I never imagined my life would come to this, being forced into a marriage I never wanted just to save my family from ruin. One moment, I was struggling to survive, and the next, I was trapped in his world. A world of power, secrets, and undeniable attraction. He wasn't just any man. He was ruthless, intense, and impossible to ignore. The way he looked at me made my heart race, but I knew better than to fall for him. Men like him came with consequences but this was just a contract. The closer I got, the harder it became to resist. And just when I thought I had a grip on my emotions, I discovered something that changed everything. The contract was meant to last only a year, and my time was almost up. But my heart already belonged to him. I fell in love with the man who didn't believe in love only to realize he had a bigger reason for marrying me. My father was connected to his dark past. A past that could destroy us both. Heartbroken, I did the only thing I could. I planned my escape. A way to disappear. But he found out. And now, running isn't an option. Because in his world, no one walks away from him. Not even his wife.
Chapter 1 The Debt That Change Everything
I held the final notice in my shaking hands, breathing heavily, my heart pounding against my chest.
PAST DUE: $500,000. IMMEDIATE PAYMENT REQUIRED.
The red letters burned into my brain, a glaring reminder that my life was collapsing around me. My father's debts had finally caught up to me, and now, with my mother still in the hospital, I had nowhere left to turn.
I closed my eyes, wishing the fear would disappear. Think, Elena. There has to be a way out.
The sound of the wind rattling against the old apartment windows did little to calm me. This place, the last remnant of stability I had, wouldn't be mine for much longer. The bank had made that very clear. I was barely scraping by with my part-time job, and now?
Now, I was drowning.
Then, a sharp knock at the door pulled me out of my thoughts.
My heart froze for a second.
No one ever came to visit me. Not unless they wanted money I didn't have.
I hesitated before cautiously making my way to the door. My fingers trembled as I turned the knob and pulled it open.
A man in a perfectly tailored black suit stood on my doorstep. Tall. Imposing. He had the air of someone who was used to getting exactly what he wanted, no matter the cost.
"Elena Carter?" His voice was deep but there was something cold beneath it.
I tried to calm myself. "Yes?"
He reached into his briefcase and handed me a sleek white envelope. "This is for you."
I frowned, my fingers clumsy as I tore it open. My stomach ached with every second that passed.
The moment I saw the bold letters at the top of the page, my breath hitched.
Marriage Proposal Contract.
I blinked, convinced my tired eyes were playing tricks on me.
"This... this must be a mistake," I whispered.
The man's face remained expressionless. "Mr. Damian Blackwood does not make mistakes."
My entire body locked up. The name alone sent a shiver down my spine. Damian Blackwood. Ruthless billionaire. The kind of man who could buy and sell entire cities without blinking.
And now he was offering me a contract?
"This isn't real," I murmured, barely breathing. "Why me?"
The man cut me off. "Mr. Blackwood requires a wife. You require financial security. If you agree, he will clear your debts immediately."
The words slammed into me like a punch to the gut.
This wasn't just an offer.
It was a lifeline.
But it came at a price.
I gripped the paper, my hands shaking. This was insanity. Marry a man I'd never met? Become some billionaire's wife like I was part of a business deal?
But if I didn't...
I thought of my mother, still lying in that hospital bed, unaware of how close we were to losing everything. I thought of the debt collectors, the bank, the overwhelming weight of my father's mistakes crushing me into the ground.
Damian Blackwood was offering me a way out.
A gilded cage.
My pulse pounded in my ears. Every instinct screamed for me to run.
But where would I go when I had nowhere left to turn?
Chapter 1 The Debt That Change Everything
20/03/2025
Chapter 2 Meeting The Devil
22/03/2025
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