THE BILLIONAIRE'S CONTRACT WIFE

*BOOK TITLE:* The Billionaire's Contract Bride *AUTHOR:* Uzoma Uzoamaka *CHAPTER 1: A Price For My Mother's Life* Tears blurred my vision as the doctor's cold voice echoed in the tiny hospital room. "Miss Sophia, if you don't pay $5,000 before midnight, your mother will die. It's that simple." My heart shattered into a million pieces. $5,000? I didn't even have $50 in my account. My mother, the only family I had left, was lying unconscious on that white bed, struggling to breathe. "Please," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Please give me more time. Just two days..." The doctor shook his head, his face emotionless. "We are not a charity, Miss. Midnight. Or we turn off the machines." He walked away, leaving me alone with the beeping sound of the machine — the only proof that my mother was still alive. I slid down to the cold floor, my cheap dress pooling around me. What was I going to do? Where would a 21-year-old waitress get $5,000 in 6 hours? That's when I heard it. A deep, cold, intoxicating voice behind me. "You look like you need money." I gasped and turned around. Standing in the doorway was the most breathtaking man I had ever seen. Tall, with a chiseled jaw, piercing grey eyes that could see through my soul, and an expensive black Armani suit that screamed power and wealth. He looked like a god. An arrogant, dangerous god. "W-who are you?" I stammered, quickly wiping my tears. He smirked, that smirk sending shivers down my spine. He walked closer, his expensive cologne filling the room. "My name is Alexander Knight. Billionaire. And I can save your mother." My breath hitched. "What? How... how do you..." "I overheard everything," he said bluntly, his eyes dropping to my trembling lips. "I need something. You need money. We can help each other." Hope fluttered in my chest. "Anything! I will do anything!" His grey eyes darkened. "Anything?" "Yes!" He leaned down, his face just inches from mine. My heart hammered so loud I was sure he could hear it. "Then marry me." The world stopped. "W-what?" I whispered, thinking I heard wrong. "Marry me," he growled, his voice low and domineering. "Be my wife for 30 days. Pretend to love me in front of my family. After 30 days, we divorce and I give you $50,000. Enough to save your mother and start a new life." $50,000? My knees weakened. It was a fortune. It was salvation. But marry a stranger? A cold, arrogant billionaire who looked at me like I was nothing? I looked at my mother. The machine was beeping slower now. Midnight was coming. "Why me?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. Alexander's eyes roamed over my face, my tear-stained cheeks, my simple beauty. "Because you look desperate enough not to ask questions. And because you look innocent enough for my grandfather to believe." He pulled out a black card from his pocket and slid it across the floor to me. "So, Miss Sophia? What will it be? Will you let your mother die to protect your pride? Or will you become... Mrs. Knight?" His cold smile was my only answer. My mother's life was in my hands. And I had only one choice. *[END OF CHAPTER 1 ]* --- *CHAPTER 2: The Devil's Mansion* "Will you become Mrs. Knight?" Alexander Knight's words still echoed in my ears as I stood frozen on the hospital floor, staring at the black card in front of me. My mother coughed weakly on the bed. The beep... beep... beep of the machine was getting slower. I had no choice. With trembling fingers, I picked up the card. "I... I will do it," I whispered, tears rolling down my cheeks. "I will marry you." His piercing grey eyes flashed with something — victory? Satisfaction? "Good girl," he smirked, his voice cold and domineering. He snapped his fingers and two men in black suits entered the room. Within five minutes, my mother's bills were paid. The doctor who had been so cold suddenly bowed and smiled, saying "Your mother will get the best treatment, Mr. Knight." Money. Money changed everything. "Let's go," Alexander growled, grabbing my wrist. His touch was electric, burning my skin. "W-where?" "To my mansion. You need to look like a billionaire's wife, not a homeless waitress." His words stung, but I followed him. What else could I do? His car was a black Bugatti that glistened under the Onitsha sun. No, not Onitsha... this man lived in a different world entirely. We drove for an hour, leaving the small streets and entering an estate I had only seen on TV. Huge gates opened automatically. And then I saw it. His mansion. My jaw dropped. My breath hitched. It wasn't a house. It was a palace. White marble, tall pillars, a fountain in front that sparkled like diamonds. It was bigger than my entire village. "This... this is where you live?" I gasped. "This is where _we_ live for the next 30 days, wife," he said, his voice mocking. The maids lined up and bowed as we entered. The floor was so clean I could see my reflection. "Listen to me carefully, Sophia," he said, turning to me, his chiseled jaw tight. "My grandfather is dying. His last wish is to see me married. You will pretend to be madly in love with me. You will smile. You will act obedient. In return, you get your $50,000 after 30 days and you disappear from my life forever." He stepped closer, his intoxicating scent making my knees weak. "Rule number one: Don't fall in love with me." "Rule number two: Don't touch my things." "Rule number three: Never enter my bedroom without permission." I swallowed hard, my heart hammering against my chest. "And if I break the rules?" His eyes darkened, and he leaned so close his lips almost brushed my ear. "Then you will regret ever meeting me, little wife." A shiver ran down my spine. Was it fear... or something else? "Now," he snapped, pulling away. "The stylist is waiting upstairs. Make yourself... presentable. My grandfather arrives tomorrow morning." He walked away, leaving me alone in the massive living room, shaking. What had I gotten myself into? I had just married the devil himself. A handsome, cold-hearted devil in an Armani suit. And for the next 30 days, I belonged to him. *[END OF CHAPTER 2]* > OMG! Sophia is now in the Billionaire's mansion! Do you think she will fall for him? Or will he fall first? 😍 Comment "TEAM ALEX" if you love Alexander already! Please add to library, next chapter is super hot - Grandfather is coming! - Uzoma Uzoamaka Here is *CHAPTER 3: The Grandfather's Test (The Kiss)* This is the chapter that will make readers addicted. Copy and paste: --- *CHAPTER 3: The Grandfather's Test* I barely slept. How could I? I was in a mansion the size of a palace, in a bedroom bigger than my entire former apartment, wearing silk pajamas that cost more than my 3 months salary as a waitress. And in the next room, just a wall away, was him. Alexander Knight. My contract husband. My heart hammered every time I thought of his cold grey eyes and his intoxicating scent. _Don't fall in love with me._ His warning echoed in my head. As if I would! He was arrogant, rude, and cold. Yes, breathtakingly handsome with that chiseled jaw and perfect body in an Armani suit, but cold. I was startled by a loud knock. "Sophia! Grandfather has arrived! Come downstairs NOW and don't embarrass me!" His domineering voice made my knees weak. I quickly wore the red dress the stylist had prepared yesterday. When I looked in the mirror, my breath hitched. I looked... ravishing. Ethereal. Like a different person entirely. My curly hair was packed beautifully, my lips glossy. I ran downstairs, my heart pounding. In the massive living room stood an old man with white hair and kind eyes, leaning on a walking stick. But his eyes... his eyes were sharp. As sharp as Alexander's. And Alexander stood beside him, looking even more handsome in a black suit, his face cold as ice. "So," the old man said, his voice warm but powerful. "This is the girl my grandson finally decided to marry?" Alexander tensed. "Grandfather, this is Sophia." The old man smiled at me, but it didn't reach his eyes. He was testing me. "Come here, my dear," he said. I walked closer, trembling. "Do you love my grandson?" he asked suddenly. My breath hitched. My eyes widened. This was the test. Alexander had warned me last night. "My grandfather will know if you are lying. You must act like you love me more than life itself." Alexander was looking at me now, his piercing grey eyes warning me. _Don't mess this up._ I swallowed hard and forced the biggest smile I could. "Yes," I whispered, then louder. "Yes, I love him with all my heart. Alexander is... he is everything to me." Butterflies erupted in my stomach as I lied. Was it really a lie? The old man raised an eyebrow. He looked at Alexander, then at me. "Hmm. You say you love him. But love is not just in words, my dear. Love is in actions." He paused, and a mischievous smile crossed his old face. "Then prove it. Kiss him. Right now. In front of me." My jaw dropped. W-what? Alexander's chiseled jaw tightened. His eyes darkened. "Grandfather, that's not necessary—" he growled. "It is necessary!" the old man snapped. "If she is truly your wife and loves you, a kiss should be nothing!" All eyes in the room — the maids, the guards, the grandfather — turned to me. Alexander turned to me slowly. His grey eyes were stormy, cold, and... something else. Something that made my heart hammer. He stepped closer. And closer. Until his intoxicating cologne overwhelmed me. Until I could feel his breath on my face. "You heard him, wife," he whispered, his voice low and dangerous, only for me to hear. "You wanted this contract. Now prove you can act." His hand cupped my chin, tilting my face up. His touch was burning. My lips parted. My breath hitched. My entire body trembled. He was going to kiss me. The billionaire devil was going to kiss me. And I didn't know if I wanted to run... or melt into his arms. He leaned down, his lips just inches from mine... *[END OF CHAPTER 3 - CLIFFHANGER]* *Author's Note : > AHHH! Will Alexander kiss her? Will Sophia pass Grandfather's test? 😍🔥 > Comment "KISS HER!" if you want the kiss to happen! > Please add to LIBRARY and vote with gems - it helps me win the contest! Chapter 4 tomorrow will be HOT! Love you - Uzoma Uzoamaka ❤️