THE BILLIONAIRE'S CONTRACT BRIDE

THE BILLIONAIRE'S CONTRACT BRIDE Chapter One: The Night Everything Changed The first time Isabella Williams met Alexander Blackwood, she spilled coffee on his expensive suit. The second time, he offered her a contract to become his wife. But neither of them knew that their arrangement would bring an old family secret back to life. --- "Isabella, are you listening to me?" I looked up from my phone and found my younger sister staring at me across the kitchen table. "What?" "I asked if you got any response from the company you applied to." I sighed and dropped my phone onto the table. "Nothing yet, Emma." She frowned. "Maybe they'll call today." "Maybe." I wished I could share her optimism. At twenty-two, I had a degree in business administration, two internships, and enough rejection emails to make me question every decision I had ever made. Our family had not always struggled like this. Before everything fell apart, Dad had owned a successful construction business. Then something happened between him and his former business partner, Richard Blackwood. Their partnership ended bitterly, and our lives slowly changed. Dad rarely discussed what happened. Whenever I mentioned Richard's name, his expression hardened. "Stay away from that family," he always said. I never understood why. Now, our financial problems were becoming harder to ignore. The rent was overdue, Emma needed money for school, and Dad's business was barely surviving. I wanted to help, but finding a decent job had become almost impossible. My phone suddenly rang. I grabbed it. "Hello?" "Good morning. Am I speaking with Isabella Williams?" "Yes." "My name is Rebecca, calling from Blackwood Enterprises. We reviewed your application for the executive assistant position and would like to invite you for an interview this morning." I froze. Blackwood Enterprises was one of the largest companies in the country, owned by the Blackwood family. "Miss Williams?" "Yes! I'm here. Thank you so much." After ending the call, I screamed. Emma jumped up excitedly. "You got the job?" "An interview!" "That's almost the same thing!" I laughed and hurried to my room to get ready. I had no idea that accepting that interview would change everything. --- The Blackwood Enterprises building looked like something from a movie. Its glass walls reflected the sunlight, and expensive cars lined the entrance. I adjusted my cream blouse and black skirt before entering. I needed this job. My family needed this job. Inside the elevator, I stood quietly among several employees. Just before the doors closed, a tall man in a black suit stepped inside. He was handsome, but there was something intimidating about him. His dark eyes were sharp, his expression unreadable, and everyone seemed careful not to disturb him. I shifted to make room. Unfortunately, my handbag caught on another passenger's briefcase. I pulled it free, lost my balance, and knocked a coffee cup from the stranger's hand. The coffee splashed across his suit. Silence filled the elevator. "Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" I hurriedly searched my bag for tissues. He examined the stain before looking at me. "Are you always this careless?" I stopped moving. "I said I was sorry." "And that changes nothing." I felt embarrassment turn into anger. "I offered to pay for the cleaning. You don't have to be rude about it." His eyebrow lifted. "Can you afford it?" I stared at him. "You don't know anything about me." "And I know enough to recognize carelessness." "And I know enough to recognize arrogance." Someone behind me coughed to hide a laugh. The stranger's expression remained cold. "Interesting," he murmured before stepping out when the elevator doors opened. I released a breath. "Who was that?" I whispered to another passenger. She looked at me in disbelief. "Alexander Blackwood. The chairman." My heart sank. I had just insulted the man who might decide whether I got the job. --- When I reached the thirty-second floor, the receptionist informed me that Mr. Blackwood was ready to see me. I nearly turned around. Instead, I followed her into his office. Alexander stood behind his desk, his jacket removed and his sleeves rolled up. He looked even more intimidating without it. "Miss Williams," he said. "Mr. Blackwood." He studied my résumé. "Good grades. Some experience. No permanent employment." "That's correct." "Why should I hire you?" "Because I'm hardworking, organized, and willing to learn." "And you think that qualifies you to work for me?" "I think everyone deserves an opportunity to prove themselves." He watched me for a moment. "You're confident for someone who spilled coffee on her potential employer." "That was an accident." "So you said." "Because it's true." He closed my folder. "Thank you for coming. We'll contact you if we decide to proceed." Disappointed, I stood and gathered my documents. Then he spoke again. "Miss Williams, I have another proposal." I turned. "What kind of proposal?" "Marriage." I stared at him. "I'm sorry?" "I need a wife." I wondered whether he had lost his mind. "Mr. Blackwood, this is an office, not a matchmaking service." "I'm aware of that." He explained that his grandfather's family trust contained conditions that could affect his control of certain company shares. He needed to marry before a deadline, or some voting rights would pass to another branch of the family. He wanted a marriage of convenience lasting twelve months. In exchange, he would provide substantial financial compensation. I laughed nervously. "You expect me to believe this?" "You may read the agreement before making any decision." He slid a folder toward me. The amount written inside made my breath catch. It was enough to settle our debts, help Emma continue school, and give our family a chance to recover. But accepting money to marry a stranger felt wrong. "Why me?" I asked. "You're not connected to my family, and you don't appear interested in pretending to be someone you're not." "That's because I have no reason to pretend." For the first time, something resembling amusement crossed his face. "That may be useful." I looked down at the contract. "Does your father know about this?" His expression changed. "Why do you ask?" "My father once worked with Richard Blackwood." Alexander became completely still. "Your father's name?" "Daniel Williams." He stared at me for several seconds. Then he closed the folder. "Your father and mine have history." "What kind of history?" "That's something I need to understand myself." His answer unsettled me more than I expected. I had spent years wondering why my father hated the Blackwood family. Now I was sitting across from Alexander Blackwood, being offered money to marry him, while the mystery surrounding our fathers remained unexplained. "I won't sign anything until I understand what I'm getting involved in," I said. "Fair enough. Have your own lawyer review the agreement." "And my family must not become part of your business games." "Agreed." I picked up the folder. "I need time." "Take it, Isabella." Hearing my name in his voice felt strangely unsettling. I left his office with more questions than answers. --- When I arrived home, Emma rushed toward me. "Did you get the job?" I placed the folder on the table. "Something happened." She opened it, read the first page, and stared at me. "Isabella, this says Alexander Blackwood wants to marry you!" "Not exactly. It's a contract marriage." "For twelve months?" I nodded. Her excitement quickly faded when she noticed my expression. "Bella, what's wrong?" "My father warned me about his family. And Alexander knows our fathers have history, but he doesn't know the whole story either." Emma sat beside me. "Maybe this is your chance to find out what happened." "Or maybe it's a terrible mistake." I looked at the contract again. My family needed help. Alexander needed a wife. Somehow, our problems had collided in the most unbelievable way. That evening, my phone rang. Alexander's name appeared on the screen. I answered reluctantly. "Have you made your decision?" he asked. "Not yet. I have conditions." "Go ahead." "My family must be protected, the financial terms must be clear, and I want answers about our fathers." There was a pause. "I'll arrange for my lawyer to contact you." "And Alexander?" "Yes?" "If you expect me to pretend to be your wife, don't expect me to become someone who obeys you without question." Silence followed. Then he replied, "I wouldn't expect anything less." The call ended. I stared at my phone, wondering what I had just agreed to consider. I had gone looking for a job. Instead, I had stepped into a world of wealth, secrets, and a man whose family had somehow changed mine forever. I didn't love Alexander Blackwood. I barely liked him. But if marrying him could help my family and uncover the truth about our fathers, perhaps the risk was worth considering. What I didn't know was that our contract would bring buried secrets to the surface, and the truth might destroy everything we thought we understood.