The Deal of a Lifetime
Emma White hurried down the crowded street, her heart pounding against her ribs. The hospital bill in her purse weighed heavier than a mountain on her shoulders. $50,000. She had tried everything—extra shifts, selling her belongings, begging her unreliable ex-boyfriend—but nothing worked.
Now, she had one last chance.
A job interview at King Group, the most powerful company in the city. If she could land this assistant position, maybe—just maybe—she could save her father.
She pushed open the glass doors of the towering skyscraper, adjusting her worn-out blazer. Heads turned the moment she stepped inside. The lobby gleamed like a palace of steel and marble, filled with people who looked far richer, far more confident than her.
But she couldn't back down now.
The receptionist led her to the top floor.
"The CEO will see you now," she said, her voice clipped and cold.
The CEO? Emma froze. She thought she was interviewing with HR. But before she could protest, the office doors swung open.
And there he was.
Lucas King.
Tall, sharp-suited, ice-cold. The man who controlled half the city's wealth with a single phone call. His piercing gray eyes studied her like she was a puzzle he didn’t have time to solve.
"You're late," he said flatly, without looking up from his tablet.
"I—I'm sorry," Emma stammered, clutching her resume. "The traffic—"
"I don't care about your excuses." He tossed the tablet onto the desk and finally met her gaze. " I need an assistant who can follow orders without question. Can you do that? "
"Yes," she said, forcing herself to stand tall. " I'll work hard. I need this job."
A shadow of something unreadable crossed his face.
"Good," he said, leaning back. "Because this isn't just a job."
She blinked, confused.
"What do you mean?"
He tapped his fingers against the desk. "I need a wife."
Her mouth dropped open. "I— What?"
Lucas stood and walked around the desk, stopping inches away from her. His voice dropped to a low, dangerous whisper.
"A marriage. One year. You'll get enough money to solve your... personal problems. In return, you'll help me meet a legal requirement to secure my company."
Emma took a shaky step back.
"Are you out of your mind? Marry a stranger for money?"
His lips curved into the faintest smile.
"Think of it as a business deal. You help me, I help you. No feelings. No attachments. Simple."
Her heart raced. Every part of her screamed to run away from this cold, ruthless man.
But then she thought of her father lying helpless in that hospital bed.
The bills are piling up.
The debt collectors call day and night.
She swallowed hard.
"When do we start?"
Lucas's smile widened—cold, calculating, victorious.
"Now."
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