The elevator chimed softly as I stepped inside, my hands shaking despite my efforts to look composed. The contract on my phone seemed heavier than any document I had ever held. One glance at Damian's name, one glance at the text, and my stomach twisted like a storm inside me.
I had no idea who this man was—why he had reached out, why he claimed I had no choice. But there was no denying the cold authority in his words. You have no choice.
As the elevator doors slid open to the top floor, I stepped out into a pristine hallway, the kind that made ordinary people like me feel invisible. Damian was already there, leaning casually against the door frame of a massive office. He looked exactly like I had imagined from the brief description of the text: sharp, intimidating, impossible to ignore.
"Amara," he said, his voice calm but commanding. "I wasn't sure you would come."
"I…" I tried to find my voice. "I got your message. I'm here."
He studied me, expression unreadable. "Good. Come in."
The office was enormous, with glass walls that revealed the sprawling city below. A sleek desk dominated the room, and behind it, Damian remained standing, arms crossed. There was no warmth in his demeanor—only calculated control.
He gestured to a chair across from him. "Sit."
I obeyed, trying not to show my fear. "Why am I here? What do you want from me?"
He handed me the contract. The paper felt heavier in my hands now than it had on my phone. My eyes scanned the words: Contract Marriage Agreement.
"You're to marry me," Damian said simply. "Temporarily. For one year."
I blinked. "What?"
"Don't panic. It's temporary. Legally binding. The terms are in the document." His gaze didn't waver. "Sign it, and your life can start over. Refuse, and… you won't have a roof over your head, money to survive, or protection from those who destroyed you."
I stared at him, feeling the words sink in. My options were gone. Absolutely gone. Jason, Camille, my job—all vanished. And here was a stranger, offering a contract that would become my only lifeline.
I wanted to scream, to refuse. But deep down, I knew he was right. I had no choice.
"Do you understand?" Damian asked.
I nodded, trembling. "I… I understand."
"Good." He slid a pen across the desk. "Then sign."
I took a deep breath and dipped the pen into the ink, my hands shaking violently. The moment the signature touched the paper, a strange calm settled over me. I was no longer just a victim. I had made a decision—a dangerous, uncertain choice, but one that gave me a fighting chance.
Damian leaned back in his chair, watching me. "You've just taken the first step, Amara. From now on, everything changes."
I wanted to ask what he meant. But before I could speak, the office door opened. A young woman appeared, holding a tablet. "Sir, your meeting is about to begin."
Damian's eyes flicked toward her. "Do you have your things, Amara?"
"Yes." I clutched my bag tighter.
"Good. Then let's go."
As we left the office, I realized I was being pulled into a world I didn't understand—a world of power, influence, and secrets. And somehow, this stranger, Damian, held all the keys.
For the first time since the betrayal, I felt a flicker of determination. I would survive. I would rise. And maybe… I would find a way to take back everything that had been stolen from me.
But as the elevator doors closed behind us, I couldn't shake the chill running down my spine. There was something about Damian—calculated, dangerous, and far more involved in my past than I could yet understand.