FORCED MARRIAGE WITH A BILLIONAIRE

Camille's point of view

The scent of antiseptic still clung to my scrubs as I trudged up the steps to our small Brooklyn apartment. My feet ached. My eyes burned. Twelve-hour shifts in the ER left their mark, but I still had two chapters of anatomy to review before I could collapse into bed.

I reached for the door, pushing it open slowly. "Dad?" I called, balancing my bag on one shoulder and kicking off my sneakers.

No answer.

The apartment was unusually quiet. No old jazz playing from the speakers, no clinking dishes in the kitchen. Just silence.

I stepped further in and froze.

There, in the middle of the living room, sat my father,Dylan Hayes,looking like a ghost of the man he used to be. His gray hair was messier than usual, the tie he always wore for dignity's sake was undone, and his eyes... God, they looked hollow.

"Dad?" I dropped my bag. "What's wrong?"

He didn't look up right away. Just sat, shoulders hunched, clutching a crystal tumbler that looked out of place in his usually sober hands.

"They took everything, Camille," he rasped.

I blinked. "What?"

He finally looked up, eyes bloodshot, face lined with the weight of too many burdens. "Hayes & Sons... it's gone."

I took a step forward, my breath catching. "Gone? What do you mean 'gone'?"

"Fraud allegations. Investment collapses. Debt I couldn't outrun anymore." His voice cracked. "I tried to keep it from you. I thought I could fix it before you found out. But this morning... the last of the accounts were frozen. We're bankrupt."

My mouth opened, then closed. My brain couldn't catch up with his words. "But... you didn't do anything wrong. Right? There's got to be a mistake. An appeal-"

"There is no appeal." He stood, swaying slightly. "Camille, they're threatening jail time. They think I knew about the internal embezzlement-Victor Blackwood's schemes. But the evidence points to me."

Victor Blackwood. A name I had only heard in passing when Dad mentioned shareholders or meetings that ran too long. A snake in a designer suit, I always imagined. But now, that snake had bitten.

"But school,my tuition-" I whispered, eyes wide.

His face crumpled. "I had to pull the loan money. I'm so sorry."

Just like that, my world tilted. The dream I'd clung to,becoming a nurse, building a life away from the pressure of wealth and scandal,it all unraveled.

I turned away, pressing my hand to my mouth as I blinked back hot tears.

"I'm going to fix this," Dad said behind me, his voice desperate. "I won't let you carry the weight of my mistakes."

Before I could ask what he meant, the doorbell rang.

We both froze.

Dad frowned and crossed the room slowly, the tumbler now set aside. He opened the door, and a man in a black suit handed him a cream-colored envelope with gold trim. "For Mr. Dylan Hayes and Miss Camille Hayes. Immediate attention required."

Then he turned and walked away without another word.

My father closed the door and stared down at the envelope like it might explode.

"What is it?" I asked, wiping the corners of my eyes and crossing the room.

He handed it to me. "You should read it."

The envelope was thick, the paper expensive. I opened it carefully and pulled out a folded letter written in elegant, precise handwriting.

My eyes scanned the words, each line making my stomach twist tighter.

---

To Mr. Dylan Hayes and Miss Camille Hayes,

You are formally requested to meet with Mr. Sebastian Blackwood at Blackwood Tower this Friday at 3 PM. This meeting pertains to the outstanding debt and potential legal consequences tied to Hayes & Sons Corporation.

Mr. Blackwood offers a private settlement option,an arrangement designed to preserve the Hayes family legacy and reputation.

Should Miss Camille Hayes accept the proposed terms, this matter may be resolved without legal repercussions.

The proposed terms are as follows: A marriage proposal, effective immediately upon agreement.

Details to be discussed in person. Attendance is mandatory.

Sincerely,

Legal Affairs , Blackwood Enterprises

---

I stared at the last line. The words blurred as my hands trembled.

"A marriage proposal to save your father's legacy."

The paper slipped from my fingers and fluttered to the floor.

"What the hell is this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

My father sat back down, covering his face with his hands. "It's real. He called me two days ago. Said he'd clean everything,wipe the debts, clear my name,if you agreed to meet him. I didn't want to say anything until I saw the letter myself."

"Marry Sebastian Blackwood?" I repeated, disbelieving. "The billionaire? The one with ice in his veins?"

"He's more than that," Dad muttered bitterly. "He owns half of Manhattan and has the power to destroy what little is left of us. But he's also offering a way out."

I felt like the walls were closing in. "This is insane. I'm not some pawn to be traded in your business deals!"

"I know," he said quietly. "I would never ask this of you. But if I go to prison, Camille, they'll drag you into it. They'll say you knew. That you benefited. Your name will be in every paper, every headline."

I sank into the chair across from him, heart thudding painfully. "Why would he do this? What does Sebastian Blackwood want from me?"

He didn't answer.

And that silence scared me more than anything.