CONTRACT BRIDE FOR THE DEVIL

Maria's POV Dear skies, just this once… I need your help.“So, Maria,” the hiring manager, Mr. Conway, skimmed my resume with zero enthusiasm. “You applied for the receptionist position, correct?” I nodded, forcing a smile. My sweaty palms clutched tight to my file. “Yes, I’m great with organization, and—” “Mm-hmm,” he interrupted, setting my resume aside. “It’s just—our receptionists have to maintain a certain image. Polished. Professional. Fit.” Fit. There it was. My face burned, but I kept my voice even. “I’m more than capable of handling the job.” He gave me that pitying smile again. “I’m sure you are.” Then he reached for another file—already done with me. Panic bubbled in my throat. I needed this job. “Please. Just give me a chance.” He exhaled through his nose, like I was exhausting him. “We do have openings in janitorial services. If you’re interested.” My heart dropped. Janitorial. He was telling me I was too fat to sit at a damn desk but maybe, just

Maria's POV Everything felt strange; the bed, air… my body. A groan slipped from my lips as I stretched, my body aching in ways I couldn’t explain. My head pounded like a drum, my mouth was dry, and everything felt off. I blinked against the harsh sunlight streaming through the curtains, frowning. I sat up slowly, trying to piece together how the hell I had gotten home. Except—this wasn’t home. The sheets beneath me were unfamiliar—smooth, expensive. The air smelled faintly of cologne and something musky. Panic shot through me as I glanced down. I was naked. “What the fuck…” I whispered, yanking the covers tighter around me. My breath hitched as I turned to my side, and my heart nearly stopped. A man was lying next to me. Fast asleep. His bare chest rose and fell with steady breaths, his toned arms resting against the pillows. His dark hair was tousled and fell over his face, covering his features completely. I swallowed hard. My heart pounding in my ears. Wh

Maria's POV “Five thousand dollars… We both know that you’re not worth it, but I’m that nice.” The words replayed in my head, taunting my sanity. It had to be a joke, except that his face was as hard as a rock.I brushed the tears off my cheek. He should never have seen me break. “If this is your way of making jest of me again, the joke’s on you.”Turning to flag down a taxi, he gripped my wrist and made me face him. His gaze, stern.“Do you think I’d leave my abode,” he looked at his grand complex. “Just to play some shitty game.”I shrugged. “Show me a more petty man.” “Fine. Ten thousand, and that’s it.”Now, it dawned on me that he meant every word he said. It all began to look fishy. “Are you this desperate?” Cocky, he adjusted his suit like he was not talking to a peasant like myself. “In or not? I’ve got work to do.”“I leaned closer, almost grazing our bodies. Chin tilted, I looked directly in his fierce gaze. “If I were your savior, I’d drag you by the balls into fucki

The gym smelled like metal, rubber mats, and faint humiliation. I stood in front of the mirror, the one that seemed way too wide, tugging at the hem of my black tank top. The fabric clung to every roll and curve I hated, despite Susan’s pep talk this morning. “You’re here for strength, not for show,” she’d said, tossing a banana into my tote bag and shoving me out the door like a mother hen with designer sneakers. Now, I stared at my reflection, breath short, heart racing. It was day one. Day one of reclaiming my body. Day one of proving that Bryan’s words couldn’t touch me anymore. I shifted awkwardly, pretending not to notice the fit girls stretching near the yoga mats or the muscular guy eyeing me curiously by the dumbbells. I picked up the smallest weights I could find and started curling like it was nobody’s business. By rep seven, I wanted to die. “Nice form,” came a voice behind me. I turned and found a trainer I didn’t ask for, all jawline and judgment. He gave me a

The lights at the Belvoir Grand Ballroom glittered like stars that had gotten tired of the sky and fallen into a chandelier. The velvet carpet under my heels was so plush I feared tripping on it. The walls were draped in gold and ivory, and the air reeked of old money and new secrets.Andrew’s hand rested lightly at the small of my back as we stepped into the hall.He was dressed in a sharp charcoal tuxedo, tailored like it had been sewn onto his skin. Next to him, I wore a flowing emerald gown Susan had picked out — one that cinched at the waist, swept the floor behind me, and whispered elegance. I caught my reflection in a side mirror. Not bad. Not invisible. I could almost pass for the kind of woman who belonged here. Almost. “Chin up,” Andrew murmured without looking at me. “You’re the envy tonight.” I scoffed quietly. “Or the charity case.” His lips barely moved, but I caught the flicker of amusement. “Stop talking like that. You’re mine tonight, remember?” Mine. The wor