The Contract We Never Meant to Sign

The night Elena Carter met Adrian Blackwood, she had already lost almost everything. Her mother's hospital bills were three months overdue. The bank had sent a final notice. And the house where Elena had grown up—the only place that still smelled like her mother's jasmine perfume—was going to be taken from her in seven days. She stood beneath the golden lights of the Blackwood Hotel, staring at the invitation in her trembling hand. BLACKWOOD FAMILY CHARITY GALA She didn't belong here. Everyone inside was dressed in designer gowns and tailored suits. Their laughter sounded effortless, their champagne glasses never seemed to empty, and their problems probably came with lawyers. Elena tightened her fingers around the invitation. She had come for one reason. Money. Not for herself. For her mother. "Miss Carter?" Elena turned. A tall man in a black suit stood behind her. "Mr. Blackwood is waiting for you." Her heart skipped. "Mr. Blackwood?" The man simply nodded. Elena followed him through the crowded ballroom. She expected to meet an old businessman. Instead, she saw him. Adrian Blackwood. He stood beside the enormous glass windows overlooking the city, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a glass of untouched whiskey. He looked nothing like the photographs in the newspapers. Those photographs had shown a cold billionaire surrounded by luxury. The man standing in front of her looked colder. Sharper. More dangerous. His black hair was slightly disheveled, and his dark eyes immediately found hers. For several seconds, neither of them spoke. Then Adrian said quietly, "You're late." Elena frowned. "I wasn't aware I had an appointment." "You were supposed to arrive at eight." "It's eight fifteen." His eyes moved toward the clock. "Fifteen minutes late." Elena almost laughed. "I apologize, Your Highness." Something flickered across his face. Amusement? It disappeared almost immediately. "Sit." She sat across from him. Adrian placed a thin black folder on the table. "I'll get straight to the point." "Please do." "I need a wife." Elena blinked. For a moment, she wondered whether she had heard him correctly. "A wife?" "Yes." "You called me here to ask me to marry you?" "Not exactly." He opened the folder. Inside was a contract. Elena stared at the first page. MARRIAGE AGREEMENT Her mouth fell slightly open. "This is a joke." "It's not." "You don't even know me." "I know enough." "That's impossible." Adrian leaned back. "Elena Carter. Twenty-four. Computer science student. No criminal record. No previous marriage. Currently working part-time while taking care of your mother." Her expression changed. "You investigated me?" "I investigate everyone who enters my life." "Why me?" Adrian didn't answer immediately. Instead, he pushed the contract toward her. "One year." Elena looked down. "One year?" "You'll live in my house. Attend family events with me. In public, you'll be my wife." "And in private?" "Strangers." The answer should have made her feel relieved. Instead, something about his eyes made her nervous. "What do I get?" Adrian finally looked directly at her. "Five hundred thousand dollars." Elena's breathing stopped. Five hundred thousand. Enough to pay the hospital. Enough to save the house. Enough to change everything. But nothing was ever that easy. "What happens if I say no?" "Then you walk away." No pressure. No threats. No begging. It almost made the offer more suspicious. Elena closed the folder. "I need time." "You have until midnight." She looked at him. "Why?" "Because tomorrow morning, my family will announce my engagement." Elena's eyebrows lifted. "And you don't want to marry that woman?" "No." "Why?" Adrian's jaw tightened. "Because she wants my money." Elena almost smiled. "And you think I don't?" For the first time, Adrian smiled. It wasn't warm. It wasn't kind. It was dangerous. "That's why I chose you." Her smile disappeared. "What does that mean?" He leaned forward. "You need money badly enough to accept this." Elena stood. "Goodnight, Mr. Blackwood." She turned away. "Elena." She stopped. It was the first time he'd said her name. His voice sounded different. Almost gentle. She looked over her shoulder. Adrian's expression had changed. "If you accept the contract, there is one rule you must never break." "What rule?" "Don't fall in love with me." Elena stared at him. Then she laughed. A short, nervous laugh. "Trust me." She picked up her bag. "That won't be a problem." She walked away without looking back. But she didn't see the expression on Adrian's face. He watched her disappear into the crowd. Then he opened the second folder hidden beneath the contract. Inside was a photograph. A much younger Elena stood beside her father. Adrian's fingers tightened around the photograph. On the back were four handwritten words: She doesn't know yet. His eyes darkened. "Forgive me, Elena." He put the photograph away. "You're going to hate me when you find out why I chose you."