The elevator doors closed with a soft ding, and I found myself face-to-face with the coldest man I had ever met in my life.
"Are you ready?" he asked, his voice as calm and controlled as always. His piercing eyes didn't look at me—they saw through me.
I swallowed hard, my heart racing. Ready? How could anyone be ready to marry a stranger… especially one who made your every instinct scream run?
"You don't have to do this," I whispered, more to myself than to him.
He tilted his head, studying me like a puzzle he'd been waiting decades to solve. "You agreed to the contract, Ayesha. There's no turning back now."
My fingers trembled as I clutched the envelope that contained my life's next year, all neatly printed in black and white. Every clause screamed control—his control.
And yet… somewhere deep inside, a part of me wondered if the fire I felt wasn't just fear.
Because when he stepped closer, the air around us charged with something I couldn't name… something dangerous, and strangely intoxicating.
This was it. My new life had begun. And I had no idea how much it would change me.
🔥 Hook Points in This Chapter:
Mysterious CEO: Readers immediately meet a "cold, controlling" male lead.
High stakes: A contract marriage – tension from the first sentence.
Internal conflict: Heroine is scared but curious, creating relatability.
Forbidden attraction: Sparks of romance hinted, keeps readers hooked.
Cliffhanger potential: Ends with intrigue about what will happen next.