"Sign it."
His voice was cold—too cold for a man asking for marriage.
Aria Bennett stared at the papers in front of her, her fingers trembling slightly as she gripped the edge of the table. The words on the document blurred together, but one line stood out clearly, painfully:
Marriage Contract.
She swallowed hard, her throat dry.
"This… this isn't funny," she said, forcing out a weak laugh. "You called me here just to joke about something like this?"
"I don't joke."
The man sitting across from her didn't even blink.
Lucien Knight.
Even his name carried weight—power, fear, danger.
Aria had heard stories about him. Everyone had. A ruthless businessman. A man who destroyed competitors without mercy. A man no one dared to cross.
And now… he wanted to marry her?
It didn't make sense.
"Why me?" she asked, her voice quieter now, cautious.
Lucien leaned back slightly, his dark eyes locked onto hers.
"Because you need me," he said simply. "And I need a wife."
Her chest tightened.
"I don't need you."
A lie.
And they both knew it.
Lucien reached into a folder and slid another document across the table. This one wasn't a contract.
It was a notice.
Her breath caught as she read it.
Eviction.
Her hands froze.
"No…" she whispered.
"You have three days," Lucien said calmly. "After that, the house is gone."
Her heart pounded violently in her chest.
That house… it was all she had left.
The last memory of her parents.
"I can fix this," she said quickly, panic creeping into her voice. "I just need more time—"
"You don't have time."
Silence fell between them.
Heavy. Suffocating.
Aria clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she tried to steady herself.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice shaking now. "What do you gain from marrying me?"
Lucien didn't answer immediately.
For a brief moment, something unreadable flickered in his eyes… but it was gone just as quickly.
"A contract," he said finally. "One year. You play your role as my wife. In return, your debts disappear. The house stays yours."
Her heart skipped.
One year.
Just one year… and everything would be fixed.
It sounded too easy.
Too perfect.
"There's more, isn't there?" she said slowly.
"Of course."
Her stomach twisted.
"You will follow my rules," Lucien continued. "You will not question my decisions. And you will not fall in love with me."
That last part almost made her laugh.
"Trust me," she said bitterly. "That won't be a problem."
His gaze darkened slightly, but he said nothing.
Aria looked back down at the contract.
Her mind was screaming at her to walk away.
This was wrong.
Dangerous.
But then she thought of the house… the memories… everything she was about to lose.
She didn't have a choice.
Slowly, she reached for the pen.
Her hand shook as she held it above the paper.
"This is just a deal," she whispered to herself. "Nothing more."
Lucien watched her silently.
Waiting.
Aria took a deep breath… and signed.
The moment the pen left the paper, something shifted.
Like she had just sealed her fate.
"Good," Lucien said, standing up. "From this moment on… you belong to me."
A chill ran down her spine.
Belong?
She forced herself to stand, lifting her chin.
"This is just a contract," she said firmly. "Don't forget that."
Lucien stepped closer, his presence overwhelming, his voice low and dangerous.
"Oh, Aria," he murmured, a faint smirk touching his lips.
"You'll soon realize… it's much more than that."
Her heart skipped.
And for the first time since walking into that room…
Aria Bennett felt fear.
Real fear.
Because deep down…
She had the unsettling feeling that marrying Lucien Knight would be the biggest mistake of her life.