The Billionaire's Contract Bride

Elizabeth Hayes stood alone in the middle of Hayes Gallery, the faint scent of linseed oil mingling with the memories of her childhood. The polished wood floors, carefully arranged displays, and paintings that lined the walls were all so familiar, yet today, they seemed to close in on her. This was her family's gallery—the legacy her mother had poured her heart into for decades before she passed away. And now, it was hanging by a thread.

"Miss Hayes, the last appraisal came in low. Again," her assistant Julie murmured, glancing up from the clipboard in her hand with a look of concern. She paused, unsure how to break the news that Elizabeth already knew.

Elizabeth managed a thin smile, though her heart pounded in her chest. "Thanks, Julie. I… I'll figure something out."

Julie hesitated. "Are you sure there's no other option? That Cole Enterprises offer—"

Elizabeth cut her off, waving her hand dismissively. "The gallery isn't for sale. I'm not giving up, no matter what." She could almost hear her mother's voice, a quiet but stubborn reminder to hold on and protect what was theirs. But as much as Elizabeth wanted to believe in that, reality was pushing back hard.

Hayes Gallery was hemorrhaging money, and the bank was threatening foreclosure if she didn't find a solution soon. Xavier Cole's ruthless offer was still the only one on the table—a proposal she'd barely looked at before shoving it in a drawer. The thought of her mother's gallery, her mother's dreams, being absorbed by Cole Enterprises turned her stomach.

But now, cornered and desperate, she couldn't see another way. She picked up the phone and dialed the number on his business card. The phone rang once, then twice, and she found herself holding her breath as she waited.

"Xavier speaking." His voice was low, clipped, with an effortless confidence that grated against her resolve.

Elizabeth steadied herself. "Mr. Xavier, this is Elizabeth Hayes. I'd like to meet in person to discuss… your offer."

There was a beat of silence on the other end, and when he replied, she could almost hear the smirk in his tone. "So, you've reconsidered."

"Don't flatter yourself," she replied, keeping her voice steady. "This is a negotiation."

There was another pause before he answered. "Very well. My office, tomorrow at ten."

He hung up before she could respond. Elizabeth placed the phone back on the receiver, hands trembling slightly. Tomorrow she'd be facing the man whose reputation preceded him in every cutthroat business deal she'd ever heard of. But this wasn't just business. This was her life, her family's legacy. And she wouldn't let him intimidate her.

The next morning, Elizabeth walked into the imposing glass skyscraper that housed Cole Enterprises. The sheer height and sleek modernity of the building reflected everything Nathan Drake was known for—ambitious, powerful, unyielding.

The elevator carried her to the top floor, the journey feeling endless. As the doors slid open, she stepped into a spacious, minimalist lobby. Sunlight streamed in through floor-to-ceiling windows, and everything—the marble floors, the polished steel furnishings—felt like a different world from the cozy intimacy of her gallery. But she'd come here with a purpose, and she wasn't about to back down.

Cole's office door was ajar, and his assistant waved her in without a word. Inside, the room was just as grand as she'd expected—almost intimidating in its stark elegance. Behind a sleek, glass-topped desk sat Xavier Cole himself, head down, reading a stack of papers.

"Miss Hayes," he said, not looking up as she entered. "Please, sit."

Elizabeth crossed the room, heels echoing on the cold floor, and sat in the chair across from him, refusing to let her nerves show. She took a moment to study him as he finished his reading. His dark hair was neatly trimmed, his suit sharp and precise, but it was his expression—a mix of focus and detachment—that struck her most. He looked at her as if she were merely a means to an end.

Finally, he set his papers aside and raised his gaze to meet hers. His eyes were a piercing gray, almost unnervingly so. He leaned back, fingers laced casually over his stomach as he took her in.

"So," he began, his tone measured, "you're ready to accept my offer."

Elizabeth's jaw tightened, and she held his gaze, refusing to be intimidated. "Not exactly. I want to negotiate terms."

His lips twitched, though it wasn't quite a smile. "Terms?" he repeated, his voice as smooth as silk. "You're hardly in a position to negotiate, Miss Hayes."

"I'm not here to hand over my family's legacy without a fight," she replied, her voice steady. "I want to keep the gallery's name, and if you're going to take ownership, I want—"

"Ownership isn't up for negotiation," Xavier interrupted, his tone dropping a few degrees. "I don't take half-measures, and I certainly don't share control."

Elizabeth clenched her fists in her lap, fighting to stay calm. "Then why am I here?"

For a moment, he said nothing. Then he leaned forward, his gaze sharpening with an intensity that caught her off guard.

"I have a… proposal," he said, choosing his words carefully. "It's an arrangement that would benefit us both."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes, suspicion prickling in her mind. "Go on."

He paused, as if weighing how much to tell her. "My grandmother is the matriarch of the Cole family, and her influence is tied to my own standing in the family business. However, she's old-fashioned, and she insists that I... settle down."

Elizabeth raised sed an eyebrow, unsure where this was going. "Settle down?"

"In her eyes, I need to marry," he replied, an edge of irritation in his voice. "I have no intention of doing so, but her influence is tied to my inheritance, and without it, some ventures are… complicated. Which is where you come in."

Elizabeth stared at him, her mind reeling. "You want me to… marry you?"

Xavier's gaze was unwavering. "Think of it as a contract. We would marry, in name only. You'll receive the funds you need to keep your gallery afloat, and once I've secured my inheritance, we'll end the marriage. It's mutually beneficial."

Elizabeth's head spun. Of all the things she'd expected, this wasn't even close. "And you think I'd agree to that?"

He shrugged. "You need the money, and I need a wife. It's a simple transaction."

She felt her cheeks flush with a mix of anger and disbelief. "A transaction? Marriage isn't a transaction, Mr. Cole."

"In my world, it is," he replied coolly, as if he'd just stated a fact. "It's business. This arrangement gives you exactly what you want, and it gives me what I need. No emotional entanglements, no mess. Just a clear, clean contract."

Elizabeth opened her mouth to protest, then shut it, torn between her pride and the cold, hard reality of her situation. "And what happens after?"

"After a year, we divorce, and you walk away with everything I've promised," he replied smoothly, as if he'd anticipated every question. "Ownership of the gallery, and enough money to ensure its future."

She stared at him, trying to read his expression. But his face was a blank slate, impossible to decipher.

"Why me?" she asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"You're an ideal candidate," he replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "You're independent, unlikely to form any attachments, and, frankly, I suspect you despise me too much to even consider falling in love."

His words stung, and Elizabeth found herself gripping the arms of her chair. But as she stared back at him, the truth settled in. Her options were running out, and he knew it. This was a way out—a lifeline for her family's legacy. And as much as she hated the thought of being tied to a man like Xavier Cole, the alternative was even more unthinkable.

She took a deep breath, fighting back the bitterness rising in her chest. "All right," she said finally, her voice steady. "I'll do it."

For a brief moment, something flickered in Xavier's gaze, something she couldn't place. Then he nodded, reaching across the desk to shake her hand.

"Good. I'll have the paperwork drawn up."

Their hands met in a firm, businesslike handshake, and as their eyes locked, Elizabeth felt a strange chill run through her. She'd just agreed to marry a man she barely knew, a man who saw her as nothing more than a means to an end.

But it was a necessary gamble. For her family. For her mother's memory. And if it meant a year by Xavier Cole  side, she'd find a way to endure it.

As she released his hand and walked out of his office, Elizabeth  couldn't shake the feeling that she'd just set something into motion that could change her life in ways she couldn't yet imagine.