Ariana Carter never imagined her life would take a complete turn when she tripped—literally—into Ethan Cole’s world. One moment she was a struggling nurse, and the next, she was locked in a year-long marriage contract with a ruthless billionaire. Ethan, cold and calculated, needs a wife for 365 days to secure his company from his cunning cousin, Jared. Ariana, clumsy yet full of life, is everything he isn’t. But the more time they spend together, the more lines begin to blur. Jared isn’t one to back down easily. And when Emma, Ariana’s estranged sister, shows up with a shocking revelation—a fake pregnancy—Ariana finds herself in the middle of chaos she never signed up for. With betrayals, hidden agendas, and an undeniable pull between them, will Ethan and Ariana’s contract marriage last a year… or will it end in heartbreak?
Lihat lebih banyakAriana pov“And one more problem,” I said, arms crossed. “We still need to meet my parents.”Ethan, for the first time since I met him, actually looked caught off guard. “What?”I raised a brow. “Did you forget that’s part of the marriage process?”He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. “Oh. Right.” Then, just as quickly, he stood up. “Go get dressed. We’re going to meet them now.”I blinked. “Wait—what?”“This night?”“Yes, this night.” His tone was flat, like it wasn’t even up for debate. “I don’t like to waste time when I can get things done.” He checked his watch. “So unless you want me dragging you there in whatever you’re wearing now, go change.”I opened my mouth to argue, but before I could even get a word in, he turned and called out, “Maria.”The maid appeared beside me so fast I nearly jumped.“Get my fiancée ready,” Ethan ordered. “We’re going to meet her parents.”“Okay, sir.”Before I could protest, Maria gently took my arm and led me upstairs.Everything after that w
Ariana povI should walk out. Right now. Just turn around and leave before this gets any worse.But before I could even open my mouth, Ethan leaned in, one hand braced against the door beside my head, his presence swallowing up the space between us.His voice was low, final. “I’ll pay off all your loans and give you a hundred thousand dollars a month.”My breath caught.A hundred thousand. Every month. More than I made in a year. More than I’d ever seen in my life.I opened my mouth, but no words came out.Ethan studied me, his expression unreadable. Then, as if he were already bored of the conversation, he straightened, stepping back. “Just accept it. It’s part of the contract anyway.”He turned, already pulling out his phone. “Maria will show you to your room. We’ll talk more after dinner.”I was still frozen in place when a quiet voice spoke from behind me.“This way, ma’am.”I turned.A young woman in a neatly pressed uniform stood just outside the doorway, her hands clasped in fr
Ethan povI feel bad forcing her into this contract.But she’s the only one I could think of on such short notice.My grandfather left me no choice—it was either find a wife in a week or marry Cassandra. And for the life of me, I’d rather marry a horse than her.Everything had been running smoothly until the night I got the call.I was sitting in my office, half-listening to my assistant go over the next morning’s itinerary when my phone buzzed. The name on the screen made me pause.Grandfather.He rarely called. Not unless it was something serious.I waved off my assistant and answered. “Ethan.” His voice was as sharp as ever, like he was already halfway through the conversation.“Grandfather,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”He didn’t humor the pleasantries. “Do you know why I built Cole Industries?”I sighed. “Because you wanted an empire.”“No,” he said. “Because I wanted legacy.”Here we go.“You’ve done well,” he continued, as if he hadn’t stea
Ariana pov And with that final chart signed, another day of work was done and completed. I really loved my job. The patients, the rush, the tiny victories—it gave me a sense of purpose. But I also loved the moments when I could clock out, take off my scrubs, and just breathe. Those sweet, golden after-work hours? Bliss. Smiling to myself, I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder as I headed out of the clinic. “Hey, Ariana. You heading home?” Jared called out from behind the front desk. Jared was one of my coworkers—sweet, a little too charming for his own good with his long blond hair and green eyes that could make a girl swoon, and very much not someone I was mentally equipped to deal with right now. “Yes, I am,” I said, flashing a polite smile. “Would you maybe want to meet for coffee some—?” “Oh no, look at the time!” I cut in quickly, holding up my phone and faking surprise. “Gotta run,Bye!” Before he could reply, I darted out the door, my bag bouncing at my s
Ariana pov And with that final chart signed, another day of work was done and completed. I really loved my job. The patients, the rush, the tiny victories—it gave me a sense of purpose. But I also loved the moments when I could clock out, take off my scrubs, and just breathe. Those sweet, golden after-work hours? Bliss. Smiling to myself, I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder as I headed out of the clinic. “Hey, Ariana. You heading home?” Jared called out from behind the front desk. Jared was one of my coworkers—sweet, a little too charming for his own good with his long blond hair and green eyes that could make a girl swoon, and very much not someone I was mentally equipped to deal with right now. “Yes, I am,” I said, flashing a polite smile. “Would you maybe want to meet for coffee some—?” “Oh no, look at the time!” I cut in quickly, holding up my phone and faking surprise. “Gotta run,Bye!” Before he could reply, I darted out the door, my bag bouncing at my s...
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