Daisy Ross adjusted the hem of her emerald-green dress, glaring at the mirror. It was supposed to be a gala celebrating success, but all she could feel was the bitter weight of everything she had lost. The Ross family name had meant something once. Now, it barely existed outside of whispers and pitying glances.
She tugged the thin strap of her dress over her shoulder, more out of habit than vanity, and took a deep breath. Tonight, she would not let anyone—especially Kaiden Brown—see her falter. She had spent months building herself back up, clawing her way from humiliation to some semblance of dignity. And she would not allow the man who had destroyed her family to have the satisfaction of seeing her crumble.
The doorbell of her modest apartment rang sharply, dragging her from her thoughts. Daisy stiffened, glancing toward the door, but her first instinct wasn't fear—it was anticipation. Somehow, she had known he would be there. Kaiden Brown always had a way of inserting himself into her life at the most inconvenient, humiliating moments.
She opened the door, and there he stood: tall, impossibly composed, and impossibly irritating. His tailored black suit clung to his broad shoulders like it had been designed just for him, his eyes glinting with that infuriating mixture of intelligence and arrogance.
"Good evening, Daisy," Kaiden said smoothly, his voice low and calm, the kind that made your chest tighten without warning.
"Kaiden," she said, her tone neutral. She had no intention of giving him the satisfaction of emotion. "To what do I owe the… honor?"
He smirked slightly, and it was infuriating how it made her stomach twist in a way she refused to acknowledge. "I have a proposition."
Daisy folded her arms across her chest. "I don't make deals with people who ruin families."
"Funny," he said, stepping inside before she could stop him, "I didn't ruin yours. Not entirely. Some of it was my doing… most of it, however, was just bad timing and bad decisions on your father's part."
Her teeth clenched. "Do you enjoy reminding me of that?"
"I enjoy honesty," he said simply, his gaze sliding over her like a knife. "And you? You've been surviving on scraps since that day. I find it… unfortunate."
Daisy wanted to tell him exactly what she thought of his "unfortunate" observation, but she didn't. She had learned that arguing with Kaiden was like arguing with a storm—you only got wet.
"I'm listening," she said finally, her voice clipped, deliberately uninterested.
He produced a sleek envelope from the inside pocket of his suit jacket and placed it carefully on the small table near the door. "Open it."
Daisy arched an eyebrow but obeyed. Inside, there were documents, thick and official-looking. Her pulse quickened, not from fear, but from an emotion she refused to name.
"This," Kaiden began, "is a contract. One year. You and I. Married."
Her laughter was sharp, bitter. "You must be joking."
"I am not," he said, with that same infuriating calm. "One year. Public recognition of marriage. You carry my child. In return, I restore a portion of your family's assets."
Daisy froze. Her hands trembled slightly as she touched the paper. "You… what?"
He stepped closer, his dark eyes locking onto hers. "You heard me. One year. A child. A restored legacy. No strings attached. Purely… contractual."
The absurdity of it made her want to laugh and cry simultaneously. "Do you know what you're asking?" she said, voice trembling with rage and disbelief. "Do you have any idea what kind of life you're offering me?"
"I do," Kaiden replied. "I know exactly what I'm offering. Security. Protection. A child with a name that carries weight. And I know exactly what I'm asking from you. One year of marriage. Public appearances. Obedience to the contract terms."
Daisy's stomach churned. Part of her screamed that this was insane, impossible, immoral. And yet… a darker part, the part that had been starving for justice, whispered that this might be her only chance to regain what was lost.
"I…" she began, then stopped. The words felt hollow. How could she even respond? How could she even process what he had just proposed?
Kaiden's expression softened slightly. Not enough to be human, but enough to unnerve her. "I understand if you need time to think. But understand this: the offer stands tonight. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Tonight. And I suggest you consider it carefully, Daisy."
He turned toward the door, but paused. "Also," he said, his voice low and deliberate, "I know about the baby."
Her body stiffened. She hadn't expected that. She hadn't even fully realized how much fear had been nestled in her chest until he mentioned it.
"You know?" she whispered, barely daring to breathe.
"I do," he said. "And the contract isn't just a suggestion anymore. It's a solution—for both of us."
She wanted to scream, to yell, to throw the papers across the room, to shove him out of her life forever. And yet, when she looked at him, the weight of his presence, the dominance, the undeniable pull of him, made her knees weak.
"I don't… I can't just—"
"You can," he interrupted gently, almost tenderly, though his eyes were still sharp, calculating. "You can sign tonight. Or you can refuse and watch everything you've worked for vanish."
Daisy's mind reeled. Her pride fought with her desperation. Her hatred warred with the undeniable truth that she had nowhere else to turn. And then, like a lightning strike, it hit her: she was pregnant.
The words were silent, unspoken, but the reality screamed louder than anything Kaiden could say. She was carrying his child. One night. One mistake. One secret that had changed everything.
Kaiden's gaze softened slightly, just enough for her to see it—the shadow of a man who had emotions he didn't care to admit. "Think carefully," he said again. And with that, he left.
Daisy stood alone in her apartment, trembling, heart pounding, mind racing. The papers lay on the table, mocking her. Her life, her future, her child—all balanced on the edge of a signature she didn't know if she could give.
She walked to the window, staring out at the city lights. Kaiden Brown had entered her life like a storm, tearing everything down. And yet… for the first time in months, she realized she had a choice. A dangerous, terrifying choice.
And maybe, just maybe, for the first time, she could fight back on her own terms.
She picked up the pen. Her hand shook. Her mind screamed. And then… she signed.