The multi-million contract

My mind spun over and over as I stared at the business card lying on the counter.

Marry me. Sign a contract.
Xavier’s words echoed in my head like both a warning and a promise.

“Marry a man I barely know?” I whispered to myself silently, confusion knotting in my chest.

My fingers trembled as I picked up the card again.

Through the café window, I watched Xavier disappear into his multi-million-dollar car and vanish into traffic.

The café felt suffocating, as it always did. The smell of coffee and the smell of roasted chicken mixed with the anxiety rising in my chest.

I stood there, questioning myself.

“Why me?” I muttered. “Why would a billionaire, one of the coldest and most ruthless men in the city choose my hand in a contract marriage? I wish I had a better option than this one.”

Unable to bear the thoughts alone, my voice slipped out getting louder, quiet yet loud enough for me to hear.

“A contract marriage.”

I had seen it in movies and read about it in novels, but I never imagined I would be trapped in such a situation.

But really, poverty wasn’t smiling at me. Pilled of Huge bills sat heavily on my tiny shoulders, the relentless drip of medical expenses for my younger sister haunted me every hour, the mortgage on my cramped apartment groaned with every winter wind, and the debt my parents left behind refused to disappear. All of it rested on me alone.

I was very confused, but one truth stood out clearly Xavier’s offer of three million dollars was the only light in the very dark tunnel of my life.

I was desperate. More desperate than I wanted to admit.

Lost in thought, I took a deep breath and pray everything would be okay. But, Could this really be my lifeline? Could I gamble on a contract marriage and the promise of a life-changing future?

Suddenly, my phone buzzed on the counter, pulling me back to reality.

Unknown number.

I answered immediately.

“Hello?”

“David Lura?” a smooth, deep voice said.

“Xavier?” I asked.

“Yes. I’m Lord Xavier Blackwood.”

Conscious, I straightened, clutching the phone tightly. “Yes?”

“I’m calling to clarify the offer I made earlier,” he said, composed and fluent, like a professor of the English language. Yet there was a subtle edge beneath his calm tone.

I swallowed hard. “Yes. I can hear you clearly.”

“You misunderstood no point,” Xavier continued. “I’m genuinely serious about the deal. My grandfather demands that I marry within thirty days, or I lose Blackwood Industries to my corrupt brother, Williams.”

The name hit me like a slap on my face.

Williams.

I had heard rumors about him very cold, greedy. And also The most ruthless of the Blackwood family.

Xavier continued, “The offer is very simple. Three million dollars to be my wife. Strictly a business deal. No feelings. No attachment. Just a signature. Fourteen months. Then we part ways.”

“Why me?” I asked directly, my voice cracking.

“You were chosen because you have no ties to anyone powerful or dangerous,” he replied. “And you have no interest in my money. Those qualities make you the perfect candidate for the deal.”

I bit my lip unconsciously, eyes wide open with confusion. “I don’t even know you. I’ve only met you once. How can I trust you or this offer?”

“No, Trust doesn’t come into it,” Xavier said bluntly. “Just a signature. You marry me for the agreed time, you get the money, and you walk away.”

I stared out the window at the bustling New York street. People hurried past, laughing, struggling, living. My own life had been a relentless uphill battle for years, but this sudden offer threatened to change everything.

I looked back at the phone, my expression chaotic. “Okay, What happens if I say no?”

Instantly His voice darkened. “I lose everything my work, my inheritance, my family legacy. My corrupt brother takes over. And then chaos follows. Then who knows what that may result to.”

My mind swirled. It was a gamble, a reckless bet on a future that might never exist. But the alternative was staying trapped, buried under debt and hopelessness.

“I need time to think,” I said finally, forcing firmness into my voice.

“You have less than twenty-four hours,” Xavier replied, then ended the call.

I sank back, clutching the phone. My heart refused to settle. Twenty-four hours to decide whether I would change my life and my sister’s life forever, or let everything crumble further.

Morning arrived in the blink of an eye.

I woke before dawn. The street outside my window was still dark, but inside my mind, a violent storm raged. I dressed quickly, forcing myself to breathe. I had to be strong.

Unconsciously, I replayed the offer again.

Marry a man I barely know. Live together as husband and wife for fourteen months. No emotion. No attachment. Just appearance.

How could I manage that?

But the amount was enormous. Millions of dollars.

I could clear my parents’ debts, pay my sister’s medical bills, maybe even take her out of the hospital. I could start fresh build my own business.

But at what cost?

I knew the world of wealthy men was entirely different. Could I adapt? Could I survive? Could I keep my independence or would I become a pawn in a twisted game?

As I stepped onto the crowded street, my phone buzzed again this time an email.

“Meet me by 2 p.m. at my office in Manhattan. It’s time to discuss the contract.”

This was real.

I swallowed hard.

Later that day, I arrived at the sleek Blackwood Tower, my heart pounding as the elevator whisked me to the top floor.

The office was breathtaking, glass walls, sweeping city views, expensive furniture, minimalist luxury everywhere.

Xavier stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his expression unreadable.

“Lura, are you ready?” he asked, turning toward me.

I nodded sharply. “Not ready,” I admitted, swallowing my fear.

He moved closer and sat across from me at a long polished table. A thick contract lay between us.

He explained each clause carefully the terms of the marriage, division of assets, public appearances, and the consequences of walking away before the contract ended.

I listened intently, memorizing every word.

When there was nothing left to discuss, the meeting ended.

Xavier stood. “You have one week to sign the contract. After that, the contract expires and not valid again.”

I picked up the contract paper and left the building. It felt heavier than gold in my bag. My future rested in my hands.

As I stepped into the crowded street, one thought refused to leave my mind.

But what if saying yes destroys my life?