The Bought Wife

The first thing Vesper Vale learned about being sold was that nobody called it selling. They called it an opportunity. A solution. A blessing. A way out. But when five million dollars appeared in her stepfather's bank account and a marriage contract was slid across the table, Vesper knew exactly what it was. She was being sold. And everyone in the room knew it. "Sign it." Her stepfather pushed the contract toward her. Vesper stared at the document. Then at him. Then back at the document. The silence stretched. "I'd rather eat the paper." His jaw tightened. "Don't start." "Oh, I'm just getting started." A vein pulsed in his forehead. Good. She hoped it burst. For years, Gregory Vale had treated her like a burden he couldn't wait to get rid of. Now he had finally found someone willing to pay for the inconvenience. Unfortunately for Vesper, the buyer happened to be one of the most powerful men in the country. Zephyr Draven. The CEO everyone feared. The billionaire nobody understood. The man hidden behind a silver mask. The monster. At least according to the internet. She hadn't met him yet. But she already hated him. The office doors suddenly opened. Every conversation died instantly. Every head turned. And for the first time all day, Vesper understood why people feared Zephyr Draven. He walked into the room like he owned the air everyone breathed. Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed entirely in black. A silver mask covered part of his face, making him look less like a businessman and more like a king returning from war. His expression remained unreadable. Cold. Controlled. Dangerous. The room practically bowed around him. Everyone except Vesper. She crossed her arms. He looked at her. And kept looking. The stare lasted entirely too long. Heat crept up her neck. Annoying. Very annoying. Then his gaze dropped briefly to the untouched contract. When his eyes returned to hers, something flickered there. Amusement. The nerve. "So," Vesper said. The lawyer nearly choked. Her stepfather looked horrified. Zephyr simply raised an eyebrow. "So?" "Are you always this dramatic, or is today special?" The corner of his mouth twitched. A smile. A tiny one. But definitely a smile. Several people in the room looked ready to faint. Apparently the man wasn't known for smiling. Interesting. "You're different from what I expected," he said. Vesper scoffed. "Because I haven't thrown myself at your feet?" "No." His gaze remained fixed on hers. "Because you're still looking me in the eye." For some reason, that answer made her stomach flip. She hated that. Immediately. "You paid for a wife, not a pet." Something dark flashed across his expression. Gone so quickly she almost imagined it. "Correct." The answer surprised her. No argument. No threat. Just agreement. For a moment, silence settled between them. Heavy. Uncomfortable. Electric. Then Zephyr reached for the contract. Without warning, he tore it in half. The room gasped. Vesper blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. "What are you doing?" The shredded paper fell onto the table. His voice remained calm. "If you become my wife, it won't be because someone forced your signature." The room froze. Even Vesper didn't know how to respond. Because that wasn't what she expected. At all. Her stepfather exploded. "What are you doing? We had a deal!" Zephyr turned toward him. The temperature dropped instantly. One look. Just one. Gregory Vale went silent. Vesper had never seen her stepfather intimidated before. Yet here he was practically shrinking into his chair. Interesting. Very interesting. Zephyr reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a black card. He placed it in front of Vesper. "Walk away if you want." Her eyes widened. "What?" "The funds are yours." "What funds?" "Enough to pay your debts." Vesper stared. Her heart skipped. Nobody knew about those debts. Nobody. Not even her closest friends. "How do you know about—" "I know everything." The answer should have sounded arrogant. Instead it sounded factual. Which was somehow worse. "If I leave?" His gaze softened slightly. Only slightly. "You leave." No conditions. No threats. No demands. Freedom. The exact thing she'd wanted. So why did it suddenly feel like a trap? Before she could answer, the office door burst open. A man stormed inside. "No." The newcomer pointed directly at Zephyr. "Absolutely not." The room collectively groaned. The man ignored everyone. Then his eyes landed on Vesper. He froze. Completely. Vesper's heart nearly stopped. No way. Impossible. The years melted away instantly. A treehouse. Summer afternoons. Secret promises. Stolen ice cream. A boy with a crooked smile. "Cassian?" His eyes widened. "Vee?" Oh no. Oh, this was bad. Very bad. Because Cassian Draven wasn't just her childhood best friend. He was also her first crush. And judging by the expression slowly forming on Zephyr's face... His half-brother. Silence filled the room. Dangerous silence. The kind that came before disasters. Cassian looked between them. Then at the torn contract. Then at Zephyr. Then back at Vesper. Realization hit. His expression darkened. "What did you do?" Zephyr's jaw clenched. Vesper swallowed. Something told her this conversation wasn't going to end peacefully. Then Zephyr spoke. His voice low. Cold. Possessive. "Watch your tone when speaking about my future wife." And just like that— The war between the Draven brothers began.