The black Bentley parked in front of Evelyn's building like a predator lying in wait. Its polished surface reflected the gray clouds overhead, and for a moment, Evelyn wondered if it could see her hesitation from behind the thin curtain of her apartment window.
She hadn't slept much in the past two nights.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw her brother's face. His quiet, hopeful smile as he texted her about school. Her father's hospital bills piling up like a tidal wave. The landlord's increasingly threatening messages.
Three hundred thousand.
She hated how those words had lodged themselves in her brain like a song she couldn't turn off.
And now the car was here.
The driver was a middle-aged man in a crisp suit, polite but brisk.
"Miss Liang?"
"Yes," she said softly, gripping her tote bag like it was a lifeline.
"Mr. Lu is waiting."
The words made her stomach twist. She slid into the car, the leather seats far too soft, the faint scent of expensive cologne clinging to the air.
As the city passed in blurred streaks of gray and gold, Evelyn pressed her fingers together in her lap, nails digging into her palms.
This was just a business transaction, she told herself. She could survive a year. Then she'd walk away free.
But why did it already feel like she was walking into a trap?
Damian's penthouse was less a home and more a statement.
Marble floors gleamed under soft recessed lights. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed a skyline so vast it made Evelyn dizzy.
"Wait here," the driver said, disappearing down a long hallway.
Evelyn stood awkwardly in the entrance, her soaked sneakers squeaking faintly against the marble. She felt painfully out of place in her simple jeans and cardigan, like a stray cat wandering into a palace.
A soft click drew her gaze.
Damian emerged from a side room, dressed in another immaculate suit, his tie knotted perfectly. If not for the faint bandage still visible at his temple, she might have doubted he was the same man she'd found drunk and bleeding two nights ago.
His dark eyes swept over her, unreadable as ever.
"You came," he said simply.
Evelyn lifted her chin. "Don't sound so smug. I'm here for my family. That's all."
He didn't respond to the bite in her tone, only gestured toward a long black table where a thick document waited.
"Read it."
Evelyn approached cautiously, the rustle of paper loud in the silent room.
---
đź“ś The Contract:
1. Duration: 12 months.
2. Public Persona: Evelyn Liang will act as Mrs. Lu in all social and business settings.
3. Boundaries: No physical relationship unless mutually agreed.
4. Compensation: ÂĄ300,000 upfront, plus ÂĄ50,000 monthly allowance.
5. Termination: Early exit requires repayment of full compensation.
6. Confidentiality: Any breach will result in legal action.
---
"You really thought this through," she murmured, forcing her voice to stay steady.
"I don't do anything halfway," Damian said coolly.
Her fingers hesitated on the pen.
One signature. That was all it took to sell a year of her life.
Her pride screamed at her to walk away. But the image of her brother's hopeful face crushed the sound.
She signed.
Damian took the contract and scanned her signature. "Good. We'll announce the engagement in two weeks."
"Engagement?" Evelyn echoed.
"To the public, we're a couple in love. We'll need photos, appearances… credibility."
Her stomach churned.
"Relax," he said without looking up. "I don't expect you to fake affection in private. But in public, you'll play the part."
"What about your family?"
"My grandmother is the reason for this. She won't accept a CEO who can't settle down." A shadow passed over his face. "She's traditional."
"And your ex?" The question slipped out before she could stop herself.
His eyes hardened. "Stay out of matters that don't concern you."
Damian turned toward the window, his posture as stiff and perfect as a marble statue.
"I'll have my assistant, William, handle your wardrobe and training."
"Training?" Evelyn frowned.
"You'll need to fit in. My world isn't forgiving."
She bristled. "I don't need training to play a doll on your arm."
His head turned, and for a moment, she saw something flicker in his expression. Not amusement. Something sharper.
"This isn't a game, Evelyn. One wrong move and you'll bring trouble to both of us. Are you prepared for that?"
Evelyn's hands curled into fists at her sides. "I'll play my part. Don't underestimate me."
His gaze lingered on her for a long, silent moment. Then he nodded once.
"Your room is down the hall. William will send you the schedule."
That night, lying in a bed far too soft for comfort, Evelyn stared at the ceiling.
She had a year. She just had to endure it.
But deep down, a quiet voice whispered: What happens when the year ends?
Cliffhanger:
The next morning, Evelyn woke to find her phone flooded with messages. A single headline glared at her from every gossip site:
"LU CORPORATION CEO DAMIAN LU ENGAGED? MYSTERY WOMAN REVEALED."