Talia barely slept that night.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the contract.
Her signature.
Her future.
By morning, her phone rang.
"Miss Morgan," a polite female voice said. "This is Eliza, Mr. Blackwood's personal assistant. A car will arrive in thirty minutes to take you to your new residence."
New residence.
The words felt unreal.
"O-Okay," Talia replied quietly.
"Please pack only essentials. Everything else will be handled."
The call ended before she could protest.
She stared around her tiny apartment—the peeling paint, the secondhand couch, the textbooks stacked on the floor. This place had been her struggle, her survival.
And now… she was leaving it all behind.
The car that arrived wasn't just a car.
It was a sleek black luxury vehicle with tinted windows and a driver in a suit.
Talia stepped inside nervously.
As they pulled away, she watched her neighborhood disappear through the window. The noisy streets. The food vendors. The familiar chaos.
Her world.
An hour later, the gates opened.
And she froze.
The mansion before her looked like something out of a movie.
Tall white pillars. A long driveway. Perfect gardens. A massive fountain in the center.
She stepped out slowly.
This wasn't just rich.
This was untouchable wealth.
A tall woman in a neat uniform approached her immediately.
"Welcome, Mrs. Blackwood."
The words hit like thunder.
Mrs. Blackwood.
"I'm Grace," the woman continued warmly. "Head of household staff. We've been instructed to attend to all your needs."
All your needs.
Talia forced a small smile. "Thank you."
Grace led her inside.
The interior was even more breathtaking. Marble floors. High ceilings. Chandeliers. Artworks that probably cost more than her entire life savings.
"This will be your room," Grace said, opening a large door.
Room?
It was bigger than Talia's entire apartment.
King-sized bed. Walk-in closet. Private balcony. A bathroom that looked like a spa.
"This… this is too much," Talia whispered.
"It's yours," Grace said gently. "Anything you need, you only have to ask."
Talia nodded slowly, still overwhelmed.
"Mr. Blackwood asked that you join him for dinner tonight," Grace added.
Her heart skipped.
Dinner with him.
Alone.
That evening, she stood in front of the mirror, staring at herself.
Grace had provided dresses. Expensive ones.
Talia chose a simple soft-blue dress that made her look more confident than she felt.
When she entered the dining room, Adrian was already there.
Seated. Calm. Perfectly dressed.
His gaze lifted when she walked in.
And for a brief second…
He stared.
Not cold.
Not distant.
Just silent.
Then his expression returned to neutral.
"You're on time," he said.
"Your staff is very efficient."
"Yes."
She took the seat across from him.
Dinner was quiet. Too quiet.
Talia pushed food around her plate nervously.
"So…" she finally said. "How does this work in public?"
He looked at her calmly. "What do you mean?"
"The marriage. The pretending."
"You'll be introduced as my wife at an event this weekend."
Her fork paused.
"Event?"
"A family dinner."
Family.
Her stomach tightened.
"They're expecting me to be… perfect, aren't they?"
"They're expecting you to be my wife."
That wasn't reassuring.
She hesitated. "And if they don't like me?"
Adrian's voice was firm. "That won't matter."
But something in his eyes suggested it did.
Later that night, Talia stood on the balcony of her room, staring out at the city lights.
This life didn't feel real.
She hugged her arms around herself.
What if she messed this up?
What if she embarrassed him?
What if she started feeling things she wasn't supposed to feel?
Her phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
Stay away from Adrian Blackwood.
You don't belong in his world.
Her breath caught.
Another message followed immediately.
You're just temporary. Don't forget that.
Talia's hands trembled.
Who was sending these?
She stared at the screen, heart pounding.
Inside the house, somewhere down the hall, Adrian Blackwood stood quietly in his office, unaware that his past had already found its way to her.
And the contract marriage had only just begun.