realize it yet or not, Jason, you are the perfect choice."

I groaned, sinking onto the edge of the couch and burying my face in my hands. "This is insane."

My father leaned forward, his tone softening slightly. "Ella, I’m not trying to ruin your life. I’m trying to ensure you have someone by your side who can handle the weight of what you’re taking on. You may not see it now, but this is for your benefit."

"By turning my life into a corporate arrangement?" I snapped, lifting my head to glare at him.

"Ella," Jason said quietly, his voice surprisingly calm. I looked at him, and for a moment, I saw something in his eyes that I couldn’t quite place—an understanding, maybe, or even a hint of protectiveness. "Can we talk? Alone?"

I hesitated, glancing at my father, who raised an eyebrow but didn’t protest.

"Fine," I said, standing up and motioning toward the door. "We can talk in the hallway."

Jason followed me out, closing the door behind him.

As soon as we were alone, I whirled around to face him. "I’m so sorry you got dragged into this," I said quickly.

Jason held up a hand, stopping me. "Ella, it’s fine. I’m just... trying to understand. Is he serious about this?"

"Dead serious," I said with a bitter laugh. "And trust me, once he’s made up his mind, there’s no changing it."

Jason ran a hand through his hair, looking as though he were processing a million thoughts at once. "And how do you feel about all of this?"

I stared at him, unsure of how to answer. "I don’t know," I admitted. "I’ve spent my entire life trying to prove to him that I can handle his Empire on my own, that I don’t need anyone. And now..."

"Now he’s throwing me into the mix," Jason finished for me, his lips quirking into a small smile.

"Exactly," I said, feeling a flicker of amusement despite the chaos of the situation.

Jason leaned against the wall, his expression thoughtful. "Well, for what it’s worth, I don’t think your dad is entirely wrong about one thing."

"And what’s that?"

He looked at me, his gaze steady and sincere. "You don’t have to do it all alone."

Jason POV:

The cab ride to Ella’s place felt longer than it should have, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios. Max had told me she was fine, but the image of her on that motorcycle, zipping off like she didn’t have a care in the world, was seared into my brain. It wasn’t just the bike that worried me, though. It was Ella herself—her tendency to act out when cornered, her need to escape rather than confront. By the time I reached her apartment, a knot of unease had settled firmly in my chest.

I limped up the stairs two at a time, ignoring the ache in my leg. I wasn’t entirely sure why she was hiding from her father or what secrets she was keeping, but I didn’t want her to slip away before I could figure it all out. If she vanished, if she retreated to some place where no one could reach her... I didn’t want to lose her to a father-daughter feud that I barely understood.

When I finally reached her door, I paused for a second, catching my breath before knocking. My heart pounded as I waited, the seconds dragging. The door swung open, and there she was—alive, intact, but clearly startled to see me.

"Jason?" she said, her voice a mixture of confusion and surprise.

My relief came out in a rush. "Ella," I said breathlessly, my eyes scanning her for any signs of distress. "Are you okay? For a moment, I thought you..."

The words caught in my throat as my gaze shifted past her to the man seated comfortably on her couch. Charles Kingsley. The sharp-eyed business mogul looked up at me with an amused expression that sent a chill down my spine.

"Mr. Kingsley," I stammered, stepping into the apartment despite every instinct screaming at me to retreat. "I didn’t realize you were here."

His smile was disarming, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. "Jason," he greeted smoothly, his tone as polished as his tailored suit. "I was just wondering why my newly signed partner is knocking at my daughter’s apartment."

I froze, feeling the blood drain from my face. Newly signed partner? Ella’s father and I had finalized a significant deal recently, but I hadn’t connected the dots—hadn’t realized this was the same Kingsley.

Ella spun toward me, her eyebrows raised. "Wait, what? You’re the multimillion-dollar deal my father signed? The one you said you wanted to celebrate?"

I nodded reluctantly, avoiding her gaze. "Yeah."

Her expression shifted from surprise to something I couldn’t quite place as she turned back to her father. He was watching me with the kind of calculating look that made me feel like a pawn on his chessboard.

The way he smirked, nudging his chin slightly in my direction, made my stomach sink. I didn’t need words to understand the unspoken message.

"That’s my condition," his eyes seemed to say.

Ella groaned audibly, running a hand through her hair. "No, no! You can’t be serious!" she exclaimed, her voice rising.

I looked between them, completely lost. "What’s going on?"

Her father leaned back, completely unruffled. "I’m very serious, Ella," he said calmly.

"You don’t even know him!" she protested, pointing at me as though I were some stranger who had just stumbled into their lives.

"Actually," he said with a smirk, "I do. We’ve met twice now, haven’t we, Jason?"

I nodded hesitantly. "Yes, sir. Once during a deal with my father and recently for the LBJ Company partnership."

He nodded, pleased. "Exactly. Both times, you impressed me. Intelligent, resourceful, and driven—qualities I value in a business partner and, potentially, a son-in-law."

"Wait, what?" I blurted out, sure I’d misheard.

Ella whipped around to face me. "Yeah, you heard him. My father’s decided you’re the perfect candidate for his ’condition.’"

I frowned, glancing between them. "Condition for what?"

"For me to take over the Kingsley Empire," she said flatly.

I blinked, my brain struggling to process what I’d just heard. "Wait. You’re saying... he wants me to—"

"To marry me, yes," Ella said bluntly, crossing her arms.

I froze, staring at her, then at her father, then back at her. Was this a joke? Some bizarre test I wasn’t in on?

"No joke," Mr. Kingsley said, answering my unspoken question. "You’ve proven yourself capable in business, and I believe you and Ella would make a strong team. She needs someone by her side who can handle the pressure of the empire, and you’re the perfect candidate."

Ella groaned, collapsing onto the edge of the couch. "This is insane."

I barely heard her, my thoughts swirling in chaos. Marry Ella? I liked her—no, I loved her—but this wasn’t how I’d imagined confessing my feelings. Not like this, with her father orchestrating the whole thing like a business merger.

"Sir," I began, choosing my words carefully, "I’m honored by your confidence in me, but don’t you think this is a decision that Ella and I should make for ourselves?"

To my surprise, he nodded slightly. "You’re not wrong," he admitted. "But let me remind you both—this isn’t just about emotions or personal preferences. This is about the future of the Kingsley Empire. And whether you realize it yet or not, Jason, you’re the best choice."

Ella buried her face in her hands, muttering something I couldn’t make out.

"Ella," I said softly. She looked up at me, her expression weary but defiant. "Can we talk? Alone?"

She hesitated, then stood, motioning toward the door. "Fine. We’ll talk in the hallway."

As we stepped outside, I turned to her, my heart pounding. "Ella, I’m sorry," I said quickly. "I didn’t know this was what your father had in mind."

She sighed, leaning against the wall. "It’s not your fault. My dad loves to manipulate situations to his advantage."

I hesitated, unsure of what to say. "What do you want to do?"

She looked at me, her eyes filled with frustration and something I couldn’t quite place. "I don’t know," she admitted. "I’ve spent my whole life trying to prove I don’t need anyone, and now..."

"Now your father’s thrown me into the mix," I finished for her.

"Exactly," she said with a weak laugh.

I stepped closer, my voice steady. "For what it’s worth, Ella, I don’t mind stepping into the mix. But only if it’s what you want too."