The first thing Elena Carter noticed when she woke up was the pounding headache.
It felt like someone had taken a hammer and repeatedly smashed it against her skull.
She groaned softly, pressing a hand against her forehead as sunlight pierced through the thin curtains of the unfamiliar room.
Wait.
Unfamiliar?
Elena's eyes snapped open.
The ceiling above her was high and decorated with elegant crystal lighting. The bed she was lying on was far too soft and luxurious to belong to her tiny apartment.
Her heart skipped.
Where… am I?
She pushed herself up slowly, wincing as dizziness washed over her.
Fragments of last night flashed through her mind.
The bar.
The drinks.
Too many drinks.
Her ex-boyfriend kissing another woman.
And then…
Nothing.
Her breathing quickened.
"Please don't tell me I did something stupid," she muttered to herself.
As she lifted her hand to rub her temple, something glittered under the morning light.
Elena froze.
On her ring finger… was a diamond ring.
A very expensive-looking diamond ring.
Her brain stopped functioning for three seconds.
"…What?"
Her voice cracked as she stared at the ring.
This had to be a joke.
A very bad joke.
She tried to pull it off, but it wouldn't budge.
Her heart started racing.
"Okay… calm down, Elena," she whispered nervously.
"There must be a logical explanation."
But before she could think further—
A low voice spoke behind her.
"You're finally awake."
Elena's entire body stiffened.
Slowly… very slowly… she turned her head.
And her soul nearly left her body.
A man was lying beside her in the bed.
Not just any man.
A ridiculously handsome man.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
Sharp jawline.
His black hair was slightly messy, giving him a dangerously attractive appearance.
He was leaning against the headboard with effortless elegance, wearing nothing but a white dress shirt that was slightly unbuttoned.
His dark eyes were calmly watching her.
Elena's brain exploded.
"AAAAH!"
She grabbed the nearest pillow and smacked him with it.
"What are you doing in my bed?!"
The man caught the pillow easily with one hand.
His expression didn't change.
"This is my bed."
Elena froze.
"…What?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"You're the one in my bed."
Her mouth opened and closed like a broken machine.
"W-w-wait… what?"
Panic began rising in her chest.
Her eyes darted around the room again.
Huge bed.
Luxury furniture.
Floor-to-ceiling windows showing the entire city skyline.
This place probably cost more than her lifetime salary.
Oh no.
Oh no no no no.
She slowly looked back at the man.
"…Who are you?"
The man studied her for a moment before answering.
"Alexander Knight."
Elena blinked.
Then blinked again.
Her brain took exactly two seconds to process the name.
And then she screamed again.
"THE Alexander Knight?!"
Alexander Knight.
The billionaire CEO of KnightTech.
The youngest tech tycoon in the city.
A man so rich and powerful that his face appeared in business magazines every month.
The coldest CEO in the entire corporate world.
And he was sitting half-naked in bed with her.
Elena felt her soul leaving her body.
"This must be a dream," she whispered weakly.
Alexander sighed softly.
"It isn't."
She slapped her own face.
Hard.
"Ow."
Nope.
Definitely not a dream.
Her eyes slowly moved back to the ring on her finger.
Then to Alexander.
Then back to the ring.
Then back to him.
Her voice trembled.
"…Why do I have a wedding ring?"
Alexander stared at her.
For a moment, the room became completely silent.
Then he said calmly—
"Because we're married."
Elena's brain officially shut down.
"…Excuse me?"
Alexander reached to the bedside table and picked up a document.
He handed it to her.
"Marriage certificate."
Elena grabbed the paper with shaking hands.
Her eyes scanned the document.
Name: Elena Carter
Name: Alexander Knight
Status: Legally Married
Date: Last night.
Her vision went blurry.
The paper slipped from her hands.
"I'm dead," she whispered.
Alexander looked mildly amused.
"You're very much alive."
Elena suddenly grabbed his collar.
"You!"
Alexander blinked once.
"What did you do to me?!"
His expression turned colder.
"I could ask the same question."
"What?!"
"You were the one who insisted on marrying me."
Elena froze.
"…I what?"
Alexander looked slightly irritated.
"You proposed."
Her soul ascended.
"I WHAT?!"
"You said," he continued flatly, "'You're handsome. Let's get married.'"
Elena covered her face with both hands.
Kill me now.
Just kill me now.
The silence stretched awkwardly between them.
Finally, Elena spoke again, her voice weak.
"…Okay."
"Okay?"
"We can fix this."
She grabbed the marriage certificate and waved it in the air.
"We just cancel it."
Alexander's gaze sharpened slightly.
"Cancel?"
"Yes!"
She jumped out of bed.
"It's obviously a mistake!"
"I was drunk!"
"You were probably drunk too!"
"Let's just go divorce right now!"
Alexander watched her quietly.
Then he said something unexpected.
"No."
Elena froze.
"…No?"
He stood up slowly.
The tall CEO towered over her, his presence suddenly overwhelming.
Elena instinctively stepped back.
Alexander adjusted his shirt sleeves calmly.
Then he spoke in a low voice.
"Instead of divorcing…"
"I have a proposal."
Elena narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"What kind of proposal?"
Alexander walked toward the window overlooking the city.
His back faced her as he spoke.
"Become my wife."
Elena blinked.
"…I already am."
"For one year."
Silence filled the room.
Elena's brain tried to process the words.
"One year?"
"Yes."
He turned to face her again.
"It will be a contract marriage."
Her eyebrows slowly rose.
"A fake marriage?"
Alexander nodded.
"There will be rules."
"No love."
"No emotional involvement."
"No interference in each other's personal lives."
Elena stared at him like he had just grown two heads.
"…Are you serious?"
Alexander stepped closer.
His eyes were calm but intense.
"In return…"
"I will solve all your financial problems."
Elena's heart skipped.
Alexander continued.
"Your hospital bills."
"Your debts."
"Your family."
All taken care of.
Her breath caught.
How did he know about that?
He stopped in front of her.
"So, Elena Carter."
"Will you accept the deal?"
The room fell silent again.
Elena looked at the diamond ring on her finger.
Then at the powerful billionaire standing in front of her.
This was insane.
Completely insane.
But somehow…
Her life had just changed forever.
And deep down…
She had a feeling this contract marriage would be anything but simple.