THE LOVE DEAL

The Main Deal

The contract lay open on the wooden table, it’s crisp pages gleaming under the farmhouse light. I had read it twice now, but the words refused to sink in. Marriage. To Damien Blackwell. My hands curled into fists as I stared at the pristine white pages. It felt unreal. One moment, I had been drowning in debt, clutching into the last shreds of my father’s legacy. The next, I was signing my name away to a man who didn’t believe in love, only control. A man who had made it perfectly clear that this marriage was only a business transaction, and I was now part of his empire. The deal was simple-or at least, that’s how he made it sound. He would pay off all my debts, keep the vineyard running under my name, and in exchange, I would be his wife. Legally. Publicly. But not in the ways that mattered. At least, that’s what I hoped. My fingers trembled as I traced the ink of my own signature. I had agreed to this, but why did it feel like I had signed my soul away. I tried my hardest not to rip the paper into shreds. Then, a knock on the door snapped me out of my daze. “Selene? Open up!” Mira’s voice rang out, impatient as ever. I barely had time to process before she pushed the door open herself, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. She took one look at me – still in my old sweater and jeans hair undone, face pale- then at the contract on the tablet her sharp brown eyes narrowed. Her usual expression of casual amusement turned into a frown. “What the hell is this?” She demanded. I swallowed hard, hesitating. But there was no point hiding it. “A marriage contract.” I watched as Mira blinked. Once. Twice. Then she burst out laughing. “You’re funny. A marriage contract? With who? The ghost of your father’s vineyard?” I didn’t laugh. Her amusement vanished. “Wait, you’re serious?” I nodded. She snatched the contract and skimmed through it so fast I doubted she actually absorbed anything. I could already feel a headache coming, and I just simply rubbed at my temple. It was already 4pm, I wanted nothing more than to go curl up in my blanket and sleep till the next day. I definitely looked like I needed some sleep. I had trouble sleeping last night because I dreaded this morning’s meeting with Blackwell. I knew it was only a matter of time before Mira and Peter came around to find out how it went. When Mira finally looked at me again, there was fire in her eyes. “Selene,” she said slowly, “please tell me this is some elaborate prank…tell me you’re not actually doing this.” “I don’t have a choice, Mira.” “But still…a marriage? Was this your idea of a negotiation with Damien?” I swallowed, “I–” Before I could get a word out, Mira’s phone buzzed. She pulled it out, glanced at the screen and groaned. “Oh great. Peter’s here.” As if on cue, the door creaked open and Peter walked in, shaking his head. “You two really need to learn how to lock a damn door.” He looked at me, then at Mira, noticing the tension crackling in the air. “Okay, what did I walk into?” Mira turned to him, eyes blazing, “Selene just sighed a marriage contract.” Peter’s easygoing expression darkened, “Come again?” “She’s marrying him! As in legally! As in, she just signed a damn contract!” Peter’s gaze slid to me, “Selene, please tell me she’s exaggerating…” I sighed, “it’s not what you think.” Peter crossed his arms, “Then explain.” “Damien Blackwell is buying the vineyard. In exchange, I’m marrying him.” Silence. Mira let out a string of curses so fast and creative I was sure she invented a few new words. Peter, on the other hand, just studied me, his hazel eyes, usually warm, were unreadable. Finally, he exhaled, “Why him?” “Because he’s the only one willing to save it.” Peter ran a hand through his hair. “Selene…I get that you’re desperate, but this- this isn’t a solution. This is you signing your life away.” “At least the vineyard is safe, and still mine?” “Yours?” Mira asked in confusion. “By accepting to his terms, I get to still keep the vineyard, even after he has cleared all the debts. I just couldn’t refuse. I needed the money. He offered, and I accepted.” Peter’s jaw tightened, “That’s not you accepting an offer, that’s selling yourself to the devil. We can find other investors or buyers that will not place marriage as a means of payment or negotiation…” Mira slammed the contract back onto the table. “He’s dangerous. You know that right? He doesn’t just make deals. He owns people. And once you’re in his world, there’s no getting out.” I flinched, because a part of me knew that she was right. But it was too late. “I didn’t have another choice,” my voice was barely above a whisper. Mira looked like she wanted to argue, but she must have seen the exhaustion on my face and decided against it. She sighed and rubbed her temples. “At least tell me he’s not a total jerk.” I hesitated. Images of Damien flooded my mind- his striking handsomeness, his piercing eyes, the way he spoke with complete certainty, the way he had watched me, with so much intensity as someone who’s already five steps ahead of me. “He’s…”, I searched for the right word, “Intimidating.” Peter scoffed. “That’s one way to put it.” He picked up the contract again and skimmed through it, his face suddenly hardening. “Selene? Did you read the fine print?” I froze. “Did you know this locks you in for one f*****g year?” He asked. Damien did mention he needed me to play wife for one full year. I swallowed, “Yes.” “And that divorce isn’t an option unless he allows it?” My stomach twisted, “I-” “And,” Peter continued, his voice colder now, “if you try to break the contract without his approval, you owe him three times the original payment?” s**t. What did I get myself into?