NA

ly. I opened my eyes and immediately regretted it. Sunlight strea

asn't

stomach lurched. I pressed my hand to

he hell

m colored walls. Expensive looking furniture.

ing last night's clothes. Wrinkled.

t n

, last

. Drinking. A man. Dark hair. Expensive

o

couldn't

of bed. My left ha

a ring on

ding

e. Beautiful. On

ied to pull it off

I yanked harder. T

and. My purse was there. I grabbed it. Dumped ever

iece of

it with sha

e certi

Hart. And his.

d by Mar

yest

. I sat back down on the b

m. I actuall

bar. Yes. Crying about my parents. About the debt. T

marri

said

n't

rtificate was real.

I do?" I

oor o

cre

cups and looking far too put together for som

rning,"

away f

otel room. Bit

I looked around w

ell Hotel.

ght me to

to my place unconscious. T

me while I was

n on the desk. "You signed

ember signin

certificate. Well, you scribbled somet

t I ignored it. "This isn't legal.

s le

emember th

not my p

advantag

ked at me. His expression w

anything. I'd expected denials.

annulment

N

't just

ed a contract. We're marri

my purse. Shoved everything

paid. And you're still married to m

Turned back. "What do y

ed forty thousand pounds to your account last night. Before t

ne. Opened the app

nce made

in my account. With a note that

y paid it,"

you I

ust take the m

k it, and you owe me double. Plus damages. Plus

sat down in the desk chair befo

d yourself.

ept the fact that

r account number. Sober enough to sign y

r throw something at his stup

es

don't e

t down his coffee cup and walked over

le. Whichever son gets married first becomes CEO of the compa

omeone more des

es

t makes

t makes it

broken. "What kind of father force

re and wants to make sure i

e the righ

er than m

actly a ringin

led. Almost.

nt of me. Me slumped in the chair. Bot

happen

place. We attend events together. We c

how l

een mo

hs of pretendi

o like me wou

even kn

ll le

eyes. Sharp jaw. Expensive suit. He was handsome in a cold, c

't do this?" I

't have

e has a

e forty thousand

the desk. Picked up a fold

that?"

ht want to read it properly. Sin

I took it with

ages at least. Dense legal langu

ted re

agreement. Eighteen months. Living arrangements. Public

t rea

terminate with six months notice. But early terminat

either party can discuss the con

ies agree to maintain the appeara

ts. Party B agrees to reside i

e page to S

shocked and found it hard t

e term of this agreement, any resulting child shall be considered the legal child

again. T

ed up at him. "Are you serious?" A

ard contrac

standard. This says if I get

covering le

hands. "You're talking about a human being. A baby. P

tract is

care. "This entire thing is insane. Marriage contract

ho gets wha

and stealing their

thing. The contract cl

me knowing fully well that

. I

utal honesty. Like he didn'

ract from the floo

re about the money. I don't care a

d for t

pped in front of i

," I

N

aid

I sai

. Just stood there, solid as a wall, watc

e here," I said.

ach the contract. And the moment you breach, you owe me eighty thousand pounds.

ve that kin

kno

e threate

you of the term

agree to

judge. See how f

Wanted to do something, anything, to

there. Trapped. Lite

ace to live. Money in your account. All you have to do

it possibly

. With collectors knocking on you

put myself in this position. Hated everyth

you," I

kno

hone

the screen. His expression changed. Just

take this

et me st

ered. "

t I watched Adrian's face. Watche

said. "That's

ng from th

is eyes flicked to m

. Adrian's j

he said. "We'll

re for a moment. Just

?" I

e I'd met him, I saw something real in his expr

slowly. "He wants to meet you.

not g

ng my brother. And James's fiancée. H

uess. Mor

h his hair. Messing it up for the first time. Mak

ha

Then: "He's dying. Brain tumor.

age it. Not after everything. But I saw the way hi

said. And mea

age is real. If he's not convinced by the time h

e mon

couple. Of convincing him we're in lo

f we c

nd you're still stuck in t

. I could see his knuckles were

said quietly. "We have to

o that? We just met. We d

it out. W

he door. Sat down on the bed

e, he looked as t

months,

marriage is real or eve