Bound by Secrets.

tting stiffly and staring at the document in front of her. The el

ered over her, his presence as uncompromising

y chance of survival," the look on his face ca

sigh. She was not interested in the contract-she didn't want to give herself to a

to Lila, he was little more than a stranger. The things she'd heard portrayed a pi

influence spanning multiple cities. However, poor investments, a collapsing economy, and a string of terrible occurre

ut his efforts only served to hasten their demise. The Andersons were on

Too good, Lila reasoned, because they were. She saw that whatever was beneath the s

as a businessman; love was not a currency he dealt in. Lila grew up surrounded by icy elegance, learning at a young age that

per with anxiety and time. He was a man who had battled tooth and nail to keep

s, never been the daughter he expected. This marriage was his final hope, and she

he room. Tall and immaculately dressed, he emanated a cool, controlled assurance that sent shivers down Lila's spin

mosphere. "Mr. Anderson." With deliberate and calculated movements, Ethan moved like a man

h he was evaluating her and determining her val

passing her a second copy. "But there ar

ther. He nodded slightly to her, his face expression vague. Taking a deep breath, Lil

ions, and their respective roles under the

else that made her heart race. Ethan made a short step f

them some secret consequences that you'll come to find out later. You don't u

room looked to shrink, wit

nt of what he meant from his expression, but his face w

d, her voice just above a whi

his face, "All is fine, he winked. All yo

and flee. But what could she really do? The sense of duty and devotion to family, and the weight o

out the pen to sign. She felt the door to a life she once kn

aned over the table to retrieve the

he nodded, with a small grin on hi

couldn't believe what had just happened to her, unable to shake

things to come-something she wasn't sure she was prepared to face. With a si

ences of her own choice. She remained bound in her se

the contract? What were the hidden meani

be the same again. She'd entered into a marriage that was far more than a contract. Every s