The air in the top-floor office of the Thorne Enterprises building was thin, expensive, and smelled faintly of sandalwood and cold ambition. Across the mahogany desk sat Adrian Thorne, a man whose face was featured on every financial magazine in the country and whose heart, if rumors were true, was made of the same reinforced steel as his skyscraper.
"Read it," Adrian said, his voice a low, melodic rasp. He pushed a leather-bound folder across the desk.
I looked at the document. The bold header didn't say Marriage Certificate. It said Asset Management & Spousal Agreement.
"I don't understand," I whispered, my fingers trembling as I touched the heavy paper. "You have everything. Money, power, a line of women waiting for a glance. Why me? And why a contract?"
Adrian leaned back, the sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling windows catching the sharp line of his jaw. "I have everything except the one thing my grandfather's will demands: a stable, respectable marriage before the fiscal year ends. If I don't marry, I lose my position as CEO. And you? You have a mountain of medical debt and a career that's stalled before it even began."
He wasn't wrong. My life was a series of mounting bills and "we'll keep your resume on file" emails. I was drowning, and this man was offering me a golden life raft—one with very sharp edges.
"One year," he continued, checking his platinum watch. "Twelve months of public appearances, charity galas, and living in my penthouse. In exchange, your debts are erased, and you walk away with ten million dollars."
"And the catch?" I asked, looking him in the eye.
A slow, dangerous smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Rule number one: No falling in love. This is a merger, not a fairy tale. Do we have a deal?"
I looked at the pen. It felt heavier than it looked. If I signed this, my life would change forever. I wouldn't just be marrying a man; I'd be entering a world of secrets where the only thing more dangerous than the contract was the man sitting across from me.
I gripped the pen and pressed it to the paper. "Deal."