Sophia hadn't planned on stepping foot in Blackwood Enterprises ever again. After the disastrous interview, she'd sworn to herself that she would never tolerate a man like Adrian Blackwood, no matter how badly she needed the job.
But life had a way of twisting her pride into knots.
Her landlord's voice still echoed in her ears from the night before—"One more week, Miss Carter. Rent or you're out." Then the call from the hospital about her mother's bills. She hadn't even made it past breakfast before her phone buzzed again.
From: Blackwood Enterprises
Subject: Appointment with Mr. Adrian Blackwood
Her stomach dropped. The email was blunt: Report to the 42nd floor at 9 a.m. sharp. Do not be late.
No details. No explanation. Just a command.
Sophia almost deleted it. Almost. But desperation won over dignity.
---
9:00 a.m. sharp
The elevator doors opened, and she stepped out into the luxurious hallway she'd stormed out of days ago. Her palms were sweaty, her chest tight. She told herself she wasn't here to beg. She just needed to know what he wanted.
Adrian's assistant ushered her in.
The office looked just as intimidating as before, but Adrian was different today. He was standing by the window, city skyline blazing behind him like he owned not just the view but the entire horizon.
"Miss Carter," he said without turning. His voice was deep, smooth, commanding. "I wasn't sure you'd come back."
Sophia squared her shoulders. "I wasn't sure either. Why am I here?"
Finally, he faced her. His eyes—cold steel, unreadable—locked on hers. "Because you need me."
She bristled. "Excuse me?"
"You need money. Stability. Connections. I can give you all three."
Her laugh was sharp, bitter. "And what? You get to insult me for a living?"
Adrian's mouth curved, though it wasn't a smile. "Not exactly."
He walked closer, every step deliberate, until he stopped just inches from her. "I have a proposition."
Sophia's heartbeat spiked. "What kind of proposition?"
He studied her as if weighing how much she could handle. "Marriage."
The word slammed into the air like a bomb.
Sophia blinked. Then blinked again. "I'm sorry… what?"
"Marriage," he repeated, as if it were the most rational suggestion in the world. "You'll be my wife. Publicly, legally, contractually. For one year."
She laughed again, but this time it was strangled, bordering on hysterical. "You must be out of your mind."
"On the contrary," Adrian said coolly, "I'm perfectly sane. This is business."
Sophia shook her head. "Business? Marriage isn't business!"
"It is when your investors demand stability," he countered. "They want a family man at the helm. Someone grounded. My personal life has become… problematic."
Sophia's jaw dropped. "So what—you just pick a random woman and drag her into your mess?"
"Not random," he said. "You stood out. You're smart, stubborn, and—most importantly—you won't fall in love with me."
Her cheeks burned. "How dare you—"
"It's a compliment," he interrupted smoothly. "I don't want love. I want control. And in exchange, you'll get everything you need. Money. Security. Your mother's medical bills—paid in full."
Her breath caught. How did he know?
Adrian saw the flicker in her eyes and pressed his advantage. "I have resources you can only dream of, Miss Carter. But I don't waste them without reason. Agree to my proposition, and your problems disappear."
Sophia's heart pounded. Part of her wanted to scream at him, slap him, storm out. Another part—the desperate, cornered part—knew what his offer meant.
Security. For her. For her mother.
But at what cost?
She forced herself to steady her voice. "And if I say no?"
Adrian's expression hardened. "Then you walk out of here, and I forget your name. But let's be honest—you can't afford to say no."
Sophia swallowed, rage and helplessness colliding inside her. He was right. And she hated him for it.
Finally, she whispered, "And the terms?"
Adrian's lips curved into the faintest smirk. "You'll live with me. Appear by my side at events. Play the role of devoted wife. In return, you'll receive a generous stipend, and once the year is over, you walk away. Clean. Free. Richer than you ever imagined."
Sophia's throat felt dry. "And if I mess up?"
His gaze turned lethal. "Then the contract ends. And you get nothing."
---
The room went quiet. The city hummed far below them, but in Adrian's office, time seemed to freeze.
Sophia finally found her voice. "I should hate you for even suggesting this."
"You already do," Adrian said calmly. "That's why it will work. No messy emotions. Just business."
She wanted to argue, to tear him apart with words. But her phone buzzed in her bag—the hospital again. She didn't even have to check to know what it meant.
Her chest constricted.
Adrian saw her hesitation, his expression unreadable. "Think it over. But not for long. My investors meet next week. I need a wife before then."
Sophia grabbed her bag, her pulse racing. She stormed out, vowing she would never agree.
But even as the elevator doors closed, his words clung to her like chains.
Marriage. Contract. Security.
It was the most outrageous proposition she'd ever heard.
And the most tempting.