BILLIONAIRE'S HIDDEN WIFE

BILLIONAIRE'S HIDDEN WIFE

annazacharia284

5.0
Comment(s)
37
View
27
Chapters

Kareem Al-Fayeed has always lived life on his terms of wealth, charm, and a notorious playboy. But when his billionaire father gives him an ultimatum to marry or lose his inheritance-his carefree world is turned upside down. Determined to escape an arranged marriage, Kareem disappears for the night, unknowingly walking into fate's hands. Ayshe has spent her life fighting for her independence, but her mother and brothers have different plans. They want her to marry Sabri, a man she doesn't love. When Sabri arrives at her home to propose, Ayshe flees in desperation, seeking refuge at her office. That's where she collides with Kareem-another runaway caught in the same trap. Two strangers, both unwilling to surrender to family pressure, strike an outrageous deal: a contract marriage that benefits them both. Ayshe will escape Sabri's clutches, and Kareem will secure his inheritance-no strings attached. But when their pretend marriage turns into something dangerously real, old wounds and buried secrets threaten to tear them apart. Kareem finds himself drawn to Ayshe in a way he never expected, while she struggles to resist a man who once only saw women as fleeting conquests. And when Kareem's jealous admirer discovers their secret, the perfect arrangement begins to unravel. Will their contract remain just business, or will their hearts rewrite the rules?

Chapter 1 THE ESCAPE.

CHAPTER 1: THE ESCAPE.

The towering skyline of Ravengold City shimmered under the moonlit sky, a beacon of wealth and ambition. The streets below pulsed with energy-luxury cars gliding past, high-end restaurants brimming with the elite, and the distant hum of nightlife filling the air.

Kareem Al-Fayeed stood on the rooftop balcony of the grand Al-Fayeed estate, nursing a glass of whiskey. Below him, in the grand ballroom, a gala was in full swing-an event hosted by his parents to celebrate the legacy of Al-Fayeed Designs. But Kareem knew the real reason behind tonight's gathering.

He was about to be caged.

His father, Samir Al-Fayeed, had made it clear-no marriage, no inheritance. The billion-dollar fashion empire would go to someone else if Kareem didn't find a wife.

Kareem scoffed, swirling his drink. Marriage? He had spent his life avoiding commitment, indulging in casual flings, living life on his own terms. And now, because of his father's outdated traditions, he was expected to settle down.

The worst part? He had no way out.

A familiar voice pulled him from his thoughts.

"Kareem, you look like a man planning an escape."

He turned to see Victor, his best friend, smirking as he leaned against the balcony railing.

"I might be," Kareem admitted.

Victor chuckled. "Don't tell me your dad finally backed you into a corner."

Kareem exhaled. "It's worse. He expects me to pick a wife from this damn party."

Victor's grin widened. "And here I thought you had a way with women."

Kareem smirked but said nothing. He had a habit-whenever he passed a beautiful woman, he counted to three under his breath. One... two... three... and by then, he was usually already interested. But lately, even that trick wasn't working.

Victor clapped him on the back. "You're screwed, my friend."

Kareem rolled his eyes. "Not if I find a way out first."

With that, he set his glass down and disappeared into the shadows of the estate, determined to avoid his fate.

---

Meanwhile, Across the City...

On the other side of Ravengold City, in a modest neighborhood far from the glamour of the Al-Fayeeds, Ayshe Yılmaz paced her small bedroom, her heart pounding.

Downstairs, her family was preparing for Sabri's arrival. The man they expected her to marry.

Her mother, Selma, had been adamant-Sabri was a good match. He came from a well-off family, had a stable job, and, most importantly, he was interested in Ayshe.

But Ayshe wasn't interested in him.

"I'm not doing this," she muttered under her breath.

Her older brother, Hamza, had made it clear that she had no say in the matter. After all, her last relationship had ended in humiliation. Kerem, the man she had once loved, had walked away the moment he saw her with another man-never bothering to hear the truth.

Ayshe clenched her fists. She wouldn't let herself be controlled again.

Then, a knock at the door sent a shiver down her spine.

Sabri was here.

Without a second thought, Ayshe grabbed her coat, pushed open her bedroom window, and climbed out into the night.

---

Ayshe ran through the city streets, her breath visible in the cold night air. She didn't stop until she reached the one place where she always felt safe-her office at Al-Fayeed Designs.

The building was mostly empty this late, and as she entered, she let out a shaky breath.

She just needed time. Time to think, time to figure out her next move.

But as she turned a corner, she collided with something solid.

No-someone.

Strong hands caught her, steadying her. She looked up, her heart still racing, and met the sharp hazel eyes of Kareem Al-Fayeed.

For a moment, the world stood still.

Kareem's gaze swept over her, curiosity flickering across his face. "In a hurry?" he asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

Ayshe swallowed hard. "I... I just needed some air."

He raised an eyebrow. "You look like you're running from something."

She hesitated, then exhaled. "I am."

Kareem chuckled. "Funny. So am I."

Ayshe blinked. She had expected indifference, maybe even annoyance, but not this-this strange sense of understanding between them.

He leaned against the wall, studying her. "Let me guess. Arranged marriage?"

Her eyes widened. "How did you-"

"I've been in your shoes," he said, his voice laced with amusement. "I know the look."

Ayshe crossed her arms. "And what are you doing here, then?"

"Hiding," he admitted. "My father thinks marriage is the key to my future."

Ayshe let out a humorless laugh. "Sounds familiar."

A comfortable silence settled between them.

Then, as if struck by an idea, Ayshe looked up at him.

"What if..." she began, choosing her words carefully. "What if we helped each other?"

Kareem narrowed his eyes. "Go on."

"You need a wife to inherit the company. I need to get my family off my back." She met his gaze. "What if we got married?"

Kareem tilted his head, amusement flickering in his eyes. "A contract marriage?"

"Exactly."

He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "You know, this might be the craziest idea I've ever heard."

Ayshe lifted her chin. "So... yes or no?"

A slow smirk curved his lips. "Alright, Ayshe. You've got yourself a deal."

As their hands met in a firm handshake, neither of them realized that this deal would change everything.

Continue Reading

Other books by annazacharia284

More

You'll also like

Marrying My Runaway Groom's Powerful Father

Marrying My Runaway Groom's Powerful Father

Temple Madison
5.0

I was sitting in the Presidential Suite of The Pierre, wearing a Vera Wang gown worth more than most people earn in a decade. It was supposed to be the wedding of the century, the final move to merge two of Manhattan's most powerful empires. Then my phone buzzed. It was an Instagram Story from my fiancé, Jameson. He was at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris with a caption that read: "Fuck the chains. Chasing freedom." He hadn't just gotten cold feet; he had abandoned me at the altar to run across the world. My father didn't come in to comfort me. He burst through the door roaring about a lost acquisition deal, telling me the Holland Group would strip our family for parts if the ceremony didn't happen by noon. My stepmother wailed about us becoming the laughingstock of the Upper East Side. The Holland PR director even suggested I fake a "panic attack" to make myself look weak and sympathetic to save their stock price. Then Jameson’s sleazy cousin, Pierce, walked in with a lopsided grin, offering to "step in" and marry me just to get his hands on my assets. I looked at them and realized I wasn't a daughter or a bride to anyone in that room. I was a failed asset, a bouncing check, a girl whose own father told her to go to Paris and "beg" the man who had just publicly humiliated her. The girl who wanted to be loved died in that mirror. I realized that if I was going to be sold to save a merger, I was going to sell myself to the one who actually controlled the money. I marched past my parents and walked straight into the VIP holding room. I looked the most powerful man in the room—Jameson’s cold, ruthless uncle, Fletcher Holland—dead in the eye and threw the iPad on the table. "Jameson is gone," I said, my voice as hard as stone. "Marry me instead."

Contract With The Devil: Love In Shackles

Contract With The Devil: Love In Shackles

Dorine Koestler
4.1

I watched my husband sign the papers that would end our marriage while he was busy texting the woman he actually loved. He didn't even glance at the header. He just scribbled the sharp, jagged signature that had signed death warrants for half of New York, tossed the file onto the passenger seat, and tapped his screen again. "Done," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. That was Dante Moretti. The Underboss. A man who could smell a lie from a mile away but couldn't see that his wife had just handed him an annulment decree disguised beneath a stack of mundane logistics reports. For three years, I scrubbed his blood out of his shirts. I saved his family's alliance when his ex, Sofia, ran off with a civilian. In return, he treated me like furniture. He left me in the rain to save Sofia from a broken nail. He left me alone on my birthday to drink champagne on a yacht with her. He even handed me a glass of whiskey—her favorite drink—forgetting that I despised the taste. I was merely a placeholder. A ghost in my own home. So, I stopped waiting. I burned our wedding portrait in the fireplace, left my platinum ring in the ashes, and boarded a one-way flight to San Francisco. I thought I was finally free. I thought I had escaped the cage. But I underestimated Dante. When he finally opened that file weeks later and realized he had signed away his wife without looking, the Reaper didn't accept defeat. He burned down the world to find me, obsessed with reclaiming the woman he had already thrown away.

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book