BOUND BY THE BILLIONAIRE'S CONTRACT

y curl behind her ear, her fingers trembling as she looked down at the crumpled paper in her hands. The debt total, with its string o

eneath her eyes. The reality was that Zara, at twenty-seven, had hit a dead end. Her once-vibrant dreams of opening an

lously tailored suit spoke of money, control, and a life untouched by mundane struggles. At thirty-two, he com

almost clinical. "I understand you'r

. "You could say that. But what exa

n't reach his eyes. "I have a propos

able toward her. Zara eyed it warily, her fingers tingling with a mixture of curiosity and d

an said, his tone as if he'd j

his, searching for a sign of humor, a hint that this

ost choking on the absurdity

in the traditional sense. It's a contract. Six months, nothing more. You fulfill the role

rated through her, mingling with a sense of dread and impossible hope. "Why me? Yo

ormance. My brother and the company board are waiting for an excuse to deem me unfit to lead. A stable marriage would put them at ease,

friend Riley as her only confidant, Zara had no one who would stand in Damian's way. The sense of isolatio

r voice sounded small, but she couldn't s

Play the part convincingly." His eyes gleamed with a rare hint of w

sical rel

"Not unless you choose. This arr

the safety net of real affection-sent chills down her spine. But the truth was staring her in the face, merciless in its simplicity. She was

d, needing to understand more of t

ompany, and the board believes I'm too volatile to lead. A 'respectable' marriage will change that percep

s fought for her independence, but this...this might be her

ng back in his chair. "And you'll be

t his expression held no room for doubt. Still, doubt gn

s. No strings attached. You'll have what you need, and I'll

ending, of playing a role that could secure her future. But the fear of being entangled in Damian's web, of losing herself

eye, her voice steady despite the wh

d no warmth. "Then we'll begin immediately. You'll be moving into my resid

Zara had stepped into his world, a world of power and deception where the stakes were dange

ne laced with a chilling satisfaction that left her questio