I never expected my life to change so drastically. One moment, I was a woman with dreams, deeply in love with a man I thought I’d spend my life with. The next, I was betrayed and heartbroken, walking in on him cheating without a hint of remorse. That night, overwhelmed with pain and too much alcohol, I made a reckless decision, a one-night stand with a stranger who, to my shock, turned out to be my new boss. Arec, the vice president of Denco Groups, was desperate. To secure his future as CEO, he needed a wife, and in a twist of fate, he offered me a contract marriage. It sounded absurd, but his desperation mirrored my own need to escape the wreckage of my life. It was supposed to be simple: no emotions, no strings attached. A business arrangement, nothing more. I thought I could handle it, that I could keep my heart out of it. I was wrong. What started as a deal quickly spiraled into something far more complicated. As our fake marriage blurred into real feelings, the world around us began to close in. Disapproving family, old enemies, buried secrets, scheming rivals, and even an attempt on my life threatened to tear us apart. This is my story, a journey of heartbreak, unexpected love, and a fight to protect what we built together. In a world filled with lies and deceit, can a marriage born out of necessity become something real? --- Warning: This book contains mature themes. Join my Discord server: https://discord.gg/NJJKETf4
Arec's POV:
The moment I stepped back into the room, I was greeted by Ella's smile. I glanced around, expecting to see Joanne nearby, but she was gone.
"Where's Joanne?" I asked, looking around as if she might pop up from behind one of the cake displays.
"She said something urgent came up," Ella replied casually, reaching for my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "She had to leave."
I nodded, not thinking much of it. Joanne had always been unpredictable like that, and over the years, I'd gotten used to her tendency to disappear without much explanation.
We turned our attention back to the cake we'd been discussing earlier. It was a towering, elegant design, white with intricate floral details, the kind of cake that would make anyone's mouth water just by looking at it.
"What do you think?" Ella asked, her voice soft. She traced her finger along the cake's edge.
"I think it's perfect," I said, my hand resting on her lower back.