The CEO's Accidental Bride

yn's

t vestiges of my composure. "Your family's construction busin

ionaire. Alexander Thorne, the man who owned half the city and probably a good chunk of the world, knew about my family's struggles. He hadn't jus

eyes darted around, searching for an escape route, a sympathetic face, anything to break the intense, isolating focus of his gaze. But there

oice as smooth as silk, yet each word felt like a perfectly aimed dart. "A contract,

sed in a designer suit. My mind reeled, trying to process the impossible choice he was laying before me. Ten millio

oice barely a whisper, laced with a desperate

ening. Just that unwavering, predatory stare. "I assure you, Miss Reed, I am always seriou

whelming war. Reed & Sons. My father, his calloused hands, his proud, stubborn face. My younger brother, Mark, who was just star

ice gaining a desperate edge of defiance.

lic. Attend events, host dinners, present a unified front. For one year. After which, we would quietly

son sentence, albeit a very luxurious one. But the alternative... the alternative was watching ever

allenged, though my voi

ction for the ten million dollars. Thorne Industries, as the original owner of the artifact, would be within its rights to join that pursuit. Your family business,

; he was just laying out the inevitable consequences. And he was right. I knew he was right.

closed my eyes for a moment, trying to steady myself, trying to find a single, solitary reason to say no. Pride? Wh

to meet his. "Why not someone else? Som

of connection to my usual circles, your current predicament, your... desperation. It makes you uncomplicated. You have a clear motivation, and you u

ies, not lives. But he wasn't wrong. It was a simple ex

trying to inject some steel into my voice. "W

he new Thorne Tower complex. It would stabilize your company for at least a decade. The contract would be signed and legally binding

just a lifeline; that was a golden parachute. That was enough to not only save Reed & Sons but to elevate us,

oul, but what was the alternative? Watching my famil

able magnetism, a quiet power that drew you in even as it intimidated. He wasn't overtly charming, but he was

I would be his "uncomplicated" wife for a year. I would save my family. And then, I would walk away wit

ll a little shaky, held a newfound determination. "I'll do it. But I want everything i

g akin to satisfaction crossed his face. It

egal team draw up the necessary documents. We'll meet first thing tomorrow morning. My office. Be there at 8 AM sharp." He extended a hand, not f

e shocking turn of events. I had just agreed to marry a stranger, a powerful, enigmatic man who knew my deepest vulnerabilities. I had traded my freedom for my family's survival.