The CEOs unwanted bride

Chapter 1 THE MARRIAGE PROPOSAL 😐 The first time I met Adrian Cole, he told me he never wanted a wife. The second time I met him, he asked me to become his. I should have laughed. Instead, I stared at the man sitting across from me, wondering if this was some elaborate joke. “You want me to marry you?” My voice came out barely above a whisper. Adrian didn't answer immediately. He sat perfectly still behind his enormous mahogany desk, his fingers loosely intertwined. His dark suit looked as though it had been tailored specifically for him, and his expression was as cold and unreadable as the headlines that followed his name. Adrian Cole. Thirty-one. Billionaire. CEO of Cole Enterprises. And, according to every woman who had ever appeared beside him in a magazine, completely impossible to get close to. I had never imagined that someone like him would even know my name. “I said I want you to marry me,” he repeated. I let out a nervous laugh. “This isn't funny.” “I wasn't joking.” My smile disappeared. The silence between us became unbearable. I stood from the chair. “No.” His eyebrow lifted slightly. “No?” “No.” I shook my head. “Whatever this is, I don't want it.” I turned toward the door. “Your mother's hospital bills will be paid.” I froze. My hand stopped inches from the door handle. Slowly, I turned around. “What did you say?” Adrian's expression remained calm. “Your mother's treatment. The surgery she needs. I'll pay for everything.” My heart began pounding. “How do you know about my mother?” “I know everything I need to know about you.” “That is creepy.” “It's necessary.” I stared at him. My mother had been sick for months. Every hospital visit seemed to come with another bill, another test, another medication we couldn't afford. I had taken extra shifts at the café after school, sold some of my clothes, and borrowed money from friends. Still, it wasn't enough. The doctor had given us three weeks to raise the money for her surgery. Three weeks. And now this man was telling me he could solve everything with one signature. “What do you want in return?” I asked. “Three months.” I frowned. “What?” “Three months. You marry me and remain my wife for three months.” “And then?” “We divorce.” I stared at him in disbelief. “You're insane.” “Probably.” At least he had the decency to admit it. I crossed my arms. “Why me?” For the first time, something shifted in his expression. It was so quick I almost missed it. “Because you're suitable.” “Suitable?” “You're not interested in my money. You don't have a public reputation to damage. You have no connections to the people I'm trying to avoid.” “So I'm convenient.” “Yes.” The bluntness of his answer irritated me. “You could have found anyone.” “I don't want anyone.” “Then why get married?” His jaw tightened. “Because I have no choice.” That answer caught my attention. Adrian stood and walked toward the window. The city stretched beneath him, bright lights reflecting against the glass. “My grandfather left controlling shares of the company in a trust,” he said. “The condition is that I must be married before the end of the year.” I blinked. “That sounds ridiculous.” “It is.” “And if you don't?” “I lose control of the company.” I finally understood. This wasn't about love. It wasn't even really about marriage. It was business. “You need a fake wife.” “Exactly.” “And you chose me.” “Yes.” I looked down at the contract lying on his desk. Three months. Money for my mother's surgery. A divorce afterward. It sounded simple. Too simple. “What happens if I say no?” “Nothing.” I looked at him suspiciously. “You won't threaten me?” “No.” “You won't make my life difficult?” “No.” “Then why do I feel like I'm being cornered?” His eyes met mine. “Because you need something I can provide.” That hurt because it was true. I hated that he knew it. I walked back to the desk and picked up the contract. My fingers trembled slightly as I flipped through the pages. The agreement was detailed. Separate bedrooms. No physical relationship. No interference in personal affairs. Public appearances when required. Confidentiality. Three months. And a payment large enough to cover my mother's surgery, hospital bills, and recovery. My eyes stopped on the final page. “There's one more condition.” I looked at him. “What?” “You cannot fall in love with me.” I almost laughed. Of all the things he could have said, that was the most ridiculous. “Trust me,” I said, putting the contract down. “That won't be a problem.” Something unreadable flashed across his face. “Good.” I picked up the pen. My hand hovered over the signature line. If I signed this, my life would change. I would become the wife of a man I barely knew. I would have to live in his world, follow his rules, smile for cameras, and pretend that our marriage was real. But my mother would get her surgery. That was all that mattered. I signed. Adrian watched silently. I pushed the contract toward him. “There.” He picked it up and examined my signature. Then he placed his own signature beneath mine. Just like that, I was married. Or at least, almost married. I stood up. “When does this start?” “Tomorrow.” My eyes widened. “Tomorrow?” “Our wedding.” “You said wedding?” “Yes.” “You expect us to get married tomorrow?” “I've already arranged everything.” I stared at him. Of course he had. A man like Adrian Cole probably planned people's lives before they even knew they were part of them. I walked toward the door again. Then his voice stopped me. “Emma.” I turned. It was the first time he'd called me by my name. His expression had changed. Not much. But enough. “There is something else you should know.” “What?” His eyes darkened. “This marriage isn't as fake as you think it is.” My heart skipped. “What does that mean?” He didn't answer. Instead, he looked away. “Be at the church at ten tomorrow morning.” I stood there for another second, waiting for an explanation. None came. So I left. I didn't know why he had chosen me. I didn't know what he was hiding. And I certainly didn't know why a man who claimed he didn't want a wife had looked at me as though he'd been waiting for me. But I was about to find out. Because tomorrow, I would become Mrs. Adrian Cole. And three months later, I would discover that getting divorced from him was going to be the easiest part of our arrangement. Comment can't wait for the next chapter lovelies 🥲