Chapter 1 The Billionaire's Offer

Evelyn Hart's heels clicked against the polished marble floor of her father's office building, each step heavier than the last. The weight of failure pressed down on her like a physical force, and every thought screamed at her to do something-anything-before it was too late. Her father's company, once a small family empire that had survived generations, was crumbling under the weight of debts he couldn't repay.

The walls around her seemed to close in, their expensive wallpaper and gleaming glass a mocking contrast to the reality outside: creditors circling like vultures, ready to devour the Hart family name.

"Miss Hart?" A secretary peeked through the doorway, her expression a mix of pity and hesitation. "Your father... he's asking for you."

Evelyn nodded, forcing a polite smile that didn't reach her eyes. She knew it wasn't just her father she needed to convince it was the reality itself. The kind of reality that didn't care about dreams, ambition, or stubborn pride.

She entered her father's office and froze. Lucas Blackwood stood there.

The name alone was enough to make her pulse stutter. He didn't just stand in the room; he owned it. Broad shoulders, tailored black suit, an aura of control that made everyone else in the room seem like furniture. His eyes, sharp and cold, were fixed on her as though assessing every fault and weakness she had ever tried to hide.

It had been five years since the last time they met. Five years since he accused her of betrayal and walked away, leaving a void that nothing and no one had ever filled. And yet here he was, the man who had haunted her nightmares, standing in her father's office like a predator deciding which corner of the room to devour first.

"Evelyn Hart," he said, his voice smooth but with an edge that made her stomach twist. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I-I didn't expect to see you either," she stammered, trying to hide the tremor in her voice. Her hands clenched at her sides.

Lucas's gaze swept over her like a blade, calculating and precise. "Your family is in trouble," he said bluntly. "The kind of trouble that doesn't get solved by good intentions or stubborn pride."

Evelyn swallowed hard. She had come here looking for options, for help, for anything that would save her father's company and instead, she felt trapped under the scrutiny of the man who knew all her secrets, all her weaknesses, all her failures.

"I can handle it," she said, more firmly than she felt. "I've been managing things as best I can "

Lucas shook his head, cutting her off. "No, Evelyn. You've been surviving. Surviving isn't enough when the vultures are circling. And surviving isn't enough when I've returned."

Her chest tightened. "Returned?" she asked cautiously.

He moved closer, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop. "I've returned to make sure debts are settled, in the most... effective way possible."

Evelyn's mind raced. She knew he had wealth beyond imagination, connections that could crush anyone in an instant. And now, after five years, he had decided to reappear in her life. She tried to hide the panic rising in her throat, but she knew she was failing.

"Then... what do you want?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucas's eyes darkened. "I want a solution. A very specific solution. One that involves you."

Evelyn's heart lurched. "Me?"

"Yes, you." He gestured to the seat across from him. "Sit. We have business to discuss."

Reluctantly, she sat, feeling the cold leather beneath her as if it were a symbol of the impossible situation she had walked into. Lucas reached into his briefcase and pulled out a folder. The sight of it made her stomach drop.

"This," he said, sliding the folder across the polished desk, "is your family's lifeline. And your leash."

Evelyn stared at it, confused, horrified, and intrigued all at once. She opened the folder carefully and found a contract inside. Terms written in black ink, cold and unyielding: one year of marriage, full obedience, public appearances, no personal freedom. Every clause seemed designed to strip her of dignity, every word a reminder of the power imbalance between them.

"You expect me to..." she began, her voice shaking, "to marry you? Just like that?"

Lucas's gaze didn't waver. "Yes. You marry me. One year. That's all I ask. In return, your family's debts disappear. Fail, and they fall into ruin."

Evelyn's hands trembled as she held the folder. It felt heavier than any brick she had ever lifted. "And... why would you care?"

A faint, almost imperceptible smirk curved his lips. "I care because five years ago, you betrayed me. You ruined me. This," he tapped the contract, "is my way of... evening the score."

Her mind reeled. "I... I never "

Lucas held up a hand, cutting her off. "Save it. This isn't about excuses. It's about survival. Yours, your family's... and my sense of justice."

Evelyn closed her eyes briefly, trying to steady herself. She had no options. No one else could help her. And yet, marrying the man who had once broken her heart? The thought was unbearable.

But she glanced at her father, seated quietly in the corner, his face pale and desperate. His legacy, their family name, everything she had ever worked for it all depended on a choice.

Her eyes met Lucas's, cold and unyielding, and she understood. The next words would determine everything.

With a shaky hand, she reached for a pen.

"Fine," she whispered. "I'll do it."

Lucas's smirk widened. "Good. You're smarter than you look, Evelyn."

And as she signed the contract, she realized that life, as she knew it, was officially over.

The man she married was not a husband.

He was a weapon.

And she had just stepped into his crosshairs.

Cliffhanger: Lucas leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on her. "Remember, Evelyn... this marriage is your punishment. And I intend to make you feel every second of it. "