The Contract Bride

Aria signed the contract three hours later. Not because she trusted Lucien. Not because she wanted this madness. But because fear had finally settled deep enough inside her bones to make reality impossible to ignore. Someone had broken into her apartment. Men with guns knew her face. And her sick mother was now surrounded by danger simply because Aria had walked down the wrong alley. She had run out of choices. The sound of the pen scratching against paper felt strangely final. Lucien stood across the office silently while she signed the last page. No smile. No satisfaction. Just that same unreadable expression he always wore like armor. When she finally placed the pen down, her chest tightened unexpectedly. “What happens now?” Lucien stepped forward and collected the papers carefully. “Now,” he said calmly, “you become my wife.” The words felt unreal. Wife. Not girlfriend. Not partner. Wife. Even if it was fake, hearing it aloud made her stomach twist. Lucien closed the folder before meeting her gaze again. “There will be an official announcement tomorrow morning.” Aria blinked. “Tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“That fast?”

“The longer we wait, the more vulnerable you become." Everything with him always came back to survival. Protection. Control. Aria rubbed her forehead tiredly. “This feels insane.”

“It is.” She looked at him sharply. “You admit it?” Lucien’s gaze remained steady. “I prefer honesty over comfort.” For some reason, that answer lingered inside her chest. Because he meant it. Lucien never softened the truth. Never pretended things were better than they were. Danger followed him too closely for lies. A knock interrupted them. Evelyn entered carrying several garment bags. Her warm eyes immediately found Aria. “The stylists have arrived.”.Aria frowned. “Stylists?”.Lucien answered before Evelyn could. “The media already knows you’re here.” Her stomach dropped. “What?”

“They photographed my car entering the estate last night.” Panic rose quickly inside her again. “No. Absolutely not.”

“You don’t have a choice.”.Anger flashed through her instantly. “You keep saying that like I’m some object you can move around whenever you want.” Lucien’s expression darkened slightly..“If I wanted control, Aria, this conversation would sound very different.” The quiet danger in his voice sent chills through her. Not because he threatened her. Because she believed him..Evelyn stepped in gently before the tension worsened. “Come with me, dear.”Aria hesitated briefly before following her upstairs. The second they entered the enormous bedroom suite again, two women immediately approached carrying makeup cases and clothing racks. “Oh my God, she’s gorgeous,” one of them whispered excitedly. Aria froze. Gorgeous? They had clearly lost their minds. Within minutes she found herself sitting in front of a mirror while people touched her hair, adjusted fabrics against her body, and discussed diamonds like they were discussing groceries. Everything moved too quickly. Too unreal. “Mr. Moretti prefers elegance,” one stylist explained while holding dresses beside Aria.bAria frowned slightly. “And if I prefer comfort?” The woman laughed nervously like she wasn’t sure if it was a joke. That irritated Aria even more. By the time they finished hours later, she barely recognized herself. The woman staring back in the mirror looked softer somehow. More polished. Her dark curls framed her face beautifully while the silk cream dress hugged her figure in ways that made her suddenly self-conscious. She looked…

Expensive. Like she belonged in Lucien’s world. The thought unsettled her deeply. Evelyn smiled warmly behind her. “Beautiful.” Aria stared at herself uncertainly. “I look like a stranger.” “No,” Evelyn said softly. “You look like a woman finally being seen.” The words hit somewhere unexpectedly tender inside her chest. Before Aria could respond, another knock came at the door.

One of the guards stepped inside carefully. “Mr. Moretti is waiting downstairs.” Of course he was.

Everything in this house revolved around Lucien. Aria followed the guard downstairs slowly, her heels clicking nervously against the marble floors.

The moment she entered the living room, Lucien looked up from his phone. And went completely still. Aria’s heartbeat stumbled slightly. He said nothing at first. But his eyes moved over her slowly, intensely enough to make warmth creep into her cheeks. Something unreadable passed across his face before disappearing. “You clean up well,” he said finally. It wasn’t exactly a compliment. But somehow it felt more dangerous than one. Aria folded her arms slightly. “I feel ridiculous.” “You look appropriate.” “There’s the charm again.” A faint flicker almost resembling amusement touched his expression briefly. Then his attention shifted toward the television mounted across the room. “Watch.” Aria turned just as a news anchor appeared onscreen.

BREAKING NEWS: Billionaire CEO Lucien Moretti Seen With Mystery Woman Amid Engagement Rumors— Photos filled the screen. Her leaving the SUV. Lucien beside her. Security surrounding them. Her stomach dropped. “Oh my God.” The reporter continued excitedly. “Sources close to the Moretti family claim the billionaire may secretly be involved with an unknown woman believed to have entered his estate late last night…”.Aria stared in horror. “This is insane.” Lucien remained calm beside her. “They’ll speculate until we confirm it.”

“And you’re okay with strangers discussing your life like this?”

“They’ve done it for years.” Something about his tone sounded exhausted underneath the indifference. Like fame had stopped feeling human a long time ago. Aria looked at him carefully. “You really hate attention, don’t you?”

“I hate people.” The answer came so quickly she almost laughed. Almost. Then the reporter said something that made the room go cold. “Some are questioning whether this sudden relationship is connected to ongoing tensions within the Moretti empire…” Lucien’s expression hardened instantly. The television switched off seconds later.

Silence filled the room. Aria looked at him slowly. “What tensions?”

“Nothing you need to concern yourself with.” “There you go again.”

“What?”

“Shutting people out." Something dangerous flickered behind his gray eyes. “That habit keeps people alive.” Aria opened her mouth to argue—

Then froze. Because suddenly she noticed something. A faint stain of red near Lucien’s cuff.

Blood. Her eyes widened slightly. “You’re hurt.”

Lucien glanced down briefly before adjusting his sleeve. “It’s nothing.”

“That’s blood.”

“I’m aware." Frustration rose inside her immediately.

“You should let someone look at it.”

“I already have.”

“You’re lying.” His gaze snapped back to hers sharply. For a moment neither of them moved.

Then unexpectedly— Lucien removed his suit jacket slowly. Aria’s breath caught. Dark red stained the white fabric beneath his shoulder.

Not a massive wound. But enough. Enough to know he’d been hurt recently. “What happened?”

“A disagreement.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You got shot during a disagreement?” Again that almost-smile appeared briefly. “You ask too many questions.”

“And you avoid hospitals too much.” Lucien started walking toward the staircase. “Where are you going?”

“To finish working.”

“With a bullet wound?”

“It barely hit me.” Aria stared at him in disbelief.

Then without thinking, she followed him. “Sit down.” Lucien stopped halfway up the stairs. Slowly, he turned back toward her. Nobody spoke to him like that. That much was obvious. But Aria was too irritated to care anymore. “You’re bleeding through your shirt,” she said firmly. “Sit down before you pass out from blood loss and ruin your terrifying reputation.” Silence. Then surprisingly… Lucien walked back down the stairs and sat.