The Contract Marriage

Chapter Five:The Decision

I stared at the contract for almost an hour.

It sat on my kitchen table, perfectly neat and completely terrifying.

One year.

That was all Damien wanted.

One year of pretending to be his wife.

In return, he was offering enough money to change my life.

I picked up the contract again.

The first page was filled with legal language I barely understood.

The second page was easier.

I read it slowly.

One-year marriage.

Public appearances when necessary.

No interference in each other's personal lives.

Separate bedrooms.

Confidentiality.

And after twelve months, the marriage would end.

Simple.

Cold.

Almost too simple.

I turned the page.

My eyes stopped on the amount Damien had offered me.

I stared at it.

That money could pay my mother's medical bills.

It could clear our debts.

It could give us a chance to breathe.

I hated that I was considering it.

But I was.

My phone rang.

Laura.

I answered.

"Hello?"

"Why do you sound like someone just offered you a kidney?"

I looked at the contract.

"Worse."

"What happened?"

I hesitated.

"I got a job offer."

"From where?"

"Blackwood Enterprises."

Silence.

Then she screamed.

"YOU MET HIM AGAIN?"

I pulled the phone away from my ear.

"Please lower your voice."

"You met Damien Blackwood?"

"Yes."

"Today?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

I took a deep breath.

"He offered me a job."

"What kind?"

I closed my eyes.

"Being his wife."

Silence.

Complete silence.

Then Laura said quietly,

"I'm sorry. What?"

I laughed nervously.

"That's exactly what I said."

"You mean fake wife?"

"Contract wife."

"Oh my God."

"I know."

"Aria, this is insane."

"I know."

"You're actually considering it?"

I looked at the contract.

"Maybe."

"Why?"

I didn't answer immediately.

Because the truth was embarrassing.

"Mom's bills."

Laura went quiet.

She knew.

"How much?"

I told her.

She whistled softly.

"Okay."

"What?"

"That's serious money."

"I know."

"But you don't love him."

"I barely know him."

"Good."

"Good?"

"Yes. That's the only reason this might work."

I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"You've spent your entire life saying you don't want love. Now you're being offered a marriage where love isn't required."

I laughed.

"When you say it like that, it sounds reasonable."

"Because it is."

I looked at the contract again.

"I still don't trust him."

"You don't have to."

"That's not comforting."

"Aria, you're not marrying him for love. You're making a deal."

I leaned back in my chair.

A deal.

Maybe that was all it needed to be.

"Three days," I whispered.

"What?"

"He gave me three days to decide."

"Then use all three."

"I will."

"And don't sign anything before having a lawyer look at it."

I smiled.

"Since when did you become responsible?"

"Since you decided to marry a billionaire."

I laughed.

"Goodnight, Laura."

"Goodnight, future Mrs. Blackwood."

I ended the call.

"Not happening," I muttered.

But my eyes drifted back to the contract.

The next morning, I walked into Blackwood Enterprises.

I had spent most of the night thinking about Damien's offer.

By morning, I had made a decision.

I needed answers.

The receptionist looked up when I approached.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm here to see Damien Blackwood."

She looked at me.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No."

"Mr. Blackwood doesn't accept unscheduled visitors."

I almost turned around.

Then a familiar voice spoke behind me.

"She has an appointment."

I turned.

Daniel.

Damien's secretary.

He nodded toward me.

"Mr. Blackwood is expecting you."

I followed him toward the elevators.

The doors opened.

We stepped inside.

"You came to accept?"

I looked at him.

"I came to ask questions."

He smiled faintly.

"I'll let him know."

The elevator stopped at the top floor.

Daniel led me through a quiet hallway before stopping outside a large office.

He knocked.

"Come in."

I stepped inside.

Damien was standing near the window, looking over the city.

He turned when he saw me.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then his eyes dropped to the folder in my hand.

"You read it."

"Yes."

"And?"

"I have questions."

"Ask."

I placed the contract on his desk.

"Why are you so desperate to get married?"

His expression didn't change.

"My inheritance."

"That's it?"

"That's enough."

I studied him.

"And you expect me to pretend to be your wife for an entire year?"

"Yes."

"What happens if I change my mind?"

"You won't."

My eyebrows rose.

"That's confident."

"I wouldn't have approached you if I thought you would."

I crossed my arms.

"You've investigated me."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I needed someone trustworthy."

I laughed.

"You don't know me."

"I know enough."

I stared at him.

He was frustratingly calm.

"One more question."

"Go ahead."

"Why me?"

This time, he didn't answer immediately.

His eyes remained on mine.

"Because everyone around me wants something."

He paused.

"You didn't."

I didn't know what to say.

He continued.

"You didn't care who I was. You weren't impressed by my money. You weren't trying to get my attention."

"I spilled champagne on you."

"Exactly."

I smiled despite myself.

Then I became serious again.

"If I agree, there will be conditions."

His eyebrow lifted.

"Such as?"

"I keep my job."

"Fine."

"I don't want strangers controlling my life."

"Fine."

"I want my mother protected from the media."

"Done."

"And I want the freedom to leave if I feel unsafe."

His expression hardened slightly.

"Agreed."

I looked at the contract.

One year.

A ridiculous amount of money.

A man I didn't love.

A marriage that wasn't supposed to mean anything.

Maybe this was the safest kind of marriage for someone like me.

I picked up the pen.

Damien watched silently.

My hand hovered over the signature line.

I took a breath.

Then stopped.

"I need one more day."

He nodded.

"Take it."

I put the pen down.

As I walked toward the door, his voice stopped me.

"Aria."

I turned.

"What?"

His gaze was fixed on me.

"Once you sign that contract, everything changes."

I looked at him.

"Then let's hope we both know what we're doing."

I walked out.

Neither of us did.