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BLURB/SYNOPSIS:"You can't be serious." Darcey Washington folded her arms, staring at Damien Sinclair like he had lost his mind. Across the sleek glass desk, Damien remained perfectly composed, his fingers steepled together. "I don't make jokes, Darcey. Not about business."She scoffed. "Business? Marriage isn't a business deal." His lips curved into something that almost resembled a smirk. "For people like me, it is." Darcey shook her head, gripping the blueprint sketches she had brought for his penthouse redesign,the job she had actually been hired for. "I came here to talk about interiors, not wedding vows." Damien leaned forward, his piercing gray eyes locking onto hers. "And yet, here we are."Her pulse pounded. "Why me?" He didn't blink. "Because I need a wife, and you need a lifeline." Darcey inhaled sharply. He knew. He knew about Ethan, about the medical bills stacking up, about the nights she stayed awake, terrified of losing her little brother. "How do you know about Ethan?" she whispered. Damien's voice was smooth, calculated. "I do my research. Your landlord was about to evict you. The hospital has started making calls. You don't have time, Darcey."Her stomach twisted. "And you think I'd just sell myself to you in exchange for a check?" Damien's gaze darkened. "No. I think you're smart enough to see a way out when it's offered to you." She clenched her jaw. This was insane. A marriage-one that wasn't real, one built on conditions, deadlines, and contracts. A man like Damien Sinclair didn't believe in love. He believed in control. "One year," he said. "No strings. No expectations. Just a contract that benefits us both." Darcey swallowed hard, her mind racing. This was dangerous. But so was doing nothing. Damien sat back, watching her with the patience of a man who already knew her answer. "What's it going to be, Darcey?" Her fingers trembled as she set the sketches down on the desk. "Where's the contract
Chapter 1 THE ULTIMATUM
BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE'S VOWS
CHAPTER ONE
Damien Sinclair stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse office, gazing out at the stormy night sky. Rain lashed against the glass, casting a rhythmic melody that seemed to match the pounding in his head. The city lights twinkled like stars, but Damien's attention was focused on the man sitting across from him.
His grandfather, Richard Sinclair, sat in the leather chair, lounging like he owned the place. Which, in a way, he did. Richard had built Sinclair Enterprises from the ground up, and even though he'd stepped back from the company years ago, his influence still loomed large.
"You need a wife," Richard said, his voice low and smooth, like a fine whiskey.
Damien raised an eyebrow, his grip on his whiskey glass tightening. "You're kidding, right?" He'd expected his grandfather to bring up the subject of his personal life, but a wife? That was a bit much.
Richard's expression remained serious. "I'm dead serious, Damien. The board is getting restless. Investors don't trust a man who doesn't have his life in order."
Damien snorted. "My life is perfectly in order. I've built an empire, Grandfather. Sinclair Enterprises is thriving." He'd worked tirelessly to prove himself as a capable leader, and the company's success was a testament to his hard work.
Richard leaned forward, his eyes glinting in the dim light. "That's exactly my point. You've spent years proving yourself as a businessman, but it's time to prove yourself as a leader. And leaders have stable personal lives."
Damien's jaw clenched. "You're not going to dictate my personal life, Grandfather." He'd always known that his family expected him to marry well and produce heirs, but he'd never thought they'd actually try to force his hand.
Richard's smile was cold. "Oh, but I am. You have six months to find a wife, Damien. If you don't, the board will start looking for someone else to take over as CEO."
Damien's blood ran cold. He knew the board had been waiting for an excuse to push him out. This was the perfect opportunity. He felt a surge of anger and resentment, but he pushed it down, knowing he had to keep a level head.
"I'll do it," he said finally, the words feeling like they were choking him.
Richard's smile grew wider. "I knew you'd see things my way, Damien."
Damien's gaze drifted back to the window, his mind already racing with the implications of his grandfather's ultimatum. He knew he had to find a wife, and fast. But he also knew that he couldn't just marry anyone. He needed someone who would understand the demands of his position, someone who would be a partner rather than a liability.
And then there was the small matter of finding someone he could actually tolerate.
Across The Town
Darcey Washington sat at her kitchen table, staring at her laptop screen with a mix of dread and desperation. The email from Sinclair Enterprises had been sitting in her inbox for hours, taunting her with its promise of a major redesign project.
She'd heard of Damien Sinclair, of course. Who hadn't? Ruthless billionaire. Ice-cold businessman. The type of man who chewed people up and spit them out.
But Darcey didn't have the luxury of being picky. Her brother's medical bills were piling up, and she needed the money. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come.
"I'll do it," she whispered, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she typed out her acceptance.
Little did she know, her life was about to become a lot more complicated.
As she hit send, Darcey felt a shiver run down her spine. She'd just taken the first step into a world she didn't fully understand, a world of high-stakes business deals and ruthless corporate politics.
And at the center of it all was Damien Sinclair, a man who seemed as unforgiving as the storm raging outside her window.
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Chapter 1 THE ULTIMATUM
10/03/2025
Chapter 2 THE INTERVIEW
10/03/2025
Chapter 3 THE OFFER
10/03/2025
Chapter 4 A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL
10/03/2025
Chapter 5 TIES THAT BIND
10/03/2025
Chapter 6 A NEW BEGINNING
10/03/2025
Chapter 7 WHISPERS OF JEALOUSY
10/03/2025
Chapter 8 A BREWING STORM
10/03/2025
Chapter 9 BILLIONAIRE WIFE OR GOLD DIGGER
11/03/2025
Chapter 10 EXPOSED
11/03/2025
Chapter 11 THE TENSION BREAKS
11/03/2025