​The medical bills were a silent guillotine, slowly slicing away at Emma's hope. Her sister's life depended on a million dollars she didn't have. So when Alexander Vane, the ice-cold CEO who owned the city, offered her a check in exchange for her hand during the holiday, she had no choice but to take the deal. ​The arrangement was simple: a year-long contract marriage to secure his inheritance. In public, Emma was the devoted, smiling wife. In private, she was a stranger separated by strict rules and a locked door. ​She was his anchor, the only thing keeping his crumbling world stable. But the closer they get, the more Alexander's steel facade cracks, and Emma fears her heart will betray her commitment to leave. ​With the money secured and the contract nearing its end, can Emma walk away, or will the cold truth destroy the life she bought with a fake smile?