Bought by a billionaire

CHAPTER ONE: The Offer I Couldn't Refuse The rain came down like it had a personal grudge against the city. Cold, harsh, and relentless just like the man who sat across from me in a black suit that probably cost more than my monthly rent. I was soaked, shivering, and trying not to let my hands shake as I clutched the warm coffee I couldn’t afford. The tiny corner café smelled of cinnamon and regret. I hadn’t planned to come here today. I hadn’t planned for my life to fall apart either. But here I was across from Damon Blackwell, New York's most feared billionaire. The headlines called him the Ice King of Wall Street. No heart, no emotion, no weakness. And definitely no mercy. "You're quiet, Miss Eze," he said finally, his voice smooth like silk but cold like a blade. I swallowed. "I don't know what you want from me, Mr. Blackwell." He leaned forward slightly. “Your father owes me five million dollars.” I felt the blood drain from my face. “I know. But he’s sick. In Nigeria. We don’t have that kind of money” “I’m not here to discuss his health,” he cut in. “I’m here to offer you a solution.” I stiffened. “A solution?” He slid a white envelope across the table. I stared at it, then slowly opened it. Inside was a contract. A marriage contract. My heart nearly stopped. “You want to marry me?” I asked, voice trembling. “No,” he said, flatly. “I want to own you. Publicly. Legally. For twelve months.” His words made me flinch. “Why?” He looked me dead in the eyes. “Because I need a wife. Fast. Someone the media will believe. Someone... unimportant. You’ll live in my penthouse. Attend social events. Look the part. That’s all.” “And in return?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “I clear your father's debt,” he said. “And wire you one hundred thousand dollars up front.” I stared at him. One hundred thousand dollars? That could save my dad’s treatment. My sister’s school. Our entire lives. But at what cost? “Why me?” I asked, my voice cracking. His eyes darkened. “Because you’re desperate. And because you won’t fall in love with me.” His confidence was insulting and strangely accurate. I took a deep breath. “What if I say no?” He stood slowly, buttoned his coat, and dropped a business card on the table. “Then your father goes to prison. And I still get what I want from someone else.” He paused at the door, looking back at me like I was a broken thing he was bored of fixing. “You have seventy-two hours. After that, the offer expires.” And just like that, he was gone. Leaving me in a storm of coffee, confusion, and a contract that could ruin or save everything. 💔 END OF CHAPTER ONE