A Deal with Silence A struggling architect, Lena Evans, is forced to strike an unlikely deal with the cold, calculating billionaire Damien Blackwood. To save her family's failing business, she agrees to become his fake fiancée-a mere contractual arrangement to seal a high-stakes corporate partnership. But the deal is anything but simple. Damien, known as the "Ice King," has no interest in love or loyalty. Betrayed by his ex-fiancée and manipulated by his controlling father, he fears attachment more than anything. His life is built on power and control-feelings have no place in his world. Yet, there's something about Lena that tests his ironclad rules. As the lines between fake and real blur, Lena begins to see past his cold exterior, uncovering the deep scars of a man haunted by betrayal. But when a series of misunderstandings and emotional walls threaten to tear them apart, Lena must decide if she's willing to risk her heart for a man who fears love-and if she can convince him to let her in before it's too late. In a world of broken promises and hidden scars, can a fake engagement turn into something real? Or will silence and fear tear them apart forever?
Chapter 1 The Deal
Lena Johnson sat across from Damien Blackwood, the cold, calculating billionaire whose name sent ripples through the business world. He was a man of power, known for his ruthless drive, and the last person Lena would have ever wanted to rely on. But with her family's business on the brink of collapse, she had no other choice.
Damien's offer was blunt-an engagement in name only. A fake relationship, a façade. In exchange, he would use his influence to secure her family's company a lifeline. The arrangement was clear: no emotions, no attachments, just business.
Her family's future rested on her ability to convince the world-and herself-that she was in love with him. She wanted to reject him, to refuse his cold proposition, but desperation gnawed at her. The alternative was watching her father's legacy crumble.
Lena met Damien's steely gaze. His eyes betrayed nothing, the man as enigmatic as he was dangerous. "Do we have a deal, Miss Johnson?" His voice was smooth, controlled.
She inhaled sharply, fighting the unease that settled in her stomach. Her mind screamed to walk away, but her hand extended, sealing the deal. "Deal."
The weight of her decision pressed down on her, and she wondered if she had just signed away her freedom.
Other books by Isla faye
More