The Billionaire's Bargain

CHAPTER 4

The interior of Starry Wordsworth’s sleek black car was usually in perfect condition, reflecting his precise and controlled nature. But tonight, chaos had taken over. Chloe lay sprawled across the backseat, her head lolling to the side, while Starry gripped the steering wheel tightly, his jaw clenched in irritation. The sharp stench of alcohol mixed with the sour smell of vomit filled the car, a result of Chloe’s unfortunate accident minutes earlier.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Starry muttered, glancing briefly at her through the rearview mirror. Her brown curls framed her flushed face, and despite the mess, she looked oddly peaceful, snoring softly in her drunken slumber.

Oscar, seated in the passenger seat, chuckled, clearly amused by his friend’s predicament.

“This is what you get for picking a bride in a bar. You wanted a challenge, didn’t you?”

Starry shot him a glare, his usually sharp blue eyes clouded with frustration.

“She’s not a challenge, Oscar. She’s a necessity. If I don’t show up with a fiancée by the weekend, Vincent gets the company. You know I’ve worked too hard to let that happen.”

Oscar smirked, leaning back in his seat.

“Well, she certainly makes an impression. Vomiting in your million-dollar car is one way to get your attention.”

Starry exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Just help me figure out where she lives. Chloe Anderson,” he called over his shoulder, his voice loud and commanding. “Where’s your address?”

Chloe stirred slightly, her voice slurred and barely audible.

“Ria’s...apartment. Fifth...something street.”

“That’s not helpful,” Starry muttered.

Oscar grinned.

“Don’t worry, we’ll find it. Just follow the trail of bad decisions.”

The car ride was slow and torturous for Starry, who alternated between dodging potholes and trying not to gag at the smell. Chloe occasionally mumbled incoherent words in her sleep, her body shifting as the car rocked gently. Starry’s patience, already hanging by a thread, was further tested when she let out another loud snore.

“I should be discussing merger strategies, not babysitting a drunk college girl,” he muttered under his breath.

Oscar turned to him, the grin on his face never fading.

“You could always back out. But then again, Vincent would love that, wouldn’t he?”

Starry didn’t respond immediately. His mind wandered to the stakes—his father’s ultimatum, the weight of the company, and the bitter thought of his cousin Vincent swooping in to take everything. No, backing out wasn’t an option.

Turning his attention back to the road, Starry began outlining his terms, though Chloe was in no state to hear them.

“Two years, no intimacy,” he said firmly.

“I’ll cover your financial issues—your tuition, your mother’s surgery, whatever else comes up. At the end of it, you get three hundred thousand dollars and a clean break.”

Oscar raised an eyebrow.

“And you think she’ll remember any of this when she wakes up?”

“She doesn’t need to remember,” Starry replied coolly.

“I’ll remind her tomorrow.”

When they finally found Ria’s apartment, Ria was home to receive them.

Starry carefully carried Chloe up the steps, ignoring the stares of a curious neighbor. He set her gently on the couch, brushing a strand of hair from her face as he studied her for a moment. For someone who had turned his night into a disaster, she looked strangely vulnerable, her features soft in sleep.

“Thank you for bringing her back, gentlemen. I do appreciate it,” Ria said as she shut the door behind them.

***

Morning light streamed through the thin curtains of Ria’s apartment, casting golden streaks across Chloe’s face. She groaned, rolling over on the couch, her head pounding and her mouth dry. The events of the previous night were a blur—fragments of a bar, a stranger, and something about a deal floated hazily through her mind.

“Chloe, wake up!” Ria’s voice cut through her thoughts, jolting her upright. Her best friend stood in the doorway, her eyes wide with curiosity and excitement.

“What is it?” Chloe mumbled, rubbing her temples.

“You have a visitor,” Ria said, her grin widening. “And let me tell you, he’s hot.”

Chloe blinked, confusion clouding her face.

“A visitor? Who?”

Before Ria could answer, Chloe’s question was answered by the sound of a knock at the door. She got up slowly, her body protesting every movement, and shuffled toward the door.

When she opened it, her breath hitched.

Standing there was the man from the bar—the sharp blue-eyed stranger she had bumped into. He was impeccably dressed in a dark suit, his polished appearance in stark contrast to the disheveled state she was in.

“Good morning,” he said smoothly, his deep voice carrying a trace of amusement.

Chloe blinked at him, trying to piece together how he had ended up at her door.

“What are you doing here?”

He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t remember?”

“Remember what?” she asked, crossing her arms defensively.

Starry reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. Without hesitation, he opened it to reveal a dazzling diamond ring that sparkled even in the dim light of the apartment hallway.

“You agreed to be my wife,” he said simply, his gaze steady.

“I brought a ring to seal that agreement between us.”

Chloe stared at the ring, her mind spinning. Flashes of the previous night resurfaced—his proposition, her drunken rant, and her sarcastic “yes” to his outrageous offer. She had thought it was a joke, a drunken fantasy, but now here he was, standing at her door with a ring that looked like it could pay for her tuition and then some.

“You can’t be serious,” she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper.

“I’m always serious,” he replied, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“You need money, and I need a wife. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Chloe shook her head, taking a step back.

“This is insane. I don’t even know your name.”

“Starry Wordsworth,” he said, extending his hand as if they were meeting for the first time.

“CEO of Wordsworth Enterprises. And your future husband, apparently.”

Chloe stared at him, her heart pounding.

“This is... I don’t know what this is. But I can’t marry someone I don’t even know.”

“You already agreed,” Starry said calmly, his lips twitching into the faintest hint of a smile.

“And I have witnesses.”

Oscar appeared at the foot of the stairs, giving her a wave.

“Hey there, bride-to-be!”

Chloe groaned, covering her face with her hands. “This cannot be happening.”

“It’s happening,” Starry said firmly.

“Now, are you going to let me in so we can discuss the details, or are we doing this in the hallway?”

This was insane. But so was her mother's medical bill and college tuition.

She stepped aside.

“Come inside.”