Signed to Mr. Billionaire

r. "A wife. A legal marriage

st said, laughter bubbled up befor

like a man

He d

could tell, the look on h

And why, exactly, d

with a traditional investor. He values stability and family. W

im. He couldn

was casual like we were discussing

d. "You think I'm

d, just for a sec

us. He knew. Somehow, he

?" I aske

r across the de

ng. Fifteen months. No intimacy is req

red Thousa

, to me it was freed

t wha

d. "One year an

public. No strings attached. At the end

d have

ing away from the one ch

that I have to do this to kee

ply. "I need t

ell, you have tw

out of his office with my ent

dn't s

ible consequence of the contract I signed. Marrying a man I barely knew? Living

f me scr

urvive ever since my mom walked out leaving my disabled dad and I, the par

red thousa

. It would pay off my dad's bills, and other bills I need to sort out. Cover re

tiny apartment in a faint gold light, I sat on my

of it, I already got dressed, took ho

just as intimidating

ot from excitement. Not from anticipation. From pain as I made my way to Al

ed inside, Alex loo

hair slightly tousled, like he would run his fingers through it

ck," he sa

forward until I was standing a

rd, I slid the cont

ting mine again. Something shifted in his eyes th

ut this?" he asked, v

ve a choice." I said as I felt sadnes

ell it won't be

le

l go to City Hall tomorrow to make it official. I

o grand speech

calculated

e was a man who

sently, what he

modern office, the contract lying between us li

weight of it alone pressed against

ir, his eyes fixed on me, was not looking but I could fee

ent the entire night weighing my options, knowing damn well tha

wed hard and pick

en mo

acy is r

pearances

clause no talk

nd dollars, paid in

rd. A business trans

w the las

o uphold the agreement, the contract will be

arply. "What d

reak the agreement, if you expose anything to the media, if you ba

a chill run down my spi

armth in his smile. "If I break the contract, you st

ed. "Bu

t change. "Because I