Vow of Convenience

PROLOGUE The sound of applause echoed through the air as the stage lift ascended, carrying me toward the moment I had been waiting for. My fingers intertwined, the thrill of anticipation and nerves swirling inside me like a storm. In less than five minutes, I, Zesa Jimena Russo, would seal my fate with Levi Del Campa, the chairman of H.K. Group. A contract that promised me more than just a merger between our companies—it would give me the one thing I had craved for as long as I could remember. His heart. His body. Both would belong to me. The blinding flashes of cameras, normally irritating, were nothing more than a distant hum. This day was mine, and soon, he would be too. As the lift came to a halt, I pasted a brilliant smile on my face, the ceremonious music swelling around us. I glanced to my right, where Levi stood in a tailored navy-blue suit. His black hair, slicked back, framed the angular lines of his face—one of the many reasons I fell for him. But it was his eyes, those piercing gray eyes, that always drew me in. Except they weren’t on me. They were fixed on a woman in the crowd. His mother—Marie Del Campa. I owed her everything. Marie had orchestrated this moment, giving me the opportunity to secure what was rightfully mine. Sure, their company’s financial troubles had helped, but it was Marie who played the decisive hand. Levi’s gaze broke away from his mother and landed on me, his expression hardening, his lips pressing into a thin, disdainful line. A silent accusation hung between us, as if he wanted everyone to know I was forcing him into this. I sank into my chair, eyes locked on him, the corners of my mouth curving upward in response. “We will now begin the investment signing ceremony between Techya and H.K. Group,” the voice over the microphone announced. I opened the contract in front of me, fingers brushing over the fine print. “... President Zesa Russo of Techya and Chairman Levi Del Campa of H.K. Group will sign the agreement,” the announcer continued. I picked up my pen, the metal cold against my skin, and with a fluid motion, I signed. My gaze slid back to Levi. He hesitated. The pen hovered above the paper as his chest rose and fell with a deep, unsteady breath. Don’t you dare. My pulse quickened, each second without his signature a reminder of how close I was to losing everything. Our marriage—this entire plan—depended on his next move. I leaned toward him. “What are you waiting for?” He didn’t respond. His fingers twirled the pen, the silence between us thick with tension. “Sign it.” The demand slipped from my lips, sharp, laced with impatience. He leaned in just as close, his breath hot against my skin. “I’ll never love you, Zesa.” And then, with a final flick of his wrist, he signed. The crowd erupted in applause once more, the cameras capturing every angle of our farce. I stood, turning to face him, extending my hand. He took it, but I tightened my grip before he could pull away. I stepped in closer, close enough that only he could hear my next words, the venom behind them. “And she’ll never have you.” With that, the stage was set. He might hate me now, but I would win. One way or another.