The billionaire's last promise

The rain began before sunrise. It wasn't the gentle kind that whispered against rooftops. It came down in relentless sheets, drumming against the rusted zinc roofs of the old apartment building where Aria Bennett had lived for the past seven years. The sound seeped through the cracked windows, filling the tiny one-bedroom flat with a cold, lonely rhythm. Aria stood barefoot in the cramped kitchen, her fingers wrapped around a chipped ceramic mug. The coffee inside had long gone cold, but she hadn't noticed. Her eyes remained fixed on the white envelope lying on the table. She didn't need to open it. She already knew what it was. Another bill. Another reminder that time was running out. Taking a slow breath, she reached for it anyway. The paper crinkled beneath her fingers as she unfolded it. FINAL PAYMENT NOTICE The words blurred as tears filled her eyes. The hospital had given her one week. One week to pay the remaining balance for her younger brother's surgery. Otherwise, his operation would be cancelled. A cough echoed from the bedroom. Aria immediately folded the letter and forced a smile onto her face before walking inside. The room was barely large enough to fit a narrow bed, a wardrobe with a broken door, and the oxygen machine beside the mattress. Sixteen-year-old Lucas Bennett looked impossibly small beneath the faded blue blanket. His breathing was shallow. Dark circles rested beneath his eyes. Yet when he saw his sister, he smiled. "You've been staring at bills again." Aria rolled her eyes dramatically. "And good morning to you too." Lucas chuckled before another cough interrupted him. She hurried over with a glass of water. "Easy." "I'm okay." "You always say that." "Because it's true." She wasn't convinced. The doctors had explained everything. Lucas had been born with a heart condition that had worsened over the years. Medication could only do so much. Without surgery... She couldn't bear to finish the thought. Lucas noticed the sadness in her eyes. "They called again, didn't they?" She hesitated. "...Yes." "What did they say?" "The same thing." Silence settled between them. Lucas looked toward the ceiling. "I'm sorry." Aria frowned. "For what?" "For being expensive." Her heart shattered. She sat beside him and gently held his hand. "You are not expensive." "I am." "No." "If I wasn't sick—" She squeezed his hand. "Don't." "If I wasn't sick, you'd still be in university." She smiled softly. "I chose you." "You shouldn't have." "I'll always choose you." Lucas looked away, blinking rapidly to hide the tears forming in his eyes. Their parents had died five years earlier in a car accident. Since then, Aria had become everything. Sister. Mother. Father. Provider. Protector. She had dropped out of university during her final year. Worked in cafés. Cleaned offices. Waitressed during weekends. Tutored children at night. Anything to keep Lucas alive. And still... It wasn't enough. --- Two hours later, Aria stepped into the crowded streets with an umbrella that barely worked. The city bustled around her. Luxury cars splashed through puddles. Businessmen hurried toward towering office buildings. Street vendors shouted over one another. Life continued as if nothing had happened. As if somewhere nearby, a girl wasn't trying to save the only family she had left. She entered the café where she worked. "You're late," her manager barked. "I'm sorry." "Sorry doesn't keep customers." She apologised again before tying on her apron. The morning rush arrived like a storm. Coffee. Tea. Sandwiches. Pastries. Smile. Repeat. By lunchtime her feet ached. Just as she carried a tray to a customer, someone accidentally bumped into her. The tray tipped. Coffee spilled across an expensive grey suit. The café fell silent. "Oh my God..." Aria whispered. The man slowly looked down at his ruined jacket. His expression was unreadable. "I'm so sorry." Before she could reach for a towel, her manager rushed over. "What have you done?" "It was an accident." "Do you know how much that suit costs?" "I'll pay for the cleaning." "With what money?" The words stung. The customer finally spoke. "It's fine." His calm voice surprised everyone. "It was an accident." He accepted a napkin, wiped the sleeve once, then glanced at Aria for a brief second. There was something strangely familiar about his eyes. Before she could place it, he walked away. Outside the café, a sleek black luxury car waited. He climbed inside. The vehicle disappeared into traffic. Aria let out the breath she'd been holding. She had no idea that her life had just crossed paths with Damien Blackwood. Nor did she know... He had come to the café looking for her. Chapter 1: The Offer (Part 2) The rest of Aria's shift dragged by. She moved from table to table on autopilot, her smile growing weaker with every passing hour. The image of the mysterious customer lingered in her mind. Most wealthy people would have shouted, demanded compensation, or insisted she be fired. He hadn't. He had simply looked at her with those piercing grey eyes before walking away. It was strange. When her shift finally ended, she untied her apron and slipped it into her locker. As she reached for her handbag, her phone vibrated. Unknown Number. She frowned before answering. "Hello?" "Good evening. Am I speaking with Miss Aria Bennett?" "Yes." "My name is Evelyn Hart. I am the executive assistant to Mr Damien Blackwood." Aria froze. "The Damien Blackwood?" "Yes." She laughed nervously. "I think you've got the wrong person." "We do not." "Then... why are you calling me?" "Mr Blackwood would like to meet you." Her grip tightened around the phone. "I don't know him." "He knows who you are." A shiver ran down her spine. "I'm sorry, but I think there's been a mistake." "There hasn't. A car will arrive at your apartment tomorrow morning at nine o'clock." "I never agreed to—" "Mr Blackwood hopes you'll hear him out before making a decision." The call ended. Aria stared at the screen. What kind of billionaire summoned strangers like that? That night she barely slept. She kept replaying the conversation in her head. Had she somehow offended the man at the café? Was he planning to sue her? Or was it some elaborate scam? The next morning, she was awakened by the sound of an expensive car pulling up outside the apartment building. Her neighbours rushed to their windows. Children pointed excitedly. A long black luxury sedan stopped directly in front of the entrance. Someone knocked on her door. Opening it cautiously, she found a middle-aged chauffeur dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit. "Miss Bennett?" "...Yes." "I'm here to take you to Mr Blackwood." Lucas appeared from the bedroom. "Who is it?" Aria forced a smile. "Just... someone from work." Lucas wasn't convinced, but he didn't press. As she left, she looked back at him. "I'll be home soon." "Be careful." "I always am." The drive across the city felt unreal. The car glided through busy streets before entering the financial district, where towering skyscrapers pierced the clouds. Finally, it stopped in front of the tallest building she had ever seen. Across the polished stone entrance, enormous silver letters read: BLACKWOOD HOLDINGS. Aria swallowed hard. Inside, everything gleamed. Marble floors reflected crystal chandeliers. Employees in designer suits moved with quiet efficiency. No one spoke loudly. No one seemed out of place. Except her. She became painfully aware of her simple navy dress and worn handbag. A woman in a cream-coloured suit approached with a warm smile. "Miss Bennett?" "Yes." "I'm Evelyn." The same woman from the phone. "Mr Blackwood is expecting you." They entered a private lift that required a fingerprint to operate. The doors closed. The lift climbed swiftly. Thirty floors. Fifty. Seventy. Eighty-five. When the doors opened, Aria stepped into an office unlike anything she had imagined. One entire wall was made of glass, revealing the city stretching endlessly below. Bookshelves lined another wall. Modern artwork decorated the room. Everything was elegant. Everything was expensive. A man stood with his back to her, hands in his pockets as he gazed out over the skyline. Without turning, he spoke. "You're five minutes early." His deep voice was calm. Controlled. He slowly turned around. Aria recognised him instantly. The man from the café. The coffee she'd spilled... Her eyes widened. "You..." Damien Blackwood gave the faintest nod. "We've already met." "You were..." "Yes." "The customer." "I wanted to see how you behaved when things went wrong." She stared at him. "You tested me?" "I observed you." "You could have introduced yourself." "You might have acted differently." His expression remained unreadable. He gestured towards a chair. "Please." She remained standing. "I'd rather know why I'm here." A flicker of approval crossed his face. "You don't frighten easily." "You haven't answered my question." Instead of speaking immediately, Damien walked to his desk and picked up a file. He placed it before her. "Open it." Reluctantly, she did. Her breath caught. Inside were photographs. Hospital records. Employment details. Bank statements. Even copies of loan applications she had submitted. Her face drained of colour. "How did you get these?" "I had them collected." "Collected?" she whispered. "You investigated me?" "I needed accurate information." She snapped the file shut. "This is an invasion of my privacy." "I understand why you're upset." "No, I don't think you do." She stood abruptly. "If this is some kind of joke, I'm leaving." "You need £250,000 for your brother's surgery." Her footsteps stopped. "I can have the money transferred to the hospital today." Silence filled the room. Slowly, she turned back. "What?" "I'll pay every medical bill." She stared at him. "I'll clear your debts." She couldn't breathe. "I'll buy you a home." "This isn't funny." "It isn't." "Nobody gives away that kind of money." "I don't." "Then what do you want?" Damien looked directly into her eyes. For the first time, there was the faintest hint of emotion behind his cold exterior. "I want something in return." Her heartbeat quickened. "What?" He walked around the desk until only a few feet separated them. Then, in the same calm voice he'd used since she arrived, he said the words that would change both their lives forever. "I want you to become my wife." The room fell silent. Aria blinked. Surely she'd misheard. "...What? " "A one-year contract marriage." She let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "You're serious?" "Completely." "You're asking a stranger to marry you?" "Yes." "Why me?" Damien's gaze darkened. "Because you're the only woman who can help me keep a promise I made years ago." Before she could ask what he meant, the office doors opened. Evelyn stepped inside, her expression unusually tense. "Sir..." Damien looked at her. "What is it?" "There has been another attempt on your life." Aria's eyes flew to Damien. Another attempt? What kind of man had just asked her to marry him?