CHAPTER 3:TRAPPED AND SIGNED

CHAPTER 3:

Selene stood in front of Lancaster Tower, staring up at the tower structure that stretched narrowly into the sky.The penthouse was at the very top.

Her heart pounded as she stepped into the glossy marble lobby, her heels clicking on the polished floor.

The receptionist, a sharp-looking woman with the air of cold professionalism, barely spared her a glance before pressing a button.

"Mr. Lancaster is expecting you."

The elevator beside Selene opened. Selene stepped into the private elevator, her stomach churned as the doors closed. She was walking straight into the lion’s den.

When the elevator finally opened into the penthouse, the sight before her stole her breath.

Glassy windows framed a breathtaking view of New York’s skyline, the city lights shining like stars. The space was luxurious, filled with glossy furniture, marble floors, and an air of untouchable wealth.

And at the center of it all, a man standing by the windows with a glass of whiskey in his hand, was Damien Lancaster.

He turned at the sound of her footsteps, his eyes dark with amusement.

"Took you long enough."

Selene’s fingers clenched around her purse. "You said you wanted to talk."

Damien set his glass down and stepped closer, his presence suffocating. "Oh, we’re past talking, sweetheart. We’re negotiating."

Selene swallowed hard, keeping her chin up. "What do you want, Damien?"

His lips curved into a smirk. "I want a wife."

Selene blinked, believing she had misheard him.

"You… what?"

Damien took another step forward, his gaze not leaving hers. "You heard me."

Selene let out a breathless and disbelieving laugh. "You’re insane."

Damien ignored her. "You need money. I need a respectable wife to fix my reputation. It’s a fair deal."

Selene shook her head. "No. Absolutely not."

"Think carefully before you refuse," Damien said, his voice calm, controlled. Dangerous.

He turned and picked up a thick folder from his desk, tossing it on the coffee table between them.

"That’s everything you owe. The debts, the lawsuits, the interest rates that are drowning you. If you marry me, it will all disappear. You walk away debt-free."

Selene’s breath caught in her throat. It was all there,Every overdue bill,Every legal notice and Every single reminder of how trapped she was.

She looked up at Damien, her voice shaking. "Why me?"

Damien’s smirk deepened. "Because you, Selene Carter, owe me everything."

He pulled out a file and tossed it on the table,it was the contract form.

Selene shoved the contract away as if it burned her fingers.

“No,” she said firmly, shaking her head. “Absolutely not.”

Damien leaned back against the couch, his cold, unreadable expression only making her feel more uneasy.

“Think carefully before you refuse,” he said smoothly. “You walk away now, and by morning, every creditor, every lawsuit and every unpaid debt will come crashing down on you.”

Damien reached into the folder and pulled out another document. “This one, for example,your apartment lease. Did you know the landlord has been trying to evict you for months? He only held back because a little birdie told him I might be interested in making an offer.” He smirked.

“If I withdraw that offer, you’ll be homeless by tomorrow.”

Selene’s stomach churned. “You wouldn’t,” she whispered.

Damien’s expression hardened. “Try me.”

Her hands trembled as she looked at the pile of evidence before her. It wasn’t just her apartment. It was the loan sharks she owed money to. The legal case she was drowning in. The growing interest rates that were choking her.

Damien wasn’t offering a deal. He was holding a loaded gun to her life and waiting for her to pull the trigger.

Her mind screamed to fight back, but what was the point? She was already trapped and had no where to go.

Selene sank into the leather chair across from him, feeling defeated.

“What do you get out of this?” she asked.

Damien leaned forward, his fingers tapping against the contract. “I told you. I need a wife. Someone who will stand by my side, attend events, smile for the cameras, and play the perfect Mrs. Lancaster.”

His gaze darkened. “And you? You already know the role. You were by my side once before. You’ll do it again.”

Selene clenched her fists.But she was out of options.

Her throat tightened as she grabbed the pen. “What are the terms?”

Damien’s smirk widened.

“Simple.” He flipped to the first page and pointed. “You’ll move into my penthouse. You’ll attend public events as my wife. You’ll follow my rules. And most importantly…” His eyes locked onto hers.

“YOU DON'T FALL IN LOVE.”

Selene’s lips parted slightly, but before she could react, Damien tapped the final terms.

“One year,” he said. “That’s all you have to endure. After that, we go our separate ways.”

“One year.” Selene swallowed hard, her hand shaking as she finally signed her name at the bottom of the contract.

As soon as the ink dried, Damien leaned in, his lips brushing against her ear as he whispered.

“YOU'RE MINE NOW.”

Selene’s fingers clenched around the pen, her breath was short and shaky. The weight of what she’d just done pressed down on her like a boulder. And There was no turning back.

Damien took the contract from her hands, his touch was just enough to make her shiver. He glanced over her signature, a satisfied smirk curling on his lips.

“I knew you’d see the reason,” he murmured, slipping the contract into his desk drawer.

Selene swallowed the lump in her throat. “I didn’t have a choice.”

Damien’s eyes darkened. “No, you didn’t.”

She wanted to slap that expression off his face, but what would it change? He had won.

Damien stood, buttoning his suit jacket with ease. “Pack your things. You’ll be moving into my penthouse by tonight.”

Selene stiffened. “Tonight?”

“Did you think you’d have time to reconsider?” His gaze flickered with amusement. “I want my wife beside me, Selene. The world needs to see us together.”

He wanted to own her, to remind her every single day that she had no escape.

Selene forced her head up. “Fine. But I have one condition.”

Damien raised an eyebrow. “You’re in no position to demand anything.”

Her hands curled into fists. “I need time to talk to my friend. Natasha… she deserves to know what’s happening.”

Damien studied her for a moment, then he shrugged. “Do whatever you want. But be ready by eight. I don’t like waiting.”

As Selene walked out of the office, she felt Natasha’s worried gaze on her.

And deep down, she knew that once she stepped into Damien’s penthouse, there would be no escape.