Bound by a Deal
1089 Words
Chapter two:
Zara sat stiffly in the backseat of Kian’s black luxury car, her fingers tangled in her lap as the city lights blurred past the tinted windows. The hum of the engine filled the heavy silence between them.
He hadn’t spoken since they left the convenience store.
Neither had she.
There was too much to process.
She stole a glance at him.
Sharp jaw. Cold, unreadable expression. A man who exuded power without saying a word.
A man who had just changed the course of her life with a single sentence.
and Marry me.
The words echoed in her head, rattling inside her like a warning she had yet to understand.
Her fingers clenched together, nails pressing into her palm as she forced herself to breathe.
Finally, unable to bear the silence any longer, she whispered, “Where are we going?”
Kian kept his eyes on the road, his grip steady on the wheel. “My house.”
Her stomach twisted.
His house.
It made sense. She was now tied to him, bound by a deal she had no choice but to accept.
Still, the thought of stepping into his world, a world of wealth and power, made her chest tighten.
Zara exhaled shakily. “You’re awfully quiet.”
Kian’s fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel. “So are you.”
She bit her lip. “What am I supposed to say?”
Kian’s gaze flickered toward her for a brief second before returning to the road. “You agreed to marry me without asking why.”
Her pulse stuttered.
“You didn’t exactly give me time to ask,” she muttered.
The corners of his lips twitched, but it wasn’t a smile.
“You’re in debt,” he said simply. “And I offered you a way out.”
Zara’s throat tightened. “That’s not the whole story, is it?”
Kian was silent.
She turned to face him, studying his profile. The hard lines of his face. The way his jaw flexed slightly, like he was considering whether or not to tell her the truth.
Finally, he exhaled.
“I need a wife.”
Zara blinked.
Her mind scrambled to process his words.
“A wife?” she echoed. “You—” She let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. “A man like you could have anyone.”
Kian didn’t react.
“This isn’t about love,” he said flatly.
Of course not.
Love had no place in a transaction like this.
“My father left behind a business empire,” he continued. “But he also left behind a will. A very specific one.”
Zara’s breath caught.
“And what does that have to do with me?”
Kian’s jaw ticked. “The board of directors doesn’t trust a single man with power. They believe a stable marriage proves responsibility.”
Realization crashed over her.
“You need me to play the part.”
“Yes.”
Zara stared at him.
Her mind raced, trying to piece everything together.
A powerful businessman. A will that required a wife. A desperate girl drowning in debt.
It was convenient. Too convenient.
“So I’ll be your… what? A trophy wife?”
Kian’s lips pressed into a thin line. “You’ll be my wife. In name, in public, and in every way that matters.”
Her stomach twisted.
Every way that matters.
She swallowed.
“And when the board believes you?” she asked. “When they trust you with your company?”
His grip on the steering wheel tightened.
“Then we’ll part ways.”
Zara exhaled. It was temporary. A role to play.
But something about it still felt suffocating.
She hesitated, then asked the question that had been burning in her mind since the store.
“Why me?”
Kian glanced at her again, his gaze sharp.
“You’re in debt,” he said simply. “And I needed someone desperate enough to say yes.”
The words stung, even though she knew they were true.
Zara looked away, staring out the window as the city blurred past.
She had no other choice.
The alternative was worse.
Jide. The loan sharks. The threats that had been creeping closer every day.
This was her only way out.
So she squared her shoulders, forcing down the fear clawing at her chest.
“Okay,” she whispered.
Kian didn’t react for a moment.
Then, finally...
“Good,” he said.
The rest of the drive was silent.
—
When they arrived at his house... no, his mansion...Zara could do nothing but stare.
The iron gates opened smoothly, revealing a driveway lined with towering trees and trimmed hedges. The mansion itself was sleek and modern, with massive glass windows that reflected the city lights.
It was another world.
Kian parked the car and stepped out without a word.
Zara followed hesitantly, her worn-out sneakers feeling out of place against the pristine driveway.
A butler appeared at the door, nodding politely.
“Mr. Duru.”
Kian gave a curt nod. “Prepare a room for her.”
The butler’s gaze flickered to Zara, but he said nothing.
Zara swallowed. A room. Not his room.
She wasn’t sure if she felt relieved or… something else.
She followed Kian inside, her breath catching as she stepped into the foyer.
Marble floors. A grand staircase. Chandeliers that probably cost more than her entire debt.
It was overwhelming.
Kian shrugged off his suit jacket, his movements effortless. “We’ll discuss the details tomorrow. For now, you should rest.”
Zara hesitated. “That’s it?”
Kian arched a brow. “Did you expect something else?”
Her cheeks burned. “I just… I don’t know. I thought maybe you’d hand me a contract or something.”
Kian smirked, amusement flickering in his eyes. “You’ll get one. But right now, you’re exhausted.”
Zara hated that he was right.
The weight of the day crashed over her, making her legs feel weak.
She exhaled. “Fine.”
Kian gestured toward the butler. “He’ll show you to your room.”
Zara hesitated, then turned to follow.
But before she could take a step, Kian spoke again.
“One more thing.”
She turned back.
His gaze was unreadable. “You belong to me now, Zara. Remember that.”
Her breath hitched.
He didn’t say it like a threat. He said it like a fact.
Like a promise.
And for the first time since she said yes...
She wondered
- Writer
