Married to the billionaire stranger

lle'

mth doing little to soothe my restless mind. The Hayes estate felt colder tha

down the hallway-soft, urg

come her

g. In the grand drawing room, my parents sat

ther began, voice tight.

otted. "What

ed into her purse. She pulled out a thick envelope, sea

ther said, voice steady but cold. "

ed. "What kind

at. "It's a marriage propo

reclusive billionaire whose name was wh

." my mother's voice faltered. "We wa

ce cracked. "I don't

e only way. He approached us, not you.

the envelope like a lifel

g me away wit

rp. "This isn't about you

was clear: I was a pawn in a

s meant to marry? He

black seal bore a twisted emblem-a serpent coiled around a diamond-symbol of the Black

n years in the making-a slow bleed of debts, failed in

ky deals to save our legacy. Deals that didn't pay of

me. "We've been drowning, Arielle. Every day there's ano

. "But why a marriage? Why with Dam

amien controls more than just money. His influenc

to me. You made this

n't want to burden you. We thought

sts. "I'm not a

the last hope, Arielle. We don't have the

, the air thick with

ckwood? What kind of man agreed to marry a stranger f

if I find myself wanting somet

ght felt like chai

ed below the horizo

about to cha