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Marriage Deal with Entangled Promises
img img Marriage Deal with Entangled Promises img Chapter 1 A Deal with a Billionaire
1 Chapters
Chapter 6 A Crack in the Armor img
Chapter 7 Walls Come Crashing Down img
Chapter 8 The First Kiss img
Chapter 9 Doubt Creeps In img
Chapter 10 The Heart That Hurts img
Chapter 11 Secrets in the Dark img
Chapter 12 The Deal is Real img
Chapter 13 In His Arms, But Alone img
Chapter 14 Fighting for Trust img
Chapter 15 Revelations img
Chapter 16 A Broken Promise img
Chapter 17 Under the surface img
Chapter 18 Temptation Too Strong img
Chapter 19 Crossing Boundaries img
Chapter 20 The Reckoning img
Chapter 21 In the Spotlight img
Chapter 22 The Heart's Choice img
Chapter 23 I Can't Let You Go img
Chapter 24 Unspoken Truths img
Chapter 25 The Burden of the Past img
Chapter 26 Pushing Back img
Chapter 27 When the Truth Comes Out img
Chapter 28 The Bitter Taste of Betrayal img
Chapter 29 Vows and Promises img
Chapter 30 The Heart's Confession img
Chapter 31 A Clear Moment img
Chapter 32 When the Walls Fall img
Chapter 33 The First Fight img
Chapter 34 What Happened After img
Chapter 35 A Fresh Start img
Chapter 36 Lies That Hold img
Chapter 37 Giving Up img
Chapter 38 The Price of Trust img
Chapter 39 The Sad Farewell img
Chapter 40 Getting Away img
Chapter 41 Falling Harder img
Chapter 42 Going Too Far img
Chapter 43 The Point of No Return img
Chapter 44 Love's Redemption img
Chapter 45 The burden of guilt img
Chapter 46 A Quick Change img
Chapter 47 The Reckless Heart img
Chapter 48 Making Connections img
Chapter 49 A Dangerous Game img
Chapter 50 The Truth That Is Hidden img
Chapter 51 Another Betrayal img
Chapter 52 What Happened Next img
Chapter 53 The Quiet Battle img
Chapter 54 Broken Trust img
Chapter 55 When He Gets Closer img
Chapter 56 Fighting for Each Other img
Chapter 57 The Unforgiven Past img
Chapter 58 The End of the Road img
Chapter 59 Turning the Corner img
Chapter 60 Crossroads img
Chapter 61 The Secret Revealed img
Chapter 62 Facing Fears img
Chapter 63 Facing Fears img
Chapter 64 A Wild Ride img
Chapter 65 The Test img
Chapter 66 Dangerous Feelings img
Chapter 67 The Truth Revealed. img
Chapter 68 The Darkest Hour img
Chapter 69 The Wrong Choice img
Chapter 70 Getting Away img
Chapter 71 No Going Back img
Chapter 72 The Big Revelation img
Chapter 73 The Depth of Love img
Chapter 74 The Unexpected Twist img
Chapter 75 Starting Over Again img
Chapter 76 Shattering Silence img
Chapter 77 The Perfect Storm img
Chapter 78 In the Heat of the Moment img
Chapter 79 The Choice img
Chapter 80 The End of the Road img
Chapter 81 Looking to the Future img
Chapter 82 Torn Between Two Worlds img
Chapter 83 The Hardest Choice img
Chapter 84 In the Shadow of the Past img
Chapter 85 Unraveling the Mystery img
Chapter 86 The Kiss That Changes Everything img
Chapter 87 Strong feelings img
Chapter 88 Moving On img
Chapter 89 What the Heart Wants img
Chapter 90 The Last Betrayal img
Chapter 91 A Cold Reunion img
Chapter 92 Crossing the Line Again img
Chapter 93 Love and Fear img
Chapter 94 The Truth Is Out There img
Chapter 95 Not Being in Charge img
Chapter 96 The Breaking Point Again img
Chapter 97 Battling the Storm img
Chapter 98 Holding On Tight img
Chapter 99 A Sudden Decision img
Chapter 100 Endings That Are Both Good and Bad img
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Marriage Deal with Entangled Promises

Author: Chinelo Rita
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Chapter 1 A Deal with a Billionaire

(Esther's Point of View)

I never thought I'd be here. A typical Thursday morning, and then, in the time it takes to answer a phone call, everything changed.

I was at my desk, the office's familiar sounds-the hum, the clatter of keys-surrounding me. But something was off. I couldn't concentrate on the screen. My phone vibrated, a reminder for an interview I had planned for later.

Not that I was anticipating anything significant.

"Esther, your ten o'clock is here," Tara, my assistant, announced from the doorway, breaking my concentration.

"Thanks," I replied, barely audible, still staring at the papers strewn across my desk. The knot in my stomach was a persistent companion. My position at the marketing firm barely covered the bills, and I was struggling to keep my head above water.

But I always tried to keep my chin up, to cling to some semblance of optimism. Things had to get better, didn't they?

Then the door opened, and in strode the last person I anticipated seeing today.

Matthew King.

I was instantly immobilized. The man whose name was synonymous with cutthroat business and a frigid demeanor was now standing before me, radiating the kind of power that suggested he owned not just the building, but the entire city. He was tall, with dark hair perfectly coiffed, a suit that screamed wealth, and those eyes-those unsettling, icy eyes that seemed to strip away all pretense.

"Miss Bennett, I presume?" His voice was a low rumble, carefully modulated. Almost too carefully.

I gulped, struggling to rise. "Y-Yes, Mr. King," I managed, extending a hand that felt like it was made of ice, my clammy palm meeting his in a handshake that seemed to stretch on forever.

Matthew didn't flinch.

His handshake was strong, the kind you'd expect from someone accustomed to closing deals, but it lacked any genuine feeling. It was purely transactional.

He surveyed the office, his eyes sharp and assessing. I could practically feel him sizing up the room, the people, and me. "I hope this won't take long. My schedule is quite full," he stated, his voice clipped, bordering on impatient.

"Certainly," I replied, my pulse quickening. This wasn't a social call. I suspected he wasn't here for any reason I could fathom.

I motioned toward the vacant chair. "Please, have a seat."

He obliged, settling into the chair with a self-assuredness that spoke of a lifetime of getting his way. It set my teeth on edge.

Not the kind of discomfort that makes you squirm, but the sort that constricts your chest, as if you're a piece on a chessboard, and the game is being played without your knowledge.

"Miss Bennett," he started, his gaze pinning me in place, "I require your assistance."

I blinked, my breath hitching. This was a surprise. "Help?" I echoed, struggling to keep my voice even.

He nodded, tapping a folder on the desk. His gestures were measured, purposeful. "Indeed, a business proposal." He opened the folder, exposing papers I couldn't quite decipher from my vantage point.

I looked at him, trying to grasp the meaning behind his words. "I'm not certain I will follow... What sort of proposal?"

His lips twisted into a brief, icy smile. "A contract."

A contract? I blinked, struggling to grasp the meaning. "I'm not following."

Matthew leaned in, his hands steepled on the desk. His eyes were steady, unyielding. "I need you to marry me."

I went still, the words settling like a dense mist. "Pardon?" I managed, unsure if I'd heard him right.

"Marry me," he said again, without a hint of hesitation. "I have a business arrangement to complete, and my... family requires me to be married."

For appearances. For their peace of mind.

I was stunned, just staring at him. "But... Why are you asking me?"

"Because you're ideal," Matthew replied, his tone calm, as if he were explaining the weather. "You're not famous. No dirt on you. You're... professional."

His words cut, the assessment so clinical. He was looking at me like I was a tool.

I was at a loss. My thoughts scrambled, trying to find a way to understand, to make it all fit. "You... want to marry me... for a business arrangement?"

He acknowledged the point with a nod. "That's right. It's strictly business. No feelings involved."

Nothing personal.

The words hit me hard, a physical blow. I should have declined. I should have left that office, shut the door, and never returned. But I didn't. The words failed me, the pressure of my financial situation dragging me down, a heavy chain.

I turned my gaze away, struggling to compose myself. "And what if I say no?" I finally managed, my voice barely audible.

Matthew's face gave nothing away. "Then I'll look elsewhere. But I suspect you'll find the proposal... rather appealing."

He pushed a sheet of paper toward me. I paused, but the lure was undeniable. I took the paper, opened it, and the figures on the page made my heart race.

The offer was staggering.

A massive salary. A life of luxury. A home. A future most could only imagine.

I met his gaze, my astonishment plain. "And you expect me to simply... accept this?"

Matthew reclined, his gaze fixed on me, a cool curiosity in his eyes. "Indeed. It's a simple deal, Miss Bennett. We fulfill our needs, and you get your desires."

I felt cornered. The figures on the page swirled, a cruel taunt, presenting me with everything I'd ever wished for. All I had to do was agree.

Yet, my heart... my heart was whispering a different story.

I rose suddenly, the chair screeching as I shoved it back. "I can't."

Matthew remained still. Not a flicker of reaction.

"You will."

His tone was absolute, a certainty that made me uneasy.

I retreated from the desk, my pulse hammering. "I don't know what you think I am, but I'm not some... some contract bride!"

Matthew's gaze darkened, and he rose, his presence consuming the space. "You don't have to be," he said, his voice now a low command. "But you will marry me. It's not a choice, Esther."

I was still. My breath hitched. The power in his words was inescapable.

Then, as if the air had thickened, he said, "I'll give you time to consider it."

I nodded, a bit dazed, my thoughts a whirl. I was at a loss for words, unsure of my next move. The proposition was alluring, but every instinct screamed for me to refuse.

As I walked away, I felt his gaze, a weight on my back.

Just before I opened the door, I looked back.

"Think it over, Esther," he said, his voice low.

Your life is about to change, irrevocably.

The door clicked, sealing me in, and a sense of entrapment washed over me, a feeling I couldn't shake.

Should I agree? Or should I leave, abandoning the billionaire and his perilous offer?

Yet, as I lingered in the hallway, paralyzed, I understood I might already be ensnared.

Could I even retreat?

            
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