THE BILLIONAIRE WHO LOVED ME FIRST LOVE

The first time I met Damien Blackwood, he slid a marriage contract across the table instead of introducing himself.

"Read it carefully," he said, his voice calm, cold-like this wasn't the most insane moment of my life. "You have ten minutes."

I stared at the document, my fingers trembling as they touched the thick white paper.

Marriage Agreement. Duration: One year.

My heart skipped violently.

Marriage.

Not a job offer.

Not a loan agreement.

Marriage.

I slowly lifted my head and looked at the man sitting opposite me.

Damien Blackwood was exactly the kind of man people warned girls like me about-tall,well dressed, dangerously handsome, and completely untouchable. His black suit fit him like it was custom-made, his cufflinks probably worth more than everything I owned. His sharp eyes held no warmth, no curiosity-only certainty.

He already knew I would agree.

"I don't understand," I said quietly. "Why me?"

He leaned back in his chair, long fingers resting casually on the armrest. "Because you're desperate,,and u clearly are not a golddigger or a clout chaser wanting to make headlines" he replied. "And I need a wife."

The words were blunt. Cruel. Honest.

I swallowed hard.

Earlier that morning, the hospital administrator had looked at me with pity as she handed me the bill. My brother's surgery had to be done immediately-or I would lose him. I had begged relatives, sold my phone, even considered dropping out of school.

Still, it wasn't enough.

And now, somehow, I was sitting in a luxury office with a billionaire offering me marriage like it was a business deal.

"What do you get out of this?" I asked.

A flicker crossed his eyes-too fast to catch.