The CEO's Accidental Bride (Contract Marriage)

's

the Lark. The night air hit my face, cool and sharp. I stood there, p

d not

st the stone wall. "I need my family off my ba

ms. "You're act

e jokes abou

nterference in each other's careers, separate residences, six months, clean ex

d, I shook his hand. A flash

A figure was already moving toward the street, camera

ened. "That's goin

-

ived at seven t

ep, and found seventeen missed calls from Zoe and a string of texts

she had sent. My

ADRIAN VALE SPOTTE

w. My face turned up toward his. The headline sat abov

d again.

eamed. "The one in green, not b

name. Adrian Vale. Vale Holdings.

chable. Another with a former supermodel on his arm. No personal social media. No interviews about his private life. J

a billionaire

u w

. I walked up to him and asked h

back out. Right now. Call him and say it was a mi

o glasses

ary ins

he photo. His face. That

with a new messa

ws. You're engaged

rely. The audacity. The timing. The way he still thoug

Adrian

cond ring. "I assume

you. You forgot to menti

es up in casua

my forehead. "This was a m

. Then: "Have break

breakfast cha

mor

ed, coffee waiting, his face unreadable. The restaur

. "I can't

er across the table. "But let me s

ublic appearances only. Separate room. A financial packa

ersonal questions regarding their p

"You put th

o try to insert himself into this narrative. This prot

m. "You don't

ge because you refused to let a man who hurt you define your fut

n. Daniel: Ivy, come

eady face. At the photo still open on my phone

e more thi

me

press, not your family, not anyone. He

roduced a pen. He set it on top of t

gned my name before I cou

He closed the folder and s

nced at the screen, and somet

?" I

oward me. A message f

agement. Does she know abo

. His face was

rust?"

not a