HIS SECRET HEIRESS

CHAPTER 1: THE DEAL My father was dead. And I was 40 million dollars in debt to the devil. The lawyer's office smelled like leather and lies. Cold. Silent. The kind of place where bad things happened in good suits. "Miss Laurent," the lawyer said. He wouldn't look me in the eye. "Mr. De Luca is willing to forgive the debt. Under one condition." I was 22. Broke. And my father's funeral was in 3 days. "What condition?" I asked. My voice didn't shake. I was proud of that. The door opened. And he walked in. Lorenzo De Luca. Mafia King. Billionaire. The man who owned half of New York and the other half was scared of him. Black suit. Black eyes. Black soul. He was tall. Too tall. And he filled the room just by breathing. Scars on his knuckles. A watch that cost more than my life. And eyes that looked at me like I was a problem he wanted to solve. "Marriage," Lorenzo said. He didn't sit. He didn't need to. "The debt is cleared if you marry me. In name only." I laughed. It came out wrong. Bitter. "You want me to marry you? You killed my father." Lorenzo's expression didn't change. "I didn't pull the trigger, Isabella. But I did own the gun." Isabella. He said my name like he already owned it. "Why me?" I whispered. "Why not anyone else?" "Because you're Laurent's daughter," he said. "And because I don't like loose ends." He pulled out a contract. 20 pages. Thick. "Sign this. You live in my house. You play my wife in public. No touching. No feelings. No questions." He slid a pen across the table. My hands were shaking. If I didn't sign, the debt collectors would come. If I did sign, I was marrying the man who destroyed my family. I picked up the pen. "One year," I said. "Then we're done." Lorenzo smiled. It wasn't nice. "One year," he agreed. I signed. Isabella Laurent. When I looked up, Lorenzo was already walking out. "Pick you up at 8," he said over his shoulder. "Be ready, Mrs. De Luca." Mrs. De Luca. The words hit me like a punch. I just sold myself to the devil. And the worst part? As I watched him leave, I couldn't stop thinking about his eyes. Dark. Dangerous. And looking at me like I was the only thing in the room. God help me.