EVANGELINE
The contract was forty pages long.
Evangeline stared at it spread across the enormous conference table like something that was about to swallow her whole. Each page was filled with words that sounded like they were written in a different language. Legal language. Binding language. Language that would determine the rest of her life.
Sebastian's lawyers had arrived that morning with briefcases and stern expressions. Two men in expensive suits who looked at her like she was a problem that needed solving. They talked about terms and conditions and penalty clauses while Evangeline tried not to think about the fact that she was about to sign her life away to a man she barely knew.
The lawyer on the left was named Michaels. He had gray hair and reading glasses and a voice that sounded like it had been trained to drain emotion from every word.
"The marriage is binding for exactly one year," he said, flipping through pages. "From the date of marriage certificate to the date of marriage certificate one year later. You cannot dissolve it early without severe financial penalty."
"What kind of penalty?" Evangeline asked, though she already knew.
"Complete liquidation of Winters Pharmaceuticals assets. The company reverts to Thornfield Industries with no compensation to Miss Winters. Additionally, any medical expenses incurred on behalf of Richard Winters cease immediately."
The words hit like a punch.
If she broke the contract, her father would lose everything. His company. His legacy. His medical care. Everything.
"Public appearances," the second lawyer continued. His name was Roberts and he sounded even colder than Michaels. "Miss Winters will attend all required social and business functions as Mrs. Thornfield. She will maintain appropriate decorum. No scandal. No embarrassment. Any public behavior deemed inappropriate by Mr. Thornfield will be considered grounds for immediate breach of contract."
Evangeline's fingers tightened on the table edge.
"What counts as inappropriate?"
"That's at Mr. Thornfield's discretion," Roberts said without looking at her.
So Sebastian could decide she was embarrassing him and destroy her entire family. Good to know.
"Private life," Michaels continued. "Mr. Thornfield and Miss Winters will maintain separate residences within the Thornfield penthouse. Separate bedrooms. Separate schedules. The only requirement is that the marriage appears legitimate to the outside world."
He said appear like it was the most important word in the entire document.
Because it was.
Everyone knew this was about appearance. About Sebastian getting his reputation fixed and her father getting his life saved. About two people making a deal that had nothing to do with love and everything to do with survival.
"Any questions?" Roberts asked, finally looking at her.
Evangeline wanted to ask a thousand questions. What if she fell in love with him? What if he fell in love with her? What if the pretending became too real?
Instead she said, "No questions."
"Then we need signatures. Mr. Thornfield should be here momentarily."
Her heart stopped.
Sebastian walked in five minutes later wearing a dark suit that probably cost more than her apartment. He looked controlled. Calm. Like he was about to sign a contract for paperclips and not for marrying a stranger.
He sat across from her at the conference table.
Their eyes didn't meet.
Michaels walked them through the terms again. Sebastian listened without changing expression. He nodded in the places he was supposed to nod. He asked one question about tax implications that had nothing to do with emotions or expectations.
Then the lawyers put the contracts in front of them.
Evangeline stared at her name printed on the first page in official legal language. Evangeline Winters. About to become Evangeline Thornfield. About to sign away her right to choose anything about her own life for an entire year.
She picked up the pen.
Her hand was shaking.
"Miss Winters," Roberts said gently. "Are you certain you want to proceed?"
She thought about her father lying in the hospital bed. Thought about the machine that was breathing for him. Thought about the fact that if she didn't sign this, everything he'd worked for would be destroyed and another shock would probably kill him.
She signed.
Her signature looked small and scared but it was official. She'd done it. She'd committed to one year with Sebastian Thornfield.
She watched him pick up his own pen.
His hand was steady when he signed. Like this was nothing. Like marrying her meant absolutely nothing to him beyond the business terms written on these pages.
He signed his name with sharp, efficient letters. Sebastian James Thornfield.
Then he slid his copy across the table and it brushed her copy and suddenly their papers were touching.
It was such a small thing.
But when his hand came toward her to take back his contract, it grazed hers.
Electricity shot through her like lightning.
She jerked back so fast her chair scraped against the floor.
The sound was loud in the quiet room.
Evangeline's eyes flew to Sebastian's face and she saw his expression shift. Just for a second. Just enough for her to catch it. His eyes went darker. Sharper. Like something in him had woken up the moment they touched.
He noticed.
He knew.
"The marriage will take place one week from today," Michaels said, oblivious to the tension that had just filled the entire room. "City hall ceremony. Quiet and efficient. Then Mr. Thornfield will introduce Miss Winters to society at the corporate gala next week."
"Agreed," Sebastian said, his voice smooth and controlled again.
But his hand had gone still on the table and Evangeline could see his fingers tightening slightly like he was trying to maintain control.
Or maybe she was imagining it.
Maybe she was projecting her own panic onto him because her heart was still racing from that touch.
"We'll need fashion consultation," Roberts was saying, looking at Evangeline. "Your appearance at the gala will set the tone for the marriage narrative. You'll need appropriate attire."
"I can handle that," Sebastian said quietly.
"Of course you can," Michaels agreed. "Mr. Thornfield always handles everything perfectly."
The lawyers started packing up their briefcases. The meeting was ending. The contract was signed. In one week she would walk into city hall and marry a man who could destroy her with a single word if he decided she was embarrassing him.
"One more thing," Michaels said at the door. "The prenuptial agreement has been signed. Should the marriage end for any reason other than the contractual one year, Miss Winters receives nothing. The company liquidates. All assets become property of Thornfield Industries."
She already knew that.
But hearing it said out loud in front of Sebastian made her chest tight.
The lawyers left.
Evangeline started gathering her copy of the contract.
Sebastian still hadn't moved.
She could feel him watching her.
She didn't look at him. Couldn't look at him. Not after that moment when they'd touched and something had shifted between them that wasn't supposed to be there.
This was business.
This wasn't supposed to feel like anything.
"Evangeline."
His voice was so quiet she almost didn't hear it.
She looked up.
He was leaning forward slightly, his expression still unreadable but his eyes were burning with something that made her forget to breathe.
"You better be a good actor," he whispered. His voice was low enough that only she could hear. "Because half of Manhattan will be watching us. And if they see even a hint of what I just felt when you touched me, they'll know this marriage is something entirely different than business."
Evangeline's entire body went hot.
"I don't know what you mean."
"Yes you do." He leaned closer. "You felt it too. That's why you pulled away."
She wanted to deny it.
She wanted to tell him this was purely business and he needed to stop talking about feelings and electricity and whatever was happening between them.
Instead she sat frozen in that conference room with a man who was about to be her husband and realized that she'd made a terrible mistake.
Not in proposing the marriage.
But in thinking she could keep her heart separate from the deal.
Sebastian pulled back slowly, his expression settling back into that cool, controlled mask.
"One week," he said quietly. "Better get used to pretending, Miss Winters. You're going to need it."