A ring for a lie

A ring for a lie

lilynkechi0

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Ava Monroe is one rent payment away from homelessness and one heartbreak away from giving up-until her cold, impossibly handsome boss makes her an unthinkable offer: marry him. Julian Blackwell needs a wife. Not for love, but for legacy. A clause in his late father's will threatens to strip him of his empire unless he's married-and soon. When he discovers his quiet, struggling assistant has no place to go, he proposes a solution that shocks them both: a contract marriage. One year. No strings. But living together in his penthouse, pretending in public, and keeping feelings out of the equation? That proves impossible. As sparks ignite between them, Ava starts to uncover the real Julian behind the icy mask. And he, in turn, begins to see her not as a pawn, but as the only person who's ever truly challenged him. But Ava's hiding something too-a dangerous past that could tear their fragile connection apart. In a marriage built on lies, can love be the one truth that saves them?

A ring for a lie Chapter 1 The beginning of the lie

Ava Monroe gripped the cardboard box tight against her chest, her fingers aching from the weight-not of the things inside, but of what it meant.

She was officially homeless.

Rain spattered the cracked sidewalk as she stood beneath the broken awning of her now-former apartment building. Her landlord hadn't even given her the decency of a final warning. He'd simply shrugged, muttered something about bills being bills, and changed the lock while she'd been at work.

She had nowhere to go.

Ava looked down at the contents of the box: two worn sweaters, a curling iron that hadn't worked in months, and the single photo she had left of her mother. Everything else she'd sold or left behind. She had exactly twenty-three dollars in her wallet, zero credit, and even less pride.

Her stomach growled, but she ignored it. Again.

Pulling the hood of her thin coat over her head, she turned and walked. Not toward safety, because there was none. Just away.

Julian Blackwell didn't do late nights unless they were necessary-and tonight, unfortunately, was.

He stepped out of the back of his sleek black car, ignoring the drizzle and nodding to his driver. He hated this neighborhood, hated the noise, the smell, the chaos of it. But the new property deal required a personal walkthrough. No delegate. No excuses.

He was about to enter the building when something caught his eye.

Or rather, someone.

A woman-soaked through, hunched under a faded gray hoodie, dragging a cardboard box along the wet sidewalk. Her walk was slow, almost defeated.

Julian paused. Something about the shape of her shoulders felt familiar. Then she looked up briefly, and he froze.

"Ava?"

She stopped like a deer caught in headlights. Her wide hazel eyes locked with his, full of alarm. Then humiliation.

"Mr. Blackwell," she said quickly, her voice tight. She tried to shift the box to her other hip and forced a smile. "Sorry. Just passing through."

Julian stepped forward. "Are you... living out here?"

She laughed softly. "No, I just enjoy dragging all my worldly belongings through the rain. It's a new cardio program."

He didn't smile.

"Ava," he said, slower now. "What happened?"

Her mouth opened, then closed. She wasn't used to him using her name. Or showing any real interest. She'd worked as his assistant for seven months, answering his calls, managing his calendar, and generally trying not to breathe too loudly in his presence. Julian Blackwell was many things-billionaire CEO, ruthless negotiator, the kind of man who wore silence like armor-but he wasn't kind.

And yet... he was looking at her differently now. Not like she was invisible.

"My landlord kicked me out," she said finally. "Apparently electricity and food are luxuries. And I guess so is shelter."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" he asked.

"Because it's none of your business," she snapped.

Then, regretting the tone, she added, "I'm fine."

He stared at her for a beat too long. Then, to her shock, he held out a hand.

"Come with me."

Ava blinked. "What?"

"It's late. And it's raining. I'm not letting one of my employees sleep on the street."

"I'm not your problem."

"You're under my payroll, and currently on my sidewalk. That makes you my problem."

"I'll figure something out."

"Let me guess-twenty-three dollars in your pocket, maybe a couch to crash on with someone who barely tolerates you, and an application to three more minimum-wage jobs tomorrow that won't call you back."

Ava's jaw clenched. "Screw you."

Julian didn't flinch. "Get in the car, Ava."

She should have refused. Should've told him to go to hell and walked away with whatever dignity she had left.

But her feet moved anyway.

His penthouse was colder than she imagined-stunning, modern, but cold. All glass and stone and sharp lines. Just like him.

He handed her a towel from the guest bathroom without a word, and she dried off in awkward silence. He disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a steaming mug.

"Chamomile," he said. "You look like you haven't slept in days."

Ava accepted it warily. "I haven't."

He sat across from her on the couch. The silence stretched between them, heavy and awkward.

"I didn't expect you to... care," she admitted softly.

"I don't."

That stung.

Julian's gaze flicked toward her. "I don't care in the way you mean. But I don't let people who work for me fall apart in the gutter. That reflects poorly on my company."

She swallowed hard. "So this is charity, then."

"No." He looked at her for a long moment. "This is opportunity."

Ava stared at him, confused. "What does that mean?"

He leaned forward slightly, his voice quieter now. "I need a wife."

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"You... need a wife."

"Yes."

"For what? PR?"

Julian's mouth tightened. "My father's will includes a clause. If I'm not legally married within the next sixty days, control of the company transfers to my cousin. He's incompetent and greedy. If he gets it, thousands of jobs are at risk."

Ava stared. "So... you're proposing I marry you?"

He nodded once.

"No offense, but that's insane."

"It's a legal arrangement. One year. I'll pay for everything-housing, clothes, expenses. You'll be comfortable. And after the year is up, you'll walk away with a very generous settlement."

"Why me?"

"Because you're quiet. Discreet. You don't ask questions, and you clearly need the help."

Her pride bristled. "Wow. You really know how to flatter a girl."

"I'm not flattering you. I'm offering you a solution. One that benefits us both."

Ava stood, heart pounding. "You want me to marry you for money."

Julian stood, too. "I want a contract. Marriage is simply the vehicle."

She shook her head. "I should go."

"Where?"

She froze.

"Where, Ava?" he repeated, softer now.

She couldn't answer.

"I'm not asking for love," Julian said. "Or sex. Or anything personal. I'm asking for your signature. In exchange, you'll have everything you need. A home. Security. Protection."

Ava's voice trembled. "And your company?"

He met her gaze. "I get to keep it."

Silence fell again.

It was crazy. Unbelievable. Immoral, maybe. But so was sleeping on a park bench with no coat. And he wasn't wrong-this deal would change everything.

"I need to think," she whispered.

Julian nodded once. "You have twenty-four hours."

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A ring for a lie A ring for a lie lilynkechi0 Romance
“Ava Monroe is one rent payment away from homelessness and one heartbreak away from giving up-until her cold, impossibly handsome boss makes her an unthinkable offer: marry him. Julian Blackwell needs a wife. Not for love, but for legacy. A clause in his late father's will threatens to strip him of his empire unless he's married-and soon. When he discovers his quiet, struggling assistant has no place to go, he proposes a solution that shocks them both: a contract marriage. One year. No strings. But living together in his penthouse, pretending in public, and keeping feelings out of the equation? That proves impossible. As sparks ignite between them, Ava starts to uncover the real Julian behind the icy mask. And he, in turn, begins to see her not as a pawn, but as the only person who's ever truly challenged him. But Ava's hiding something too-a dangerous past that could tear their fragile connection apart. In a marriage built on lies, can love be the one truth that saves them?”
1

Chapter 1 The beginning of the lie

13/07/2025

2

Chapter 2 The price of yes

13/07/2025

3

Chapter 3 The price she has to pay

13/07/2025

4

Chapter 4 Behind closed doors

13/07/2025

5

Chapter 5 The game begins

13/07/2025

6

Chapter 6 The fallout

13/07/2025

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Chapter 7 The heat beneath the lies

13/07/2025

8

Chapter 8 The dinner with daggers

13/07/2025

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Chapter 9 Fire between the lies

13/07/2025

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Chapter 10 The truth we bury

13/07/2025

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Chapter 11 Burning bright

15/07/2025

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Chapter 12 Sparks and secrets

15/07/2025

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Chapter 13 Lies in bloom

16/07/2025

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Chapter 14 The photo and the past

16/07/2025

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Chapter 15 Dangerous truths and deeper ties

16/07/2025

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Chapter 16 Lies between the line

16/07/2025

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Chapter 17 Lines cross, Fire ignited

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Chapter 18 Beneath the surface

18/07/2025

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Chapter 19 Ghosts don't knock

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Chapter 20 Something that's just yours

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Chapter 21 Thirty- three days

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Chapter 22 The truth we built

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Chapter 23 The truth won't stay buried

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Chapter 24 Strike first

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Chapter 25 Crimson wine and crimson warnings

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Chapter 26 Emerald shadows

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Chapter 27 When shadows whisper

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Chapter 28 Gelato, Vespas and Questionable italian

22/07/2025

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Chapter 29 Vespa rides and bad italian

25/07/2025

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Chapter 30 Sun-drenched secrets and stolen sheets

25/07/2025

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Chapter 31 Wild strawberries and whispered promises

25/07/2025

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Chapter 32 Storms don't knock twice

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Chapter 33 Shadows in sunlight

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Chapter 34 Smoke and silk

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Chapter 35 The Counterstrike

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Chapter 36 Tides and triggers

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Chapter 37 The calm before the siege

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Chapter 38 Velvet aftermath

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Chapter 39 Tangled in smoke and silk

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Chapter 40 The echo that follows

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