Married to the Cold Billionaire

Chapter One The Marriage Contract Rain hammered against the café windows as Lena Hart stared at the eviction notice trembling in her hands. FINAL WARNING. The bold red letters blurred through her tears. Three months behind on rent. Her mother’s hospital bills were piling up faster than she could pay them, and the small bookstore where she worked was barely surviving. Every day felt like drowning while the rest of the world simply watched. “Miss Hart?” Lena looked up sharply. A tall man dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit stood beside her table. His expression was unreadable, cold enough to freeze the air around him. “You’re late,” he said. “I think you have the wrong person.” “I don’t.” Without waiting for permission, he sat across from her. The man was ridiculously handsome. Sharp jawline. Dark eyes. Perfectly styled black hair. The kind of man women probably ruined their lives over. Lena immediately disliked him. “I’m Adrian Vale.” Her eyes widened slightly. Everyone knew the name. Adrian Vale—the billionaire CEO of Vale Enterprises. One of the youngest and richest businessmen in the city. “What do you want from me?” she asked carefully. Instead of answering, Adrian pulled out a document and placed it on the table between them. A contract. Lena frowned. Then she saw the title. MARRIAGE AGREEMENT. Her breath caught. “What kind of joke is this?” “It’s not a joke.” His voice was calm, smooth, and dangerously controlled. “I need a wife for six months.” Lena stared at him as if he had completely lost his mind. “You came to a random girl in a café for this?” “You’re not random.” That only made her more nervous. Adrian leaned back slightly, studying her with eyes far too sharp for comfort. “You have no criminal record. No boyfriend. No history of leaking information to the press. And you need money desperately.” Humiliation burned her cheeks. “You investigated me?” “Yes.” “You’re insane.” “Possibly.” For the first time, the corner of his lips lifted slightly. Not a smile. Something more dangerous. Lena pushed the contract back toward him. “No.” Adrian didn’t react. Instead, he calmly slid another paper toward her. A number was written on it. Five hundred thousand dollars. Her stomach dropped. “That’s your payment,” he said quietly. “Half now. Half after the divorce.” Divorce. The word sounded unreal. “With that money, your mother gets the treatment she needs. Your debts disappear. Your life changes.” Lena hated that her heart skipped at the thought. Because he was right. Her mother had called her crying the night before after another hospital refused treatment without payment. Lena had spent the last hour trying not to break down in public. And somehow this man knew exactly when to appear. “There’s a catch,” she whispered. “There are rules.” He folded his hands calmly. “You will move into my house tomorrow.” Lena nearly choked. “You will attend public events as my wife.” “No.” “You will not speak to the media without permission.” “Absolutely not.” “And under no circumstances are you allowed to fall in love with me.” Silence. Then Lena laughed. Actually laughed. “You think very highly of yourself.” “Experience has taught me caution.” His confidence irritated her more than it should have. “What makes you think I’d even agree to this?” Adrian’s gaze shifted toward the eviction notice beside her hand. The air between them became painfully quiet. Lena quickly flipped the paper over, but it was too late. He had already seen it. “I can solve your problems tonight,” he said softly. “And what do you get out of it?” Something dark flashed in his eyes. “My grandfather’s inheritance.” That surprised her. “He left everything to me on one condition.” Adrian’s jaw tightened slightly. “I must be married before my thirtieth birthday.” “And when is that?” “Three days from now.” Lena blinked. This couldn’t be real. Nothing about this situation felt real. Yet the desperation inside her made it impossible to stand up and walk away. “What happens after six months?” she asked quietly. “We divorce peacefully. You keep the money. We never see each other again.” Simple. Clean. Temporary. So why did her chest suddenly feel tight? Adrian reached into his pocket and placed a black bank card on the table. “For your mother’s treatment,” he said. Lena froze. “I haven’t agreed yet.” “I know.” “Then why give me this?” “Because while you’re deciding, she’s still sick.” Her throat tightened painfully. No one had helped her before. Not family. Not friends. Certainly not strangers. But this stranger sat across from her like he already knew she would eventually say yes. And the terrifying part? He was probably right. Adrian stood smoothly, adjusting his suit. “I’ll give you until tomorrow morning.” Then he leaned slightly closer. Close enough for Lena to catch the expensive scent of his cologne. Close enough to make her pulse stumble unexpectedly. “But if you accept,” he said quietly, “your life will never be the same again.” And before she could respond— He walked away. Leaving Lena staring at the marriage contract that could either save her life… Or completely destroy it.