All Chapters of Contract With The Ruthless Billionaire: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

FREYA BROOKS POVThe velvet box in my coat pocket felt like a block of ice against my ribs.I had spent three months’ salary on a vintage watch for Tristan. Tonight was our engagement party, the official merger of our futures, and I wanted everything to be perfect. As the head architectural designer for our family’s boutique firm, I had practically killed myself the past six months drafting the blueprints for the Vance Plaza pitch—a multi-million dollar commercial contract that could put us on the global map. Tristan kept telling me that once we bagged the deal, we’d finally get married and buy that house by the bay.I smiled to myself, pushing past the heavy double doors of the VIP lounge at The Obsidian Hotel. The party wasn’t supposed to start for another hour, but I wanted to make sure the catering staff hadn’t messed up the vegan options Tristan’s mother insisted on.The hallway leading to the private suite was quiet, the thick carpet muffling my heels. But as I drew closer to th

FREYA BROOKS POVMoving into the Cross estate felt less like starting a new job and more like entering a high-security fortress. My room was twice the size of my cabbage-smelling studio, complete with a private bath and a balcony overlooking a perfectly manicured rose garden. It was luxurious, but the heavy silence of the house still lingered.The only place that felt alive was Noah’s playroom.By my fourth day, Noah and I had established a routine. He still hadn't spoken a word, but he didn't need to. We communicated in sketches, nods, and the occasional tug on my sleeve."Okay, buddy, time for breakfast," I said, setting down a fresh sheet of paper on his small table.Noah didn't budge from the floor where he was sorting his colored blocks. Instead of throwing them like he used to, he was organizing them by color—a habit I noticed he did whenever he was hungry or bored.I sat down next to him and quickly doodled a stack of pancakes with a little smiley face on top. I slid it over to

FREYA BROOKS POVIt took another hour to fully calm Noah down. We sat on the living room rug, and I let him color an entire pad of paper with bright yellow and orange crayons—his version of burning off adrenaline. By the time he fell asleep, his little head was resting heavily against my knee, his breathing soft and rhythmic.Arthur gently carried him up to his bed, leaving the downstairs area completely silent again.I stood in the center of the massive foyer, my hands stuffed into my pockets. The high from seeing Tristan and Sienna thrown out like trash was starting to wear off, replaced by a cold, heavy reality. Killian Cross was a businessman. Now that his son had broken his silence, my job here was technically up in the air. Was I still needed? Or was it time for me to pack up my forty-two dollars and find a new place to hide?"In here, Freya."Killian’s voice drifted from the double doors of his private study.I swallowed the lump in my throat and walked in. The room was dark, l

FREYA BROOKS POVThe sun wasn't even fully up when my phone started exploding.I woke up to a barrage of vibrations against the nightstand, a frantic, continuous buzzing that made my heart leap directly into my throat. Still half-asleep, I rolled over and squinted at the glowing screen.Thirty-seven missed calls. Forty-two text messages.Most of them were from my father. The rest were from Tristan and Sienna.I sat up, pushing the heavy down comforter off my legs, and opened the first text from Tristan. Freya, what the hell did you do? You married Killian Cross? Are you insane? Call me right now.I swiped to the next one, this time from Sienna. You think you’re smart, don't you? You think you can just sleep your way into the Cross family and ruin our company? Dad is having a heart attack because of you. You better fix this before we destroy you.A cold, bitter laugh escaped my lips. They weren't angry because they missed me, and they certainly weren't worried about my well-being. Th

FREYA BROOKS POVMy heart was still hammering against my ribs when I stepped back inside the Cross mansion. The adrenaline from facing Tristan was finally starting to fade, leaving a hollow, exhausting ache in its place. I had bluffed well in that café, but the reality of what I was doing was starting to sink in. I was playing chess with people who used to dictate my entire life, and one wrong move would ruin everything—not just for me, but for the little boy upstairs.As I walked through the grand foyer, the heavy silence of the house wrapped around me. I pulled my phone out, staring at the audio file I’d recorded. It was a shield, but a fragile one."You're late."I jumped, nearly dropping the phone.Killian was standing at the entrance of the living room. He had discarded his suit jacket, and the sleeves of his crisp white shirt were rolled up to his forearms. He looked intimidatingly relaxed, leaning against the doorframe wit