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
Ella's POV:
Kate's laughter echoed through the hospital room, her eyes dancing with mischievous delight as she mimicked Joanne's overly sweet tone. "Oh, anything for Arec's close ones," she cooed, putting on a mockingly sophisticated voice that had me practically in tears.
"Stop," I said, covering my mouth to stifle the laughter. "You're going to get me kicked out of here."
"Oh, come on, don't tell me you didn't feel the ice daggers coming from her smile," she teased, twirling an imaginary curl like Joanne had done earlier. "The girl has a PhD in fake niceties."
I shook my head, grinning. "Okay, okay, maybe she does. But let's give her the benefit of the doubt."
Kate raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Fine, you can be the nice one. But, Ella," she paused, her tone shifting, growing serious. "I don't trust her. There's something about her that rubs me the wrong way."