Aria Vale had always believed there were worse things than marriage.
Debt, for instance.
She stared at the document on the polished mahogany table, her fingers curled tightly around the cheap pen the lawyer had handed her. The paper felt heavier than it should have, as if it carried the weight of every bad decision her family had ever made.
Across from her, the lawyer adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. "Miss Vale, I must remind you once more—this contract is legally binding. Once signed, there is no reversal without mutual consent."
Mutual consent.
The words echoed bitterly in her mind. As if this entire situation had ever been mutual.
Aria swallowed and nodded, her gaze flicking briefly to the empty chair at the head of the table. The chair belonged to the man she was about to marry. The man whose name was printed neatly on the first page of the contract.
Lucien Blackwood.
She had never met him.
She had only seen his face on the internet—sharp features, unreadable eyes, headlines that painted him as everything from a ruthless business genius to a cold-hearted tyrant. CEO of Blackwood Enterprises. One of the most powerful men in the city.
And tonight, he would be her husband.
"Do you have any questions?" the lawyer asked.
Aria almost laughed.
She had thousands.
What kind of man offers marriage to a stranger?
Why her?
What was he hiding that required a legal wife instead of a public girlfriend?
But none of those questions would change the truth sitting in her chest.
Her mother's hospital bills were overdue. The doctors were no longer gentle when they spoke to her. The treatments would stop if the payments didn't come.
And Lucien Blackwood had offered a solution.
A contract marriage. Two years. No love. No interference. Absolute discretion.
In return, every debt would disappear.
Aria straightened her spine.
"No questions," she said quietly.
The pen trembled slightly as she lowered it to the paper.
Her signature followed the line with practiced neatness, though her heart pounded like it was trying to escape her chest. When she finished, the lawyer gathered the documents efficiently, as if he had witnessed this exact moment many times before.
"Congratulations," he said. "You are now Mrs. Blackwood."
The words felt unreal.
The wedding was nothing like Aria had imagined as a child.
There was no church. No long white aisle. No crowd of smiling relatives or whispered excitement. Instead, there was a private hall in a luxury hotel, draped in muted whites and soft golds. The ceremony was brief, almost clinical.
The officiant spoke. She responded when prompted. So did Lucien.
She barely remembered the sound of his voice, only that it was deep and steady, without hesitation. When he slid the ring onto her finger, his touch was cool and firm, his grip controlled.
He didn't smile.
Neither did she.
Cameras flashed briefly—just enough for official records. Within minutes, it was over. No kiss. No applause. No celebration.
Just silence.
Lucien didn't look at her as they were led out through a private exit. His attention remained forward, his posture rigid, as if emotion were a luxury he couldn't afford.
Aria wondered if he even noticed her shaking hands.
The Blackwood residence was nothing short of intimidating.
The car rolled through tall iron gates, past manicured gardens that looked too perfect to be real. The mansion loomed ahead, all sharp angles and dark glass, glowing softly against the night sky.
"This is where you'll be staying," Lucien said at last, his voice breaking the silence.
Aria turned to look at him properly for the first time.
Up close, he was even more imposing. Taller than she'd expected. Broad shoulders beneath a perfectly tailored suit. His face was striking in a way that felt deliberate—sharp jawline, dark eyes that gave nothing away.
"Only staying?" she asked before she could stop herself.
His gaze flicked to hers, cool and assessing.
"This is not a romantic arrangement," he said. "You are free to leave the house whenever you wish, provided it does not interfere with the terms of the contract."
Terms.
Everything came back to that.
They stepped inside, the doors closing softly behind them. The interior was modern and minimalist, dominated by dark wood and glass. Beautiful, but cold.
A house built for appearances, not warmth.
Lucien removed his jacket and loosened his tie. "Your room is prepared. You'll find a copy of the rules inside."
"Rules?" Aria repeated.
"Yes." He paused, then added, "They exist to protect both of us."
She nodded, though something about the way he said it sent a shiver down her spine.
A housekeeper showed her upstairs, speaking softly and avoiding eye contact. Aria was grateful for the solitude when the bedroom door finally closed behind her.
The room was enormous. Luxurious. Immaculate.
And completely unfamiliar.
She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the envelope placed neatly on the bedside table. Her name was written on it in clean, precise handwriting.
She opened it.
Inside was a single page titled TERMS OF COHABITATION.
No emotional attachment.
No public affection beyond what is necessary.
No questions about my past.
No interference with my business affairs.
Aria let out a slow breath.
She folded the paper carefully, placing it back into the envelope just as the door opened behind her.
Lucien stood there, his expression unreadable.
"There's one more thing you need to understand," he said.
She turned to face him, her heart pounding again.
"Yes?"
He walked into the room, stopping a few steps away. The distance between them felt deliberate, calculated.
"This marriage will give you security," he continued. "Your family will be safe. Your debts are gone."
Her chest tightened. "And you?"
His jaw clenched almost imperceptibly.
"This marriage protects my company," he said. "And hides certain truths that must remain buried."
Aria searched his face, sensing the weight behind his words.
"What kind of truths?" she asked softly.
For the first time that night, his composure cracked—just enough for her to notice.
Lucien's eyes darkened.
"This marriage will save you," he said quietly.
Then, after a pause, he added,
"But it may destroy me."
The words hung in the air between them, heavy and ominous.
Aria realized then that she hadn't just married a stranger.
She had stepped into a world of secrets—
and there would be no walking away unscathed.