Bound by Billion-Dollar Vows

The bride smiled.

The groom didn't.

Flash after flash illuminated the grand ballroom of the Valencia Grand Hotel as cameras captured another union between two members of high society.

"Congratulations!"

"What a beautiful couple!"

"Smile, Mr. Villareal!"

Natalie Ariana De Dios wore a breathtaking white gown that flowed gracefully around her feet. Her long crimson-red hair rested over one shoulder, perfectly styled, while the diamond ring on her finger sparkled beneath the chandeliers.

She looked every bit the woman hopelessly in love, only she wasnt .Across from her stood Damian Villareal, heir to one of the country's oldest business families. He wasn't in love either.

They exchanged a brief glance before  facing the priest. "Do you, Damian Villareal, take Natalie Ariana De Dios to be your lawful wife?"

"I do."

"And do you, Natalie Ariana De Dios, take Damian Villareal to be your lawful husband?"

"I do."

The applause that followed echoed throughout the ballroom. To the guests, it was another fairy tale, but for Natalie... it was another contract. Just another contract

—

Six months later.

The same woman walked out of the courthouse wearing a black pantsuit instead of a wedding gown. The contract has been ended

Damian extended his hand with a smile written on his face. "Thank you."

Natalie accepted the handshake with a soft smile. "Congratulations."

"My grandfather would've never released my inheritance if I hadn't gotten married," he said chuckling, his shoulders shaking.

"I know."

"And now..."

He pulled a small envelope from his coat."My fiancé lands tomorrow."

 Natalie smiled wider, but it didnt reach her eyes "Finally."

He exhaled in relief. "I can finally tell the world who I really am."

Natalie nodded. "You deserve that."

Damian looked at her with genuine gratitude. "I'll never forget what you did for me."

"You paid for a service."

"No." He shook his head. "You gave me time. You gave me freedom."

Natalie's smile softened. "Go be happy."

Without another word, Damian left the courthouse, a black luxury sedan waited for him outside. Inside sat a man wearing a navy suit— that's Charles for sure, the love his life.

The moment Damian opened the door, the man reached for his hand.

Their fingers intertwined naturally, Natalie watched them drive away. Only after the car disappeared did she allow herself to breathe for another successful contract, another marriage, another divorce, and another secret buried.

As she stand ther phone vibrated, Nat quickly pick that up, her brow furrowed as she saw the caller Id.  Probably Migo with a new  number? Or Jas? Probably  her mom, cause Laarni always donated— give away her phone to her boytoys lol.  Who knows?

Unknown Number.

She answered. "Natalie speaking."

"Congratulations on completing Contract Number Nine."— The caller is none of the above.

She recognized the voice immediately, it was her manager and long time best friend, Sasha

"The payment has been transferred."

"I'll check later," sha said between breathe

Saha noticed that kind of breathe that Natalie always do whenever she is exhausted. "Take a week off."

She knew Natalie for almost half of the girls life, she knew even how the girl think, talk, and farted. Sasha can def recognize it from afar.

She laughed softly. "You've been saying that after every client."

"And you've never listened," Sasha giggled from the other line. "Please do it Natty, it's been what? Thouasand years since you started."

Natalie stepped into the waiting taxi as she listed to Sasha, switching the phonr from her  ear to another."I like staying busy,  do not act as if you did not know me for a long time. Anyway, this is my 9th, I'll be on leave."

"Fine, lets be it." Her manager sighed.  Sasha knew that insisting wont work for Natalie, not this time."Anyways, I have another offer."

"I said I'm taking a break after this one right?" Natalie repeated. Confused, she just told Sasha that she is taking abreak now she is proposing another client?

"This one's different," Sasha decalred in an authoratative voiced. A tone that she rarely used on Nat.

"So?" Natalie mumbled, not really interested as she lean on the seat. "Not interested."

"The client specifically requested someone with your record," Sasaha said on the other line, informing her. 

Sasha, right now is holding the clients profile. It is not her character to  forced Nat into something especially this kind of contact but well... she needs to. This one is abillion-dollar  proposal.

Natalie leaned her head against the window. "I'm retired."

"He offered triple your usual rate," Sasha insisted, never  retrieving her gripped on the folder of Luca Hernaez. "Please Nat," she begged.

"NO." Natalie said with finality.  Sasha could  visibly see the period on her word.

"Five times," Saha try to  add excitement in her voice so Natalie will be thrilled, but guess what? Natalie wasnt.

"No." Natalie said

"He isn't asking because he wants a wife."

Natalie's brows furrowed. "Then?"

"He just wants someone he can trust." Silence filled the line.

"What family?" Curious, Natalie asked, she is now playng with the little droplets of rain on the window

Sasha exhaled before speaking,"The Hernaez family." 

Natalie's heartbeat stopped as if her sould leave her body for a while. "...What?"

"Hernaez Holdings."

She slowly sat upright, switch the phone from another ear, again "No."

"The grandfather's will states the next chairman must be legally married before gaining complete control of the company."

"No."

"The client already agreed."

"I don't care."

"You haven't even heard his name."

"I don't need to."

"You do."

Natalie's grip around her phone tightened.

"His name is..." Saha paused and exhaled  one more time ...Luca Elios Hernaez."

Everything around her became muffled— the passing cars, the city lights, the  driver's radio.

Everything.

Only one memory remained.

A young boy sitting beneath the old acacia tree. "You'll always be my best friend, Nat."

A little girl with messy red hair laughed as she linked her pinky with his. "And when we grow up?"

"We'll still be best friends."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

The memory shattered as the taxi stopped at a red light.

Natalie closed her eyes.

Seven years.

Her manager spoke again.

"So... Will you take the job?"

Natalie stared at the city skyline.The answer should've been easy, She had rejected clients before.... She could reject this one too But fate had always been cruel Because out of all the billionaires in the country...

Out of all the men who needed a wife... The tenth contract had to be him.

The boy she once called home, The only man she had never truly forgotten, the line remained silent.

Natalie stared through the taxi window, watching the blurred city lights pass by. Her reflection looked back at her—calm, composed, unreadable.

"...Will you take the job?" Sasha asked again.

Natalie closed her eyes for a brief moment.

"No."

The only woman determined not to marry him... ...was the very woman destiny had already chosen.

Sasha didn't answer right away. She simply leaned back in her chair, staring at the city skyline beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows of her office. She had known Natalie Ariana De Dios for nearly fifteen years.

Long before the contracts, before the money, before the tabloids branded Natalie as The Serial Bride.

Back when they were just two university girls surviving exams, instant noodles, and broken dreams, and  when Natalie still believed in love. Back when there was only one name she would write absentmindedly in the corners of her notebooks.

Luca Elios Hernaez.

Sasha knew everything. She knew about the childhood promises especially the summers they spent together, the friendship bracelet Natalie still kept hidden in her jewelry box. She knew about the tears Natalie shed the day Luca suddenly left for Switzerland to study business without even saying goodbye.

She knew Natalie had waited, for months— for years Until waiting became embarrassing and until loving someone who wasn't there became exhausting.

When Natalie finally moved on... she didn't fall in love with someone else. She simply stopped believing love was worth waiting for. That was when the contracts began, one marriage after another. Nine husbands, weddings, different familu, nine divorces with different reasons.

Not once had Natalie crossed the line. Not once had she broken her own rules.

Because despite what the world believed...

Natalie Ariana De Dios had only ever loved one man, and that was exactly why Sasha couldn't force this.

She smiled sadly. "...You're still keeping the bracelet, aren't you?"

On the other end of the line, Natalie instinctively touched the silver bracelet around her wrist. "...I forgot to throw it away."

Sasha scoffed. "Liar."

"It's old."

"You have a walk-in vault filled with jewelry worth millions."

"..."

"You threw away every wedding ring your clients ever gave you."

"..."

"You donated every designer bag."

"..."

"You even sold that limited-edition watch worth eight million pesos because you said it collected dust."

Natalie remained silent.

"But somehow..." Sasha continued softly, "...a cheap friendship bracelet made by a twelve-year-old boy survived all these years."

Natalie laughed weakly.

"It isn't because of him."

"No?" Sasha asked with a knowing smile on her lips

"No."

"Then why is it still on your wrist?" Sasha spoked, determined to know the truth

Natalie looked down on her wrist, the braided bracelet was faded. The tiny silver charm had scratches, the thread had been replaced twice because it had begun to unravel.

She answered honestly. "...I don't know."

Sasha smiled to herself.

She did.

Because if there was one person in the world who knew Natalie Ariana De Dios better than Natalie knew herself... It was Sahara Shanel So. Not because she was her manager or she handled her contracts, but because she was her best friend.

The one who stayed when everyone else left, she is the one who watched Natalie build walls around her heart brick by brick. The one who helped create the agency that handled Natalie's unusual profession—not to exploit her, but to ensure every contract was legal, safe, and protected.

Sasha had witnessed every wedding.

Every wedding, contract signingm divorce trials and  goodbye. She had seen Natalie smile in bridal gowns... and cry alone after coming home.

Not because she loved her clients but because every fake marriage reminded her of the only real one she would never have.

Sasha closed the file on her desk. "Okay."

Natalie blinked. "...Okay?"

"I'll reject the offer."

Relief washed over Natalie's face. "Thank you."

"But..." Sasha added with a knowing smile, "...I've learned one thing after being your best friend for fifteen years."

"And what's that?"

"When life wants to put Luca Hernaez back into your story... It never asks for your permission."

Natalie rolled her eyes despite herself. "You've been reading too many romance novels."

"No." Sasha chuckled. "I've just been watching yours."

Natalie smiled—a real one this time. "I love you, Sha."

"I know."

"And thank you."

"Always."

They ended the call.

Sasha stared once more at the folder labeled:

CLIENT #10

LUCA ELIOS HERNAEZ

With a quiet sigh, she slid it into the drawer and locked it away.

"As your best friend," she whispered to herself, "I'll protect your heart."

What she didn't know was that fate had already unlocked a different door.

One that neither money, contracts, nor friendship could ever close.