CEO's Contract Wife

Chapter 2: A Dangerous PropositionThe Crestmore Hotel ballroom was packed wall-to-wall with power players—Chicago’s elite architects, developers, and real estate moguls all mingling beneath the glittering chandeliers. As Isabella “Izzy” Lakewood stepped into the grand space, her breath caught for a moment. The scene was nothing short of dazzling. Lavish floral arrangements graced every table, and the polished marble floor reflected the soft glow of candlelight.She clutched her leather portfolio a little tighter, smoothing down the hem of her modest black dress as she made her way inside. The invitation to the annual Chicago Architectural Forum had come at the last minute, and she couldn’t afford to pass up the opportunity to network. Izzy needed new clients—desperately. Between the mounting medical bills for Ethan’s treatment and the overwhelming cost of running her fledgling architecture firm, she had reached the point where every connection counted. Tonight was critical.But as sh

Chapter 4: Izzy’s DilemmaIzzy sat alone at the worn wooden table in her studio apartment, the silence pressing down on her like a weight. Her hands cradled a cup of tea, long gone cold, but she couldn’t bring herself to move. The events of the past few hours replayed in her mind with dizzying speed, like a carousel she couldn’t get off.I need a wife.Liam Stone’s words echoed in her head, louder than the rush of traffic outside her window or the faint hum of the city’s noise below. It didn’t make sense. None of it did. How could one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in Chicago—a man who could have anything, or anyone, he wanted—come to her, of all people, with such a proposal?Two years of marriage in exchange for your brother’s life.It sounded like something out of a soap opera, not real life. She shook her head, trying to make sense of it. Liam had been so calm, so matter-of-fact, as if it were a completely rational arrangement. But the weight of it—marrying a stranger, someon

Chapter 6: Wedding PreparationsThe days following the signing of the contract passed in a blur. Izzy moved through them in a state of detachment, as though she were watching her life unfold from a distance rather than actually living it. The weight of her decision hung heavy over her, but there was no time to dwell on it. Once the contract was signed, Liam’s assistant, Grace, had quickly set things in motion.There was no romance, no long engagement, and certainly no excitement. There were just arrangements—cold, efficient, and meticulously planned, just like everything else in Liam Stone’s world.Izzy sat at her small kitchen table, staring blankly at the email Grace had sent her. Her phone screen glowed with a precise, color-coded schedule, detailing every step leading up to the wedding. It was all there: dress fitting, marriage license appointment, and a meeting with Liam’s PR team to go over how the story of their “relationship” would be framed to the press.As she read through t

The morning dawned gray and overcast, a heavy layer of clouds hanging over the city like a blanket. Izzy stood by the window of her now-empty apartment, staring out at the quiet street below. Her reflection, still dressed in the silk pajamas she had hastily thrown on after spending a restless night packing, was a stark reminder of the life she was leaving behind. This small, cluttered apartment had been her sanctuary for years, the one place where she and Ethan had built their own world after the accident. Now, it was just another chapter she was closing.She turned away from the window and looked around the space one last time. The walls, once covered in sketches and pinned-up blueprints, were bare. Boxes lined the floor, most of them labeled and stacked, ready to be taken to a storage facility. Everything felt so final, and the weight of it pressed down on her chest.The sound of the doorbell jolted her out of her thoughts. She took a deep breath, steeling herself, and opened the do

The days following the gala felt like a crash course in high society and corporate strategy. Izzy’s world had become a flurry of meetings, events, and carefully orchestrated social interactions. Everywhere she went, she felt the weight of judgment—measured glances from Liam’s colleagues, curious stares from high-society women who saw her as an outsider, and whispers from journalists and bloggers eager to dissect the latest chapter in Liam Stone’s life.The morning after the gala, Izzy sat in the dining room of the penthouse, her eyes scanning the Chicago Tribune. As expected, the coverage of the event was extensive, complete with photos of her and Liam standing arm-in-arm, their smiles perfectly staged for the cameras. The headline read: "Stone’s New Partner: A Marriage That Shakes Up the Corporate World."She grimaced at the article. The press was framing their marriage as a power move, speculating on how it would affect the dynamics within Stone Enterprises. Some questioned her moti