The Devil’s Proposal

Elena Carter had spent five years wishing for Adrian Blackwood’s downfall. He had crushed her father’s company without mercy, turning her family from Manhattan elites into nothing more than a scandal-ridden disgrace. The world called him ruthless. She called him a monster.

Now, that monster wanted to marry her.

The exclusive rooftop lounge buzzed with quiet conversations, but Elena’s focus was locked on the man seated across from her. Adrian Blackwood was as infuriatingly composed as ever, a glass of whiskey in his hand, his tailored suit immaculate. The city lights stretched behind him, a kingdom he controlled with a mere flick of his wrist.

"You look like you want to stab me," Adrian mused, his lips curving into the kind of smirk that had made CEOs crumble.

Elena crossed her arms, refusing to let his arrogance unnerve her. "I’m considering it." 

He chuckled, leaning forward slightly. "Careful, sweetheart. You’re about to become my wife. That wouldn’t look good for our perfect love story."

She clenched her fists under the table. This wasn’t love. It was business. A contract that would grant her family’s redemption and secure his billion-dollar merger. A necessary evil.

"One year," she said, keeping her voice steady. "That’s all you get."

Adrian lifted his glass in mock celebration. "One year of pretending to adore me. Think you can manage?"

Elena matched his smirk. "I’ve survived worse."

His gaze darkened, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. He reached into his suit pocket and slid a crisp black envelope toward her. "Then let’s make it official."

Her fingers hovered over the contract. She had dreamed of ruining him, of watching him suffer the way her family had. Instead, she was about to tie herself to him in the most permanent way possible.

"I hope you’re ready for this, Elena," Adrian murmured, voice rich with amusement.

She met his gaze and picked up the pen. "I hope you are."

With a single stroke of ink, she sealed her fate.

And as Adrian leaned back, his smirk deepening, she realized something chilling—she might have just walked into a game she couldn’t win.

The ink on the contract was barely dry, but the weight of Elena's decision pressed down on her like a cage she had willingly walked into.

She had spent the night tossing and turning, replaying every detail of her meeting with Adrian. The way his smirk had lingered even as she signed. The unshaken confidence in his voice. The way he had made it seem like he had already won.

But this wasn't his victory.

It was just the beginning.

By morning, the world already knew.

Elena sat at the long mahogany dining table of her family's townhouse, the headlines flashing across the screen of her phone.

"Billionaire Adrian Blackwood

Engaged to Elena Carter - A Love Story or Business Deal?"

"From Ruin to Romance: Elena Carter Set to Marry the Man Who Destroyed Her Family.

"The Devil Finally Takes a Wife."

Her jaw tightened as she scrolled through the endless speculation.

Some called it a shocking redemption arc, others called it a desperate power play. Either way, her name was once again tied to Adrian's in ways she couldn't escape.

"Elena, you don't have to go through with this."

She looked up to find her mother standing in the doorway, worry etched in every line of her face. The woman who had once worn pearls and designer dresses now stood in simple, modest clothing—a reminder of everything they had lost.

Elena swallowed hard. "It's already done, Mom."

Margaret Carter sighed, stepping closer. "I know you want to fix things. I know how much this family means to you. But marrying him—" She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "It feels like making a deal with the devil.