CHAPTER 2

Damian

I had not planned on any of this.

The woman standing in my guest house wearing nothing but a sheet looked like she’d seen a ghost. Her green eyes widened, lips parting in shock. Harper Vale. I knew her name now, my security team had already sent it to my phone ten minutes ago.

“You,” she whispered. “You’re… Damian Blackwood.”

I set the coffees down slowly. “And you work in my accounting department. Small world.”

Her face flushed, anger, embarrassment, fear. All of it mixed together. She clutched the sheet tighter. “This is a mistake. Last night…..”

“Was mutual,” I finished quietly. I wasn’t going to let her pretend otherwise. We had both been willing. Desperate, even. I hadn’t felt that kind of fire in years, not since my wife died.

She looked away. “I need to leave.”

“Too late for that.” I picked up my phone and turned the screen toward her. Already trending on social media: blurry paparazzi photos of us leaving the gardens together, her hand in mine. The headlines were vicious.

Blackwood CEO’s Secret Night with Mystery Employee – Is the Ice King Finally Melting?

Another article mentioned custody concerns. My ex-wife’s parents were already circling, looking for any excuse to take Lily from me.

Harper’s face went pale as she scrolled. “This can’t be happening.”

“It is.” I kept my voice steady, the same tone I used in boardrooms when everything was falling apart. “And it’s about to get worse unless we control the narrative.”

She stared at me. “What do you mean?”

I studied her. She was beautiful, sharp, and clearly hiding something. I’d run a quick background check while she slept. Mother’s company ruined by Blackwood dealings. Interesting. But right now, survival mattered more.

“Marry me,” I said.

She laughed, a short, disbelieving sound. “You’re insane.”

“Fake marriage,” I clarified. “Six months. Long enough to kill the scandal, stabilize the company stock, and protect my daughter. In return, you get money, protection, and full access to whatever you’re looking for inside my family.”

Her eyes narrowed. She was smart. She knew I was offering her the keys to the kingdom she clearly wanted to burn down.

“Why would you trust me?” she asked.

“I don’t. But I need this handled quietly. And you… you need something from me too, don’t you, Harper?”

She didn’t answer right away. The silence stretched.

I pulled out a chair for her. “Sit down. Let’s talk like adults. You look ready to run, but we both know that won’t fix the photos out there.”

Harper sat slowly, still holding the sheet close. “How do you know my name? And what makes you think I need anything from you?”

I sat across from her. “My team works fast. Harper Vale, analyst in accounting. Started five months ago. And yes, you need access. I saw the search history on the company server. You’ve been looking for old contracts. Ones tied to your mother.”

She froze. “You spied on me?”

“Not spying. Protecting my company. But now this mess involves both of us.” I leaned forward. “Tell me straight. Why did you really take the job at Blackwood Enterprises?”

She bit her lip, thinking. “That’s none of your business.”

“It is now. After last night, everything changed. The media will dig into your life soon. They’ll find out about your mom, about Ethan. It will look bad for me and my daughter Lily. She’s only six. She already lost her mother. I can’t lose her too.”

Harper’s eyes softened a little. “Lily… I’ve seen her picture in the office. She seems sweet. But why me? You could pick anyone else for this fake plan.”

I shook my head. “Because it’s already out there. The pictures show us together. People will believe it if we say it was love at first sight. A quick romance. No one needs to know the truth. And you get benefits. Money to help your own life. Safety from any backlash. And yes, access to files. I’ll give you what you want if you play along.”

She stared at the phone screen again. “This is crazy. Ethan will lose his mind. He already hates me. And your family… they destroy people like me.”

I sighed. “My family destroys everyone, even me sometimes. I’m tired of the games too. My mother pulls strings. The board watches my every move. This fake marriage buys me time. Six months. After that, we part ways quietly. No one gets hurt if we do it right.”

Harper stood up, pacing a bit while holding the sheet. “What if I say no? Walk out right now?”

“Then the scandal grows. Stock drops. My custody battle gets ugly. And you? You lose your job and any chance at those secrets you want. We both lose. Or we help each other.”

She stopped pacing. “Help each other? You sound so calm about this. Like it’s just another deal.”

“It is a deal,” I said. “But last night wasn’t. Last night felt real. You can’t deny that spark. I haven’t felt close to anyone in years. You made me forget the weight I carry.”

Her cheeks turned pink. “Don’t say that. It was a mistake. I didn’t know who you were. If I had…”

“If you had, would you have stopped?” I asked quietly. “Be honest, Harper. For one minute.”

She looked down. “I don’t know. The way you talked… it felt safe. Different from the others at the party. You listened. You didn’t push. But now? This is too much.”

I stood and walked closer. “I get it. You hate my family. You have reasons. But I’m not the monster in your head. I’ve made mistakes, yes. Business is ruthless. But I protect what’s mine. Lily is mine. And right now, this plan protects her.”

Harper met my eyes. “If we do this, no real feelings. No touching unless it’s for show. And I want everything in writing. Lawyers. Contracts. Ironclad, like I said.”

I nodded. “Agreed. You’re smart to ask. I’ll have my lawyer draw it up today. You get a monthly allowance. Access to private records under my watch. In return, you attend events with me. Smile for cameras. Act like a wife in public.”

She crossed her arms. “And in private? We stay strangers.”

“Strangers who share a roof,” I replied. “For Lily’s sake, try to be kind to her. She needs stability.”

Harper thought for a long moment. “Okay. But if you trick me, I’ll find a way to end it. I’m not weak.”

“I believe that,” I said with a small nod. “You held your own with Ethan last night. That takes strength.”

We talked about more details. She asked about living arrangements. I explained the penthouse. She wanted rules about Ethan. I promised to handle my son. The conversation went back and forth until the morning sun rose higher. By the end, we both knew this was the only way out.

Finally, she lifted her chin. “If I say yes, I want it in writing. Ironclad.”

I almost smiled. “Smart girl.”

We were signing the devil’s contract before noon. But as she left to gather her things, my phone rang again. My son Ethan.

“Dad,” he said, voice tight with fury. “What the hell did you do with my ex-girlfriend?”