The Love i contracted

Chapter 2 The Rival's Game

Serena had heard the name Adrian Locke before. A ruthless CEO, Nathaniel's fiercest rival, and the only man who had ever come close to challenging Ashford Enterprise.

But hearing about him was nothing compared to standing in front of him.

Adrian's smirk deepened as he extended his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Ashford."

Serena hesitated.

Nathaniel's grip on her waist tightened slightly—subtle, but she felt it. A silent warning.

But instead of pulling away, she straightened and shook Adrian's hand. "Likewise."

His fingers lingered a second too long before he released her. His eyes flicked back to Nathaniel. "I have to admit, I'm surprised. Marriage never seemed like your style."

Nathaniel's smirk was razor-sharp. "People evolve."

Adrian chuckled. "Do they? Or is this just another one of your… calculated moves?"

Serena stiffened.

She wasn't naïve. Adrian was testing them, looking for cracks.

Nathaniel's expression didn't falter. "You sound disappointed, Adrian. Were you hoping I'd remain single forever?"

Adrian laughed. "Oh, not at all." His gaze slid back to Serena, slow and deliberate. "In fact, I think this makes things much more… interesting."

Serena's breath hitched.

Nathaniel's jaw ticked, his relaxed stance becoming just a little too controlled. "Watch yourself, Locke."

Adrian merely smirked, lifting his glass in mock salute. "Enjoy your evening, lovebirds." Then, with a final lingering glance at Serena, he disappeared into the crowd.

The second he was gone, Nathaniel exhaled sharply.

"Stay away from him," he murmured.

Serena turned to him, eyebrows raised. "Why? Is he dangerous?"

Nathaniel's expression darkened. "He's manipulative. He'll say whatever he needs to in order to get what he wants."

Serena frowned. "And what does he want?"

Nathaniel's gaze flickered—hesitation, just for a split second—before he smirked. "To see me lose."

Serena didn't know why, but something about that answer felt incomplete.

And as she glanced across the ballroom and saw Adrian Locke watching her from a distance, she had the uneasy feeling that she had just become part of a game much bigger than she realized.

---

he time they returned home, Serena was exhausted.

The gala had been overwhelming, and Adrian's presence had unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.

As soon as they entered the house, she turned to Nathaniel. "What was that back there?"

Nathaniel loosened his tie, his sharp features shadowed in the dim light. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean," she insisted. "Adrian. The way he looked at me. The way you reacted."

Nathaniel sighed and ran a hand through his dark hair. "He's a threat, Serena. Not just to my business, but to this marriage."

She frowned. "But this marriage isn't real."

Nathaniel's eyes locked onto hers. "It is to the world."

A shiver ran down her spine.

"So what do you want me to do?" she asked.

His smirk returned, slow and deliberate. "You're my wife now, Serena. Act like it."

Serena's breath caught. His voice was calm, but there was something possessive in the way he said it.

And for the first time, she realized—

This wasn't just about business anymore.

She had just stepped into a war.

And she had no idea who would win.

---

Chapter 11: Caught Between Two Titans

Serena barely slept that night.

Nathaniel's words haunted her—You're my wife now. Act like it.

She had agreed to this marriage as a business arrangement. A simple deal. But now, she was trapped between two powerful men, and the lines between business and personal were starting to blur.

By morning, she had made a decision. She needed to set boundaries.

She found Nathaniel in his home office, looking effortlessly powerful in a crisp white shirt with the top button undone, his sleeves rolled up, revealing muscular forearms. His jet-black hair was still slightly damp from a shower, making him look even more devilishly handsome.

Serena swallowed, ignoring the unwelcome flutter in her chest. "We need to talk."

Nathaniel leaned back in his chair, smirking. "That sounds serious."

She crossed her arms. "It is. About Adrian."

His smirk faded slightly. "What about him?"

Serena took a breath. "I can handle myself. You don't need to warn me away from him like I'm some clueless damsel."

Nathaniel's jaw tightened. "I'm not underestimating you, Serena. I just know how Adrian operates. He's not interested in small victories—he plays the long game."

She frowned. "And what game is he playing now?"

Nathaniel's eyes darkened. "You."

Her stomach twisted. "You think he's using me to get to you?"

"I know he is," Nathaniel said coldly. He stood, walking around the desk until he was right in front of her. "Adrian doesn't just want to win. He wants to take what's mine."

Serena's breath hitched. "Yours?"

Nathaniel's gaze burned into hers, unreadable. For a moment, the air between them felt different—charged.

But just as quickly, he stepped back, his expression cooling.

"You're my wife, Serena," he said smoothly. "That means you represent me. If Adrian thinks he can sway you, he'll try. And he's very, very persuasive."

Serena exhaled slowly. "So what do you want me to do?"

Nathaniel smirked. "Simple. Make it clear that you belong to me."

Her heart skipped a beat.

"Excuse me?" she said, narrowing her eyes.

He chuckled. "Relax. I don't mean anything improper. I just mean… keep up appearances. When you're with me, act the part."

Serena hesitated. The way he said it—act the part—felt dangerous. Because what if, at some point, it stopped feeling like an act?

But she had no other choice.

"Fine," she said, lifting her chin. "I'll play my role."

Nathaniel's smirk returned. "Good girl."

Serena scowled. "Don't call me that."

He only chuckled, stepping aside as she stormed past him. But as she walked away, she swore she could still feel his gaze on her, like a predator watching its prey.

And she had no idea which of them was truly in control.

--

That evening, Serena received an unexpected invitation.

A private dinner.

With Adrian Locke.

She stared at the elegant card in her hand, her pulse racing.

Why was he reaching out to her?

Nathaniel's warning echoed in her mind, but a part of her was curious. If Adrian really was playing a game, she needed to understand the rules.

So, against her better judgment, she went.

The restaurant was exclusive, dimly lit, with a breathtaking view of the city skyline. When she arrived, Adrian was already there, waiting with a glass of wine in hand.

He stood as she approached, his gaze sweeping over her with open appreciation. "Serena. I was hoping you'd accept my invitation."

She sat across from him, keeping her posture composed. "I was curious."

Adrian's smirk deepened. "Curious about me? I'm flattered."

She rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. Why invite me here?"

He tilted his head, studying her. "Because I see things others don't. And I think you're more than just Nathaniel's contract wife."

Serena's breath caught.

He knows.

She masked her surprise. "What makes you say that?"

Adrian leaned in slightly, his voice smooth. "Because Nathaniel doesn't do marriage. Not unless there's something in it for him. And you… you don't look like a woman who planned on marrying a billionaire overnight."

Serena clenched her fists beneath the table.

He was sharp. Too sharp.

Adrian smiled. "I wonder… what would happen if the world found out the truth?"

Her stomach twisted. "Are you threatening me?"

Adrian chuckled. "Not at all. I'm offering you a choice."

Serena frowned. "What kind of choice?"

He leaned back, sipping his wine leisurely. "Work with me. Whatever Nathaniel is gaining from this marriage—I'll give you something better."

Serena's breath hitched.

He was trying to turn her against Nathaniel.

She should have expected it. But hearing it out loud made it real.

"I'm not interested," she said firmly.

Adrian smirked, unconcerned. "Not yet. But you will be."

Serena stood, her pulse hammering. "This dinner was a mistake."

She turned to leave—

But before she could take a step, Adrian spoke again.

"I'll be seeing you again, Serena."

She paused, then walked away without another word.

But deep down, she knew—

This wasn't over.

Not even close.

---

Chapter 13: A Dangerous Game

Serena barely made it through the front doors of the Ashford estate before Nathaniel was on her.

He was waiting in the foyer, his sharp jaw clenched, his dark eyes burning with restrained fury. He had discarded his suit jacket, the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up again, revealing the veins in his muscular forearms. He looked like a storm barely contained.

"Where were you?" His voice was calm. Too calm.

Serena held her chin high. "Out."

Nathaniel exhaled, running a hand through his jet-black hair. "With Adrian."

It wasn't a question.

Serena crossed her arms. "Are you tracking me now?"

Nathaniel stepped forward, his presence towering. "I don't need to. Adrian made sure I found out."

Her stomach twisted. She should've known Adrian would make a move like that—letting Nathaniel know she had met him, planting seeds of doubt.

"He invited me to dinner," she admitted. "I went to hear him out."

Nathaniel's jaw ticked. "And?"

Serena hesitated. "He wanted to turn me against you."

Nathaniel let out a sharp breath, his gaze darkening. "Of course he did."

She took a step closer, testing his reaction. "Does it bother you?"

His smirk was humorless. "It bothers me that you went."

Serena didn't back down. "I needed to see for myself what kind of man he is."

Nathaniel's expression hardened. "And what did you learn?"

Serena thought back to Adrian's words, the way he had studied her like she was a piece on a chessboard. "That he doesn't just want to beat you in business. He wants to ruin you."

Nathaniel's lips pressed into a thin line. "And he'll use you to do it."

A tense silence stretched between them.

Then, unexpectedly, Nathaniel let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "You're more trouble than I expected."

Serena arched an eyebrow. "Did you think I'd just be an accessory?"

Nathaniel's gaze flickered with something unreadable. "I thought you'd be easier to control."

Her heart skipped.

She didn't know why, but something about that confession sent a thrill down her spine.

Instead of arguing, she smirked. "You underestimated me."

Nathaniel exhaled, running a hand down his face. Then, to her utter shock, he stepped closer—so close she could feel the heat radiating from his body.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Serena." His voice was lower now, almost a whisper. "You think you're in control, but you don't understand the kind of men you're dealing with."

Serena swallowed. "Then teach me."

Nathaniel's gaze locked onto hers, searching. For what, she didn't know.

Then, just when she thought he might actually say something real, he smirked. "Be careful what you wish for, wife."

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Serena standing there, her heart racing.

She had thought she was stepping into a contract marriage.

But now, she realized—

She was in the middle of a war.

And she wasn't sure if she would make it out unscathed.

---

Chapter 14: Adrian's Next Move

The next morning, Serena woke up to chaos.

Her phone was blowing up. Texts. Missed calls. News alerts.

Her stomach dropped as she clicked on a headline.

"ASHFORD BRIDE SPOTTED DINING WITH BUSINESS RIVAL ADRIAN LOCKE—MARRIAGE IN TROUBLE?"

Her blood turned cold.

Someone had leaked it.

Images of her and Adrian at dinner filled the article—captured from just the right angles to make it look intimate. Like a date.

Serena shot out of bed, her pulse hammering.

She didn't need to guess who had done this.

Adrian.

Her door burst open.

Nathaniel stood there, his phone in hand, his expression like carved stone. "Care to explain?"

Serena swallowed. "It's not what it looks like."

Nathaniel chuckled darkly. "Funny. That's exactly what guilty people say."

Serena clenched her fists. "You think I planned this?"

Nathaniel took a slow, measured step toward her. "I think Adrian played you."

Serena exhaled sharply. "I didn't tell him anything."

Nathaniel's gaze was ice-cold. "That doesn't matter. The damage is already done."

Serena felt frustration bubble up. "So what? Are you going to punish me?"

Nathaniel tilted his head, studying her. Then, to her surprise, he smirked. "No."

Serena blinked. "No?"

Nathaniel's smirk deepened. "I'm going to fix this. But we're going to do it my way."

Serena's pulse quickened. "What does that mean?"

Nathaniel's eyes gleamed with something dark and possessive. "It means from now on, we're not just pretending."

Serena's breath caught. "What?"

Nathaniel leaned down, his lips inches from hers. "If the world wants a love story, let's give them one."

Serena's heart pounded.

She had walked into this marriage thinking it was a contract. A simple business deal.

But now—

She was about to become the perfect billionaire's wife.

And she had no idea if she'd survive it.

---