"A deal?" Olivia looked at Ethan, confused.

She had nothing to offer him, so how was she supposed to make a deal with him?

The cramped space made it difficult for her to breathe. Even her back was sweating due to the heat.

Ethan bent over slightly. The water droplets dripped on her cheek from his strand of hair, leaving a cold stain on it.

"Stay by my side, then I'll wipe the slate clean with the Fordham family," he proposed sternly.

His proposal repeated in her head before she asked calmly while meeting his eyes, "Stay by your side as what?"

He paused momentarily. "I can give you anything aside from the title of Mrs. Miller."

She said clearly, "So you want me to be your mistress?"

The disgraceful word displeased him.

He kneaded his eyebrow while explaining, "Aside from a title, we can get along like how we did in the past."

"The past …" She chuckled.

Olivia was aware that she should be the meek party in order to win some favor for herself from the negotiation.

However, his