Married Into His Millions

Chapter 5

“You mean you did what?” Jennifer’s voice hit the air like a thunderclap, her eyes wide with shock as they bore into Eliana. Her best friend’s gaze was a plea for more answers, a mix of disbelief and curiosity dancing in her expression.

Eliana couldn’t help but chuckle, savoring the tension she’d stirred. She plopped onto the worn couch in Jennifer’s cramped self-contained room, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with a smug grin. “I agreed to marry him.”

“You agreed to what?” Jennifer parroted, her jaw dropping so low it might’ve scraped the floor.

Eliana rolled her eyes, flashing a teasing smirk.

“Jen, do I need to repeat myself ten freaking times, huh?” she drawled, her tone dripping with mock exasperation.

“Hold on, babes, this is impossible to digest immediately!” Jennifer exclaimed, planting her hands on her hips and pacing the tiny room like a caged lioness.

“I know,” Eliana replied, her voice softening into a relaxed hum, letting the weight of her words sink in.

“Elly, he’s Charles Friggin’ Christopher!” Jennifer stopped mid-stride, throwing her hands up.

“The next CEO of his dad’s estate, the most influential young adult on the internet—did I mention every girl’s dream guy? Eliana, I’m bothered that you’re not crazy about this!” She pouted, her innocence almost comical.

“Okay, I’ve milked this suspense long enough,” Eliana conceded with a laugh. “You wanna hear the full story?”

Jennifer didn’t hesitate. She darted across the room, dropping to the floor like an eager puppy awaiting treats, nodding with wide-eyed curiosity. “Spill it!”

“So, a while ago—about six months back, I think—we hooked up,” Eliana began, leaning forward conspiratorially. “Can’t recall the exact date. We met at a bar.

He was drunk—obviously—and I took advantage. We… you know, made love that night. But he passed out, and before he woke up, I was gone—with his wallet stuffed with cash, his way-too-expensive watch, and his designer shoes.”

“Babes!” Jennifer gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth, her eyes sparkling with a mix of shock and admiration.

“Girl, they were designers!” Eliana defended, shrugging.

“You know how desperate I was. Mia’s meds are crazy expensive, and the orphanage wasn’t gonna scrape together enough cash in time. I had to act fast—this wasn’t the moment to play nice girl.”

“I get it, girl, I do,” Jennifer said sadly, her enthusiasm dimming for a moment.

“So… go on!”

“Well, I went out with this girl I met on Tinder—Vee. She had all these sad stories about not being loved, and that was my leverage. I was this close to hitting it big with this nepo baby, but…”

“But what?” Jennifer leaned in, her curiosity a palpable force.

“Apparently, they knew each other. He recognized me, and babes, he was about to blow my cover!” Eliana’s voice rose, her hands gesturing wildly.

“I could tell by the rage in his tone. I dragged him to a corner, and after some ranting, he proposed a marriage deal.”

“Girl, why you? You stole from him!” Jennifer’s brow furrowed.

“Are you sure this isn’t some scheme to get back at you—maybe humiliate you publicly?”

“That’s what I thought at first, but no. He ain’t like that—I hope,” Eliana said, her tone calm but uncertain.

“So what’s his cut in this?” Jennifer pressed.

“His crazy-ass dad wrote in his will that he’ll lose his whole inheritance if he doesn’t marry before 26,” Eliana explained, a teasing lilt in her voice.

“And he turns 26 in two months. Crazy, right?”

“Woah, so rich people have their own problems too?” Jennifer quipped, her eyes widening comically.

“Apparently yes,” Eliana admitted with a wry smile.

“Wait… so you just agreed to marry him to save his inheritance? Girl, I know you ain’t that decent. What’d you demand?” Jennifer asked, her grin returning.

Eliana’s smile turned radiant, her gaze drifting from Jennifer for a beat. “I may or may not have demanded twenty-five million dollars from him.”

“I’m tired of the jokes, girl. I’m gonna go sleep,” Jennifer teased, though her ears practically twitched for more.

“I’m serious, babe,” Eliana insisted, her voice firm.

“OMG!!! Yesssss, we’re rich, yesssss!” Jennifer leapt up, her joy erupting, but a shadow crossed her face.

“But Elly, this sounds too good to be true. What if he has an ulterior motive? I’m worried—you should think this through.”

“Don’t worry, Jen. I know you’re just looking out for me,” Eliana reassured her, her tone softening.

“But I’ve thought it through. This is my breakthrough. I’ll get enough to adopt Mia—heck, I’ll use his influence as my husband to make it happen. And after a year, when the marriage dissolves, we’ll have enough to live comfortably, no more shady gigs just to eat.”

Eliana’s expression hardened as she rose from the couch, stepping toward the mirror on the wall. Her reflection stared back, fierce and determined.

“And if he does have an ulterior motive, I’m way ahead of him. I plan to quietly, unobtrusively transfer the majority of his shares to mine without him noticing—making myself the major shareholder. Then I’ll make him bow to my will. I’ll teach him never to mess with a girl from the hood!” Her voice rang with power and conviction.

“Damn, girl, you’re my bestie, but you got me scared for a minute there!” Jennifer laughed, shaking her head.

“I’m supposed to meet him in an hour to sign the contract. Wish me luck,” Eliana said, smoothing her hair.

“Soon-to-be married to the most influential CEO in the city, purrrrr,” Jennifer teased, mimicking a cat.

“Fake married,” Eliana corrected with a grin.

“Girl, a win is a win. Own it, clock it, purrrr!” Jennifer shot back, and they erupted into a loud, carefree laugh.

An hour later, Eliana strode into Charles’s office with an aura of unshakable boldness, her head high, shoulders back. Attorney Paul, Charles, and Almira—Charles’s personal assistant and witness—were already seated. Almira’s sharp eyes assessed her, but Eliana’s confidence didn’t waver.

“You’re late…” Charles said coldly, his gaze raking over her black dress that hugged her hourglass figure. The heels added a regal height, and her red lipstick popped against her skin. She was stunning, and he hated admitting it.

“A queen is never rushed—especially not a queen and the wife of the CEO,” Eliana snapped back, her voice dripping with sass.

Charles fell silent for a beat before nodding. “Attorney Paul will take you through the contract and everything you need to know.”

Eliana sat, crossing her legs with a flourish, and fixed her gaze on Attorney Paul. He cleared his throat, introducing himself before launching into the contract’s terms. She was to attend every office and board meeting alongside Charles, avoid “ghetto places” that might tarnish her reputation, and have all social media posts approved by the media HR team—now that she was a public figure. She’d receive five million dollars upfront, with the remaining twenty million at the year’s end. Withdrawal before the term was forbidden, and the list droned on, boring her to death.

“You can sign here, ma’am,” Attorney Paul said, pointing to the line. Eliana signed without a flicker of hesitation.

“Congratulations to you both, Mr. and Mrs. Christopher,” Attorney Paul and Almira chorused, their tones formal.

Eliana turned to Charles. “You already signed yours?”

“Yes. Now we’ll head to the board meeting—they’re all waiting,” Charles replied, standing and leading the way, Eliana trailing with equal majesty.

In the boardroom, the members rose in respect as Charles and Eliana entered through the glass doors. Charles began introductions. “And this is my wife, Eliana Christopher. She’ll be joining us today, so I’d appreciate it if you all accord her the respect she deserves—”

“It’s you!” a voice cut him off, sharp and accusatory.

“I beg your pardon?” Charles’s tone hardened.

Eliana’s heart stopped. That voice—it was Erica Whitney from f*******:. A year ago, Eliana had posed as an online vendor for Versace, peddling fakes. She’d sold Erica a $500 pair of counterfeit heels. When Erica discovered the scam, she’d threatened exposure unless refunded. Panicking, Eliana had deleted her account and erased all traces, vanishing into the digital ether. Now, her heartbeat thundered, her hands trembling, legs shaking. Was nemesis finally catching up?

“I beg your pardon?” Charles repeated, his authority ringing.

Erica’s head popped up from the table, her arm stretching toward Eliana.

“She’s a thief! She scammed me of $500!” she declared.

Gasps rippled through the room, a mix of disbelief, surprise, and mocking smirks. The once-confident Eliana shrank, her head bowing in shame and disgrace. So this was his plan—to publicly disgrace me in front of the whole company! she thought, her mind racing.