The Love i contracted

Chapter 2: A Deal with the Devil

Serena's pulse hammered as she stared at Nathaniel. The word wife echoed in her mind, wrapping around her like a noose.

"I—I don't understand," she stammered. "Why would you want to keep this marriage?"

Nathaniel smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. He took a step closer, his towering frame making her feel small, caged in. "Let's just say… this situation is convenient for me."

Serena's fists clenched the sheets. "Convenient?" she repeated, incredulous. "You're a billionaire. You could have anyone. Why me?"

His gaze flickered over her, as if assessing her all over again. Then he exhaled, stepping back slightly. "Because, Serena, in my world, marriage isn't just about love. It's about power."

Her heart pounded. "Power?"

He nodded. "There are… expectations for me. From my family. From the board of Ashford Enterprise. They want stability. They want a perfect public image. And a wife—an unexpected one—might just work in my favor."

Serena swallowed hard. "So this is just business to you?"

A ghost of a smile crossed his lips. "Everything is business."

She wanted to argue, to scream that this was insane—but deep down, she knew men like him didn't do things without reason. And the way he looked at her now… it wasn't just about a drunken mistake.

He had made up his mind.

"Of course," he continued, slipping his hands into his pockets, "if you want to leave, we can get an annulment. But that would mean media attention, questions, and complications neither of us wants. And once the world finds out you married me—" he smirked— "your life will never be the same."

Her breath hitched. He was right. The moment people found out about this marriage, her anonymity would be gone. The press would dig into her life, her job, her past.

"I…" She hesitated. "What exactly are you offering?"

His eyes gleamed. "A contract. We stay married for a year. In return, I'll ensure you're taken care of. No financial worries. No media ruining your life. And when the time is right, we end it quietly."

Serena's stomach twisted. "And if I say no?"

Nathaniel tilted his head, his smirk widening. "Then you'll have to deal with the consequences of walking away from a billionaire husband."

It wasn't a threat.

It was a promise.

Serena sucked in a shaky breath. She was trapped, and she knew it.

But maybe—just maybe—there was a way to survive this.

She lifted her chin. "Fine," she said, forcing her voice to stay steady. "I'll sign the contract."

Nathaniel's smirk deepened.

"Good choice," he murmured.

But as he turned away, Serena couldn't shake the feeling that she had just made a deal with the devil.

And she had no idea what it would cost her.

--

Serena's pulse hammered as she stared at Nathaniel. The word wife echoed in her mind, wrapping around her like a noose.

"I—I don't understand," she stammered. "Why would you want to keep this marriage?"

Nathaniel smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. He took a step closer, his towering frame making her feel small, caged in. "Let's just say… this situation is convenient for me."

Serena's fists clenched the sheets. "Convenient?" she repeated, incredulous. "You're a billionaire. You could have anyone. Why me?"

His gaze flickered over her, as if assessing her all over again. Then he exhaled, stepping back slightly. "Because, Serena, in my world, marriage isn't just about love. It's about power."

Her heart pounded. "Power?"

He nodded. "There are… expectations for me. From my family. From the board of Ashford Enterprise. They want stability. They want a perfect public image. And a wife—an unexpected one—might just work in my favor."

Serena swallowed hard. "So this is just business to you?"

A ghost of a smile crossed his lips. "Everything is business."

She wanted to argue, to scream that this was insane—but deep down, she knew men like him didn't do things without reason. And the way he looked at her now… it wasn't just about a drunken mistake.Chapter 2: A Deal with the Devil

Serena's pulse hammered as she stared at Nathaniel. The word wife echoed in her mind, wrapping around her like a noose.

"I—I don't understand," she stammered. "Why would you want to keep this marriage?"

Nathaniel smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. He took a step closer, his towering frame making her feel small, caged in. "Let's just say… this situation is convenient for me."

Serena's fists clenched the sheets. "Convenient?" she repeated, incredulous. "You're a billionaire. You could have anyone. Why me?"

His gaze flickered over her, as if assessing her all over again. Then he exhaled, stepping back slightly. "Because, Serena, in my world, marriage isn't just about love. It's about power."

Her heart pounded. "Power?"

He nodded. "There are… expectations for me. From my family. From the board of Ashford Enterprise. They want stability. They want a perfect public image. And a wife—an unexpected one—might just work in my favor."

Serena swallowed hard. "So this is just business to you?"

A ghost of a smile crossed his lips. "Everything is business."

She wanted to argue, to scream that this was insane—but deep down, she knew men like him didn't do things without reason. And the way he looked at her now… it wasn't just about a drunken mistake.

He had made up his mind.

"Of course," he continued, slipping his hands into his pockets, "if you want to leave, we can get an annulment. But that would mean media attention, questions, and complications neither of us wants. And once the world finds out you married me—" he smirked— "your life will never be the same."

Her breath hitched. He was right. The moment people found out about this marriage, her anonymity would be gone. The press would dig into her life, her job, her past.

"I…" She hesitated. "What exactly are you offering?"

His eyes gleamed. "A contract. We stay married for a year. In return, I'll ensure you're taken care of. No financial worries. No media ruining your life. And when the time is right, we end it quietly."

Serena's stomach twisted. "And if I say no?"

Nathaniel tilted his head, his smirk widening. "Then you'll have to deal with the consequences of walking away from a billionaire husband."

It wasn't a threat.

It was a promise.

Serena sucked in a shaky breath. She was trapped, and she knew it.

But maybe—just maybe—there was a way to survive this.

She lifted her chin. "Fine," she said, forcing her voice to stay steady. "I'll sign the contract."

Nathaniel's smirk deepened.

"Good choice," he murmured.

But as he turned away, Serena couldn't shake the feeling that she had just made a deal with the devil.

And she had no idea what it would cost her.

--

Serena's pulse hammered as she stared at Nathaniel. The word wife echoed in her mind, wrapping around her like a noose.

"I—I don't understand," she stammered. "Why would you want to keep this marriage?"

Nathaniel smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. He took a step closer, his towering frame making her feel small, caged in. "Let's just say… this situation is convenient for me."

Serena's fists clenched the sheets. "Convenient?" she repeated, incredulous. "You're a billionaire. You could have anyone. Why me?"

His gaze flickered over her, as if assessing her all over again. Then he exhaled, stepping back slightly. "Because, Serena, in my world, marriage isn't just about love. It's about power."

Her heart pounded. "Power?"

He nodded. "There are… expectations for me. From my family. From the board of Ashford Enterprise. They want stability. They want a perfect public image. And a wife—an unexpected one—might just work in my favor."

Serena swallowed hard. "So this is just business to you?"

A ghost of a smile crossed his lips. "Everything is business."

She wanted to argue, to scream that this was insane—but deep down, she knew men like him didn't do things without reason. And the way he looked at her now… it wasn't just about a drunken mistake.

He had made up his mind.

"Of course," he continued, slipping his hands into his pockets, "if you want to leave, we can get an annulment. But that would mean media attention, questions, and complications neither of us wants. And once the world finds out you married me—" he smirked— "your life will never be the same."

Her breath hitched. He was right. The moment people found out about this marriage, her anonymity would be gone. The press would dig into her life, her job, her past.

"I…" She hesitated. "What exactly are you offering?"

His eyes gleamed. "A contract. We stay married for a year. In return, I'll ensure you're taken care of. No financial worries. No media ruining your life. And when the time is right, we end it quietly."

Serena's stomach twisted. "And if I say no?"

Nathaniel tilted his head, his smirk widening. "Then you'll have to deal with the consequences of walking away from a billionaire husband."

It wasn't a threat.

It was a promise.

Serena sucked in a shaky breath. She was trapped, and she knew it.

But maybe—just maybe—there was a way to survive this.

She lifted her chin. "Fine," she said, forcing her voice to stay steady. "I'll sign the contract."

Nathaniel's smirk deepened.

"Good choice," he murmured.

But as he turned away, Serena couldn't shake the feeling that she had just made a deal with the devil.

And she had no idea what it would cost her.

Two hours later, Serena sat in a sleek, high-rise office, staring at the stack of papers before her. The contract.

Nathaniel sat across from her, relaxed, powerful. He had barely spoken since they arrived at his private office inside Ashford Enterprise, but his presence alone filled the room.

Everything about this place screamed wealth—the glass walls overlooking the city, the minimalist but expensive decor, the faint scent of polished wood and leather.

This was his world.

And she was about to step into it.

Serena exhaled shakily and picked up the document. "One year," she murmured, scanning the terms.

Nathaniel nodded. "One year. No complications, no interference in each other's personal lives. At the end of it, we part ways."

She chewed her lip. "And during this year?"

He leaned back in his chair, watching her carefully. "You'll move in with me. We'll appear as a couple when necessary—at business events, public functions. But behind closed doors…" He paused, his voice turning smooth. "You're free to live your life."

Serena frowned. "So I'll be… what? Just a decoration?"

He chuckled. "Not just any decoration, Serena. My wife."

Her fingers clenched around the paper. There was something infuriating about his arrogance, about the way he spoke as if he had already won.

But she had agreed to this.

And now, there was no turning back.

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the pen beside her and, with a steady hand, signed her name at the bottom of the contract.

Nathaniel's gaze flickered with something unreadable as he reached for the papers. "Welcome to the Ashford family," he murmured.

The words sent a chill down her spine.

Because despite everything, she had a terrible feeling.

This was only the beginning.

---

The mansion was more than just a house.

It was a fortress.

Serena stared up at the massive estate as the sleek black car pulled into the circular driveway. Towering columns framed the grand entrance, and behind the wrought-iron gates, acres of manicured gardens stretched endlessly.

She had expected luxury.

But this… this was excess.

"Intimidated?" Nathaniel's voice came from beside her.

Serena turned to find him watching her with an amused smirk. He had discarded his tie, his top buttons undone, revealing just a glimpse of sculpted muscle beneath. He looked effortlessly powerful, like a king surveying his kingdom.

"I—" She hesitated, swallowing the lump in her throat. "It's just… a lot."

Nathaniel chuckled. "You'll get used to it."

She doubted that.

As the car door opened, Serena stepped out, feeling the weight of this new life settle over her. She had walked in as an ordinary woman.

But now, she was the wife of a billionaire.

And she had no idea what that truly meant.

The moment Serena stepped inside, she felt it—this place wasn't just a home. It was a statement.

Every inch of the Ashford estate dripped with wealth. A grand chandelier hung from the high ceiling, casting golden light over the marble floors. Expensive artwork lined the walls, and floor-to-ceiling windows offered a breathtaking view of the sprawling estate.

It was stunning. And suffocating.

"This will be your home for the next year," Nathaniel said, walking past her as if he belonged to this world in a way she never could. "There are a few rules."

Serena's head snapped toward him. "Rules?"

He smirked. "For starters, you'll be expected to attend events with me. Business galas, charity balls, board meetings when necessary."

Her stomach twisted. She had never been comfortable in the spotlight, and now she was about to be thrown into the center of high society.

"Second," he continued, "you'll have your own wing of the house. Your own room, your own space. I won't invade your privacy, and I expect the same in return."

Serena nodded slowly. That part, at least, was a relief.

"And third," Nathaniel's voice dipped lower as he stepped closer, "while this marriage is just a contract, the world can never know that." His sharp gaze locked onto hers. "In public, we are a devoted couple. In private, I don't care what you do. But don't embarrass me, Serena."

Her breath caught. His presence was overwhelming, his devilish face just inches from hers. His scent—something dark and expensive—wrapped around her, making it hard to think.

She lifted her chin. "I don't plan to."

Nathaniel studied her for a long moment before his smirk returned. "Good."

With that, he turned and disappeared down the long hallway, leaving her standing in the grand foyer, her heart pounding.

She had agreed to this marriage thinking it would be simple.

But now, standing in this gilded cage, she realized—

She was playing a dangerous game.

And Nathaniel Ashford?

He was the devil in disguise.

---

Two days later, Serena found herself draped in an emerald-green evening gown, standing beside Nathaniel as cameras flashed relentlessly.

The Ashford Gala.

A night filled with the world's elite—CEOs, politicians, celebrities. And now, her.

Nathaniel's arm rested lightly on her waist, his grip firm but controlled. He leaned down, whispering, "Smile, sweetheart. You're my wife now."

Serena forced a smile, though inside, she was screaming.

The press swarmed them, shouting questions.

"Nathaniel, how does it feel to be a married man?"

"Serena, how did you two meet?"

"Is this a love match or a business deal?"

Nathaniel chuckled, the sound smooth and effortless. "What do you think?" He glanced down at Serena, his smirk deepening. "I saw her, and I knew. She's the one."

Her breath hitched. He said it so convincingly, so effortlessly, that for a second—even she almost believed it.

But then—

"Mr. Ashford," a voice interrupted, sharp and taunting.

Serena turned, and her blood ran cold.

A man stepped forward, dressed in an expensive suit, his blue eyes gleaming with amusement. He radiated power—different from Nathaniel's refined control. This man was predatory. Calculating.

The rival.

"Didn't think I'd see you so… domesticated," the man drawled. His gaze flickered to Serena, and he smiled. "And this must be your lovely wife."

Nathaniel's grip on her waist tightened slightly.

"Serena," he said, his voice lower now, almost a warning. "Meet Adrian Locke."

Serena swallowed hard.

Nathaniel's biggest competitor.