the ceo who loved me in the dark

Elara Verma never thought silence could be so loud. She sat across from the most powerful man in Mumbai, her fingers clenched tightly in her lap as she stared at the marble floor. The room smelled expensive—leather, coffee, and something dangerously masculine. Aarav Malhotra. His name alone was enough to make people tremble. “Look at me when I speak to you,” he said calmly. Elara flinched and lifted her head. His eyes were sharp, dark, unreadable—like a storm waiting to destroy everything in its path. “I will clear your father’s debt,” Aarav continued, sliding a file across the table, “pay for your house, and ensure your family never struggles again.” Her breath caught. “This… this is too much. Why would you—” “Because,” he interrupted, leaning back in his chair, “I need a wife.” Her eyes widened. “A fake one,” he added coldly. “A contract marriage. One year.” Elara’s heart pounded violently. “No love. No intimacy. No interference in my life,” he said, his gaze darkening. “In return, you will live as Mrs. Aarav Malhotra.” She swallowed hard. “And if I refuse?” His lips curved slightly. Not a smile. A warning. “Then you walk out that door… and lose everything.” Tears burned her eyes. Marriage to a stranger. To a man who looked at her like she was a business deal. Yet she nodded. “I agree.” Aarav’s eyes flickered—just for a second. “Good,” he said softly. “Welcome to hell, Mrs. Malhotra.” And just like that, Elara signed away her freedom… to the most dangerous man she had ever met.