"It’s not just a deal. It’s an opportunity. I’m offering you a way out of all the bullshit—" "By tying myself to you forever?" I laughed bitterly, the absurdity of the situation hitting me. "No, thanks." Ethan’s jaw clenched, his calm demeanor faltering for the first time. "It’s not forever. It’s just... a few years. Until we both get what we need. Then we can go our separate ways. You’ll have power, money, and respect." I stared at him, incredulous. "You’re insane. You're offering me marriage just so I wouldn't expose you for being a vile and evil man" His voice dropped and his expression darkened, "How much do you want?." ------------ Madison Taylor never expected to see Ethan King again—the arrogant high school golden boy who made her life a living hell. But years later, fate throws them together when she takes a job at his billion-dollar company. Madison is no longer the shy, vulnerable girl she was in high-school, she had changed into a gorgeous confident young woman who was ready to make her mark in the world and Ethan is intrigued by this transformation. Now, Ethan is desperate to keep his past buried and offers Madison a $30 million contract to marry him and protect his spotless reputation. Madison agrees, but not for the reasons Ethan thinks. She’s ready to make him pay for every cruel word, every insult that scarred her. But as their contract marriage unfolds, so do feelings neither expected. Caught between revenge and undeniable attraction, Madison must decide: will she ruin the man who once broke her, or fall for him all over again?
View MoreThe event had been exhausting. The endless small talk, the fake smiles, and the way Ethan’s eyes followed me all night—I felt like a bird in a gilded cage. By the time the everything ended, all I wanted was to disappear into the quiet sanctuary of my room. I lingered near the grand staircase of the pottery studio, pretending to be engrossed in my phone as people around me trickled out. I could feel Ethan’s gaze on me even before I looked up. When I finally did, there he was, cutting through the crowd like he owned the world. His suit was stained with clay from the exercise and he wiped the spot profusely as he walked towards me. “Ms Taylor,” he said as he approached, his voice lower than usual, as if he were trying not to startle me. I froze, gripping my purse tighter. “Mr King” “You're going home with me” he said, his tone soft but firm. The words hung between us like a challenge and the bystanders who had heard what he said gasped and stared daggers at me. My instinct screamed
~ETHAN The air was thick with awkward tension as I walked into the brightly lit pottery studio. It was an unconventional place for a corporate team-building exercise, but King Enterprises had recently partnered with this studio as part of a local arts initiative. My PR team insisted this event would be good for employee morale and our public image. I wasn’t convinced. The large room smelled of clay and faintly of paint, with rows of pottery wheels and long tables neatly arranged. The studio walls were decorated with shelves of colorful pottery, cheerful and inviting—a sharp contrast to the stiff, uneasy energy radiating from my employees. I scanned the room quickly, my gaze landing on Maddy at the far end. She was standing alone, looking painfully out of place amidst the clusters of coworkers who whispered and laughed amongst themselves. Samantha, of course, was front and center, making sure everyone noticed her. She tossed her hair back dramatically and laughed a little too loud
~ETHAN The drive home was quieter than usual, a stark contrast to the chaos in my head. My thoughts kept circling back to Maddy—her voice, the way her eyes lit up when she mentioned her birthday plans. I could still hear her teasing me about wearing something "other than a suit" to dinner tonight. I’d intended to make it. I really had. But the day had spiraled out of control. A client crisis, endless phone calls, and the suffocating weight of managing the company had consumed every second. By the time I realized how late it was, the clock on my dashboard read 11:15 PM. I gripped the steering wheel tighter, frustration bubbling under my skin. I’d missed it. I missed her. As I parked in the driveway, the house loomed ahead of me, its windows glowing faintly against the dark night. The air felt heavy as I walked to the door, turning the key in the lock. The silence inside was deafening. No staff bustling about, no soft hum of conversation. Just the muted tick of the grandfather cloc
~MADISON I stared at my reflection in the mirror, smoothing the midnight blue dress I had carefully chosen for the evening. The silk fabric hugged my figure perfectly, flowing down in elegant folds. It was the kind of dress that made you feel confident, beautiful, even when your heart wasn’t quite in it. The warm light from the vanity caught on the delicate silver necklace I wore, a simple piece that Ethan had given me months ago. It was my birthday, and despite everything—the fights, the cold distance between us, his increasing absences—I wanted to believe tonight would be different. He’d promised we’d go to dinner. He’d promised to make time for me. I glanced at the clock on the wall. 7:30 PM. The reservation was for eight, but Ethan was nowhere to be seen. The house was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made you acutely aware of your own breathing. “Ma’am?” The soft knock at the door startled me. One of the staff, Maria, peeked her head in. “Would you like me to check with
The sharp, relentless pounding on the door jolted me awake. My heart thundered in my chest as I blinked, disoriented, the faint glow of moonlight streaming into the room. Maddy stirred beside me, her small body curling further into the warmth of the blankets. For a moment, I wanted to ignore it—let whoever it was stay outside and figure their shit out—but the banging only grew louder, more aggressive. I carefully slid out of bed, tucking the blankets around her sleeping form. She mumbled something incoherent but didn’t wake. Running a hand through my hair, I padded toward the door, my muscles tense. Whoever was pounding like that better have a damn good reason. The moment I opened the door, Samantha shoved past me, her heels clacking furiously against the marble floor. “What the hell is wrong with you, Ethan?” she spat, her green eyes flashing with rage. I stepped in front of her, blocking her path toward the bed. “What the hell is wrong with you? Do you know what time it is? I tho
~ETHAN~ I always wondered what went on in her thick skull.How can somebody with such high academic qualifications, one of the smartest women I've ever met and a total genius, think like a fucking squirell? Her emotions were always ahead of her, she acted without fucking thinking and she gets hurt at the end. Anger was a meager way to describe the emotions I felt. That sick bastard, he was beyond lucky he didn't lay his filthy hands on my wife.It gave me extreme pleasure to watch him beg for his life as my fist ravaged his stupid face.The scars would always remind him not to mess with what's mine and most especially, not to ever drug any woman. The police arrived quicker than I had expected and in few minutes, the sick bastard was handcuffed and escorted out of his apartment.I would make sure he spends a good time in prison. How did I hire such a sick creep in the first place?Losing his job will render him useless, he'd be plunged deep into debt and he would forever regret the
It felt like my brain was being split in half. My eyes felt extremely heavy and my body felt like I had been crushed by a truck.The feeling of the soft mattress against my body gave me a little relief, only, this wasn't my bed and I had never made it home last night. I vaguely remember getting into a taxi but I have no idea if I made it out of the club.I turned and writhed in the large bed until I found the energy to stand up.The very unfamiliar room was tactfully decorated with large wooden furniture and floor length curtains that blocked sunlight from entering the room.Aside the standard decoration, there was nothing else.Nothing to give me a clue as to who owned the room I was in. No pictures or paintings or even a jacket or sweater.I sighed and said a short prayer as I grabbed the shiny doorknob..Locked.I really need to find a way to stop getting locked in.I yanked the door knob severally, my frustration rising each passing minute.Who the fuck had done this? I folded t
The sound of the front door opening caught me mid-thought. My eyes darted toward it as sharp voices echoed down the hall, growing louder with each step. A chill ran down my spine, a sense of unease settling in my chest. I wasn’t expecting anyone. I glanced at Ethan, who sat casually across from me, his expression unreadable. But the slight tightening of his jaw told me he wasn’t thrilled about whoever had just walked in. Eleanor stood in the living room, her eyes focused on her phone as she muttered to herself. She was neatly dressed in a tight pant suit and her hair was styled in soft waves that framed her face."Be quick, darling. I don't have all day" she yelled at someone who was at the door.My face immediately fell when I saw whom she was speaking to.Samantha walked in, dragging a large designer suitcase that I was certain cost more than my rent.She stood beside Eleanor and they conversed in hushed tones.We hurried downstairs and Ethan looked as pale as a ghost. “Ethan,” E
"If I unknowingly signed to become your slave for life, forget about it," I muttered, flipping through the document. Ethan chuckled, his voice laced with amusement. "I would never do that. I'd never put you in restraints... unless maybe you wanted it." "Perv," I hissed, my cheeks heating despite myself. The pages rustled as I flipped through them quickly, scanning for any hidden clauses or sinister fine print. I wasn’t about to trust him blindly—not after everything. My eyes darted from line to line, my heart racing for no good reason. I wasn't a lawyer, but I could understand enough to know I wasn’t about to sell my soul. "I panicked for nothing," I frowned, slamming the document shut. "There's nothing bad in here." Ethan smirked, leaning back in his chair, the picture of confidence. "I know. I just wanted to teach you a lesson." "A lesson in what? Trusting you? Not happening." I rolled my eyes and shoved the papers across the table, putting as much space as I could between the
I stood in the glass elevator, watching my reflection grow smaller as the city below me shrank. There I was—Madison Taylor, no longer the awkward girl with too-big sweaters and a heart too soft for her own good. No longer the girl who flinched at the sound of his name. Now, I was confident, collected, and ready to face whatever lay on the other side of those doors. Even him. Ethan King. I hadn’t seen him in almost a decade. The last time we were in the same room, I’d been holding back tears as he and his friends laughed at my expense. High school had been its own kind of battlefield, and Ethan had been the king, both literally and figuratively. He’d ruled the halls with his charm, his looks, and his cruel words, cutting me down without ever giving it a second thought. But that was years ago. I wasn’t that girl anymore. And he? Well, he was the CEO of a billion-dollar company. King Enterprises. I clenched my jaw at the irony of the name. How fitting. The elevator dinged, jolting me...
Welcome to GoodNovel world of fiction. If you like this novel, or you are an idealist hoping to explore a perfect world, and also want to become an original novel author online to increase income, you can join our family to read or create various types of books, such as romance novel, epic reading, werewolf novel, fantasy novel, history novel and so on. If you are a reader, high quality novels can be selected here. If you are an author, you can obtain more inspiration from others to create more brilliant works, what's more, your works on our platform will catch more attention and win more admiration from readers.
Comments