Marriage Contract with the CEO

Marriage Contract with the CEO

Dammiell

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Desperate times call for desperate measures. Cecilia Adams is a diligent civil servant whose world crumbles in a single day-she's fired from her job, drowning in overdue bills, and about to be kicked out of her apartment. But fate throws her a curveball when a luxury car knocks her down... and the man behind the wheel just happens to be Leo Hartford, the enigmatic CEO of Hartford Enterprises. Leo's life is polished and perfectly planned-except for one nagging detail: his parents are demanding a wife, or he risks losing everything. When paparazzi snap him helping Cecilia, rumors explode that she's his secret fiancée. Backed into a corner, Leo offers her a proposition: a six-month contract marriage. No feelings. No intimacy. Just appearances. But pretending to be in love is more dangerous than they imagined. Between meddling exes, public scrutiny, and unexpected kisses, the line between business and pleasure begins to blur. Will their hearts obey the contract, or break all the rules?

Chapter 1 Rock Bottom

The government office smelled faintly of printer ink, paper, and old coffee. Harsh fluorescent lights buzzed above, casting a pale, sterile glow over the dull gray walls and plastic chairs. Cecilia Brooks sat stiffly outside the Human Resources Department, her fingers tightening around the worn strap of her handbag.

She had a bad feeling. The kind that settled deep in your gut and refused to let go.

"Miss Brooks?" a voice called from the doorway.

She stood, smoothing the front of her navy blouse, and stepped into the office.

Behind the desk sat Ms. Patricia Walker, HR Director of the State Administrative Office. Her glasses were perched low on her nose, lips pressed into a thin line. She didn't invite Cecilia to sit.

"This won't take long," she said, sliding a manila folder across the desk. "Due to budget cuts and restructuring, your position has been eliminated. Effective immediately."

Cecilia blinked. "Wait-what? I've worked here for five years. My performance reviews have always been above average."

Ms. Walker gave a tight smile. "It's not a performance issue. The department's downsizing. Unfortunately, several positions-including yours-were deemed nonessential."

Cecilia's stomach dropped. "I was a senior administrative assistant. I handled case scheduling, correspondence, records-how is that nonessential?"

The HR director shrugged with the indifference of someone who had said this a hundred times before. "Your severance will be processed in two weeks. Please sign here to acknowledge termination."

Cecilia stared at the paper.

She had spoken out at a staff meeting last month about irregular spending in the travel budget. She hadn't accused anyone-she'd simply asked questions. Clearly, someone hadn't appreciated it.

Her hand trembled slightly as she picked up the pen and signed.

---

The walk out of the building felt like a slow unraveling. People who once shared coffee breaks with her avoided her eyes, now absorbed in their computer screens or suddenly busy on calls.

No one asked what happened.

Outside, the heat hit her like a wall. Midday sun glared off the sidewalks of downtown Atlanta, and cars zipped past the government plaza.

She moved on autopilot, crossing the street and heading toward the bus stop. Her mind was racing.

$1,350 due for rent in five days.

$210 in unpaid utility bills.

$58.17 left in her checking account.

Her phone buzzed. A text from her landlord: "Last warning. No late payments this month."

Her throat tightened. She hadn't cried yet, but her eyes burned. Not here. Not in public.

She walked a few blocks in silence, but her low heels began pinching her feet. She slipped them off and continued barefoot, hugging her purse to her side.

At the corner, she passed a food truck with the smell of grilled cheese and garlic fries wafting into the air. Her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten since morning coffee.

She kept walking.

She didn't have money for snacks. She barely had money for the bus.

How had her life unraveled so quickly? A month ago, she had stability. A government paycheck, modest but dependable. Now it felt like she was dangling by a thread.

At the next intersection, she stopped and waited for the pedestrian light to change. Her gaze drifted across the street as cars passed in steady waves.

She could apply for private sector jobs, but those took time. Maybe a temp agency would have something. Maybe her sister could lend her enough to get through next week. Or maybe-

HOOOOOONK!

The blare of a car horn tore through her thoughts.

She had stepped into the street without realizing the light was still red.

A sleek black car turned the corner at full speed. The driver slammed the brakes, tires shrieking, the vehicle skidding across the asphalt.

Cecilia froze.

Everything slowed.

Her eyes met the driver's-dark, sharp, and wide with alarm.

Then, impact.

Not full-force. The car clipped her left side, sending her tumbling to the ground. Pain shot through her elbow as she hit the pavement, her purse spilling open beside her.

Gasps rippled through nearby pedestrians.

The car door flew open.

A man in a tailored charcoal suit stepped out, all urgency and control. He was tall, well-built, and far too good-looking for a moment like this. His black hair was perfectly styled, and even in chaos, he looked like he belonged on a GQ cover.

He knelt beside her. "Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Cecilia tried to sit up, wincing. "I think-I think I'm okay."

"Don't move yet." His tone was firm but calm. "You could be injured."

"I'm fine. Really. Just a scratch." She sat up despite the protest in her joints.

His eyes scanned her for signs of distress. "You should go to the hospital."

"No," she said quickly. "I don't need one. I'm not hurt that bad."

He clearly didn't believe her. "I hit you with my car."

"I walked into the street without looking. I'm not going to sue you."

He blinked, caught off guard. "You're... not?"

"Life's already kicked me enough today. I don't need a lawsuit."

His mouth quirked slightly, like he didn't know whether to be relieved or suspicious.

She finally took a good look at him and frowned.

"Wait... I know you."

"Probably," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I'm Leo Hartford."

Her jaw dropped.

Leo Hartford. CEO of Hartford Enterprises. Billionaire tech mogul. Reclusive, brilliant, and chronically featured in business magazines and social media gossip pages. The kind of man who could tank a stock just by raising an eyebrow.

And now... he'd hit her with his car.

Of course.

She let out a hollow laugh. "Well, I guess the universe has a sense of humor."

He studied her for a moment. "You really don't want to go to the hospital?"

"I'm just bruised, I promise."

But even as she said it, she noticed someone across the street holding up a phone-click.

Her eyes widened. "Paparazzi?"

Leo turned just as a second flash went off.

"Damn it."

More people began crowding closer.

"We need to go," he said, helping her gather her things. "Come on. Before this turns into a headline."

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Chapters
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Marriage Contract with the CEO
1

Chapter 1 Rock Bottom

15/06/2025

2

Chapter 2 The Embarrassment

15/06/2025

3

Chapter 3 News and Ultimatums

15/06/2025

4

Chapter 4 Terms and Temptations

15/06/2025

5

Chapter 5 Dinner with the Harrfolds

15/06/2025

6

Chapter 6 A Door Reopened

15/06/2025

7

Chapter 7 Uninvited Guest

15/06/2025

8

Chapter 8 Threat Note and False Alarm

16/06/2025

9

Chapter 9 Lines are Blurring

16/06/2025

10

Chapter 10 Torn Between Lines

16/06/2025

11

Chapter 11 Pretend to love me, for real

16/06/2025

12

Chapter 12 The Taste of Something Real

24/06/2025

13

Chapter 13 Trouble in High Heels and Heartbeats

29/06/2025

14

Chapter 14 Whispers in the Dark

29/06/2025

15

Chapter 15 Fever and Fire

30/06/2025

16

Chapter 16 Secrets, Sushi and a Spy

01/07/2025

17

Chapter 17 Shadows of Olivia

01/07/2025

18

Chapter 18 The Chase Begins

01/07/2025

19

Chapter 19 Into the Storm

01/07/2025

20

Chapter 20 Fire in the Shadows

01/07/2025

21

Chapter 21 Dawn at Pier 19

03/07/2025

22

Chapter 22 The Hard Drive

04/07/2025

23

Chapter 23 Exposed and Hunted

04/07/2025

24

Chapter 24 The Eye of the Storm

04/07/2025

25

Chapter 25 The Countdown Begins

05/07/2025

26

Chapter 26 The Calm After the Storm

06/07/2025

27

Chapter 27 Echoes of the Crown

07/07/2025

28

Chapter 28 Shadows in the light

08/07/2025

29

Chapter 29 The Queen's Gambit

08/07/2025

30

Chapter 30 The Bishop Revealed

09/07/2025

31

Chapter 31 The Queen

10/07/2025

32

Chapter 32 Bloodlines and Broken Crowns

11/07/2025

33

Chapter 33 The Queen's Shadow

12/07/2025

34

Chapter 34 The Legacy Protocol

14/07/2025

35

Chapter 35 The Successor's Shadow

14/07/2025

36

Chapter 36 Queen's Gambit Declined

16/07/2025

37

Chapter 37 Secret, Shadows and Second Chances

17/07/2025

38

Chapter 38 The calm before the storm

18/07/2025

39

Chapter 39 In The Wake of Fire

19/07/2025

40

Chapter 40 Beneath the Surface

19/07/2025