THE BILLIONAIRE'S FAKE FIANCÉE

Chloe James stared at the eviction notice taped to her tiny New York apartment door. The paper was pink. FINAL NOTICE. Three days. She had three days to pay $2800 or all her things would be thrown on the street. Her hands shook. She opened her bank app on her cracked iPhone. Balance: $43.12. She was 24 years old, broke, jobless, and about to be homeless in the most expensive city in America. Six months ago she had dreams. She came to New York to open a bookstore cafe. Now she was cleaning tables at a diner that just fired her because she could not afford to fix her uniform. She sat on the cold floor of her 200 square foot apartment and cried. The apartment smelled like mold. The heater was broken. Winter was coming. Her phone rang. It was her best friend Maya. "Chloe? Did you pay rent?" "No. I'm getting evicted." "Come to The Black Lion. I'm working tonight. At least get free dinner and wine. We will think of something." The Black Lion was a rooftop bar on 5th Avenue where only billionaires and models went. Chloe would never belong there, but she put on her only good jacket, an old Zara jacket she bought three years ago, and walked 40 blocks because she could not afford subway. The bar was beautiful. Glass walls, city lights, rich men in $5000 suits, women in diamond dresses. Chloe sat alone at the corner bar, feeling small. Maya slipped her a glass of water and bread. "You look tired, honey." "I'm dying," Chloe whispered. At that moment a man sat next to her. He smelled like expensive cologne and power. Tall, broad shoulders, dark hair perfectly cut, jaw sharp. He wore a black suit that probably cost more than Chloe's rent for a year. "Rough day?" he asked. His voice was deep, cold. Chloe looked up. She recognized him from business magazines. Alex Stone. 29 years old. Billionaire CEO of Stone Hotels. The most eligible bachelor in New York. Famous for being ruthless, cold, and never dating the same girl twice. "Rough life," Chloe answered. She did not smile. She was too tired to flirt. He ordered. "Old fashioned. And whatever she wants." "I want nothing from you," Chloe said. He raised an eyebrow. No woman ever said that to him. "You are not from this world," he said. "Obviously. I don't have a $5000 suit." He laughed. For the first time that night, he laughed. "I like you. You are honest." Maya brought wine. Chloe drank it fast. It was the best wine she ever tasted. "Why are you here alone in that old jacket?" Alex asked. Chloe didn't know why she told him. Maybe because he was a stranger. Maybe because she had nothing to lose. "I just got fired. My bank has $43. I have an eviction notice on my door. In three days I will be homeless. So I'm here drinking free water." Alex stared at her. He looked at his phone. A news headline flashed: STONE HOTELS BOARD THREATENS TO BLOCK $500M DUBAI DEAL - CEO NEEDS TO SHOW STABILITY AND FAMILY IMAGE. His board thought he was a playboy. They wanted a CEO with a wife, a family man. They would not sign the biggest deal of his life unless he showed he could settle down. He looked at Chloe again. She was beautiful even when crying. Natural, brown hair, green eyes, no fake lips or fake anything. She looked real. She looked like the girl next door. Not like the models who chased him for money. An idea hit him. A crazy idea. "What's your name?" he asked. "Chloe. Chloe James." "Chloe James, I have a business proposition for you." "I am not that kind of girl." "It's not that kind. I need a fake fiancee." Chloe almost choked on her wine. "What?" "My investors think I am irresponsible. They want me to be engaged. A family man. I need a normal, real girl to be my fiancee for 30 days. Just 30 days. You live in my penthouse, you come to events with me, you smile for cameras. After 30 days, we have a public breakup, you keep the money, I keep my deal." Chloe thought he was joking. "This is a joke?" "No joke. I will pay you $100,000. $50,000 upfront tomorrow morning, $50,000 after 30 days. Plus clothes, apartment, everything. Your debt will be gone." $100,000. Chloe's heart stopped. With $100,000 she could pay rent, pay debts, and open her small bookstore dream. Her life could change. "Why me? You could have any model." "Because every model wants me. They want my money. They would fall in love or try to trap me. You..." he looked at her, "You looked at me like I was annoying. You don't want me. That is perfect. No feelings. No strings. Just business. Pure contract." Chloe's mind raced. Is this safe? Is this legal? But what choice did she have? Sleep on the street in New York winter or live in a billionaire penthouse for 30 days? "What are the rules?" she asked quietly. Alex took out his phone and typed. "Rule 1: You live in my penthouse as my fiancee. Rule 2: You attend all events I ask you to. Rule 3: We post one photo per day as a couple for media. Rule 4: No physical contact unless we both agree for cameras. Rule 5: No falling in love. This is business." "No falling in love? You are so arrogant you have to put that in a contract?" "Many women fall for me, Chloe. I am protecting you." She wanted to slap him. But she also needed the money. He slid a black business card across the bar. "My lawyer's number. You have 12 hours to decide. Call him if you say yes. If you say no, forget we ever met." He stood up, tall and powerful. "Goodnight, Chloe James." He left, leaving money for her wine. $100 bill. Chloe held the black card tight. Her hands were sweaty. $100,000. Maya came back. "Who was that? Was that THE Alex Stone?" Chloe nodded. "What did he want?" "He offered me $100,000 to be his fake fiancee for 30 days." Maya screamed. "Girl! Say YES! Are you crazy? That's your rent for two years!" "What if it's dangerous?" "What is dangerous is sleeping on the street! Chloe, this is New York. This kind of thing happens in movies. Take the money!" Chloe walked home 40 blocks again, but this time she felt different. She looked at her eviction notice. Pink paper. She took the card and called the number before she could change her mind. A serious voice answered. "Stone Legal Department." "Tell Mr. Stone, Chloe James says yes." On the other side of the city, in a 60th floor penthouse overlooking Central Park, Alex Stone smiled when his lawyer texted him: SHE SAID YES. He opened his whiskey and looked at the city. In 30 days he would have his $500 million deal. And he would be free. He didn't know that 30 days with Chloe James would change everything. Because some contracts are made to be broken. ---