The Contract on the Table
The inside of the car smelled faintly of leather and something expensive Lily couldn't name.
She sat stiffly on the edge of the back seat, hands folded tightly in her lap, afraid that if she relaxed even a little, she might bolt out the door and run all the way back upstairs.
The door closed with a soft, final click.
Then the car began to move.
Lily stared straight ahead, refusing to look to her left.
Because she didn't need to look to know who was sitting there.
Adrian Blackwood.
He occupied the back seat like he owned the air itself. Tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a dark suit that probably cost more than everything she owned combined. He hadn't even glanced at her yet, his attention focused on the tablet in his hand.
The silence stretched.
It was suffocating.
"You're staring," Adrian said suddenly, without looking up.
"I'm not," Lily shot back.
"Yes, you are."
She turned her head sharply toward him. "I was staring at the window."
Adrian finally looked at her then.
His eyes were dark. Sharp. Calculating. They skimmed over her face with unsettling precision, as if he were evaluating an investment rather than a person.
"Relax," he said. "If you're going to be my wife, you'll need to learn how to lie better."
Her cheeks burned. "I'm not your wife."
"Not yet."
The word yet sent an unwanted shiver down her spine.
The car slowed, then turned. Lily glanced outside and frowned. "Where are we going?"
"My lawyer's office," Adrian replied. "We don't waste time."
Of course not.
She crossed her arms. "So this is it? I just sign some papers and suddenly I'm married to a billionaire?"
"You sign," he said calmly. "Then we get married. In that order."
Her jaw tightened. "And if I change my mind?"
"Then the car turns around," Adrian said, as if discussing the weather. "I don't force people."
She scoffed. "No. You just back them into a corner until they have no choice."
His gaze sharpened. "Choice always exists. The consequences differ."
Lily hated how logical he sounded.
The car pulled into an underground parking garage and stopped. A driver stepped out, opening Adrian's door first.
Naturally.
Adrian exited the car and straightened his jacket before looking back at Lily. "Coming?"
She hesitated, then climbed out.
The building they entered was sleek and intimidating, all glass walls and polished floors. Lily's footsteps echoed as they walked, her worn shoes sounding painfully loud compared to Adrian's confident stride.
Inside a private conference room, a woman in a sharp suit stood up immediately.
"Mr. Blackwood," she said respectfully. Then her gaze flicked to Lily, curious but professional. "You must be Miss Carter."
Lily nodded. "I guess."
Adrian gestured to the chair beside him. "Sit."
She sat—but deliberately chose the chair farthest from him.
A thick folder was placed on the table between them.
"This is the marriage contract," the lawyer said. "Every clause is outlined clearly. I'll summarize."
Lily swallowed as the woman began speaking.
"One-year duration. Financial compensation upon divorce. Non-disclosure agreement. Separate bedrooms unless otherwise agreed. Public appearances required when necessary."
Separate bedrooms.
Good.
"No romantic obligation," the lawyer continued. "No requirement for physical intimacy."
Lily exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"There are, however," the lawyer added, "rules."
Adrian folded his hands. "Rule one," he said, taking over. "You do not fall in love with me."
Lily barked out a laugh. "Trust me, that won't be a problem."
His eyes flicked to hers. Something unreadable passed through them.
"Rule two," Adrian continued evenly. "You do not embarrass me in public."
She tilted her head. "And if you embarrass me?"
"I don't," he said simply.
She rolled her eyes.
"Rule three," he went on. "In public, you play your role perfectly. Affection. Smiles. Support."
Lily clenched her fists. "You want a performance."
"I want credibility," Adrian corrected. "My board and my family will be watching."
Family.
That word lingered.
"And rule four?" Lily asked.
Adrian leaned closer, his presence suddenly overwhelming. His voice lowered just enough that it felt like a challenge.
"When this year ends," he said, "you leave. Cleanly. No emotional attachments. No expectations."
Her chest tightened.
"Do you really think you can control feelings like that?" she asked quietly.
"Yes," Adrian replied without hesitation.
She looked at him for a long moment, then glanced back at the contract.
This man didn't believe in love.
That alone should have been enough to scare her away.
"And the money?" Lily asked finally.
The lawyer slid another document toward her. Numbers filled the page.
Lily's breath caught.
It was more than enough.
More than she'd ever imagined holding in her lifetime.
Adrian watched her reaction closely. "Your father's surgery will be scheduled immediately after the contract is signed," he said. "You'll receive confirmation today."
Her vision blurred.
She pressed her lips together, fighting the sting behind her eyes.
"This doesn't mean anything," Lily said hoarsely. "I'm not grateful. I'm just… desperate."
"I don't need gratitude," Adrian said. "I need compliance."
She picked up the pen.
The room felt eerily quiet.
Once she signed, there was no undoing this.
She glanced up at Adrian. "One year," she said firmly. "Then I'm free."
"Yes," he agreed. "One year."
Lily Carter signed her name.
The pen scratched across the paper, sealing her fate with a single motion.
Adrian took the document, glanced at it once, then nodded.
"Good," he said. "Welcome to your new life."
Her stomach dropped.
Something told her this contract was going to cost her far more than she realized.