Married to the Cold-hearted CEO

Chapter Two: The Contract Marriage

Two days later, Ella stood in a private room inside Manhattan’s elite civil courthouse, dressed in a navy-blue sheath dress that Zoe had lent her. Her palms were damp. Her heart thundered.

Was she really about to do this?

Yes. She had read the contract, front to back. The terms were clear, cold, and legally binding. One year. No romance. No strings. One million dollars in monthly deposits to her new bank account.

She’d barely slept, but she’d made her decision.

“Do you, Xander Knight, take Ella Wilson to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

Xander’s voice was as emotionless as the marble floor beneath them. “I do.”

The officiant turned to her. “And do you, Ella Wilson, take Xander Knight to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

She hesitated. Just a second.

“I do.”

The words slipped out, and with that, her life changed forever.

There were no rings. No kiss. Just a handshake between strangers wearing wedding clothes.

⸻

“You’ll move in tonight,” Xander said later as they walked toward the waiting car. “I’ve arranged everything.”

Ella followed him in silence. The black car waiting at the curb gleamed under the afternoon sun. A driver held the door open as they climbed in.

“Where exactly is your place?” she asked, glancing at him.

“Top floor of Knight Tower.”

Of course. The most expensive residential building in the city. Ella folded her hands in her lap, willing herself not to fidget.

The ride was silent, the air thick with tension. Xander tapped away on his phone while she stared out the window, wondering if she was still sane.

⸻

The penthouse was breathtaking—sleek marble floors, modern furniture, and a panoramic view of the city skyline. It looked like it belonged in a luxury magazine, not in a real person’s life.

“This is your room,” Xander said, opening the door to a spacious guest suite. “You’ll have access to everything except my office and bedroom. Those are off-limits.”

Ella nodded. “Understood.”

He handed her a folder. “The schedule for public appearances is in here. There’s a charity gala this Friday. You’ll need to come with me.”

“And the rest of the rules?” she asked.

“No bringing strangers into the apartment. No talking to the press. You will maintain the image of a devoted wife when in public. We’ll communicate when necessary, but I prefer privacy.”

“So basically, we’re roommates with a legal bond,” she said, trying to keep her tone light.

His lips twitched. Almost a smile. Almost.

“Exactly.”

He turned to leave but paused at the door. “Oh, and Ella?”

She looked up.

“Don’t fall in love with me.”

Her breath caught. “That won’t be a problem.”

But as he walked away, the words lingered in the air like smoke.

⸻

Later that night, Ella stood by the window in her new room, staring out at the glittering city. She was legally married to a billionaire she barely knew, living in a penthouse she didn’t belong in, and pretending to be someone she wasn’t.

She wasn’t a gold-digger. She wasn’t a socialite. She was just a girl who needed a way out.

But as she turned away from the view, one thought burned in her mind:

This may be the biggest mistake—or the greatest opportunity—of her life.