A CONTRACT MARRIAGE WITH MR. ADRIAN

chapter 4

Nadia’s POV

I arrived at Velvet Lounge fifteen minutes early, but Adrian was already there. He sat in a corner, away from the crowd and noise. When he saw me, he stood up like a gentleman.

“You came,” he said, pulling out my chair.

“I said I would.” I sat down, trying to ignore how good he looked in his dark suit. “But I still think you’re crazy.”

He smiled and signaled the waiter.

“Two whiskeys,” he told him, then turned back to me. “How did the divorce papers look?”

My jaw dropped.

“How did you—”

“I told you, I make it my business to know things.” He leaned forward. “Forty percent of assets, almost no alimony, and he gets to keep the house. Did I miss anything?”

“You’re scaring me,” I said honestly. “How do you know all this?”

“Because I had someone look into your husband the moment you told me your story.” He pulled out his phone and showed me a folder full of documents. “Damien Thompson, divorce lawyer, owns Thompson & Associates. Currently having an affair with Elena Martinez, your sister. Planning to marry her as soon as your divorce is final.”

I stared at the screen. There were photos of Damien and Elena together, bank statements, even text messages between them.

“This is illegal,” I whispered.

“Probably,” Adrian said casually. “But effective.”

The waiter brought our drinks. I took a large sip, needing the burn to steady my nerves.

“There’s more,” Adrian continued, scrolling through his phone. “Your husband has been moving money around for months. Hiding assets in accounts you don’t know about. By my count, he’s stolen about two hundred thousand dollars from your joint savings.”

“Two hundred thousand?” I felt sick. “He’s been planning this divorce for a long time, Nadia. While you were trying to save your marriage, he was making sure you’d get nothing from it.”

I put my head in my hands.

“I can’t compete with this. He’s a lawyer. He knows how to work the system.”

“You can’t compete with him alone,” Adrian agreed. “But with me? He wouldn’t stand a chance.”

I looked up at him.

“What would you actually do?”

Adrian slid a tablet across the table.

“I’ve put together a presentation. Think of it as a business proposal.”

I touched the screen and it came to life. The first slide read: “Project Revenge: Making Damien and Elena Pay.”

“You made a PowerPoint presentation for revenge?” I couldn’t help but laugh.

“I make presentations for everything,” he said seriously. “Swipe right.”

The next slide showed photos of Damien’s law firm.

“Thompson & Associates has twelve employees and handles mostly divorce cases. But three of their biggest clients are companies I have connections with. One phone call from me, and those clients disappear.”

I swiped again. The next slide showed Elena’s social media accounts.

“Your sister works as a marketing coordinator for a small PR firm. The owner owes my company a significant amount of money. Elena could find herself unemployed very quickly.”

“You’d destroy their careers?” I asked.

“I’d destroy their lives,” Adrian said matter-of-factly. “But that’s just the beginning.”

The next slides showed bank accounts, property records, and legal documents I didn’t understand.

“With the right lawyer—and I know the best—we can prove Damien hid assets. Not only would you get half of everything in the divorce, but he could face criminal charges for fraud.”

I kept swiping. Each slide showed another way Adrian could ruin them. It was detailed, and absolutely terrifying.

“Why?” I asked finally. “Why would you go to all this trouble for someone you just met?”

“Because I need you to go to all this trouble for me,” he said. “My grandfather’s will states that I must be married to take control of Cross Industries. The board is meeting in three weeks to vote on my removal. If I’m not married by then, I lose everything.”

“So get married for real.”

“I don’t want a real marriage,” he said firmly. “I’ve seen what love does to people. It makes them weak, stupid, vulnerable. I watched my parents destroy each other in the name of love. I won’t make that mistake.”

“But you’d trust a complete stranger with your company?”

“You’re not a stranger anymore,” he said. “I’ve had you investigated too.”

My blood ran cold.

“What?”

“You’re exactly what I need—someone trustworthy who won’t complicate things with emotions.”

I felt violated.

“You had no right—”

“I had every right to protect my interests,” he interrupted. “Just like you have every right to protect yours.”

He reached across the table and touched my hand. His skin was warm, and I felt a jolt of electricity that surprised me.

“I can give you everything you want, Nadia. Revenge against the people who betrayed you. Financial security. A chance to start over. All I’m asking for in return is one year of your life and the appearance of a happy marriage.”

I pulled my hand away, but I could still feel where he’d touched me.

“This is insane,” I said.

“Yes, it is,” he agreed. “But you know what’s even more insane? Letting them win.”

I looked around the club, at all the people laughing and dancing, living their normal lives. None of them knew that my entire world had fallen apart in less than a week.

“If I say yes,” I said slowly, “what happens next?”

“We get married in two weeks. I handle your divorce case personally. Your husband and sister learn what happens when they mess with the wrong person. And in one year, we quietly divorce and go our separate ways.”

“And if I say no?”

“You fight Damien in court with whatever lawyer you can afford, probably lose everything, and spend the next few years rebuilding your life from nothing.”

I finished my whiskey and set the glass down hard.

“I need time to think.”

“You have until tomorrow night,” Adrian said. “After that, the offer expires.”

“Tomorrow? You said four days!”

“That was before your husband served papers.” He stood up and walked away, leaving me alone with his tablet.

—————

The next day came faster than usual. I met up with him at the same place.

He smiled and opened the briefcase. Inside were two identical contracts.

“One-year marriage contract,” he said, sliding one copy across to me. “Everything we discussed is in there. Your responsibilities, my responsibilities, and what happens when we’re done.”

I picked up the contract but didn’t read it.

“I know it will work.” He handed me a pen.

“You really think this will work?”

I signed my name on the bottom line.

Adrian signed his copy, then reached across the table.

“Partners?” he said, extending his hand.

“Partners,” I said, and shook his hand.