The CEO'S Contract Bride

rate

yn's

dying

like grief was wrapping its cold hands around my th

ough my fingers like sand. His bones and his voice were weaker,

rise and fall of his chest. Every movement felt

worse... I coul

my life had disappeared. No trace.

indow. The skyline mocked me-so tall, so bright and so

preg

on

aus

his final days. The last time he looked at me with tr

my shoulders... and his tr

s fallin

ened, the memory of Henry's voice-his smile

id fo

e me n

glass and closed my eyes, let

phone

eath

nd when I saw the unfamiliar number f

it b

nr

o say it was all a mistake, that he was

answer butto

" I whi

a little

p and calm

yn Mo

That wa

Who's

r father. We've crossed paths before, brief

rly l

son

ppointed or relieved, but m

ther okay

rlier." He hesitated, then added, "I would

and professional, but beneath it-somet

tening,"

his will sound strange. But my father, Richard Molton, is in cri

ight not make it

ords felt hollow coming from some

it his dying wish to see me married. To a proper woman. I

u're asking me

arry. Just... pretend. For a few weeks. A contr

hung bet

it, the audacity, the timing-it would've bee

voice, his sincerity, s

aid quietly. "And I get it. But I w

ting on my stomach.

begging the universe for an

h and a distraction from

asked,

er once saved his company during a merger crisis. He al

.. he asked about you. Said you were

So I'm his fantasy

tle now. "But this isn't about control or

expectations. Just a few dinners, some appearance

k, staring a

One final performance b

or actress?" I asked,

e money," he replied. "Y

r p

ething from me. They wanted me to lend it. My

s already prete

lept. I hadn't felt like myself since Henry v

s could be

o breat

r's deadlin

n two weeks. I want him

ay. Another contract. Ano

urs," I said at last. "

ed. "I'll send a draft agreement.

t. I r

hun

and turned toward my

e nurses said he had days, maybe weeks.

el like everything I'd inh

d an empire while my

little while. A chance to step outside of Evelyn Monroe, the hei

be Mrs

st on

the contract was w

terms spelled out

: 3 week

agreement upon Richa

olton family residence, one gala dinn

timacy require

TION: Discretionar

parties agree to keep

ce, then call

with a raised b

nge, but no red flags

His voice, his smile, the weight of

kicked for the fir

I

protect

his pain long enough

sai

a quiet café in the ci

sense jawline. His eyes were storm-gray, but his ma

son," he said, nodding politely.

"We're bot

ue. But we can be desp

ked

only a flicker of awkwardness, and began

e what I was

new thi

't find Hen

t control the ne

t was all