A Deal with the Devil

Sienna wasn’t sure how long she sat there, staring at Damien like he had grown two heads.

Five million dollars.

That was the price of marrying him.

It was the kind of money that could erase every hardship she had ever known. The kind of money that could pull her out of the endless cycle of struggling, working late shifts at the diner, and worrying about bills.

And all she had to do was put on a ring and pretend to love a man who—if she was being honest—was dangerously easy to want.

Still, the words refused to leave her mouth.

Damien was patient. Too patient. Like he already knew what her answer would be. Like he was waiting for her to accept what they both knew—she didn’t have a better option.

Finally, she found her voice.

“You’re out of your mind,” she muttered, shaking her head.

His smirk widened slightly. “So I’ve been told.”

“This is insane,” she continued. “You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough,” Damien countered smoothly. “I know you’re independent, stubborn, and a hell of a lot smarter than people give you credit for.”

Sienna swallowed hard. His words shouldn’t have affected her, but somehow, they did.

She crossed her arms. “I could ruin your life.”

“I’m willing to take that risk.”

She exhaled, glancing around the diner. It was nearly empty now, the sound of the old radio playing in the background filling the silence between them.

This was it.

A choice that could change everything.

“I have conditions,” she said finally.

Damien arched a brow. “I’m listening.”

Sienna took a steadying breath. “First, no one controls me. I don’t care how rich you are or what your family thinks, but I am not a pawn.”

A flicker of something—approval?—passed through his gaze. “Agreed.”

“Second, I keep my job.”

His smirk faltered slightly. “Sienna, you won’t need—”

“I keep my job,” she repeated firmly. “I’m not sitting around all day playing the trophy wife while you run off to your billion-dollar meetings.”

Damien studied her for a moment before nodding. “Fine.”

Sienna swallowed. “And third… We keep things professional.”

His smirk returned. “Define professional.”

She glared. “No crossing lines. No expectations beyond what’s required for appearances.”

Damien chuckled, leaning back. “You’re afraid you’ll fall for me, aren’t you?”

Sienna scoffed. “I’m afraid you’ll think this is more than a business arrangement.”

“Understood,” he said, clearly amused. “Anything else?”

She hesitated before nodding. “I want it in writing.”

Now, he looked impressed.

“A contract?”

“Yes.” She lifted her chin. “If we’re going to do this, I want every detail laid out. No surprises.”

Damien’s smirk deepened.

“Smart girl,” he murmured. “I’ll have my lawyers draft something by tomorrow.”

Sienna exhaled slowly.

This was happening.

Damien extended his hand. “Do we have a deal?”

Her fingers twitched at her sides.

She had always fought for survival, always clawed her way through life with no shortcuts, no easy paths.

But this wasn’t a shortcut.

It was an opportunity.

And she wasn’t foolish enough to walk away from it.

So, she reached out, shaking his hand.

“Deal.”

—

The next morning, Sienna woke up wondering if she had made the biggest mistake of her life.

She had barely slept. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Damien’s smirk, heard his voice offering her five million dollars in exchange for marriage.

She had actually agreed to it.

Rolling out of bed, she ran a hand through her messy hair. “What the hell am I doing?”

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand.

Damien: Be ready by noon. We’re getting the paperwork sorted.

Sienna groaned. He really doesn’t waste time.

She quickly got dressed in her usual jeans and a blouse before heading out to meet him.

—

Damien’s car was waiting outside—a sleek black luxury vehicle that looked ridiculously out of place in her neighborhood.

She slid into the passenger seat, glancing at him. “Do you always look like you walked out of a magazine?”

Damien smirked, adjusting his cufflinks. “Do you always look like you don’t care what people think?”

Sienna rolled her eyes. “Flattery won’t get you anywhere.”

He chuckled, pulling onto the road. “We’ll see.”

—

They arrived at a high-rise building in the heart of the city. The moment they stepped into the law office, Sienna felt out of place.

Everything was sleek, modern, expensive.

Damien led her inside like he belonged there—because he did.

His lawyer, a middle-aged man in an expensive suit, greeted them with a professional smile. “Mr. Lancaster, Miss Rose. Please, have a seat.”

Sienna swallowed hard as Damien handed her a thick contract.

“This outlines everything we discussed,” he said. “The terms, the duration, and your compensation.”

Sienna flipped through the pages, her heart pounding.

It was all there.

A one-year marriage.

Appearances at events, shared living arrangements, public displays of affection when necessary.

And, at the end of it all, five million dollars.

She glanced up at Damien. “You really trust me with this?”

His smirk softened just slightly. “I wouldn’t have picked you if I didn’t.”

She hesitated only for a moment before grabbing the pen.

Then, with a deep breath—

She signed her name.

Damien followed, his signature smooth and confident.

The deal was sealed.

They were getting married.

—