Chapter 1: The Proposal

"Desperation can make even the sanest person agree to the unthinkable."  

I had always thought those words were an exaggeration, some poetic expression of human weakness. That is until I found myself seated in a leather chair so plush it felt like it was swallowing me, across from a man whose icy gaze seemed to pierce through my very soul.  

Maximilian Grey.  

I had heard his name whispered with both admiration and fear. A billionaire tech mogul, ruthless in business, and cold to anyone foolish enough to cross him. The man in front of me didn’t look like someone who would extend an olive branch to a drowning woman like me. No, he looked like someone who would hand me a contract and watch me sign away my soul with a smirk on his face. And that’s exactly what he was doing.  

“You’ll have everything you need,” he said, his tone devoid of warmth as he leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled together. “Your family’s debts will disappear. Your mother will receive the best medical care money can buy. You’ll want for nothing, Eliza. All it takes is your signature.”  

His words hung in the air like a noose, tightening around my neck. My throat felt dry, and my hands trembled as I stared at the document in front of me. It was as pristine as the glossy surface of his mahogany desk, each clause written in stark black ink that felt more like chains than words.  

“I… I don’t understand why you would do this,” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper. I hated how weak I sounded, but how could I be anything else in the presence of a man like Maximilian? He exuded power, control, and an indifference that made me feel small.  

His lips curved into the faintest semblance of a smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Let’s just say I have my reasons.”  

“That’s not an answer.” I didn’t mean for the words to come out as a challenge, but his sharp gaze made me regret them instantly.  

“It’s the only one you’re getting,” he replied coolly, his voice laced with finality.  

I looked down at the pen he had placed in front of me, its sleek silver frame gleaming under the overhead lights. My heart pounded in my chest as I considered the weight of what I was about to do. This wasn’t just a marriage. It was a transaction—a deal with the devil himself.  

Maximilian Grey didn’t want a wife. He wanted a pawn, someone he could control, someone who wouldn’t challenge him. And I, with my sick mother and insurmountable debts, was the perfect candidate.  

I thought about my mother, lying in that hospital bed, her frail body hooked up to machines we could barely afford. The thought of her suffering another day because of my pride was unbearable. I thought about the creditors, their relentless calls, the eviction notices piling up on the kitchen counter.  

“What’s in it for you?” I asked, my voice steadier this time.  

Maximilian’s eyes narrowed slightly as if he were amused by my question. “That’s none of your concern.”  

I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling under the surface. “I think it is. If I’m going to—”  

“If you’re going to what?” he interrupted, his tone sharper now. “Sell your soul? Sacrifice your freedom? Marry a man you despise?” He leaned forward, the intensity in his eyes making my breath hitch. “Don’t fool yourself, Eliza. This isn’t about love or trust or any of those ridiculous notions you might cling to. This is survival. Yours and mine.”  

His words cut deep, but they weren’t wrong.  

I took a shaky breath, my gaze falling to the contract once more. My eyes skimmed over the clauses: the terms of our arrangement, the duration of the marriage, and the conditions under which it could be terminated. Everything was spelled out in excruciating detail, leaving no room for ambiguity or hope.  

“And what happens if I say no?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.  

Maximilian didn’t hesitate. “Then you walk out of here with nothing. Your mother’s bills will continue to pile up. Your family will lose everything. And you will regret it for the rest of your life.”  

I flinched at the coldness in his tone, but I knew he wasn’t bluffing. Maximilian Grey didn’t make idle threats.  

“You’ll be my wife in name only,” he continued, his voice softer now, almost coaxing. “You’ll have access to everything you need, but don’t mistake this for a real marriage. I’m not interested in love, Eliza. I never have been, and I never will be.”  

His words stung more than they should have, considering the circumstances. But what hurt even more was the realization that I didn’t have a choice.  

Slowly, I reached for the pen. My fingers trembled as I wrapped them around it, the weight of the decision pressing down on me like a physical force.  

“Good,” Maximilian said, his tone laced with satisfaction. “Sign at the bottom of each page. And remember, Eliza, once you’re mine, there’s no turning back.”  

I paused, my heart racing as I looked up at him. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—something dark and impenetrable—that sent a chill down my spine.  

“What do you mean by that?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.  

He leaned in closer, his breath warm against my ear as he whispered, “It means you belong to me now. And don’t think for a second you’ll ever have my heart.”  

The pen slipped from my fingers, clattering onto the desk as his words sank in.  

Before I could respond, the heavy oak doors to his office swung open, and a tall man with sharp features and a stern expression stepped inside. He glanced at me briefly before addressing Maximilian.  

“Sir, there’s been a development,” he said, his tone urgent.  

Maximilian’s jaw tightened as he straightened in his chair. “Not now, Samuel.”  

“But it’s about—”  

“I said, not now,” Maximilian snapped, his voice like ice.  

Samuel hesitated, his gaze flickering to me again before he nodded and stepped back. “Very well, sir.”  

As the doors closed behind him, I turned back to Maximilian, my chest tight with unease.  

“What was that about?” I asked.  

He didn’t answer, his eyes fixed on the contract in front of me. “Finish signing, Eliza. We don’t have all day.”  

I wanted to press him, to demand answers, but the weight of my own predicament kept me silent. With trembling hands, I picked up the pen once more and began to sign.  

By the time I reached the last page, my heart felt like it was going to burst from my chest. Each stroke of the pen felt like a nail being driven into a coffin—my coffin.  

When I finally placed the pen down, Maximilian took the contract and slid it into a folder with practiced ease.  

“Congratulations,” he said, his tone as cold as ever. “You’re officially Mrs. Grey.”  

I wanted to feel relief, to believe that I had done the right thing. But all I felt was a sinking dread, a sense that I had just made a deal with the devil—and there would be no escape.  

As I stood to leave, Maximilian’s voice stopped me in my tracks.  

“One more thing, Eliza,” he said, his tone almost casual.  

I turned to face him, my pulse quickening as I met his gaze.  

“You might want to keep your phone close,” he added, a smirk playing on his lips. “The games are about to begin.”