The sun filtered weakly through the thin curtains, painting pale stripes of light across Lila's small bedroom. She turned on her side, her eyes still heavy with exhaustion. Her mind, however, refused to rest. The events of the night before had followed her into her dreams—Adrian's voice, steady and unyielding, echoing over and over: My wife. No feelings attached.
She sat up slowly, clutching the edge of her blanket, staring at the floorboards beneath her bare feet. Her father's weak face in the hospital replayed in her thoughts, the doctor's words—surgery, expensive treatment, half the payment upfront. She had begged her bosses for help, and both had refused. There was no one left to turn to.
The small clock on her nightstand ticked softly. It was nearly 8 a.m. Lila exhaled shakily and reached for her phone. She couldn't face the office today, not with her heart so restless. She scrolled to her colleagues' numbers, her fingers trembling slightly as she pressed call.
"Hello?" her colleague's groggy voice answered.
"It's me, Lila," she said, trying to sound steady. "I… I won't be able to come to work today. Something came up."
There was a pause. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," she lied softly. "Just… please cover for me. I'll explain later."
She ended the call, then repeated the same excuse with another colleague. When she put her phone down, her chest felt tight.
Pulling her knees up to her chest, she whispered into the empty room, "I have to do this."
Her gaze fell on the sleek card Adrian had given her, still lying on the bedside table. She reached for it, tracing the embossed letters of his name with her thumb. Adrian Blackwood. A man who had power in his presence alone. A man who had turned her world upside down in a single night.
If she signed his contract, her father could get the treatment he needed. Her family's debt would no longer crush her. But it also meant binding herself to someone she barely knew, someone who made no promise of love or affection—only provision and expectations.
And yet, one thought kept coming back to her: Mother can never know the truth.
Her mother's heart was already fragile, weighed down by her father's illness and their struggles. If she learned her daughter's marriage was only a business deal, it would break her. Lila set her jaw firmly. If she had to go through with this, then her family must believe it was real—that she had found love, and was truly getting married.
It was the only condition she could impose, the only way she could protect the people she loved from the cold truth.
---
By late morning, she had showered and dressed, carefully selecting a modest but elegant dress. She looked at herself in the mirror, trying to convince herself she looked confident. Inside, her heart was racing.
The drive to the address Adrian had texted felt longer than it was. Her hands were cold, her breaths shallow. When the car finally pulled into the quiet, upscale café where they had agreed to meet, she felt her stomach twist.
Nathan was already waiting near the entrance. Spotting her, he gave a polite nod. "Miss Hart. This way, please."
She followed him, her footsteps light, until she saw Adrian seated at a private corner table. He looked perfectly composed, a man carved out of stone—no sign of sleepless nights, no hesitation in his gaze. When his eyes lifted to meet hers, Lila felt her breath hitch, but she forced herself to sit across from him.
"Miss Hart," he said, his tone clipped but polite. "I trust you've thought about my offer."
She folded her hands on her lap, willing herself not to tremble. "Yes, I have."
"And?" His voice was calm, but there was an edge of expectation in it.
Lila took a breath. "I'm willing to consider it. But before I agree, I have a condition."
One of his eyebrows lifted slightly. "Go on."
Her gaze did not waver, though her voice was low. "My mother cannot know the truth. As far as she—and my brother—are concerned, we're a real couple who decided to get married. They must never suspect this is just a contract. Do you understand?"
For the first time since she had sat down, Adrian's lips curved—not into a smile, but into something resembling interest. "That's all?"
"It's everything," Lila said firmly. "If my mother finds out the truth, it will destroy her. She has endured enough already. So if I agree, we must play the part convincingly."
Adrian leaned back in his chair, studying her. For a moment, silence stretched between them, broken only by the soft clinking of glasses from distant tables. Then, finally, he nodded.
"Very well," he said. "That condition is acceptable. In fact, it serves me too. My parents must believe you are truly my wife. If your family believes the same, it keeps everything neat."
Relief flickered across her features, though it was quickly smothered by her nerves.
Adrian's gaze sharpened. "Now let me be clear once more, Miss Hart. Once the marriage certificate is signed, I will handle your father's medical bills immediately. I will settle your family's debts. I will give you the stability you've been fighting for. In return, you will stand by me publicly and privately as my wife. There will be no love, no emotional attachments—only duty and appearances. Do you understand?"
Her throat tightened. "Yes."
"You will have access to whatever you need," Adrian continued. "Clothes, education, opportunities. Whatever your dreams are, I can provide them—so long as you fulfill your role."
The temptation in his words was overwhelming. The thought of her father receiving treatment, of her mother finally breathing without worry, of Jake finishing school without carrying the shame of poverty—it all swirled in her head like a cruel dream.
She looked down at her hands, clenched tightly together on the table.
"Do you accept?" Adrian asked, his voice cutting through her storm of thoughts.
Silence followed. Seconds dragged. She could feel his eyes burning into her, waiting.
Finally, she raised her head, her eyes shining with unshed tears, though her voice was steady. "Yes. I accept."
Adrian's expression did not change. He simply inclined his head as if confirming a deal in one of his many business ventures. "Good. We will begin preparations immediately. Nathan will contact you with the details. The sooner this is official, the better."
Lila exhaled slowly, feeling both relief and dread settle in her chest. The decision had been made. There was no turning back.
When their meeting ended, Adrian slid his complementary card across the table toward her once more, though she already had one. "Use that number whenever you need to reach me," he said.
She took it with trembling fingers, then stood. Her legs felt heavy as she walked out, the weight of her choice pressing down with every step.
Outside, the air felt colder than before. She pressed the card to her chest, whispering to herself, "For Dad. For Mom. For Jake."
Her phone buzzed in her hand. A message from Adrian: Nathan will pick you up tomorrow. Be ready.
She closed her eyes, her heart aching. The arrangement was no longer just words. It was now her reality.