Chapter One: The Morning After
Aria Lode never imagined that her first mistake would come with a six-pack and a million-dollar view.
Sunlight slashed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse suite, pulling her back to consciousness. Her throat felt dry, her body heavy, and her thoughts foggy.
She blinked once.
Twice.
Then realization struck — like cold water.
She was naked.
Bolting upright, the silk sheets slipped off her bare chest, and a sharp gasp escaped her lips. Her head throbbed, and every muscle in her body ached — not from a bad night's sleep, but from something far more intimate.
Her eyes darted around the room — all sharp marble, polished silver, and expensive quiet.
This wasn't her apartment.
This wasn't even her city.
She grabbed the first thing she could — a man's crisp black jacket resting on the edge of the bed — and covered herself. Her fingers trembled. A pair of cufflinks lay scattered on the floor beside a luxury watch and… heels that didn't belong to her.
"Oh no," she whispered, panic rising.
Then a voice — smooth, deep, and far too calm — echoed from behind.
"You're awake."
She froze.
Turning her head slowly, she found him standing by the balcony, shirtless and barefoot, coffee cup in hand. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with dark tousled hair and an unreadable expression. His sharp jaw flexed as he took a sip, eyes locked on her like she was a business deal gone wrong.
"You're… you're the guy from last night."
"Very observant," he said coolly.
Aria's heart pounded in her chest. "What happened?"
His eyes didn't blink. "You flirted. You drank. You kissed me. Then you begged me to take you home."
A pause.
"So I did."
Her cheeks flushed with horror. "I don't even know your name."
He stepped forward, slowly, like a wolf approaching its prey. "Kade Vale. CEO of Vale Enterprises."
She blinked.
Kade Vale?
The name was everywhere — magazines, finance blogs, billionaire lists. Ruthless. Private. Untouchable.
Aria's stomach flipped.
This couldn't be happening.
She scrambled to her feet, clutching his jacket tightly. "This was a mistake. I shouldn't have — I didn't mean to —"
"Mistake?" His brow lifted. "That's not what you said last night."
"I was drunk!"
"You were loud."
Her face burned hotter.
Kade walked over to a glass table and dropped something on it. A newspaper.
She stared at the headline in horror:
"Billionaire Kade Vale Spotted with Mystery Girl After Gala"
And under it — her face. Her flushed cheeks. Her hand in his.
Her knees buckled.
"I can fix this. I—I'll deny it," she stammered. "I'll disappear, I'll—"
"No," he cut in. "You won't."
He circled her now, voice calm but firm. "This isn't just gossip. My investors are threatening to pull out. My board wants answers."
"And what does that have to do with me?" she snapped, panicked.
He stopped just inches away.
"Everything."
Aria's breath caught in her throat. His cologne was expensive and cold, like him.
"You want me to lie?" she whispered. "Pretend this never happened?"
"No," Damien said flatly. "You're going to marry me."
Her mouth dropped open.
"Excuse me?"
"We get married. Publicly. Calm the media. Stabilize my reputation. In one year, we divorce quietly. You leave with a payout. No strings. No feelings."
Aria blinked. "Are you insane?"
His gaze darkened. "I don't have time for messy apologies or image damage. You walked into my life. Now, you'll help fix what you broke."
"I didn't ask for this!" she hissed. "You think you can just buy your way out of a scandal by using me like—like some trophy?"
He leaned closer, voice low.
"Yes."
Tears pricked the corners of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
"What if I say no?"
Kade turned, walked back to his balcony, and calmly sipped his coffee.
"Then I'll make sure the next headline reads: 'Small-town nobody chases billionaire for fame.'"
Her breath hitched.
"That's blackmail."
"No," he said, without looking at her. "That's business."
---
She stood frozen, mind racing.
This man — Kade Vale — had money, power, and zero remorse. The kind of man who didn't ask twice.
But she couldn't go back home. She couldn't face her mother's disappointment or the shame of this story chasing her forever.
One year. That's what he said.
Just one year… and she could vanish, debt-free and invisible.
Aria straightened, clutching the jacket tighter around her. Her voice shook but held firm.
"Fine. I'll marry you."
Kade finally turned to look at her.
"Good. Wear something decent. We're signing the papers this afternoon."