Chapter 1 — The Contract

“Are you sure about this, Emma?”

Lily’s voice was filled with concern as she stared at me across the small café table.

I looked down at the papers between us.

A marriage contract.

My name was written at the bottom of the last page, waiting for my signature.

Six months.

That was all.

Six months of being married to a man I barely knew.

Six months in exchange for enough money to save my family’s home.

I swallowed hard.

“I don’t have a choice.”

Lily shook her head. “You always have a choice.”

“Not this time.”

She reached across the table and held my hand.

“Emma, this is Alexander Blackwood we’re talking about.”

I knew exactly who he was.

Everyone did.

Alexander Blackwood was the thirty-two-year-old CEO of Blackwood International, one of the largest companies in the country. He was known for his intelligence, his wealth, and his cold personality.

He was the kind of man people respected from a distance.

The newspapers called him ruthless.

Businessmen called him brilliant.

Women called him handsome.

I simply called him dangerous.

Not because he was cruel, but because I knew nothing about him.

And yet, I was about to become his wife.

My father had disappeared three months ago, leaving behind debts that our family could never afford to pay. The bank had given us one final warning.

Pay the debt or lose the house.

The house wasn't luxurious.

It wasn't even large.

But it was the place where my mother and I had lived for years. It was where my childhood memories were.

I couldn't let it disappear.

Alexander had offered me a solution.

He would pay all of my family's debts.

In return, I would marry him for six months.

No love.

No expectations.

No questions.

Just a contract.

At least, that's what I thought.

The sound of a car stopping outside interrupted my thoughts.

Lily looked toward the window.

“Is that him?”

I turned.

A black luxury car was parked outside.

My heart immediately started beating faster.

The door opened.

Alexander stepped out.

He was wearing a perfectly tailored black suit, a white shirt, and a dark tie. His expression was calm and unreadable.

He walked into the café.

Several people turned to look at him.

Alexander ignored them.

His eyes found me almost immediately.

He approached our table.

“Miss Carter.”

I stood.

“Mr. Blackwood.”

His gaze briefly moved toward Lily.

“Are you ready?”

I glanced at the contract.

Then I looked at Lily.

She gave me one last worried look.

I took a deep breath.

“Yes.”

Alexander sat across from me.

He opened the contract.

“Everything is as we discussed.”

I nodded.

“Six months.”

“Yes.”

“And after six months, the marriage ends?”

“Unless we mutually agree otherwise.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Why would we agree otherwise?”

For a second, I thought I saw amusement in his eyes.

“Exactly.”

He pushed the contract toward me.

I picked up the pen.

My fingers were trembling.

I tried to hide it.

This wasn't a real marriage.

It was a business arrangement.

Nothing more.

I signed.

Emma Carter.

Alexander took the pen.

He signed underneath my name.

Alexander Blackwood.

He closed the folder.

“It’s done.”

I stared at the papers.

Just like that, I was married.

Married to a stranger.

Alexander reached into his jacket and placed a small velvet box on the table.

I looked at it.

“What’s that?”

“Your ring.”

He opened the box.

A diamond ring rested inside.

It was beautiful.

And probably worth more money than anything I had ever owned.

I shook my head.

“I can't wear that.”

“You're my wife now.”

His voice was calm.

“You need to look the part.”

His words irritated me.

“So this is just an act?”

“Yes.”

The answer came without hesitation.

Something about it hurt.

I quickly looked away.

Alexander picked up the ring.

“Give me your hand.”

I hesitated.

Then I extended my left hand.

His fingers gently touched mine as he slipped the ring onto my finger.

The ring fit perfectly.

I stared at it.

“How did you know my size?”

“I have my ways.”

I looked at him suspiciously.

Before I could ask another question, his phone rang.

Alexander glanced at the screen.

His expression immediately changed.

“Yes?”

He listened silently.

“What?”

His eyes moved toward me.

He stood.

“Send everything to my office.”

He ended the call.

“What happened?” I asked.

“The press found out about our marriage.”

My heart stopped.

“What?”

“Someone leaked the contract.”

Lily stood.

“How?”

Alexander's expression became cold.

“I don't know.”

He picked up the contract.

“We need to leave.”

“But the reporters—”

“They're already outside.”

I looked toward the café window.

My stomach dropped.

Several black cars had stopped outside.

Cameras were flashing.

Reporters were gathering around the entrance.

“How did they know where we were?”

“Someone told them.”

Alexander reached for my hand.

I looked down at our intertwined fingers.

His hand was warm.

“Stay close to me.”

We walked toward the entrance.

The moment the door opened, cameras flashed everywhere.

“Mr. Blackwood!”

“Is it true you're married?”

“Who is she?”

“Why did you keep your marriage secret?”

“Did she marry you for your money?”

The questions came from every direction.

I froze.

Alexander immediately stepped in front of me.

“Enough.”

His voice was quiet but powerful.

The reporters became silent for a moment.

Then someone shouted.

“Is this a contract marriage?”

My heart pounded.

Alexander turned toward the reporter.

“You're asking about my private life.”

He looked at me.

Then he took my hand.

“This is my wife.”

The cameras flashed again.

My heart skipped.

My wife.

He said it so confidently that, for a moment, I almost forgot our marriage was fake.

We made our way through the crowd and entered the waiting car.

The door closed.

Silence filled the vehicle.

I looked at Alexander.

“You didn't have to say that.”

“Yes, I did.”

“Why?”

“Because you're my wife.”

“Only for six months.”

His eyes met mine.

“I haven't forgotten.”

The car started moving.

I looked out the window.

The city passed by in a blur.

My phone suddenly began vibrating.

Once.

Twice.

Then continuously.

I checked the screen.

Hundreds of notifications filled it.

News articles.

Messages.

Social media posts.

Everyone knew.

My name was trending.

EMMA CARTER: THE MYSTERY WOMAN WHO MARRIED ALEXANDER BLACKWOOD

I stared at the headline.

My hands became cold.

“This wasn't supposed to happen,” I whispered.

Alexander looked at me.

“No.”

“What are we going to do?”

He was silent for a moment.

Then he said, “We make them believe we're in love.”

I turned toward him.

“What?”

“The press will question everything. My grandfather will question everything. The board will question everything.”

He leaned back against his seat.

“So from now on, we need to look like the perfect married couple.”

I stared at him.

“You mean pretend?”

“Yes.”

I let out a nervous laugh.

“This keeps getting worse.”

Alexander looked at me.

“Maybe.”

Then, unexpectedly, the corner of his mouth lifted.

“But you're not alone.”

I looked at him.

For the first time, I saw something different in his eyes.

Not the cold CEO everyone feared.

Something warmer.

Something I couldn't understand.

I looked away before he could notice my cheeks turning red.

This was supposed to be simple.

I needed his money.

He needed a wife.

Six months.

Then we would walk away from each other.

At least, that was the plan.

Neither of us knew that the contract we had just signed would change both of our lives forever.

And neither of us knew that the biggest danger wouldn't be the reporters, the business rivals, or the secrets surrounding our families.

It would be falling in love with the person we promised never to love.