London goodnight

Chapter 1: The Contract The rain in London didn't fall. It punished. Ava Moore stood beneath the flickering streetlight outside St. Mary's Hospital, clutching an envelope that had already destroyed her future. FINAL NOTICE. Three words. Three words that meant the bank would seize her father's bookstore. Three words that meant her sixteen-year-old brother, Noah, might lose access to the treatment keeping him alive. Three words that meant she had failed. Again. A cold gust of wind whipped through the street, soaking her coat and stinging her cheeks. She couldn't tell if the moisture on her face was rain or tears anymore. Her phone vibrated. Unknown Number. She almost ignored it. Then it rang again. And again. With a frustrated sigh, she answered. "Hello?" "Ava Moore?" The voice was male. Deep. Professional. "Yes." "My employer would like to meet with you." Ava frowned. "I think you have the wrong person." "We don't." The response came instantly. "We know about your brother's medical bills. We know about the debt on your bookstore. And we know the bank will begin repossession proceedings in seventy-two hours." A chill crawled down her spine. "Who is this?" "Tomorrow. Seven p.m. The Blackwood Hotel." The call ended. Ava stared at the screen. No explanation. No name. Nothing. Just an address. And somehow, that terrified her more than anything. --- The Blackwood Hotel was the kind of place Ava only saw in movies. Crystal chandeliers. Marble floors. People who looked like they had never worried about money a day in their lives. She felt completely out of place. A hostess escorted her to a private suite on the top floor. The door opened. And there he was. Tall. Dark suit. Perfect posture. The kind of face magazines paid millions to print. His icy blue eyes lifted from a stack of papers. Every instinct told Ava to turn around and leave. Instead, she stepped inside. "You wanted to see me?" The man studied her for several seconds. "You look different from your photographs." Ava folded her arms. "That's not creepy at all." To her surprise, one corner of his mouth twitched. Almost a smile. Almost. "I'm Ethan Blackwood." The name hit her instantly. Everyone in London knew Ethan Blackwood. Billionaire. CEO. Business genius. And according to every newspaper in the country, completely incapable of human emotion. "What do you want from me?" Ava asked. Ethan pushed a document across the table. "A proposal." She didn't sit. She didn't touch it. "People usually buy dinner first." His expression remained unreadable. "This isn't a joke." Slowly, Ava looked down at the papers. The title alone made her heart stop. MARRIAGE AGREEMENT She laughed. A loud, disbelieving laugh. Then she realized Ethan wasn't laughing. "Oh, you're serious." "Completely." Ava stared at him. Then at the contract. Then back at him. "No." "Read it first." "No." "I'll pay all your debts." She froze. The room suddenly felt silent. Too silent. Ethan continued. "The hospital bills. The mortgage. Any outstanding loans." Ava swallowed hard. "You don't even know me." "I don't need to." The words were cold. Businesslike. As if he were discussing stocks instead of marriage. "What exactly are you offering?" "A one-year marriage." Ava blinked. "What?" "A legal marriage lasting twelve months." She stared at him. Certain she'd finally lost her mind. "You want a fake wife?" "Correct." "Why?" For the first time, something shifted in Ethan's eyes. Not emotion. Something darker. Something hidden. "My grandfather's will." Ava remained silent. "He left me control of Blackwood Industries under one condition." "And that is?" "I must be married before my thirtieth birthday." "When is your birthday?" "Two weeks." Ava nearly laughed again. "This is insane." "It is practical." "No, practical is hiring an assistant. This is psychopath behavior." Again, that tiny hint of amusement appeared. Gone before she could be sure she'd seen it. Ethan slid the contract closer. "You receive five million pounds." Ava's breath caught. Five million. More money than she'd ever imagined. Enough to save Noah. Enough to save the bookstore. Enough to save everything. And Ethan knew it. He watched her carefully. Like a man observing a negotiation. Not a human being. Ava hated him for that. Almost as much as she hated the fact she was considering it. "What are the rules?" Ethan opened the contract. "No romantic expectations." "Good." "No public scandals." "Easy." "You will attend business functions with me." "Fine." "We share the same residence." Ava's eyes widened. "Excuse me?" "It will appear suspicious otherwise." "Absolutely not." "It has twelve bedrooms." "Still no." "Separate wings." Ava hesitated. Damn him. He had an answer for everything. "What happens after one year?" "The marriage ends." Simple. Clean. Like signing a lease. Yet something about the certainty in his voice bothered her. As though he'd already decided how their story would end. Without asking her. Without considering that feelings could change. That people could change. A dangerous thought. One she pushed away immediately. This wasn't love. It wasn't even friendship. It was survival. Nothing more. Ethan offered her a pen. "Take twenty-four hours." Ava stared at it. Then at the contract. Then at the photograph of Noah on her phone screen. Her little brother smiling despite everything. Fighting despite everything. Waiting for her to save him. The choice should have been impossible. Instead, it felt inevitable. Slowly, she reached for the pen. And Ethan Blackwood watched as Ava Moore signed away the next year of her life. Neither of them knew it yet. But that signature would change everything. And destroy every rule written in the contract.