A ring for a lie

A ring for a lie

lilynkechi0

5.0
Comment(s)
1
View
14
Chapters

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?

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."

Continue Reading

Other books by lilynkechi0

More

You'll also like

When Love Turns to Ash

When Love Turns to Ash

Gavin
4.7

My world revolved around Jax Harding, my older brother's captivating rockstar friend. From sixteen, I adored him; at eighteen, I clung to his casual promise: "When you're 22, maybe I'll settle down." That offhand comment became my life's beacon, guiding every choice, meticulously planning my twenty-second birthday as our destiny. But on that pivotal day in a Lower East Side bar, clutching my gift, my dream exploded. I overheard Jax' s cold voice: "Can't believe Savvy's showing up. She' s still hung up on that stupid thing I said." Then the crushing plot: "We' re gonna tell Savvy I' m engaged to Chloe, maybe even hint she' s pregnant. That should scare her off." My gift, my future, slipped from my numb fingers. I fled into the cold New York rain, devastated by betrayal. Later, Jax introduced Chloe as his "fiancée" while his bandmates mocked my "adorable crush"-he did nothing. As an art installation fell, he saved Chloe, abandoning me to severe injury. In the hospital, he came for "damage control," then shockingly shoved me into a fountain, leaving me to bleed, calling me a "jealous psycho." How could the man I loved, who once saved me, become this cruel and publicly humiliate me? Why was my devotion seen as an annoyance to be brutally extinguished with lies and assault? Was I just a problem, my loyalty met with hatred? I would not be his victim. Injured and betrayed, I made an unshakeable vow: I was done. I blocked his number and everyone connected to him, severing ties. This was not an escape; this was my rebirth. Florence awaited, a new life on my terms, unburdened by broken promises.

I Slapped My Fiancé-Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis

I Slapped My Fiancé-Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis

Jessica C. Dolan
5.0

Being second best is practically in my DNA. My sister got the love, the attention, the spotlight. And now, even her damn fiancé. Technically, Rhys Granger was my fiancé now-billionaire, devastatingly hot, and a walking Wall Street wet dream. My parents shoved me into the engagement after Catherine disappeared, and honestly? I didn't mind. I'd crushed on Rhys for years. This was my chance, right? My turn to be the chosen one? Wrong. One night, he slapped me. Over a mug. A stupid, chipped, ugly mug my sister gave him years ago. That's when it hit me-he didn't love me. He didn't even see me. I was just a warm-bodied placeholder for the woman he actually wanted. And apparently, I wasn't even worth as much as a glorified coffee cup. So I slapped him right back, dumped his ass, and prepared for disaster-my parents losing their minds, Rhys throwing a billionaire tantrum, his terrifying family plotting my untimely demise. Obviously, I needed alcohol. A lot of alcohol. Enter him. Tall, dangerous, unfairly hot. The kind of man who makes you want to sin just by existing. I'd met him only once before, and that night, he just happened to be at the same bar as my drunk, self-pitying self. So I did the only logical thing: I dragged him into a hotel room and ripped off his clothes. It was reckless. It was stupid. It was completely ill-advised. But it was also: Best. Sex. Of. My. Life. And, as it turned out, the best decision I'd ever made. Because my one-night stand isn't just some random guy. He's richer than Rhys, more powerful than my entire family, and definitely more dangerous than I should be playing with. And now, he's not letting me go.

Chapters
Read Now
Download Book