His Contract Bride

Chapter 2 The Contract

Ethan’s office was silent, save for the ticking of the minimalist clock on the wall and the hum of city traffic far below the skyscraper’s glass windows. Amara Reyes sat stiffly in the leather chair across from his desk, hands trembling in her lap as she tried to maintain eye contact with the man who held her future in his well-manicured hands.

Ethan Blake’s expression was unreadable—cold, composed, and calculating. He was the kind of man who could turn a boardroom into a battlefield with a single glare. He tapped a pen against a document on the table, his suit crisp, his jaw tense.

“One year,” he repeated, his voice devoid of emotion. “You will be Mrs. Blake in public. There will be no romantic involvement. No personal expectations. In return, I will cover all of Marco’s medical expenses, and provide a monthly stipend for your living costs.”

Amara swallowed hard, her heart thundering against her ribs. Her brother’s name anchored her to the chair, kept her from bolting out the door and leaving this surreal moment behind. She had never imagined her life would come to this—negotiating a contract marriage with one of the most powerful men in the country.

“And after a year?” she asked, her voice hoarse.

“We divorce. Quietly. You walk away with your brother healthy and your dignity intact.”

She blinked. "Why me?"

His gaze was sharp. "You're clean. No scandals. No connections. And most importantly, you look the part."

Amara bit her lip, feeling both insulted and strangely flattered. It was true she had the kind of beauty that made people pause, but she had never used it for anything. Not like this.

“What are the rules?” she asked finally, her voice steadier now.

“No scandals. No defiance. And absolutely no falling in love,” he said without flinching.

That last part struck her more than it should have. As if love could ever grow in this cold, transactional arrangement. Still, she nodded slowly. “Alright. I’ll do it.”

Ethan rose from his chair, walked around the desk, and handed her a sleek black folder. Inside was the draft of the contract, pages filled with legal jargon and emotionless obligations. He handed her a pen.

“Sign it.”

She took the pen with a shaky breath. Her eyes scanned the paper, the words blurring together as her emotions twisted in her chest. She paused, thinking about Marco—her sweet, shy younger brother, hooked up to machines, fighting an illness they could no longer afford to treat.

She signed.

Ethan nodded and placed the folder back on the desk.

“The wedding will be held next Saturday. You’ll move into my penthouse two days prior. I’ll have someone bring you a wardrobe.”

Her head snapped up. "You're planning everything already?"

“I don’t leave things to chance, Miss Reyes.”

“Mrs. Blake,” she corrected softly, with a bitter smile.

For the first time, something flickered in Ethan’s eyes—amusement, maybe. Or something darker.

“You learn fast.”

Later that night, Amara sat in her tiny apartment, staring at the signed contract. The apartment was quiet, save for the occasional hiss of wind through the cracked window. Marco was asleep in the next room, unaware that his sister had just sold her soul for his life.

Was she crazy? Maybe. But desperation had a way of blurring the lines between right and wrong.

Her phone buzzed.

Unknown Number: Your fitting is tomorrow at 10AM. Don’t be late.

She sighed, leaned back against the couch, and closed her eyes.

This was her life now. A lie in exchange for hope.

And it was only just beginning.