Unexpected Romance, Contract marriage

CHAPTER ONELEO’S POV“It was nice doing business with you, Mr. Leonardo, but I must say I cannot just invest in your company for some reasons. I will have to think about it,” Mr. Max Zenin, the largest shareholder of Whites Company, said.“Okay, you have all the time to think about it. I guarantee you it’s worth it,” I replied, crossing my legs. I was dressed in a black Tom Ford suit with Tom Ford Elian shoes, projecting the image of confidence and success.Now you might be wondering who I am, Leonardo Lugard is my name. The owner of L&L Building—the most well-known and biggest mall in Las Vegas— and I am here to get Max Zenin to invest in my company. My physical description? - A tall, fair, dark-haired appearance, coupled with piercing eyes that seemed to hold a world of secrets, gave me an air of mystery and intrigue that drew others to me like moths to a flame. But to my dismay, Mr. Max seemed to have trust issues.“Now, if you will excuse me, I have another meeting to attend,” I

CHAPTER THREERACHEL’S POV“What, Rachel? Are you serious?” Cecilia asked for the 100th time. Cecilia, my best friend, had grown up with me. A striking model and influential social media figure, She was also the ambassador for my jewelry line. With her long, flowing ebony hair, piercing blue eyes, and model-like figure, she had seen the news and rushed over to my house to confirm if it was just a rumor or fake. I assured her I was aware and fully supportive of it.“Are you sure you are okay?” she asked again, concern evident in her voice.“Yes, Cecile, I accept this challenge. I’ve got various plans in my head right now. One is to make him accept the challenge. Two is to get to know more about him—specifically his weaknesses and flaws—and use them to my advantage. Lastly, I will get rid of the other couples in the show, and then I will get rid of him too, making me the only person standing. Max Zenin would have no choice but to invest in my company. And that’s it. I’m going to secure

RACHEL’S POVBelieve it or not, anxiety is coursing through me as I think about appearing on that variety show with Leo. Yet, despite the nerves, I can't help but feel an undercurrent of excitement. This is my chance to manipulate him, to finally gain the upper hand. “Keep your friends close but your enemies closer” – that will be my mantra. I won’t let him reign at the top forever. He needs to know what it's like to be in second place, to feel the sting of being overshadowed. And I, in turn, will relish what it means to stand on the top rung.As the driver sped through the highway, my mind raced even faster. Numerous thoughts swirled within me, a chaotic storm of strategy. Today marks our first interview as the cast of the variety show, and we’re expected to arrive by 9:00 AM. I’ve always prided myself on punctuality, always being the first to arrive. But this time, I silently prayed that Leo wouldn’t beat me there. Being second to him, even in arrival time, would be a small but bit

CHAPTER SEVENRachel’s POVMy whole life flashed before my eyes when we were told we were going to stay in the same place together for 100 days."You gotta be kidding me," I said out loud, forgetting the camera was on me."This is all your fault," Leo said, putting his hands in his pockets and turning to face me.Well, can’t he see that I am already regretting this?"Is it too late to get out of the show?" I turned to ask one of the crew members with the camera, and he shook his head, much to my disappointment."Damn," Leo cussed. We are going to be in deep trouble. While we lamented over the fact that we would be sharing the same room, it was ironic compared to the other couples who were jumping and hugging each other happily as though they had won the lottery. Well, except for one person—the girl in the emerald dress whom I saw earlier with Leo. She was staring in our direction. Her eyes seemed to be focused not on Leo this time around, but on me. Why? I couldn’t pinpoint it, but t

RACHEL’S POV"Ahhhhhhh!!" I screamed, throwing everything within reach across the room. The sound of shattering glass and the crash of objects hitting the floor echoed off the walls. My meticulously arranged room descended into chaos. Picture frames toppled, books flew off the shelves, and the vase on the nightstand shattered into a thousand pieces..I didn’t even realize the door had opened until I heard Cecilia’s voice.“Rachel!” she called, rushing over to me. “Oh no! Rachel, you’re going to hurt yourself,” she said, pulling me into a tight hug as I burst into tears.“I’m done for, Cecilia. Everything,” I stuttered through my sobs.“No, Rachel. Everything will be fine. Do not give up, okay?” she said, her voice firm but kind. I continued to sob quietly for a few minutes, the weight of everything bearing down on me.“Excuse me,” I whispered, pulling away from her as I headed toward the bathroom. I caught a glimpse of her worried eyes as I shut the door behind me.Inside the bathroom