Chapter One: A Deal with Destiny

The rain lashed mercilessly against the towering windows of the Bennett estate, a once-grand home now reduced to a shadow of its former glory. Sophia Bennett sat stiffly on the edge of a worn velvet chair, her hands clenched in her lap. Across the room, her father, Richard Bennett, paced back and forth, his face a grim mask of desperation.

“Father, I don’t understand,” Sophia said, her voice trembling slightly. “What could possibly be so urgent that you summoned me at this hour?”

Richard paused mid-step, turning to face her. The firelight flickered against the deep lines etched into his face, lines that spoke of years of financial strain and sleepless nights. His once-commanding presence was now diminished, the weight of their family’s downfall pressing heavily on his shoulders.

“Sophia,” he began, his voice low and grave, “there’s no easy way to say this, so I’ll get straight to the point. Our family is on the verge of financial ruin.”

Sophia’s stomach twisted. She had known things were bad—months of unpaid bills and whispered conversations behind closed doors had made that clear. But hearing the words spoken aloud was a blow she wasn’t prepared for.

“How bad?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Richard sighed, running a hand through his graying hair. “Bad enough that the bank is preparing to seize the house. The creditors are relentless. The company... it’s hanging by a thread.” He sank into the chair across from her, his head in his hands. “If we don’t find a solution soon, we’ll lose everything.”

Sophia swallowed hard, her mind racing. “What about the investors? The board members? Surely there’s something—”

“There’s nothing,” Richard interrupted, his tone sharp with frustration. “I’ve exhausted every option. No one is willing to bail us out.”

For a moment, silence hung between them, broken only by the steady drumming of rain against the windows. Sophia’s heart ached as she watched her father, a man who had always been her pillar of strength, reduced to this state of hopelessness.

“Then what do we do?” she asked quietly.

Richard straightened, his gaze meeting hers. There was something in his eyes that made her stomach drop—a mix of determination and regret.

“There is one way,” he said, the words heavy with unspoken implications. “A proposal, of sorts. From Adrian Blackwood.”

Sophia blinked in surprise. “Adrian Blackwood? The billionaire? What does he have to do with us?”

Richard hesitated, then leaned forward, his hands clasped tightly. “He’s offered to settle all our debts, to save the company and the house. In return...” He paused, his voice faltering. “In return, he wants to marry you.”

The words hung in the air like a thunderclap. Sophia stared at her father, her mind struggling to process what he’d just said.

“Marry him?” she repeated, her voice rising. “You can’t be serious. I don’t even know him!”

“It’s not ideal,” Richard admitted, his tone placating. “But Adrian is a good man. He’s wealthy, powerful, and—”

“And he’s a

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“And he’s a stranger,” Sophia interjected, standing abruptly. Her hands trembled at her sides, a mix of anger and fear coursing through her. “How could you even consider this, Father? Marrying someone I’ve never met? It’s barbaric!”

Richard’s expression softened, but the desperation in his eyes remained. “I know it’s not fair to you, Sophia. But this is the only way to save our family. Do you think I would ask this of you if there were any other option?”

Sophia turned away, her gaze falling on the rain-streaked window. Outside, the storm raged, a perfect mirror of the turmoil inside her. She thought of her younger brother, Liam, who had just started college, blissfully unaware of the financial storm brewing at home. She thought of her mother, bedridden from illness, relying on expensive treatments they could no longer afford.

“What do you know about him?” she asked finally, her voice subdued.

“Adrian Blackwood is one of the most successful businessmen in the country,” Richard said, seizing the opportunity. “He’s built an empire from the ground up. But...” He hesitated.

“But what?” Sophia demanded, turning back to face him.

“He’s... different. After an accident several years ago, he was left confined to a wheelchair. He rarely makes public appearances, and many see him as a recluse. I believe that’s why he proposed this arrangement. He wants a wife who will be more than a trophy—someone who will care for him as a person, not for his wealth.”

Sophia’s brow furrowed. “And he thinks that’s me? Why?”

Richard sighed, looking suddenly older than his years. “I don’t know. Perhaps he sees something in you that others don’t. But I do know this: he’s offering us a lifeline. Without his help, we’ll lose everything. The house. The company. Liam’s education. Your mother’s treatments.”

The weight of his words pressed down on her, suffocating and inescapable. How could she say no when so much was at stake?

“But what about love, Father?” she asked, her voice breaking. “What about my happiness? Do I not deserve that?”

Richard’s eyes filled with guilt. “You do, Sophia. More than anyone, you deserve a life filled with love and joy. But sometimes, life doesn’t give us what we deserve. Sometimes, we have to make sacrifices for the people we care about.”

Tears welled in Sophia’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She had always been the strong one, the one her family could rely on. If she couldn’t do this for them, who would?

“Fine,” she said finally, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion. “I’ll do it. I’ll marry him. But don’t expect me to forgive you for this.”

Richard nodded, relief washing over his face, though it did little to ease the guilt in his eyes. “Thank you, Sophia. You’re saving us all.”

As he left the room, Sophia sank back into the chair, the enormity of her decision crashing down on her. She didn’t know what kind of man Adrian Blackwood truly was or what life awaited her as his wife. But one thing was certain: the girl she had been was gone. In her place stood a woman willing to sacrifice everything for her family.

Far away, in a towering penthouse overlooking the city, Adrian Blackwood sat in his study, a faint smile tugging at his lips. His plan was unfolding perfectly. Soon, Sophia Bennett would be his wife—a woman untainted by greed, unspoiled by wealth.

What he didn’t expect was how much the arrangement would change him—or how far he would go to protect the woman he’d chosen.

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