Aria Williams never imagined that a single night would change her life forever. Trapped in a loveless, contract marriage with billionaire Dick Porch, she endures his cold indifference and public affairs, all to save her sick mother. Though their marriage is nothing more than a business arrangement, Aria ensures protection during their forced encounters-until one fateful night when something goes terribly wrong. She wakes up naked and sore in her husband's bed-but Dick never came home that night. Then who was with her? When Aria discovers she's pregnant, Dick's fury is unstoppable. He demands answers, and when a DNA test reveals the baby isn't his, he throws her out, disgraced and alone. But what no one knows is that she was already pregnant before that night. As secrets unravel and betrayals mount, Aria must fight to protect herself and her child from the web of deception woven around her. But who can she trust-the husband who abandoned her or the man she never meant to betray?
Chapter 1 The Proposal
Your mother needs surgery immediately. Without it, she won't last another month.
The words rang in my ears, and for a moment, I couldn't hear anything else. The soft rustle of the hospital papers in my lap, the faint hum of the machines in the background, even the doctor's voice-all blurred into the background. All I could focus on was the pounding of my heart and the cold, numbing fear creeping up my spine.
I blinked, trying to bring myself back to the room, but the truth settled like a weight on my chest. She wouldn't make it.
I gripped the edge of the chair, my fingers turning white as the air in the room thickened. This wasn't supposed to happen. My mother wasn't supposed to be dying. She had always been the rock I could depend on, and now, the very thing that kept her alive was slipping away.
"Aria?" The doctor's voice pulled me from the depths of my thoughts. "We can arrange for surgery, but it will cost-"
"I can't afford it," I interrupted, my voice catching in my throat.
He hesitated, looking at the paperwork in front of him, as though he was weighing his next words. The silence stretched between us like a chasm, and I could feel it, the looming certainty that there was no way out. No money. No family. No hope.
I swallowed, willing myself to stay composed. But the tears burned at the back of my eyes. How much more could I lose?
I had been juggling jobs for months now, each one barely enough to scrape by, but all I had managed to do was fall further into debt. The hospital bills piled up, insurance barely covered anything, and every time I thought I could breathe, another bill would show up in my mailbox.
I wasn't even sure how I was still standing, how I managed to serve food, clean tables, take orders from impatient customers, and listen to the endless conversations of those who didn't have a care in the world. But I did. I had to.
"Aria, I know this is difficult, but there might be an option," the doctor continued, his voice now low, almost cautious. "I could refer you to a program. It's for families in your situation."
I shook my head, the sting of defeat thick in my chest. Program? More like a charity handout-something I couldn't accept. My mother had always told me to never rely on others. To work hard, push through the pain, and make something of myself.
But now, I was at the mercy of something I couldn't control. And it terrified me.
The restaurant was no better.
Another day, another round of tired smiles and empty interactions. I had just clocked in for the evening shift at the restaurant, my third job this week, and already my feet ached from standing on them all day. The VIP section had been full all night, and the tips had been... well, non-existent for the most part.
My uniform clung to me, sticky with sweat and the remnants of a day's hard labor. I maneuvered through the tables, making my way past white linen and crystal glasses, pretending that the knot in my stomach wasn't growing by the second.
I was doing the best I could, but the weight of it all was pressing down, suffocating me.
As I reached table 7-one of the VIP tables near the window-my heart stopped, and for a moment, everything around me blurred again.
Sitting at the table was a man. Tall, broad-shouldered, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit that screamed money. His eyes, a piercing shade of blue, stared out the window, but I could feel his gaze land on me before I could even take a step closer.
I had seen him before, though I wasn't sure where. There was something about the way he carried himself, the confidence, the power. His presence was overwhelming, commanding.
"Good evening," I said, my voice cracking just a little as I forced myself to smile. "What can I get you tonight?"
He didn't immediately speak, just studied me for a moment, his eyes flicking over me as though he was sizing me up. It wasn't the first time a customer had done this, but there was something about him that made me feel... exposed.
"I'll have the steak, medium-rare," he finally said, his voice smooth, controlled. "And a glass of red wine. Bring me the best you have."
I nodded, biting my lip as I scribbled down his order. The man didn't seem to notice, his attention still on the city lights outside. As I turned to leave, he spoke again.
"You're new here," he observed.
I glanced back at him, confused. "Yes, sir. I've been here for a few weeks."
He looked me up and down, almost imperceptibly, as though he was weighing something in his mind. "You're working yourself into the ground. What's your name?"
"Aria," I said, the edges of my smile faltering slightly. There was something about the way he was looking at me that felt both intriguing and unsettling.
"Aria," he repeated slowly, like he was savoring the sound of it. "You look like you have a lot on your plate."
I didn't respond immediately. What could I say? Everyone had something weighing on them. But I was barely holding on.
The man set down his glass of wine, his fingers lightly tapping on the edge of it. "Tell me something, Aria. How far would you go to save your mother?"
The question startled me. I looked at him, narrowing my eyes, trying to gauge whether he was serious or just another arrogant, rich guy looking for a thrill.
But his eyes, intense and calculating, told me he wasn't joking.
"I'll do anything," I whispered, before I could stop myself.
"Anything, huh?" His lips curled into a slight smile, and for the first time, I felt the faintest stir of hope-hope that maybe, just maybe, I could finally catch a break.
He leaned forward, his voice low but filled with power. "Marry me," he said. "And I'll pay for your mother's surgery. All of it."
I froze, not sure if I had heard him correctly. Marry him? The billionaire I had just served food to?
He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping the rim of his glass again, his gaze never leaving mine. "It's a simple deal, Aria. You get what you need to save your mother, and I get a marriage contract. No strings attached."
I couldn't breathe. My heart hammered in my chest, the weight of the offer crashing down on me. I had no choice. No options left. My mother would die without the surgery.
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "What's the catch?"
His lips twitched in amusement. "There's no catch. Just a contract."
I stood there for a long moment, the noise of the restaurant fading into the background. This was it. This was my chance. I had no choice but to say yes.
My hand trembled as I reached for the pen.
I signed away my future, my freedom-everything I had ever known-just to save my mother.
And just like that, my life changed forever.
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