The Billionaire's secret contract

VIOLET’S POV

The office was so cold it felt like a freezer. Or maybe it was just because of the man sitting behind the massive mahogany desk.

He was looking at me with eyes as sharp as a hawk. Cold, calculating, and terrifying.

Damien Vane.

The name alone was enough to make the whole city tremble. He was the King of the business world. Ruthless, powerful, and dangerously handsome.

And right now, he was offering me a deal I couldn’t refuse.

“Marry me,” he said, his voice deep and void of any emotion. “For one year. Sign this contract, and I will pay off all your family’s debts. I will also give you enough money to secure your future.”

I stared at the papers on the table. My hands were shaking.

“B-but… why me?” I stammered, looking up at him. “You are Damien Vane. You can have any woman you want. Why would you choose someone like me? Someone ordinary?”

He leaned back on his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. His gaze traveled over my face, analyzing every inch of me.

“Because you are the only one who is safe,” he said simply. “I need a wife to fool my grandfather and the board members. I need someone quiet, obedient, and most importantly… someone who will not fall in love with me. Someone who understands that this is just business.”

He stood up and walked around the desk until he was standing right in front of me. He was so tall he cast a shadow over my small frame.

“I know you need the money, Violet,” he whispered, leaning down. “Your father is sick. Your family is being chased by loan sharks. I am your only hope.”

He was right. I was drowning. I had nowhere else to go. This was my only chance to save the people I loved.

But marrying a stranger? Marrying a man like him? It was terrifying.

“What… what are the terms?” I asked softly.

A small smirk played on his lips. He liked that I was being practical.

“Simple rules,” he counted on his fingers. “One: You will live in my house. You will act like the perfect loving wife in front of everyone. Two: You will not interfere with my work or my personal life. Three: We sleep in separate rooms. And four… absolutely no falling in love. If you break any of these rules, the contract is void, and you get nothing.”

I swallowed hard. Separate rooms. No love. Just acting.

I can do this, I told myself. It’s just one year. I can pretend for one year.

I reached out my hand and took the pen. My heart was pounding like a drum.

“Okay,” I said, looking him in the eye. “I agree.”

I signed the papers. Violet Evans.

As soon as I put the pen down, Damien took the document and placed it in a drawer, locking it away as if it was a top-secret file.

“Good,” he said. “Then pack your things. We are getting married tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?!” I gasped. “That fast?”

“Time is money, Violet,” he said coldly, putting his coat on. “And I don’t like wasting it. Be ready at 8 AM.”

He walked past me, stopping just beside my ear.

“Welcome to your new life, Mrs. Vane. Don’t expect roses and romance. Expect only rules and obedience.”

He left the room, leaving me alone with the silence and the heavy weight of what I just did.

I sold myself for a year. I became the wife of the devil.

CHAPTER 2: THE WEDDING AND THE SECRET

VIOLET’S POV

The wedding was quick and quiet. No guests, no celebration, just us and the lawyers.

Standing there in a simple white dress, looking at Damien in his expensive suit, I felt like I was in a dream. A nightmare.

When the officiant asked if he took me as his wife, he didn’t say "I do" with love. He said it with authority. Like he was just signing another business deal.

“Drive,” he ordered as soon as we got into his black Rolls Royce.

The ride to his mansion was silent. He was looking at his tablet, completely ignoring my existence.

When we arrived at his house, my jaw almost dropped. It wasn’t just a house. It was a palace. Huge, modern, and intimidating.

“Your room is upstairs, the third door to the left,” he said as we entered the foyer. “Mine is at the end of the hall. Don’t ever enter it without permission.”

“Yes,” I whispered.

I carried my small luggage up the stairs. My room was beautiful, with a huge window overlooking the garden. But it felt empty. Cold.

I sat on the bed, hugging my knees. What have I gotten myself into?

A few hours later, there was a knock on the door.

“Come down,” Damien’s voice called from outside. “We have guests.”

I quickly fixed myself and went down. In the living room, there was an old man sitting there—Damien’s grandfather. And beside him… was a woman.

Beautiful, elegant, and looking at me with pure hatred.

“Damien!” The woman stood up and clung to his arm. “Who is she? Why is she here? You said it was just for show!”

Damien didn’t push her away. He just looked at her calmly.

“Elise, this is Violet. My wife. Violet, this is Elise, my… friend.”

Friend. Right. The woman he truly loved, I assumed.

Elise laughed sarcastically and walked towards me. She looked me up and down.

“Wife? You call this a wife? She looks like a student. She looks so… cheap. Damien, are you serious? You married this thing just to get the inheritance?”

I clenched my fists. My face burned with shame. I looked at Damien, waiting for him to stop her.

But he just lit a cigarette and leaned against the wall.

“Watch your words, Elise,” he said casually. “She may be cheap, but she is still legally Mrs. Vane. For now.”

My heart cracked. For now.

He really didn’t care.

“See?” Elise smirked. “He doesn’t even want you. You are just a tool, Violet. A stepping stone for him to get what he wants. Once he gets the company shares, he will throw you away like trash.”

I knew that. I knew it very well. But hearing it said out loud still hurt like hell.

“I know my place,” I said softly, surprising even myself. “I don’t need you to remind me.”

I turned around and walked away, going back to my room. I locked the door and slid down against it.

Tears finally fell.

Why did I think I could handle this? Why did I think I could survive being around him without getting hurt?

Suddenly, the door handle turned. And when it didn’t open, there was a loud knock.

“Open the door, Violet.”

It was Damien.

I wiped my tears quickly and opened the door. He walked in, smelling of smoke and expensive cologne.

“What was that?” he asked, towering over me. “Talking back to Elise? Are you trying to cause trouble?”

“I didn’t say anything wrong,” I defended myself, looking up at him with red eyes. “I just said I know my place. Isn’t that what you want? For me to know my place?”

He stared at my face. His eyes darkened when he saw my tears.

“Don’t cry,” he said gruffly. “It’s annoying.”

“I can’t help it!” I shouted, losing my patience. “You bring your girlfriend here! She insults me! You let her! What do you expect me to do? Smile?”

He was silent for a moment. Then, he took a step forward, forcing me to step back until I hit the wall.

He trapped me between his arms, leaning down so our faces were inches apart.

“Listen to me carefully, little wife,” he whispered, his voice low and dangerous. “Elise is nothing. She is just part of the past. But you… you are here because I chose you.”

His finger traced my cheek, wiping the tear away. The touch was electric, sending shivers down my spine.

“Don’t let her get under your skin,” he murmured. “And don’t cry. Because when you cry… it makes me want to do bad things.”

My breath hitched. “W-what things?”

He looked at my lips, then back to my eyes. A dark, intense look that made my heart stop.

“Things that are not written in the contract.”

He pulled away suddenly, turning his back to me.

“Rest early,” he said, his voice back to normal. “Tomorrow, we are going to a party. And you will look perfect. Do you understand?”

“Yes…” I whispered, still trembling from what just happened.

He walked to the door and stopped.

“And Violet?”

“Yes?”

“Stay away from the basement of this house. And never, ever touch the locked drawer in my study. Some secrets are better left unknown.”

He closed the door, leaving me alone with my racing heart and a million questions.

Who is Damien Vane really? Why did he really marry me? And what was that secret he was hiding?

Little did I know, agreeing to this contract would not just change my life… it would put it in danger.

TO BE CONTINUED...