The Billionaire's Secret Contract

The day I lost my home was the day I met Ethan Black. I had just stepped out of the bank when my phone rang for the fourth time. I stared at the screen. Unknown Number. I almost ignored it. Almost. “Hello?” “Is this Miss Mia Carter?” “Yes.” “This is Mr. Hayes from Carter Bank. I'm calling regarding the outstanding balance attached to your mother's estate.” My stomach tightened. “I already told the bank I'll make the payment.” “You've been saying that for three months.” I stopped walking. People moved around me, laughing and talking as if the world hadn't just shifted beneath my feet. “How much time do I have?” There was a pause. “Forty-eight hours.” My heart sank. “Forty-eight hours?” “After that, legal proceedings will begin concerning the property.” I closed my eyes. The house. My mother's house. The only place that still felt like home. “I'll find the money,” I whispered. “I hope you do, Miss Carter.” The call ended. I stood on the pavement, staring at my reflection in the dark screen. Twenty-two years old. No wealthy relatives. No savings. No miracle waiting around the corner. Just debt. And forty-eight hours. I shoved my phone into my bag and started walking. By the time I reached the bus stop, rain had begun to fall. Perfect. I pulled my jacket over my head and laughed bitterly. Of course it had to rain. Everything in my life seemed determined to go wrong at the same time. My mother had died two years ago, leaving behind a house filled with memories and debts I hadn't known existed. For the past two years, I'd worked every job I could find. Waitressing. Reception work. Tutoring. Anything that paid. But the debt kept growing. And now the bank wanted everything. When I finally reached home, I found an envelope pushed beneath the front door. My name was written across it. MISS MIA CARTER My hands trembled as I opened it. Another notice. Another warning. Another reminder that my life was about to disappear. I sank onto the old sofa. For several minutes, I simply stared at the ceiling. Then my phone rang. This time, it wasn't an unknown number. It was my best friend, Lily. “Mia, where are you?” “Home.” “Did you get the bank's notice?” I swallowed. “Yes.” “How bad?” “Forty-eight hours.” Silence. “Oh.” That single word told me everything. “You know I can't help you with that kind of money,” Lily said quietly. “I know.” “I wish I could.” “I know.” After we hung up, I sat alone in the quiet house. My eyes wandered toward the framed photograph sitting on the shelf. My mother. She was smiling in the picture. Young. Happy. Nothing like the woman I'd watched disappear during the final months of her life. I picked up the frame. “Mom,” I whispered, “what am I supposed to do?” The doorbell rang. I froze. Nobody visited me this late. I put the photograph down and walked to the door. When I opened it, a man stood outside. Black suit. Black umbrella. Expression unreadable. He looked completely out of place in my worn-out neighborhood. “Miss Carter?” “Yes?” “My employer would like to speak with you.” I frowned. “Who is your employer?” Instead of answering, he handed me a black card. I looked down. There was only one name printed on it. ETHAN BLACK. I'd heard that name before. Everyone had. Ethan Black was twenty-eight, the youngest CEO in Black Enterprises, and one of the most powerful businessmen in the country. He was also known for being ruthless. People said he had never lost a business battle. People also said he trusted no one. I looked back at the man. “Why does Ethan Black want to speak to me?” “He'll explain himself.” “I don't think so.” I started closing the door. His hand stopped it. “He knows about your debt.” My blood ran cold. I slowly looked up. “What?” “He knows the exact amount you owe.” My fingers tightened around the door. “Why?” “He also knows you have forty-eight hours before the bank begins legal proceedings.” I couldn't breathe. “How does he know that?” “He has his ways.” The man stepped back. “He's waiting.” I should have refused. Every sensible part of me screamed that accepting a mysterious invitation from a billionaire was a terrible idea. But forty-eight hours wasn't enough time to save my home. So twenty minutes later, I was sitting inside a black car. The journey was silent. When we finally stopped outside a towering glass building, I stared upward. BLACK ENTERPRISES. The lobby was enormous. People immediately stepped aside when I walked through. I followed the assistant into an elevator. We went to the top floor. When the doors opened, I found myself standing in a quiet hallway. The assistant pointed toward a pair of double doors. “Mr. Black is inside.” Then he left. I stared at the doors. My heart pounded. I knocked. “Come in.” The voice was calm. Deep. Cold. I opened the door. Ethan Black stood beside the floor-to-ceiling windows, his back facing me. The city stretched behind him. He turned. For a moment, neither of us spoke. His eyes moved over me, assessing me without a hint of emotion. “You're Mia Carter.” “Yes.” “Sit.” I didn't move. “Why am I here?” His expression didn't change. “Because I can solve your problem.” My eyebrows pulled together. “What do you want?” He walked toward his desk and picked up a folder. Then he placed it in front of me. I opened it. My eyes widened. The amount written on the first page was exactly what I owed. Every cent. “I can pay this,” Ethan said. I looked up sharply. “Why?” “Because I need something from you.” “What?” He leaned back in his chair. “I need a woman to pretend to be my girlfriend.” I stared at him. “You're joking.” “I don't joke about business.” He slid another document across the desk. A contract. Six months. A payment large enough to save my home. My hands went cold. “This is insane.” “Perhaps.” “And why me?” For the first time, something changed in his expression. It was barely noticeable. But I saw it. Recognition. Almost suspicion. He looked directly into my eyes. “Because your mother knew my family.” My breath caught. “What did you say?” Ethan's voice became quieter. “And I believe you know more about her past than you've been told.” I stared at him. He pushed the contract toward me. “Sign this, Mia.” I looked down at the pages. Then back at him. “Pretend to be your girlfriend…” “Yes.” “And you'll pay my debt?” “Every last cent.” I should have walked away. Instead, I reached for the pen. And that was the moment I unknowingly signed myself into Ethan Black's world.