Elena drove home that evening in silence, the city lights blurring past her like streams of gold and silver. The hum of traffic filled the air, but inside her little delivery van, her thoughts were deafening.
A marriage? A contract? With Adrian Blake?
The idea was absurd. Outrageous. Unthinkable. Yet his words looped in her mind over and over again.
> "You will. Because whether you admit it or not, you need me."
Her hands tightened on the steering wheel until her knuckles turned pale. She hated the arrogance in his tone, hated how confident he was that she would bend. And yet… he wasn't wrong.
By the time she parked outside the small apartment she shared with her father, her chest was tight with worry. The once-lively neighborhood had grown quieter over the years, many of the shops closing under the weight of rising rents. Even Carter's Blooms, her mother's pride and joy, was barely hanging on.
She climbed the creaking stairs and unlocked the door. The familiar scent of chamomile tea and lavender filled the air, soothing her slightly.
"Ellie?" Her father's voice drifted from the worn couch.
Elena forced a smile as she entered the living room. Richard Carter looked thinner than ever, his once-strong frame weakened by illness. He held a book in his trembling hands, though his eyes looked tired.
"Hey, Dad," she said softly, placing a kiss on his forehead. "How are you feeling today?"
He chuckled weakly. "Better now that you're home. Did the delivery go alright?"
Elena hesitated. "It… it went fine."
She didn't have the heart to tell him about her encounter with Adrian Blake. The last thing he needed was stress.
Her father studied her for a moment, his eyes sharp despite the shadows beneath them. "You're worried."
Elena busied herself in the kitchen, putting water to boil. "Just the usual. Bills. Orders. Nothing new."
The truth sat heavy on her tongue. She could already see the unopened envelopes stacked on the counter—rent overdue, medical bills demanding payment. She wanted to protect him from the weight of it all, but she couldn't ignore the growing storm.
As she stirred sugar into his tea, her mind wandered back to Adrian's lounge, his voice smooth and commanding. "You'll have financial security for life."
The thought made her chest ache. It sounded so tempting. So easy. Too easy.
When she returned with the tea, her father reached for her hand. "Ellie… don't lose yourself in this fight. Your mother always said you had her stubbornness. But stubbornness can break you if you don't bend a little."
Elena forced a smile, blinking back tears. "I'll be fine, Dad. I promise."
But deep inside, she wasn't sure.
---
The next morning, the shop was unusually quiet. Maya was restocking shelves when Elena walked in, her eyes shadowed from lack of sleep.
"Whoa," Maya said, raising a brow. "Rough night?"
Elena gave a humorless laugh. "You have no idea."
As she explained what had happened—the flowers, Adrian Blake, his impossible proposal—Maya's jaw dropped.
"Hold on. He asked you to marry him?"
"Not marry, marry," Elena corrected quickly. "It's some kind of business deal. A contract. No love, no feelings. Just a transaction."
Maya leaned against the counter, her expression caught between shock and fascination. "Girl… that's wild. But do you realize what this means? If you said yes, your father's debts would be gone. The shop would be saved."
Elena groaned. "Don't you start, Maya. It's ridiculous. I barely know the man."
"But you do know him," Maya argued. "Everyone in this city knows him. Adrian Blake—cold, ruthless, untouchable. And if he's choosing you, there's a reason."
Elena shook her head. "He doesn't care about me. He just needs a convenient stand-in."
Maya gave her a pointed look. "And you don't care about him. That's the point, right? No messy feelings. Just… security."
Elena opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by the sound of the doorbell. A man in a suit stepped inside, holding an envelope.
"Elena Carter?" he asked.
"Yes?"
He handed her the envelope. "From Mr. Blake. He requested I deliver this personally."
Before she could ask anything, the man left.
With trembling fingers, Elena opened the envelope. Inside was a neatly typed contract, bearing the Blake Corporation seal. At the top, bold words:
Marriage Agreement Proposal
Her eyes scanned the first lines.
A one-year contract marriage between Adrian Blake and Elena Carter.
All debts under Carter's name would be cleared immediately.
Monthly allowance provided.
Terms: Public appearances as a married couple, confidentiality strictly enforced.
Clause: Emotional involvement not required.
Elena's breath caught. It was real.
Maya peered over her shoulder, her eyes wide. "Oh my God. He wasn't kidding."
Elena's hands shook as she dropped the papers onto the counter. Her heart raced, torn between fury, fear, and… temptation.
It was insane. Absolutely insane.
And yet, as her father's cough echoed faintly from the apartment upstairs, the choice didn't feel as impossible as it had the night before.
For the first time, Elena wondered—
What if saying yes was the only way to save everything she loved?