THE BILLIONAIRE'S UNEXPECTED BRIDE

CHARACTER GUIDE THE BILLIONAIRE’S UNEXPECTED BRIDE Amelia Carter — Female Lead Age: 26 Occupation: Event Planner Personality: Kind, intelligent, stubborn, courageous, independent. Background: Comes from a modest family and accepts Adrian's marriage proposal to save her family home. Secret: Her late mother had a hidden connection to the Blackwood family. Adrian Blackwood — Male Lead Age: 31 Occupation: Billionaire CEO Personality: Cold, disciplined, ambitious, intimidating, private. Background: He enters a contract marriage with Amelia for business and family reasons. Secret: He suspects someone close to him is involved in a long-hidden company scandal. Sebastian Blackwood — Antagonist Age: 29 Occupation: Businessman Personality: Charming, jealous, competitive, reckless. Goal: Take Adrian's position. CHAPTER 1- THE COLLISION "Amelia Carter is late." Late. Not five minutes late. Not ten. But twenty-three minutes late. Amelia hurried in the hall of the Blackwood International building, her heels clicking on the marble floor as she clutched a folder to her chest. Her phone was wedged between her shoulder and her ear. "Amelia, where are you?" Grace's voice sounded out. "I'm almost there." "You said that fifteen minutes ago." "I know." She glanced at the elevators. One of the elevators was closed. "Mr. Harrison is already in the conference room." "I'll be there in two minutes." She ended the call and ran towards the elevator. Her thoughts were racing as she hurried, worried about the presentation and whether she would get fired. The doors were already half-closed when Amelia neared them. "Wait!" She slipped in and let out a sigh of relief, only now realizing there was already a tall man in the elevator. He was dressed in a dark, perfectly tailored suit, a silver watch peeking out from his wrist, and an expression that made him look utterly uninterested in the world around him. Amelia pressed the button to the twenty-second floor. The stranger looked at her coffee, then at the folder tucked under her arm. "You are going to spill that." She frowned. "I won't." Three seconds later, the elevator lurched, dumping hot coffee over her papers. Amelia looked at the now-spread stains with a horrified glance. "Oh no," she muttered. The man sighed. "I warned you." She noticed he smelled like expensive cologne but ignored his remark, her hands moving fast to save the pages before the coffee could soak right through. His calmness only made her angrier. Amelia turned sharply. "Thank you for your sympathy." "I wasn't being sympathetic." She fished tissues out of her handbag and dabbed at the papers. "Are these documents important?" "Very." "Then maybe you should pay more attention to them." She stopped. "Maybe you should mind your business." Silence reigned in the elevator. He raised an eyebrow. "Do you know who you are talking to?" "No." A glint of amusement flickered across his eyes. "Good." Amelia wished the elevator doors would open right then. The stranger's composed expression only made her feel more stupid, and she silently vowed she'd never see him again. The doors opened, and Amelia slid into the hallway. Several employees stood waiting. The moment the man walked out, they straightened. "Good morning, Mr. Blackwood." Amelia froze. She turned to him and her stomach twisted. Adrian Blackwood. Billionaire. CEO and owner of Blackwood International. Father of three. The man she had just told to mind his business. "Oh, wonderful," she whispered. Adrian paused and looked at her. "Mr. Blackwood," she said nervously. "Yes?" "Please forgive me for what I said earlier." He studied her. "You said nothing that needed forgiving." "I meant it." "Apology accepted." He turned and walked away. Amelia finally exhaled, only to hear him state over his shoulder, "Try not to spill anything else." She glared after him. "Arrogant man." Without turning, he responded, "I heard that." She watched him disappear down the corridor, flanked by a gaggle of employees who seemed to want to do anything for him. She had no idea their paths would cross again much sooner than either of them expected. Three hours later, Amelia had already forgotten the embarrassing encounter. She sat across from Mr. Harrison, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. His serious gaze made her skin prickle. "This isn't about your work, Amelia," he said, sliding a document in front of her. She peered down and saw the words NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE. Her stomach sank. "No." She pushed the notice away. "It can't be true." "I'm sorry. The loan was transferred to a new lender, and they want us to repay the full amount." Amelia swallowed. "How long?" Mr. Harrison hesitated. "Thirty days." Thirty days. Her family could lose their house in a month. The room suddenly seemed too small, and she glanced from the notice to her boss, hoping he would tell her there had been some horrible mistake. Instead, a heavy silence greeted her. Her father's house. The house where her mother grew up and where Amelia had spent her teen years. The walls were filled with family photographs, while her mother's favorite flowers still bloomed outside the kitchen window. Her father had refused to sell the property despite years of financial problems. To him, it was more than a house; it was the last piece of their family history. Amelia stared at the notice, searching desperately for a solution, but every possibility looked impossible. She remembered her father fixing the old fence, her mother taking care of the garden, and evenings when the whole family gathered around the dining table. Losing those memories was almost unbearable. Then her phone vibrated. Dad. She answered at once. "Dad?" His voice was unusually low. "Amelia." Her heart clenched. "What happened?" "Come home, please." She sat straight. "Why? What's wrong?" "I can't explain over the phone. Just come home." The call ended. Amelia stared at the screen, a chill creeping down her spine. Something was wrong, and whatever it was, her father was frightened. She wiped her eyes, refusing to cry in front of Mr. Harrison. Whatever was happening, she needed to be strong. She grabbed her handbag and stood. The foreclosure notice, the ruined documents, and even Adrian Blackwood disappeared from her thoughts. Her family needed her. She hurried out of the office, not realizing that the crisis waiting at home was just the beginning. She had no idea that the arrogant billionaire she had collided with in an elevator would soon become entangled in the most difficult decision of her life.