Chapter 1 : A Deal With The Devil
A DEAL WITH THE DEVIL
The rain was hitting hard against the windows of the cafe on Oxford Street, and Emma Rose was counting coins again.
Fifty pence. Twenty pence. Ten.
Not enough. Never enough.
Her phone vibrated. The hospital.
"Miss Rose, if we don't get the £50,000 deposit by Friday, we have to stop your mother's treatment," the voice on the other side said calmly.
Emma's hand shook. "Please, just give me more time. I will get the money."
She hung up and buried her face in her hands. Her apron was still on. At 24, she was working two jobs and still failing.
That was when the cafe door opened and a man walked in.
He was not the kind of man who entered small cafes. Tall, in a black tailored suit, his hair perfectly styled despite the rain. His eyes were cold grey, like the London sky. Every woman in the cafe turned.
Alexander Knight. The billionaire everyone knew from magazines. CEO of Knight Industries.
He looked straight at Emma.
"Emma Rose?" he said, his voice deep and low.
"You... you know my name?"
"I know everything about you," he said and placed a black folder on her table. "Your mother is dying. You have £312 in your bank account. You work 16 hours a day. And you need £50,000."
Emma stood up, scared. "Who are you? How did you..."
"Sit," he ordered. "I have a proposition for you."
He opened the folder. Inside was a contract. And a cheque.
Emma's eyes widened. The cheque was for £50,000.
"What... what is this?"
"A marriage contract," Alexander said simply. "My grandfather will give me his entire company, worth £800 million, only if I am married before my 33rd birthday. That is in three days. I need a wife. For one year."
Emma laughed in disbelief. "And you came to a waitress?"
"You are perfect. Nobody will suspect you. You need money. I need a wife. One year. You live in my penthouse, act as my wife at events, and after one year, we divorce. You walk away with £500,000."
Emma's heart was beating fast. £500,000. Her mother would live. She could start a new life.
"Why me? You could get any model..."
"Because models talk. Models fall in love and want more. You," he looked at her, "You will not fall in love with me. You will follow the rules."
Rule 1: No one must know it's a contract.
Rule 2: No intimacy beyond what is necessary for appearances.
Rule 3: Do not fall in love.
Emma stared at the cheque. Her mother's face came to her mind.
"What do I have to do?"
Alexander brought out a pen. A Montblanc pen that cost more than her one-year rent.
"Sign here. And you become Mrs. Emma Knight. My secret wife."
Emma took the pen. Her hand was shaking. Outside, thunder roared.
She signed.
Alexander smiled for the first time. But it was not a warm smile.
"Welcome to your new life, wife."
