Contract Marriage, unexpected love

Chapter2

Liam’s POV

The view from the 80th floor of the Sterling Global headquarters was supposed to make a man feel like a god. To me, it just felt like looking out of a very expensive cage.

I leaned against the floor-to-ceiling glass, the cold surface seeping through my dress shirt. I’d ditched the blazer on the sofa ten minutes ago. I hated suits. They felt like a costume one my father, Charles Sterling, had been trying to force me into since I was old enough to walk.

"You’re late for the final briefing, Liam."

The voice was like grinding gravel. I didn't turn around. I didn't have to. I could hear the rhythmic *thump-clack* of my father’s silver-topped cane against the polished marble floor.

"I’m here, aren't I?" I muttered, watching a helicopter drift past the skyscraper. "What’s the rush? It’s not like the bride is going to run away. From what you told me, her family is practically gift-wrapping her to save their skins."

"Watch your tongue," Charles snapped. I turned then, catching the icy glare behind his designer spectacles. He looked every bit the 'Enforcer' the business world feared. "The Thornes are an old-money name. They have the one thing you’ve managed to drag through the mud over the last five years: **reputation.**"

I scoffed, reaching up to rub the back of my neck, where the collar of the shirt chafed against a small, black ink tattoo a compass rose hidden just beneath the hairline. "My reputation is fine, Dad. The tabloids love me. I’m great for the economy."

"You are a liability," Charles said, stepping closer. He didn't just stand; he loomed. "The board is breathing down my neck. They don't want a 'party prince' inheriting the Sterling legacy. They want a man who is grounded. Married. Responsible."

He tossed a folder onto the massive oak desk between us.

"Sign the contract at Henderson's office today, stay clean for one year, and play the part of the doting husband. Do that, and the trust fund is yours. The private island in the South Pacific you’ve been scouting? I’ll buy it for you myself as a wedding gift. You can disappear forever for all I care."

I looked at the folder. My ticket out.

"And if I don't?"

Charles’s smile didn't reach his eyes. "Then you are cut off. No more cars. No more penthouse. No more Sterling name. You’ll be just another blonde kid with a high school education and a penchant for expensive whiskey. Choose wisely."

I felt the familiar burn of resentment in my gut. He knew exactly which buttons to push. He knew I wanted out of this glass tower more than I wanted my next breath.

"Fine," I spat, grabbing my leather jacket from the chair. "Let’s go meet the lucky girl."

### The Law Offices of Henderson & Associates

The air in the lawyer's office was thick with the scent of old paper and desperation.

When I walked in, I expected a social climber. I expected a woman with too much filler and a hunger for my credit card.

Instead, I saw her.

She was sitting perfectly still, her back a straight line of pure defiance. Her dark hair was pulled into a bun so tight it looked painful. She was wearing a grey suit that screamed "academic professional"—a stark contrast to the vibrant, messy world I usually inhabited.

She turned her head as I entered. Her hazel eyes weren't filled with the awe or flirtation I was used to. They were sharp. Cold. They looked at me like I was a particularly uninteresting specimen under a microscope.

"Liam Sterling," I said, not bothering to offer a hand. I didn't want to touch anyone in this room.

"Victoria Thorne," she replied. Her voice was steady, but I noticed the way her fingers were clamped white-knuckled around her handbag.

Mr. Henderson, a man who looked like he hadn't smiled since the 1990s, cleared his throat and spread a thick stack of papers across the desk.

"Before we sign," Henderson said, his eyes darting between us, "I must emphasize the **Mutual Respect Clause**. This is the backbone of the agreement. Any public scandal, any domestic incident reported to this office, or any breach of civil conduct will result in the immediate nullification of the contract."

I leaned back, crossing my arms. "So, no screaming matches in the driveway? Got it."

Victoria didn't even blink. "And no bringing your 'lifestyle' into our shared home, I assume?"

I smirked. She had a bite. "Don't worry, *Professor*. I think I can manage to keep my distance from you."

"Good," she whispered, though her gaze dropped to the papers.

We both signed. The scratch of the pens was the only sound in the room. It felt less like a wedding and more like a surrender.

As Henderson began gathering the documents, he handed Victoria a small, separate folder. "This contains the financial breakdown of the Thorne Group’s debt settlement, as requested."

I watched as Victoria’s eyes scanned the pages. I expected relief. Instead, I watched the blood drain from her face. Her breathing hitched, becoming shallow and ragged.

"Victoria?" I asked, a strange flicker of concern piercing through my cynicism. "You okay?"

She didn't answer. She was staring at the bottom of a page, her eyes wide with a sudden, haunting realization. She looked up at my father, who was standing by the door with a triumphant, cold smirk.

Then she looked at me. There was no more 'mutual respect' in her eyes. There was only raw, unfiltered horror.

"What is it?" I reached for the folder, but she slammed it shut, her chest heaving.

"Nothing," she lied, her voice trembling. "I just... I realized how much I’ve sold myself for."

She stood up abruptly, grabbing the keys Henderson had placed on the desk. She didn't wait for me. She didn't wait for my father. She walked out of the office, her heels clicking a frantic rhythm against the floor.

I stood there, confused. I looked at my father. "What’s her problem?"

Charles simply adjusted his tie. "She’s just overwhelmed, Liam. Go to the apartment. Start your new life. And remember don't break the rules.

I followed her out, but as I waited for the elevator, I couldn't shake the feeling that I hadn't just walked into a marriage. I had walked into a trap. And for some reason, the woman I was now legally bound to looked like she wanted to kill me!