Bound By Betrayal

A dangerous Proposal

I spent the night staring at the ceiling, my thoughts spinning like a carousel I couldn’t stop. My eyes were so weak and dry from crying all night. James’s cruel words haunted me, but it was the stranger’s cryptic offer that lingered in my mind. His business card lay on the bedside table, its pristine edges mocking the chaos in my life.

*Take back your power.*

The words echoed in my head, taunting me. What did he mean? And why did he care? How did he even know that I had lost my power? A lot of questions tripped in my head.

By morning, my exhaustion had transformed into restless determination. Before I could second-guess myself, I picked up my phone and dialed the number.

“Ms. Pierce,” the man answered after a single ring, his voice smooth and composed. “I had a feeling you’d call.”

His confidence unsettled me, but I pushed forward. “You said you could help me. I want to know how.”

“Meet me at La Rochelle, eight o’clock tonight,” he said. “I’ll explain everything then.”

And just like that, the line went dead. I stared at the phone in confusion.

---

By the time I arrived at the restaurant, my nerves were frayed. La Rochelle was the kind of place I’d only seen in glossy magazines—dim lighting, polished mahogany, and the faint hum of a live piano. It oozed exclusivity, the kind of venue where people brokered deals that changed lives.

I spotted him immediately. He sat at a corner table, dressed in a charcoal suit that seemed tailored to perfection. His dark hair was slicked back, his features sharp and unreadable.

“Olivia Pierce,” he greeted, standing as I approached. His voice was just as smooth as I remembered. “I’m Armando Moretti.”

I hesitated before shaking his hand. “You didn’t exactly give me much choice last night.”

He smirked, motioning for me to sit. “You’re here, aren’t you?”

The waiter appeared almost instantly, pouring wine I didn’t ask for. I wrapped my hands around the glass, needing something to ground me.

“Why don’t you start by telling me why you were eavesdropping on my life and that too in my husbands company?” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. I felt so disgusted calling James my husband.

Armando leaned back in his chair, studying me. “Husband” He scoffed and I narrowed my eyes “Your confrontation with James wasn’t exactly private. And let’s just say… I have a vested interest in people like him.”

“People like him?”

“Shallow. Greedy. Disloyal,” he said simply, taking a sip of his wine. “Men like James are predictable. Easy to manipulate. Easy to ruin.”

A chill ran down my spine. “What do you want from me. Who are you even?”

“It’s not about what I want, Ms. Pierce. It’s about what I can offer you.” He leaned forward, his dark eyes piercing mine. “Freedom. Independence. Revenge, if you want it.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “Revenge?”

Armando smiled, but there was no warmth in it. “James has ties to people I’d rather keep an eye on. Helping you disentangle yourself from him serves both our interests. And we sure have a score to settle. You hate him, I hate him, that’s a good click innit?”

I hesitated and read his face but I still could not discern anything. Everything seemed so fast to me. “And who told you I hate James? He is my husband remember?”

“Indeed. A husband that is f*****g your stepmother and also has two kids with her? Husband indeed” Armando’s words made my eyes go wild and wide.

“Two kids with Samantha?” Tears welled in my eyes, accompanied with shock and disappointment. So that was the reason he never really bothered me about not conceiving a child. I wondered how long his relationship with my step mother had been going.

“Oh, you didn’t know about that” Armando smirked and tilted his head.

At that moment, I wondered what else I was oblivious of. James had really used me like a rag. My whole body was trembling. I gritted my teeth angrily and clenched my fist.

“And how exactly do you plan on the revenge?”

He took his time answering, as if savoring my discomfort. “I need a fiancée. Someone respectable. Someone who can help me secure my inheritance. In exchange, I’ll ensure you never have to rely on James—or any man—again. Plus James has stepped on my toes and with your help I’ll make sure I bring him down to his knees.”

I stared at him, stunned. “You want me to pretend to be your fiancée?”

“Precisely.”

The room felt smaller suddenly, the air too thick. “What makes you think I’d agree to that?”

“Because,” he said, his voice soft but firm, “you’re tired of feeling powerless and after everything he has done to you, you’d be crazy not to want to bring him down to his knees and make him cry. I know you want revenge and I’m going to offer that in exchange for you to marry me. A contract marriage”

My head spun. “You don’t even know me.” I said after a bit silence pondering on his words.

“Oh I know you more than you can imagine,” he countered, his gaze steady. “You’re loyal to a fault, even when it destroys you. But you’re also smart. Resourceful. You also have birth mark on your left ass cheek. And if you let me, I can help you take back control.”

I wanted to laugh and was also in shock as my eyes went wide.

“How the heck do you know about my…” I trailed off my statement, my jaw still dropped.

“You can only imagine” he smirked.

I wanted to tell him he was insane. But deep down, his words struck a chord. I was tired of being the victim. I needed James gl pay for the hurt and embarrassment he caused me.

“What’s the catch?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Armando’s smile returned, this time tinged with amusement. “You’ll have to play the part convincingly. That means public appearances, family dinners, the works. And, of course, no entanglements with James—or anyone else.”

I hesitated, every instinct telling me to walk away. But then I thought of James’s cold dismissal, Samantha’s smug smirk and the kids they have together, the baby growing inside me.

“How long would this… arrangement last?”

“Six months. Long enough for me to secure my position. After that, you’ll be free to go, with enough financial backing to start over and that’s after ending James’ career.”

Six months. It sounded simple enough. But something told me nothing about Armando Moretti’s life was simple.

“Do you even know I’m pregnant?” I asked.

“I sure do, works so perfectly well with my man” Armando chipped.

“Why me though? There are a million women out there who you would have met, but why me?” I shrugged.

Armando let out a gentle smile around his lips.

“You have a masters degree in Business administration. You were the top of your class. We already have a lot in common and trust me, there’s no other better person than you” Armando said.

I stared at him and wondered how he knew so much about me. There was something shady about him but I was yet to figure it out.

I took a deep breath. “Fine. I’ll do it. But this stays strictly professional.”

“Of course,” he said, his expression unreadable.

Before I could change my mind, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.

“What are you doing?” I asked, alarmed.

He opened the box to reveal a diamond ring, its brilliance catching the dim light. “Sealing the deal.”

I froze as he slid the ring onto my finger, his touch firm and deliberate.

“In the eyes of the world,” he said, his voice low, “you’re mine now.”

A shiver ran down my spine, a mix of exhilaration and unease. I stared at the ring, its weight foreign and heavy.

As I looked up at Armando, I realized two things: I had just made a deal with a man I barely knew, and there was no turning back.

“But I’m still married to James. We haven’t had a divorce yet” I snapped.

“And who told you that?” Armando shrugged.