Damien Logan, a ruthless billionaire, is used to control and power. But his life is shaken after a one-night stand with a mysterious woman, Ariana. When he wakes up to find her gone, he assumes they’ll never meet again until fate steps in. Struggling with debt and the loss of her job, Ariana unexpectedly finds herself back in Damien's world. Faced with his grandfather’s demand to marry a woman of his choosing, Damien comes up with a bold plan: a marriage contract with Ariana. In exchange for pretending to be his wife, she’ll get the financial stability she needs. Reluctantly, Ariana agrees, stepping into a life of wealth and lies. But as their fake marriage goes on, their walls start to crack. The line between pretending and real feelings starts to blur. Secrets and insecurities threaten to ruin everything. Can a love built on a lie survive, or will their contract end before they find each other’s hearts?
View MoreAriana's POVI slowly opened my eyes. My head ached, my neck was sore, and my body felt weak. Everything around me was dark. My mind struggled to grasp where I was. Then it hit me—I had been injected with something earlier.I tried to move, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. The floor beneath me was rough. I was at the back of a moving van.I forced myself up and crawled toward the door in the darkness, trying to open it. It wouldn’t budge.“No… no… where the hell are they taking me?” I whispered, panic gripping me. My hands shook, and tears welled in my eyes.My phone!Yes! I had tucked it inside the inner pocket of my gown.With weak, trembling hands, I searched for it. When I finally found it, I grabbed it quickly and turned on the screen. 200 missed calls. Damien.I tried to call him back, but there was no signal. Fear surged through me, making my hands tremble even more. I moved to the other side of the van, hoping for a better connection. Nothing.Tears streamed down my cheeks.He
Ariana’s POVI had just finished my bath and walked downstairs. As I stepped into the living room, I glanced around, expecting to see Damien, maybe reading his journal or watering the flowers like he usually did. But he wasn’t there. The house felt empty, and I wondered where he could be.I moved toward the flowers by the window, the ones Damien always took care of. Bending down, I inhaled their fresh scent, a small smile forming on my lips. I could almost picture him standing here, watering them with that serious look on his face.Realizing what I was doing, I quickly straightened up and shook my head. What am I even thinking?I walked to the dining area, my eyes landing on the empty table. A sigh escaped my lips."God, I really miss you, Martha," I muttered. If she were here, she would’ve made breakfast by now.My phone beeped in my pocket. I pulled it out and checked the screen.An alert from yesterday's design sale.My eyes widened, and excitement bubbled up inside me. I jumped up
Ariana's POV"H...hi," I said hesitantly, my voice coming out softer than I intended.Damien stood near the entrance of the villa, his gaze locked onto mine. There was something in his eyes—anger, maybe—but I couldn't quite tell. His face was impassive, yet his sharp blue eyes held a fire I wasn’t sure I had ever seen before.I was about to brush past him and head inside when his voice stopped me."You're late. It's almost 8:30 PM," he said, slipping one hand into his pocket while the other flicked at his watch.I scoffed. "Last time I checked, there wasn’t a rule saying I couldn't come home whenever I wanted. And you need to learn how to mind your own business ." My tone was laced with defiance as I stepped forward, intent on walking past him.But before I could take another step, I felt his hands on my waist. My breath hitched as he pushed me gently—yet firmly—against the wall.My heart pounded."Do you really think so?" he asked, his voice a low whisper, the warmth of his breath br
Ariana’s POVThe moment Julie walked in, I spotted her right away and waved. She made her way toward me, her expression playful as always.“You’re thirty minutes late, girl,” I said, pretending to be mad.“C’mon, Ari, I’m sorry! I just decided to grab some groceries on the way,” she replied, pouting cutely.I rolled my eyes, unable to stay fake-mad at her. “Just sit already,” I said, motioning to the chair across from me. “So, what do you think we should order? They’ve got this funny-looking pork dish,” I said, flipping through the menu and pointing at the image. “And there’s also noodles, tofu, fried rice…” I paused and glanced at her for a second.Julie bit her lip—again.“Okay, I know that look,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “Who’s the guy?”“Ari!!” Julie shrieked, then burst into laughter.I smirked. “C’mon, spill the tea already. You’ve bitten your lips more than ten times since you got here. I bet they’re bleeding by now,” I teased, leaning in to take a closer look at her lips.“S
Ariana’s POVI followed Charles into his office, my eyes widening slightly as I took in the sophisticated space. So, he’s the CEO of the company? Wow. He looks so young for such a powerful position.“Please, have a seat, Miss Ariana,” Charles said, flashing me a friendly smile as he gestured toward the chair opposite his desk.“Oh, thank you.” I settled into the chair, shifting slightly to make myself comfortable.“Would you like something to drink? Coffee, juice, wine?”I shook my head. “No, I’m good, thanks.”“You sure?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.“Yes, of course. But I appreciate it.”Charles leaned back, clasping his hands together. “So, I happened to stumble upon one of your designs on your website, and all I could say was—‘fantastic.’” He smiled. “The design is truly unique, and I’m glad you agreed to sell it to us. What I’ll need you to do now is sign this contract, input your account details, and add your signature.” He pulled out a file and placed it in front of me.I took
Ariana's Pov The events of yesterday still lingered in my mind as I made my way down the stairs. I had woken up feeling drained, surprised that it was already 8 AM and that Martha hadn’t come to wake me. How sweet of her. She must have known how exhausted I was.Dressed in a pair of shorts and a crop top—something comfortable for the day—I walked toward the kitchen, only to find it empty.Where did she go? I wondered, glancing around.I was about to head toward her room when a deep voice behind me made me pause."She asked for a leave. She won’t be back until next month."I turned around and saw Damien standing near the window, watering the flowers. The sight of him made my breath hitch. The memory of yesterday's kiss flashed through my mind, making me uneasy. Even though I knew it was just for show, the urge to ask why he had done it gnawed at me. There were plenty of ways to convince the media without actually kissing me.As he walked toward me, I couldn't suppress the question any
Ariana’s POV Sitting in the car, I couldn't stop shaking. The humiliation from earlier clung to me like a second skin, each cruel word echoing in my head. My fingers trembled slightly as I clenched my dress. How much more did Daniel want to take from me? I gave him five years of my life—five years of love, loyalty, and devotion. And this? This was what I got in return? A soft sigh left my lips, and my gaze flickered toward Damien. He was staring at me, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his eyes that made my chest tighten. Did he really just defend me back there? Was this the same man who had been nothing but cold and distant toward me? It was almost hard to believe. Before I could dwell on it further, Julie burst into the car, her face red with fury. "Oh my God, Ari! Did that bastard and his bitch really do this to you?" she demanded, her voice shaking. "What else does he want? You gave him everything—you even gave him your body! And this is how he repays you?"
Damien’s POVAs soon as I reached where Grandpa was waiting, his scolding began."Damien, how dare you? When I told you to get engaged, did you not understand what I meant? Do you have any idea what this will cost the company? Our partnership with Cindy's father who is also my best friend in case you’ve forgotten, is on the line! You're jeopardizing both business and friendship! A disgrace! That’s what you are! Now the shareholders are panicking, the scandal is still unresolved, and instead of fixing things, you pull this reckless stunt by getting engaged to someone else instead of Cindy?"I met his furious gaze, unfazed. "You told me to get engaged to whoever I wanted, and I did exactly that," I replied firmly."No! No, Damien, you didn’t do what I wanted. You did what you liked and put the company in danger!" he roared. "If the shareholders withdraw their investments, how do you think we’ll continue to prosper? The alliance between Logan Group and Cindy’s father’s company is what br
Damien's POVAs Ariana descended the stairs, I lifted my gaze, and for a split second, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. She was breathtaking. Stunning, even. The champagne colored dress hugged her figure perfectly, her hair cascaded down her back in soft waves and her glossy lips looks so beautiful. Her slight smile stirred something in me, something I feared alot , but I quickly pushed it down. This is a contract. No strings attached."So? How do I look?" Ariana asked, twirling slightly.I schooled my expression, keeping my face unreadable. "Too much makeup. The dress brings out too much of your shape, which isn’t exactly ideal for a lady, and your hair is too wavy," I said, completely lying. "Overall, it's manageable."Her mouth dropped open. "Are you serious right now? I put in this much effort, and you can’t even give me a single compliment? Not even a tiny one?"I glanced at my watch. "I think you're forgetting this is business. You’re crossing the line."Her expression dark
Ariana's POV “Oh, I’m so sorry!” I stammered, nearly crashing into a waiter holding a tray of drinks. My heels clicked against the white-tiled floor of Silver Foods Restaurant as I rushed toward the private booth at the back. Thirty minutes late. My stomach churned as I glanced at my wristwatch again. I was supposed to meet Daniel at 7:00 PM, and it was nearly 7:30. Why was I running? Well, as ridiculous as it sounds, I was desperate to meet my boyfriend of five years, who’d called me earlier with a tone so cold it sent chills down my spine. “Hey, love,” I’d greeted warmly when I picked up his call. “We need to talk. Meet me at the usual spot.” Before I could ask him what was wrong, he hung up. I had barely caught my breath when I spotted him sitting at our usual table. His broad shoulders were hunched, and he was staring at his phone, oblivious to the bustling restaurant around him. “Danny!” I called, plastering on a smile as I slid into the seat opposite him. “I’m so ...
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