Setting: The Streets of New York – Midnight
The cold night air wrapped around Sophia like an icy embrace, but she barely felt it.
Her world was still spinning from the betrayal she had just witnessed.
Nathaniel. Emily. Their laughter still echoed in her ears.
She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry. She wanted to destroy something—anything.
But instead, she was standing in front of a man more dangerous than her worst enemies.
Alexander Blackwood.
A name that sent chills through the city.
He wasn't just a billionaire CEO. He was a kingmaker. A man who controlled everything from corporate empires to underground syndicates.
And now, he was watching her with a smirk that sent shivers down her spine.
"How about a proposal that will ruin your ex-fiancé... and make you untouchable?"
Sophia inhaled sharply.
She knew better than to trust men like him. Men who played with power like it was a game.
She should walk away.
And yet… something about his words tempted her.
"What kind of proposal?" she asked, her voice steadier than she felt.
Alexander tilted his head, his gray eyes gleaming in the dim streetlights. "Get in the car, and I'll tell you."
She hesitated, her instincts screaming danger.
But what did she have to lose?
Her fiancé had betrayed her. Her family would never side with her.
She had nothing left.
With a deep breath, she stepped forward, slipping into the luxurious black car.
The moment the door closed, the scent of leather and expensive cologne filled her senses. The air inside was thick, heavy with something unspoken.
Alexander slid in beside her, the doors locking automatically.
She suddenly felt trapped. Not by fear—but by him.
"Talk," she said, crossing her arms. "What's your game, Mr. Blackwood?"
A slow smirk played on his lips as he leaned back against the seat. "Game? No, Sophia. This is business."
He turned slightly, his gaze intense. "Marry me."
---
The Deal with the Devil
Sophia blinked, certain she had misheard him.
"Excuse me?"
Alexander's expression remained unreadable. "You heard me. Marry me."
A stunned silence filled the car.
She let out a dry laugh. "Are you insane?"
His lips curled into an amused smirk. "Hardly."
Sophia shook her head. "We don't even know each other. And besides, why the hell would I marry you?"
His fingers drummed against the leather armrest. "Because it benefits us both."
She scoffed. "I fail to see how."
Alexander leaned forward slightly, his presence suffocating. "You want revenge on your ex, don't you?"
Her breath caught.
She had tried to push the thought away, to pretend she was above it.
But the truth was, she wanted Nathaniel to suffer.
She wanted him to see her standing next to someone more powerful, more untouchable than he could ever be.
And Alexander knew it.
"Here's the deal," he continued. "You marry me, and overnight, you become one of the most powerful women in New York. Your ex will realize he made the biggest mistake of his life. And in return…"
He leaned back, his eyes glinting with something unreadable.
"You help me solidify my position in both the corporate world and the underworld."
Sophia's heart pounded. "Underworld?"
His gaze darkened. "I think you already know, Sophia. I don't just run a billion-dollar empire—I run the entire East Coast."
A chill ran down her spine. Mafia.
She should have known. The rumors were true.
But why did that excite her more than it scared her?
"That's insane," she said, shaking her head. "I'm not mafia. I don't belong in your world."
Alexander tilted his head. "You think so?"
There was something in his tone… as if he knew something she didn't.
Before she could respond, he continued, "You'll be my wife in public, nothing more. We'll have a contract. No emotions, no complications. You play the perfect wife, and I handle the rest."
She hesitated. "And when the deal is over?"
A smirk tugged at his lips. "Then we divorce, and you walk away with more power and money than you could ever imagine."
It was tempting. Too tempting.
Nathaniel had betrayed her, left her humiliated.
If she accepted Alexander's deal, she wouldn't just recover—she'd rise.
But… this was dangerous.
And yet, she found herself asking, "Why me?"
Alexander's smirk faded.
For a moment, something flashed in his eyes—something calculated.
"Because, Sophia," he said, his voice smooth, "you're already in this game. You just don't know it yet."
Her pulse quickened. "What do you mean?"
But Alexander simply leaned back, his smirk returning.
"Marry me, and you'll find out."
---
A Choice That Changes Everything
Sophia's head spun.
This was crazy. Completely insane.
But was it any crazier than being engaged to a man who had just destroyed her?
Was it any crazier than being weak and letting him win?
She lifted her gaze to Alexander's.
His gray eyes held promises of destruction and power.
A shiver ran down her spine.
She could walk away now. Live a quiet, normal life.
Or she could say yes. Step into his world. Become his wife.
And change everything.
Her fingers curled into fists.
Then, slowly, she exhaled and met his gaze.
"Fine," she said, her voice unwavering. "I'll marry you."
Alexander's smirk deepened.
"Good choice, Mrs. Blackwood."
As the car pulled away from the curb, Sophia had no idea she had just sealed her fate.
And that Alexander Blackwood never let go of what was his.
---
End of Chapter 2