Married To My Ex's Powerful Brother

The Billionaire's Contract

Ava Mitchell's POV

For a few seconds, I could only stare at him.

The words refused to make sense.

Become my wife.

Damien Hart had just asked me to marry him.

The same man who had watched me walk away from the worst night of my life.

The same man who was Jason Hart's older brother.

I let out a small, unbelieving laugh.

"You can't be serious."

Damien didn't react.

"I am."

I looked at the contract again, then back at him.

"You're asking me to marry you?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

It was the only question I could ask.

Because there were a thousand others running through my mind.

Why me?

Why now?

Why the woman your brother just destroyed?

Damien walked around his desk and sat down, his expression calm.

"My situation is complicated."

I crossed my arms.

"That explains nothing."

"Good. You shouldn't accept something like this without knowing everything."

For the first time since I met him, I noticed something different in his voice.

Honesty.

"This marriage would be beneficial for both of us."

I raised an eyebrow.

"So this is a business deal?"

"At first."

The answer was too honest.

I looked away.

"Of course."

Damien noticed my reaction.

"Listen to me, Ava."

His voice became firmer.

"You are not being asked because I pity you."

I looked back at him.

"Then why?"

"Because you are the only person who can help me."

I frowned.

"How?"

"The Hart family board believes I am too focused on business and incapable of building a stable personal life. They want proof that I can maintain the image of a family leader."

I understood.

"So you need a wife."

"Yes."

"And you chose me because..."

"Because I know you."

I froze slightly.

"You barely know me."

"I know enough."

His answer surprised me.

Damien continued.

"I know you stayed beside my brother when he had nothing. I know you helped him rebuild his confidence when people doubted him. I know you refused opportunities that would have benefited you because you believed in him."

My fingers tightened.

"And what did I get for that?"

His expression darkened.

"Nothing."

The anger in his voice wasn't directed at me.

It was directed at Jason.

I looked down.

"I don't understand why you care."

"I don't."

The answer came quickly.

Too quickly.

Then he added,

"Not in the way you're thinking."

I studied him.

Damien Hart was impossible to read.

One moment he sounded like he cared, and the next he built a wall between us.

"So what exactly are the terms?"

He pushed the contract toward me.

"One year."

I looked at the paper.

"One year?"

"After that, we decide what happens next."

"And during that year"?

"We live as husband and wife publicly."

My heart beat faster.

"Publicly?"

"Yes."

"But privately?"

His eyes met mine.

"That depends."

I frowned.

"Depends on what?"

"Whether we can trust each other."

I didn't know why that answer affected me.

Maybe because trust was the one thing I had lost.

The one thing Jason had destroyed.

I looked back at the contract.

"Separate bedrooms?"

"Yes."

"No expectations?"

"None."

"No pretending this is real?"

Damien was silent for a moment.

Then he said,

"We pretend in front of the world."

His gaze held mine.

"But we don't lie to each other."

Something about that sentence made me pause.

I looked away.

This was insane.

Yesterday, I was planning my future with Jason.

Today, I am sitting in the office of his older brother, discussing a marriage contract.

My life had changed completely in less than twenty-four hours.

"I need time."

Damien nodded.

"I expected that."

"You did?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you're not desperate."

The answer surprised me.

Most people would have assumed I would accept anything after being betrayed.

But Damien didn't.

He saw me differently.

"I'll give you forty-eight hours."

I looked at him.

"And if I say no?"

"Then the agreement disappears."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

I stood up, holding the contract.

I walked toward the door.

But before I reached it, Damien spoke again.

"Ava."

I stopped.

"When you find out the full truth about Jason..."

His voice lowered.

"Don't blame yourself."

I turned slightly.

"What truth?"

For the first time, Damien hesitated.

Only for a second.

But I noticed.

"There are things about your relationship with my brother that you don't know."

A cold feeling settled in my chest.

"What things?"

Damien looked at me.

"Things Jason made sure you would never discover."

My hand tightened around the contract.

"What did he do?"

But Damien didn't answer.

Instead, he looked toward the window.

"Go home. Think carefully."

I hated unanswered questions.

Especially now.

I left his office with more questions than answers.

When I returned home, I placed the contract on my dining table.

I stared at it for hours.

Marry Damien Hart.

The man who was my ex's brother.

The man who could change my entire life.

It sounded impossible.

Yet a small part of me wondered...

Was this my chance to finally stop being the woman everyone felt sorry for?

My phone buzzed.

I looked down.

A message.

From Jason.

I almost ignored it.

Almost.

But then I saw the words.

Jason:

I know you met Damien today.

My heart stopped.

How did he know?

Another message appeared.

Jason:

Stay away from him, Ava. You don't know who he really is.

I stared at the screen.

A slow anger replaced my sadness.

After everything he had done...

Jason was warning me about Damien?

Before I could respond, another message arrived.

This time from an unknown number.

Unknown:

If you marry Damien Hart, you will destroy the only family you have left.

My blood ran cold.

I slowly looked at the contract lying on the table.

Because suddenly, this wasn't just about revenge.

Someone was afraid of Damien and me becoming husband and wife.

And I needed to know why.