THE INHERITANCE CONTRACT

Lena Dean wrapped her fingers around her coffee mug and walked to the window. Istanbul, as always, was chaotic, loud, and gray. But she loved this city. She had grown up here, dreamed here, and been disappointed here. At twenty-eight, she had built a name for herself in the magazine world. She was a writer with a serious following. Her articles caused a stir. Her words stuck with her readers. But she was tired of working for other people's magazines. She wanted to start her own. You know what the problem was? Money. To make her dream a reality, she would need to work for nearly fifty years. Then her stepfather went bankrupt, and Lena sank to the bottom with him financially. Loans kept getting rejected. Investors wouldn't even give her a second glance. She could stand on her own two feet, but the system wouldn't let her. Her family? They were traveling the world. Her step-parents had thrown on backpacks and run toward freedom. They were enjoying their lives, and Lena didn't blame them. She had received enough love from them. When she was little, she learned she was adopted. She never cared. Because love was stronger than blood. But right now, she didn't want to think about love. Because she had learned, in the most painful way possible, how fake love could be. Erik and Bella. Those two names made her feel like she had been punched in the stomach. Erik. The man she had given seven years of her life to. The man she had grown up with, loved, trusted. Erik had promised her forever. Infinite loyalty. Infinite love. And Bella… her best friend. Or rather, the woman she thought was closest to her. She thought about the moment she found out about the betrayal. How she found out. How the coldness filled her insides. Words couldn't describe the feeling when she learned that the man she was supposed to marry in a week had been sleeping with her best friend for a year. She felt like an i***t. Was she blind? That blind? But she wasn't going to think about it anymore. Tonight would be the night Lena Dean was born again. The night she started over. She finished her coffee in one gulp. All that anger, resentment, pain, rebellion, she would push it all aside and go out tonight. A wedding? Good for them. The past? She didn't care. Tonight, Lena would just be Lena. And if that meant drinking too much? So be it. With the darkness of the night, Lena's plan had begun. Lena Dean slowly swirled the drink in her crystal glass. Ice cubes danced in the alcohol, sparkling under the bar's dim lights. She was sitting in one of Istanbul's most luxurious bars, but she hadn't come here to have fun. She was here to burn her past. She couldn't help but laugh at herself. How stupid she had been. All these years, she had saved everything, her love, her loyalty, even her body, all for Erik. And the result? Nothing. That was why she had chosen tonight to make a fresh start. Her friends had dragged her out to cheer her up, but she had something else in mind. Tonight, she would sleep with someone. But it couldn't be just anyone. It had to be a complete stranger. Someone whose face she would never see again. Someone whose name she would never even know. Have fun until morning, then walk away like nothing happened. That was the plan. She scanned the bar with her eyes. And then she saw him. The man looked like a storm. His jet black, slightly wavy hair was dark as the night. The first few buttons of his shirt were open, his tan skin glowing like gold under the bar's pale lights. His broad shoulders, muscular arms, and tall frame, obvious even while sitting, made it clear he was no ordinary man. But what really got to Lena were his eyes. Dark. Dangerous. Deep. He sat at the bar, calmly sipping his drink. Women around him were throwing glances his way, but he seemed to ignore them all. Perfect. She narrowed her eyes, straightened up, and walked straight to him without thinking. Her high heels clicked against the floor. When the man noticed Lena approaching, he lifted his head slightly. Lena parted her lips. "Come on. You're with me tonight." Blaze raised an eyebrow. His voice was rough, almost threatening. "Do I know you?" Lena rolled her eyes. "You're paid by the hour, right? Come on," she said confidently. His face shifted into an expression she couldn't read for a moment. Then… He smiled. But this wasn't an ordinary smile. The corner of his lips curled slightly. His eyes gleamed with something sly. He had clearly figured out that she thought he was an escort. He let out a deep laugh. Apparently, he found the whole thing very amusing. A shiver Lena couldn't explain ran down her spine. The man slowly stood up. When his towering body moved, Lena realized just how powerful he really was. His chest was broad, the fabric of his shirt straining against his muscles. He was the rugged country type. Dangerous and charismatic. She briefly wondered why someone who looked like that would ever need to work as an escort. Lena's eyes followed his every move. The man looked her up and down, and with hidden amusement in his eyes, he said, "Of course, ma'am. Tonight, I'm yours." She hadn't expected that answer. But she liked it. This was Lena's night...