Chapter 1: The Price of Freedom
Amara stared at the document in her hands, her fingers trembling as the weight of her father's words sank in. The ink on the paper blurred before her eyes, but the truth was clearer than ever: there was no way out.
"You have to do this, Amara. It's the only way to save us," her father pleaded, his voice cracking with desperation.
The house she'd grown up in was falling apart around them, both physically and financially. Her father's once-thriving business had crumbled, and now the debt collectors were circling like vultures. Every day, they threatened to take everything—her home, her future, and now, her life.
"Please, I—I can't. I don't even know this man," she whispered, her throat dry.
The man in question was Adrian Blake, a name that sent chills down her spine. He was one of the most powerful billionaires in the city, cold, ruthless, and known for having no compassion for anyone—not even his own family. To marry someone like him wasn't just a sacrifice; it was a death sentence.
But her father had no choice.
"Amara, it's not just a marriage. It's a contract. One year. One year of your life for the chance to save us."
Her father's eyes were red-rimmed, his face gaunt from the stress, but there was something else—fear. The same fear that Amara felt clawing at her chest. This was no ordinary agreement. This was a deal with the devil, and she was the price.
Before she could protest, the doorbell rang. The sound echoed through the house like a death knell. She looked up at her father, who gave her a pained, almost pleading glance.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "This is the only way."
Amara's heart pounded as she walked to the door, her hand shaking as she opened it.
Standing in front of her was Adrian Blake. Tall, broad-shouldered, and clad in a sleek black suit, he radiated power. His expression was a perfect mask of indifference, his dark eyes cold and unreadable.
"You must be Amara," he said in a voice that was deep and commanding. "Let's get this over with."
She couldn't stop the shiver that ran down her spine. He was everything her father had warned her about—and more.
She felt like her world had just collapsed. Her future, her freedom—it was all gone. In that moment, resentment bloomed inside her toward the handsome yet heartless stranger in front of her.
Her heart pounded in her chest. She wanted to cry, but her father had taught her to stay strong. She could feel Adrian's cold gaze on her—his eyes were like a bottomless pit, void of warmth, void of mercy. She knew this marriage would never work unless they stayed out of each other's way.
Then he spoke again, his tone cruelly amused.
"Mr. De Luca, such a beautiful treasure you have here. A shame you're selling her so cheaply."
Rage flared in Amara's chest. She clenched her fists, barely able to hold back. But instead of shouting at him, she turned to her father, her eyes filled with disbelief and heartbreak. Yet she couldn't hold it against him—his face was drowning in guilt, his gentle eyes filled with sorrow.
She spun back to Adrian and, unable to contain herself, shouted, "What do you even want from us? Can't rich people help someone for once without needing something in return?"
Tears stung her eyes. Adrian rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed.
"Oh please, this is not a free world," he said coldly. "You're my fiancée now. You don't get to yell at me."
His voice boomed, cold and sharp, and she instinctively stepped back.
It's best I just accept my fate… if only to save my father and myself, she thought silently
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In the following chapters, you'll dive into their first tense interactions and Amara adjusting to her new life under the rules of this "contract marriage
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