THE OFFER
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*CHAPTER 1: THE OFFER*
The mop was heavier than her future.
It was 9:17 PM. Office 30, Blackwood Tower, Cluj-Napoca. Most of the building was empty, but Elena Popa was still there. She was supposed to be home two hours ago, making ciorba for her mother, but the billionaire CEO had a late meeting and his trash can was full of expensive coffee cups.
Elena was 24. A law dropout. Her mother had a failing kidney. Her bank account had 87 lei left.
She was wiping his desk when a voice stopped her cold.
"You missed a spot."
Elena jumped. In the doorway stood Adrian Blackwood.
Thirty-one years old. A suit that cost more than a year of her rent. A face that made every girl in Cluj forget how to breathe. Eyes that looked at people like they were furniture.
"Sorry, Mr. Blackwood. I will do it again," Elena said, eyes down.
He walked in and threw his phone on the desk. He looked tired. The angry kind of tired.
"How old are you?" he asked.
"24, sir."
"Married? Boyfriend?"
Elena frowned. What kind of question was that?
"No, sir. I don't have time for a boyfriend. I have three jobs."
That made him look at her for real. Not at the blue cleaning uniform. At her.
"What are your three jobs?"
"Morning, I clean a bakery. Afternoon, I work at a supermarket. Night, here. And I study law online when I can."
He sat on the edge of his desk, too close to her. She could smell his perfume. Rich and cold.
"My grandmother is dying," he said. "She has maybe six months. Her last wish is to see me married. To a good Romanian girl. Not a model from Bucharest who wants my money."
Elena didn't understand why he was telling her this.
"I am sorry to hear that, sir."
"I need a wife. For 90 days. A fake wife. We sign a contract. You live in my house, meet my grandmother, go to dinners. You act like you love me. After 90 days, we divorce. You get money."
Her hand tightened around the mop.
"How much?" Her voice was small.
"30,000 euros."
The mop fell and hit the marble floor with a loud clack.
30,000 euros. Her mother's operation cost 25,000 euros. The kidney operation they had been waiting two years for. The doctor said if they didn't do it in three months, it would be too late.
"Why me?" Elena whispered. "You can have any girl. Beautiful girls."
"Because you don't want me," Adrian said simply. "Beautiful girls want my money. They will try to become a real wife. You... you hate me a little. I can see it. That's perfect. You will not fall in love with me. That's in the contract. Rule number one."
"Rule number two: No one can know it is fake. Especially my grandmother."
"And rule three?"
He leaned closer. His eyes were grey, like winter in Cluj.
"Don't make me like you, Elena. Because I don't like anyone."
He said her name. Elena. No one in this company knew her name. Her badge just said CLEANING STAFF.
He took out a white paper from his drawer and placed it on the desk. CONTRACT OF MARRIAGE.
"Tomorrow, 8 AM, my lawyer's office. If you say yes, your mother will be in the best hospital in Cluj by next week. I already checked her file."
Elena's heart stopped. "You checked my mother's file?"
"I check everything I buy, Elena."
He thought he was buying her.
But for her mother, she would sell herself. For her mother, she would do anything.
Elena looked at the contract. At his cold face. At her own cracked hands.
Then she picked up the pen.
"Where do I sign, Mr. Blackwood?"
Adrian smiled. It was not a nice smile. It was dangerous.
"Welcome to your new life, Mrs. Blackwood."
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