The CEO's Secret Substitute

Elena Carter had exactly seven days left to save her family.

Seven days before the bank took everything.

She stood across the street from Blackwood Enterprises, staring at the enormous glass building that seemed to disappear into the clouds.

The headquarters of one of the richest families in the city.

The Blackwoods.

Elena tightened her grip around the envelope in her hands.

She had spent the entire morning convincing herself not to come here.

But then she remembered her mother's trembling hands when she had opened the bank's final notice.

She remembered her father's silence.

Most of all, she remembered the restaurant that had belonged to their family for twenty-three years.

The place where Elena had grown up.

The place where her sister, Mia, had once laughed beside her.

And now, it was about to disappear.

Elena took a deep breath.

"Just get through this."

She crossed the street.

Inside Blackwood Enterprises, everything looked expensive.

Marble floors.

Crystal lights.

People in perfectly tailored suits walking quickly from one meeting to another.

Elena looked down at her simple blouse and worn handbag.

She suddenly felt like she didn't belong.

Still, she walked toward the reception desk.

"Good morning. I'm here to see Mr. Adrian Blackwood."

The receptionist looked at her computer.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"Yes."

Elena hesitated.

"Well... not exactly."

The receptionist raised an eyebrow.

"Then I'm afraid Mr. Blackwood won't be able to see you."

Elena pulled the envelope from her bag.

"I was told to bring this."

The moment the receptionist saw the black-and-gold seal, her expression changed.

She immediately picked up the phone.

"Mr. Blackwood? There's a Miss Carter here."

Elena's heart began beating faster.

After a short conversation, the receptionist hung up.

"Forty-second floor."

"Thank you."

Elena stepped into the elevator.

As the doors closed, she looked at her reflection.

She looked exhausted.

She hadn't slept properly in days.

But she couldn't afford to fall apart.

Not now.

The elevator stopped at the forty-second floor.

A tall man in a black suit was waiting for her.

"Miss Carter?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Blackwood is expecting you."

He turned and walked away.

Elena followed.

The doors to Adrian Blackwood's office opened.

And for a moment, she forgot how to breathe.

The man standing beside the floor-to-ceiling window looked nothing like the pictures she had seen online.

He was more intimidating in person.

Tall.

Broad-shouldered.

Dressed in a perfectly fitted black suit.

His dark hair was slightly messy, but somehow it made him look even more dangerous.

He turned slowly.

Cold gray eyes landed on her.

Elena immediately understood why people called him the Ice CEO.

There was nothing warm in his expression.

"Elena Carter."

It wasn't a question.

She nodded.

"Yes."

Adrian walked toward his desk.

"Sit."

She obeyed.

He remained standing.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then Adrian placed a thick folder on the desk.

"Your family's restaurant is facing bankruptcy."

Elena's fingers curled into her palms.

"You investigated me?"

"I don't need to investigate someone whose financial records are public."

He opened the folder.

"Two hundred and eighty thousand dollars in outstanding debt."

Elena swallowed.

"That's why I'm here."

"No."

Adrian looked directly at her.

"That's not why you're here."

She frowned.

"Then why am I here?"

He slid a photograph across the desk.

Elena looked down.

Her entire body went cold.

It was Mia.

Her sister.

Standing beside Adrian.

Both of them were dressed formally.

Mia was smiling.

Adrian wasn't.

Elena stared at the photograph.

"What is this?"

"My engagement."

Her eyes snapped upward.

"Your what?"

Adrian's expression remained emotionless.

"Your sister was my fiancée."

Elena's mind went blank.

"No."

"Yes."

"Mia never told me."

"She didn't tell anyone."

Elena picked up the photograph with trembling fingers.

Six months.

It had been six months since Mia disappeared.

Six months of unanswered calls.

Six months of police reports.

Six months of wondering whether her sister was alive.

And this man had apparently been engaged to her.

"Why didn't I know about you?"

"Because Mia wanted it that way."

Elena stood abruptly.

"Where is she?"

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"I don't know."

"You were her fiancé!"

"I know."

"Then how can you not know where she is?"

Something flashed in his eyes.

Pain?

Anger?

Elena couldn't tell.

"She disappeared three days before our engagement announcement."

He paused.

"She left everything behind."

Elena's voice became quieter.

"Except me."

Adrian stared at her.

"What?"

"Mia would never abandon me."

"I didn't say she abandoned you."

"Then what happened?"

Adrian didn't answer.

Instead, he pushed another document toward her.

Elena looked at it.

A contract.

Her eyebrows knitted together.

"What is this?"

"My proposal."

She looked up.

"Excuse me?"

"I want you to become Mia."

Elena stared at him as if he had lost his mind.

"You want me to... what?"

"Temporarily."

"Are you insane?"

"Possibly."

Adrian sat down.

"You look enough like her to fool the public."

Elena's face burned.

"So that's why you called me here?"

"Yes."

"You want me to pretend to be my missing sister?"

"For three months."

She laughed in disbelief.

"This is ridiculous."

"One million dollars."

The laughter died in her throat.

Adrian watched her carefully.

"One million dollars for three months."

Elena stared at him.

"You can't be serious."

"I never joke about money."

She looked at the contract again.

One million dollars.

With that money, she could pay the restaurant's debt.

Save their home.

Pay her father's medical bills.

Start over.

But there had to be a catch.

"Why me?"

"Because you're Mia's sister."

"That's not enough."

Adrian's eyes darkened.

"No. It isn't."

Elena waited.

He leaned back.

"Because I believe your sister didn't disappear willingly."

Her heart stopped.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying someone wanted Mia gone."

Silence filled the room.

"And you think I can help you find her?"

"I think whoever took her may eventually come looking for you."

Elena's blood ran cold.

"Why?"

"Because you look like her."

She slowly sat down.

The contract suddenly felt heavier in her hands.

"What exactly would I have to do?"

"Move into my house."

Elena's eyes widened.

"Absolutely not."

"You'll attend public events with me."

"No."

"You'll pretend to be my fiancée."

"Definitely not."

Adrian raised an eyebrow.

"You haven't heard the rest."

"I don't need to."

"You'll receive one million dollars."

Elena became silent.

Adrian continued.

"Half when you move in. The rest after three months."

She stared at him.

"You really expect me to agree?"

"I expect you to think about your family."

The words hit harder than they should have.

Elena looked away.

He was right.

That was what made the offer so cruel.

Adrian knew exactly what she needed.

She looked down at the contract.

"Three months."

"Three months."

"No sleeping arrangements."

"Separate bedrooms."

"No touching."

"Agreed."

"No pretending when we're alone."

Adrian's eyes narrowed.

"Agreed."

Elena picked up the pen.

But before she signed, she looked at him.

"One more thing."

"What?"

"If you know anything about my sister, you tell me."

Adrian was silent.

Then he nodded.

"I promise."

Elena signed.

The moment the pen left the paper, she felt a strange sense of regret.

Adrian took the contract.

Their fingers accidentally touched.

A tiny spark traveled through her hand.

Elena quickly pulled away.

Adrian noticed.

His expression didn't change.

But his eyes lingered on her for a second too long.

Then his phone rang.

He answered.

"Yes?"

His expression suddenly changed.

Elena watched him carefully.

"What?"

Silence.

Adrian's face hardened.

"You're sure?"

Another pause.

He slowly looked at Elena.

"Where?"

Elena's heart began racing.

Adrian ended the call.

"What's wrong?"

He didn't answer.

"Mr. Blackwood?"

His phone received a message.

He read it.

Then his eyes turned toward Elena.

"What is it?" she asked.

Adrian walked over and placed the phone in front of her.

There was a single message.

I know Elena has signed the contract.

Elena's blood ran cold.

Another message appeared.

If you bring her into the Blackwood mansion, she'll die just like Mia.

Elena looked up.

"Who sent that?"

Adrian's expression was unreadable.

"I don't know."

A third message appeared.

This time, Elena's heart stopped.

Tell Elena to stop pretending to be her sister.

Then another line appeared.

Because Mia isn't missing.

Elena stared at the screen.

Her voice trembled.

"Then where is she?"

Adrian's phone buzzed again.

One final message appeared.

She's watching you.

Elena slowly turned toward the office windows.

Forty-two floors above the ground.

Nothing but buildings and clouds surrounded them.

But across the street, on the rooftop of another building, a figure stood watching.

And Elena suddenly knew one thing.

She had just made the biggest mistake of her life.