MARRIED BY MISTAKE

Elena's eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, everything was a blur—too white, too bright, too… unfamiliar. She blinked again. Silken sheets. A golden chandelier. The faint scent of sandalwood and expensive cologne clinging to the air. Her head pounded like drums in a funeral procession, her mouth dry, and her memories scrambled. Then she felt it. A warm body beside her. Her heart jumped. Slowly, stiffly, she turned her head—and froze. A man lay next to her. Shirtless. Broad shoulders, tousled dark hair, face sculpted like it belonged on the cover of a GQ magazine. And there it was—glinting on his left hand. A silver wedding band. Her gaze snapped down to her own hand. Her breath caught. A matching ring. No. No. No. Elena bolted upright, the satin sheet falling from her chest. She realized then—horrified—that she wore only a strapless silk nightgown she didn’t recognize. Her pulse thundered in her ears. “What the hell is this?” The man stirred, deep voice husky. “Good morning, wife.” Wife? Elena’s stomach twisted. “Who are you?” she snapped, scrambling to the edge of the bed and clutching the sheet to her chest. He sat up, completely calm, like this was just another Tuesday morning. “We got married last night. Vegas. Champagne. Vows. The whole package.” “Married?” Her voice cracked. “This has to be a joke.” He ran a hand through his hair. “You don’t remember anything, do you?” “I remember going to that engagement party. I remember wine. Lots of it. And then… nothing.” His smirk faded slightly, replaced with something unreadable. “I’m Jace. Jace Lennox. CEO of Lennox Holdings.” Elena’s eyes widened. That name—Lennox—was everywhere. He was the ghost billionaire socialites whispered about. Rich, powerful, and always disappearing from the public eye. What was he doing in her life? “I don’t understand. I don’t even know you,” she whispered. Jace stood from the bed. He was calm, cool, collected—annoyingly so. He moved to a sleek black desk, pulled out a document, and handed it to her. Marriage Certificate. Her name. His name. A signature that looked eerily like hers. She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the paper as if it were a trap. “I signed this?” she asked, voice barely a breath. “You did,” Jace said, buttoning a crisp white shirt with practiced ease. “We even kissed in front of the chapel witnesses.” Elena’s stomach flipped. She couldn’t have. She wouldn’t. But the ring on her finger said otherwise. “This has to be annulled. I’ll call my lawyer,” she muttered, reaching for her phone that wasn’t even in sight. Jace tilted his head, eyes cool. “Not so fast.” Her eyes met his. “Excuse me?” “I have a proposition. Six months. We stay married—for business reasons. After that, we walk away clean.” Elena stared at him like he’d grown horns. “You think I’d stay married to a stranger for business?” she snapped. “You’d be surprised how often that happens in my world,” he replied coolly. “But it’s not just business. It’s… personal. Let’s just say it helps me keep certain people at bay.” Elena shook her head, trying to understand what kind of twisted world she’d fallen into. “Why me?” “You were at the right place at the right time. And… you didn’t run away.” “I was drunk!” she yelled. “I didn’t even know what I was doing!” He stepped closer. “And yet you said ‘I do’.” Elena’s breath hitched. This couldn’t be real. “You’ll be taken care of,” he added. “A new car. Apartment. A generous allowance. Six months of pretending—and then freedom. No strings.” She swallowed. Every part of her screamed run. But another part of her—a wounded, betrayed part—remembered why she’d drunk herself into oblivion in the first place. David. Her ex-fiancé. The man who’d cheated with her best friend three weeks before their wedding. Maybe being someone else’s wife wasn’t the worst revenge. Elena let out a shaky breath. “You said six months?” Jace nodded. “No romance. No touching. No—funny ideas?” A slow smirk curved his lips. “You’re not my type.” “Good. You’re not mine either.” They stared at each other, a silent contract forming in the space between. Elena sighed. “Fine. But when the six months end—I’m out.” Jace held out his hand. “Deal.” Her fingers hesitated… then slipped into his. A jolt ran up her arm—like electricity—but she pulled away quickly. This was just a game. A show. A mistake. And Elena Morgan never made the same mistake twice. [TO BE CONTINUED...]