The Billionaires Ruthless Contract Bride

POV: Aria West

"You may leave now, Miss West. You're no longer needed."

Aria felt like the words were as sharp as any knife she had ever used. Everyone in the meeting went silent in shock. Her chest hurt like a war drum, and the sound of it echoed through everything she'd built.

On the top floor of Blake Enterprises, the office with glass walls sparkled with clean beauty. Manhattan's skyline sparkled in the distance, but the cold tension in the room was brighter than the city itself. Aria West stood in front of a group of executives in a half-circle, her chest moving slowly up and down to show she was angry.

It looked like a king was sitting on his chair at the head of the long black table. Julian Blake was the man who ran the kingdom. He was incredibly good-looking in a cruel, alluring way. He had a sharp chin, dark hair that looked too good to touch, and eyes as cold as obsidian.

He said in a voice that didn't sound cool, "You're going against my strategy in front of the board." "Is this your idea of professionalism, Miss West?"

Aria squeezed her hands together. "With all due respect, Mr. Blake, your strategy will bury the charity wing and expose the company to media backlash."

A few board members looked at each other in a strange way. Aria could see them fidgeting in their places, not sure if they should speak out for her or keep quiet because Julian Blake had made it clear that they couldn't.

He slowly tilted his head, like a hunter getting a good look at its prey. "Is that true?" Do you believe you know more than I do?"

"I think I care about people more than you do," she shot back. Her voice was calm, but her nerves made her hands sweat. "This is more than just numbers." It's about family. It's about life."

They were cut off from each other by a long silence.

He smiled with his lips curled together. Not nice. Not pleased. Not safe. "Miss West, you can go now. "We no longer need you."

Gasps could be heard all over the office. Some people's eyes dropped. No one moved.

Aria took a quick blink.

"Excuse me?"

He stood still and in charge. "You're fired." Starting right away."

Going back:

She was on the cover of Forbes' "30 Under 30" book a year ago. An important person on Wall Street, Martin West's daughter.

It all went bad after that. stealing money. Corruption. The police caught her father. Their family name caught fire. She went from being loved by business people to being looked down upon overnight.

She got into Blake Enterprises with just her pride, her degree, and her guts. She was being wiped again.

Aria's pride was shaky. She was ready to cry, scream, and throw something. She wouldn't give him that power, though.

She said in a whisper, "You can't do this just because I don't agree with you."

Julian moved toward her. Not far enough. His smell dark wood and ambition wrapped around her like smoke.

"Watch me."

His voice was soft. It's cold. Not safe.

His eyes did seem to be telling him something, though. The mask has a crack. Ready to go? An annoyance? She couldn't name it.

She put her heel down and walked out, the sound of her shoes hitting the tile floor like a war drum.

She wasn't sad. She wasn't even in the lift when she got there.

It broke her whole world again, though.

In the late evening

Aria and her best friend Lexi were sitting across from each other in a quiet bar. The air was heavy with the smell of booze and broken hearts.

"He made me look bad, Lex." In front of the whole board."

Lexi closed her eyes. "Julian Blake wears fancy suits like the devil." Don't worry, though. Karma is a very patient person.

Aria took a sip of her whiskey. "I wish karma worked faster." I need a job. Next week is the rent due date.

Lexi put her head down and leaned in. "What if I told you there's a way to ruin him and get your life back?"