The billionaires bet

I should not have been in that building. The boardroom on the 40th floor of Blackwood Tower was not for people like me — faded sneakers, thrifted blazer, and a folder containing my mother's hospital bill: $87,430. "Who let her in?" His voice cut through the air. Cold. Bored. Three men in suits turned. And in the middle, he was the one I couldn't look away from. Damien Blackwood. 28. Billionaire. The man my best friend said ruins women for fun. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the top, black hair pushed back, eyes so dark they looked black. He was staring at me like I was a stain on his perfect glass office. "I — I came for the assistant job," I stammered. "I saw the ad—" His friend, Leo, laughed. "Damien, this is perfect. This is the girl." Damien smirked. "What girl?" "The bet," Leo said, pulling out his phone. "You said you could make ANY girl fall for you in 30 days. Even a broke, desperate—" "Leo." One word. Leo shut up. Damien stood up slowly and walked towards me. Every step made my heart slam. He smelled like expensive cologne and danger. He stopped inches from me. He took my folder, glanced at the bill, and then looked at my face. "How much do you need?" he asked. "87—" My voice cracked. "Eighty-seven thousand dollars." He smiled. But it wasn't kind. "I'll give you a hundred thousand," he said. "Right now. Cash." My knees almost gave out. "For... for what?" "Be my girlfriend. For 30 days. Live in my penthouse. Go to my parties. Let me do whatever I want." He leaned closer, his lips almost touching my ear. "And let's see if you can survive 30 days without falling in love with me. Because every woman does." Behind him, his friends were watching. They had bet money on me. I should have said no. I should have run. But I saw my mother's face in the hospital bed. "Deal," I whispered. Damien's eyes darkened. He grabbed my waist and pulled me hard against him. "Wrong answer, sweetheart," he growled. "You don't say deal. You say: 'Yes, Sir.'" And then he kissed me. Not sweet. Possessive. Like he had already bought me. What I didn't know was — the bet wasn't 30 days. He planned to never let me go. ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ Chapter one