SURRENDER TO YOU

Elena stormed into her father’s office, the heavy oak doors slamming open so hard that the receptionist outside jumped. James Harper, once a man she had admired, looked up from his desk with weary eyes. “Elena, sweetheart..” “Don’t,” she cut him off, her voice sharp as glass. She stalked toward his desk, tossing the Pierce Global Holdings contract onto the polished wood. “Dad tell me this is a mistake. Tell me you didn’t sell my future like some desperate gambler.” James sighed, rubbing his temples. “It’s not what you think...” “Oh, really?” Elena laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks exactly like you handed over my company, my work, and everything that I've worked so hard to accomplish to the wolves” Her father looked away, guilt written all over his face. “I didn’t have a choice.” Elena slammed her hands onto the desk, making papers scatter. “You always have a choice! But instead of telling me, instead of fighting, you went behind my back and...” Her voice cracked for a second, but she quickly recovered. “You signed me over like I was just another business asset.” "How could you, Dad why?! " Elena said, her emotions betrayed her. James stood, his shoulders slumped. “Elena, I did this for you.” Her jaw clenched. “For me? Or for your pride?” “Elena...” “You should have come to me!” She stepped back, shaking her head, her chest tight with betrayal. “I could have found a way. But you? You ran straight to New York’s coldest, most ruthless billionaire and gave him everything.” Her father’s silence was deafening. "But guess what Dad? "Elena said in a firm voice straightening her shoulders. James looked up at his daughter; his eyes were filled with regrets and remorse, but the last thing Elena needed was a father-daughter bonding show. "I'm Elena Harper, and I won't let this big mistake of yours ruin my future. That; will never happen! "Elena said authoritatively, fury burning on her insides. She turned on her heel and strode out, heels clicking against the marble floor. She had lost her company, lost her trust in her father… but she hadn’t lost herself. And if Alexander Pierce thought he could just take over her company? He was in for one hell of a surprise. * * * The towering glass skyscraper of Pierce Global Holdings loomed over Manhattan like a steel fortress, exuding the same cold dominance as the man who owned it. Elena Harper stormed through the sleek, glass-walled corridors of Pierce Global Holdings, her heels clicking sharply against the polished marble floors. The receptionist barely had time to react as she marched past, eyes burning with fury. “Ma'am, you can’t just—” Too late. Elena threw open the doors to Alexander Pierce’s office, the impact rattling the walls. Behind an imposing glass desk, the billionaire in question barely lifted his gaze from the documents in front of him. He was everything the tabloids said; tall, ruthless, devastatingly handsome. Dark hair, sharp cheekbones, a chiseled jawline, and those infamous cold, calculating storm-gray eyes that could make men crumble with a single look. Elena, however, wasn’t just any woman. “Miss Elena Harper.” His deep voice was smooth as velvet yet laced with unmistakable authority. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this… dramatic entrance?” How did he know her name? Elena’s pulse pounded, but she refused to be intimidated. Not by him. She strode up to his desk and slammed a document down in front of him. “You bought my company’s shares.” Her voice was sharp, accusing. “Without my knowledge. Without my consent.” Alexander leaned back in his chair, unbothered, his storm-gray eyes cool and unreadable. “Correction. I bought your father’s shares. And since he held the majority, that means I now own Harper Industries.” Elena’s hands clenched into fists. She had worked for years to secure her place in the company. And now, in one ruthless move, Alexander Pierce had taken it all. She took a steadying breath, her voice low but dangerous. “What do you want?” Alexander finally leaned forward, placing his elbows on the desk, his gaze pinning her in place. “I need a wife.” Elena’s breath caught. “Excuse me?” She had expected to negotiate a deal. Instead, she was staring down the devil in Armani proposing marriage to her. “You want me to marry you?” Her voice was steady, but inside, her mind was spinning. Alexander leaned back again, hands steepled, watching her like a chess piece he was about to move. “It’s a business arrangement, Miss Harper. One year. Then we part ways. Simple.” “Simple?” Elena let out a sharp laugh. “You’re blackmailing me into marriage.” He didn’t flinch. “Your father’s company is on the brink of bankruptcy. I now own the majority of shares. Without me, Harper Industries crumbles within weeks.” He tilted his head. “But if you agree to my terms, your father’s legacy stays intact. And you? You get to walk away after a year, unscathed with 30 million dollars as a divorce settlement. Trust me this is not a deal you'll want to reject Miss Harper” Elena’s stomach twisted. Her father had taken over Harper Industries and dedicated his whole life to it right after she lost her mother some years back to a fatal accident, it wasn’t just a business; it was her family’s name, their blood, sweat, and history. She’d spent years fighting for her place in the industry, proving she wasn’t just another spoiled heiress. And now, this man wanted to own her. Her knuckles turned white as she clenched her fists. “Why me?” Alexander’s lips curled into a smirk. “I need a wife. The board wants stability before approving my international expansion deal. A perfect, scandal-free marriage makes me untouchable in their eyes.” He shrugged. “You seem to be a smart, beautiful, and well-mannered lady, Miss Harper, and unlike the desperate socialites clawing at my money, you don’t want me as much as they do, but I understand that my charm is irresistible, right?" Alexander said widely, grinning, at Elena. Her breath hitched. He had read her perfectly. She didn’t want him. But she needed to save her father’s company. Still, pride surged inside her. “I don’t need your money.” Alexander stood, rounding the desk. His presence was overwhelming, like a storm closing in. “I don’t care what you need,” he murmured, stopping just inches from her. “I’m offering you a choice. Marry me for a year. Play the devoted wife in public. Walk away after. Or…” He leaned in slightly, his scent; expensive cologne and power, filling her senses. “Watch your father’s company collapse.” Elena’s heart pounded. This was a deal with the devil. Alexander was a man known for his terrible way of treating his workers and here she was, agreeing to be his pretend wife. But what choice did she have? If she said no, she’d lose everything. The employees who relied on Harper Industries would be out of work. The door to the office opened shaking Elena from her thoughts.