Chapter 2 2

The moment Lila stepped out of the Westwood Enterprises building, the reality of what she'd just done hit her like a tidal wave. The bustling streets of Los Angeles swirled around her in a blur of motion and noise, but she felt detached from it all, her mind spinning. She had agreed to marry Dominic Westwood. It felt like a bad dream, yet every detail of the meeting was burned into her memory.

Her phone buzzed in her purse, pulling her from her daze. Lila reached for it, already dreading what awaited her.

It was her mother.

She hesitated before answering, knowing that the relief in her mother's voice would only deepen the ache in her chest.

"Lila, sweetie, how did the meeting go?" her mother's voice was gentle, but there was an undercurrent of hope there, one Lila couldn't bear to shatter.

She forced a smile into her voice. "It went... well, Mom. He's going to help us."

"Oh, thank God." Her mother let out a relieved sigh. "I was so worried. This is wonderful news! What's the plan? What did Mr. Westwood say?"

Lila bit her lip, debating how much to tell her. She didn't want to lie, but the truth-that she had just agreed to a marriage of convenience with a ruthless billionaire-felt too raw, too ugly. It would only worry her mother more.

"We're still working out the details," she said evasively. "But it looks like he's going to take care of everything."

There was a long pause on the other end. "Lila, are you sure? You sound... different."

"I'm fine, Mom," Lila said quickly, pushing the tremor from her voice. "I just... I need some time to think."

Her mother's voice softened, the worry unmistakable. "You've done so much for us already. I know how hard this must be. But we'll get through it. We always do."

"Yeah," Lila whispered, her heart heavy with the weight of her decision. "I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay, sweetie. I love you."

"I love you too, Mom."

As she ended the call, Lila stood in the middle of the busy sidewalk, feeling utterly alone. She knew she was doing this for her family, but that didn't make it any easier. Marrying a man like Dominic Westwood, stepping into his world-it felt like she was signing away her freedom, her life.

Taking a deep breath, she hailed a cab, sinking into the back seat as it carried her away from the glitzy heart of downtown and back to her small, cluttered apartment. The contrast between her world and Dominic's couldn't have been more stark. His life was all polished marble and sleek glass, while hers was cozy, lived-in, cluttered with sketches and bridal magazines.

When she walked through the door, the familiar scent of lavender and the sight of her half-finished wedding plans greeted her, offering a small sense of comfort. Lila dropped her bag on the counter, rubbing her temples as the reality of what she had agreed to began sinking in.

Married to Dominic Westwood. The thought lingered in the air, heavy and suffocating.

Her phone buzzed again. This time, it was a text message.

Dominic Westwood: My lawyer will send over the contract tomorrow. Be ready.

Lila stared at the screen, the weight of his words crashing down on her. There was no warmth, no reassurance, just a command-cold and transactional, like everything else about him. She shoved her phone aside and sank onto the couch, burying her face in her hands.

She needed a distraction, something to keep her mind from spiraling. Her gaze landed on the wedding plans scattered across her coffee table. Lila had always found comfort in her work-organizing other people's happiest days, creating beautiful moments filled with love.

But now, the irony of it hit her. She was a wedding planner on the verge of the most loveless marriage she could imagine.

She picked up a bridal magazine, flipping through its glossy pages, but the usual joy she found in designing someone's perfect day was gone. It was all tainted now. Her marriage to Dominic wouldn't be filled with love or happiness. It would be a business transaction. A contract.

Her stomach twisted, and she tossed the magazine aside. There was no escaping it.

A knock on the door broke through her thoughts. Lila frowned, not expecting anyone. She walked over to the door and opened it to find her best friend, Clara, standing there with two cups of coffee and a bag of pastries.

"I brought reinforcements," Clara announced with a grin. "I figured you could use some company after meeting with the devil."

Lila managed a weak smile, stepping aside to let Clara in. "You have no idea."

Clara set the coffee down and studied Lila's face, her own smile fading. "Okay, spill. What happened?"

Lila hesitated, not sure where to start. She had been friends with Clara since college, and if anyone would understand the impossible situation she was in, it was her. But this-this felt too surreal to even say out loud.

"I don't even know where to begin," Lila muttered, sinking back onto the couch.

Clara plopped down beside her. "Well, start with the basics. Did he agree to help?"

Lila nodded. "Yeah. He's going to pay off the debts. My family will keep the house. Everything will be fine... on that end."

Clara frowned. "Why do I feel like there's a massive 'but' coming?"

"Because there is." Lila rubbed her hands over her face. "He wants me to marry him."

Clara blinked, her mouth dropping open. "Wait-what?"

"I know, it sounds crazy," Lila said quickly. "But he framed it like a business deal. He needs a wife for some image thing, and he thinks I'm the perfect candidate. If I marry him, he'll take care of everything."

Clara stared at her, still trying to process the words. "So... let me get this straight. You're going to marry Dominic Westwood, the billionaire whose face is on half the magazines in this city? The one who is, like, ten levels of rich and scary?"

Lila let out a small, humorless laugh. "Yeah. That's the one."

Clara shook her head, her voice a mix of disbelief and concern. "Lila, this is insane. You can't marry a man like that. He's... well, he's terrifying. Have you seen him? He looks like he could freeze a room with just a glance."

"I know," Lila said, her voice hollow. "But I don't have a choice. If I don't do this, my family will lose everything. I'll lose everything."

Clara was quiet for a long moment, her expression softening. "I get that. I do. But marrying him? There has to be another way."

"There isn't," Lila whispered. "He's holding all the cards, Clara. And I... I just don't know what to do."

Clara placed a hand on her arm, her voice gentle. "You don't have to do this alone. We'll figure something out. Maybe there's a way out of this."

"I wish there were," Lila said, feeling the weight of the decision pressing down on her again. "But I'm trapped."

They sat in silence for a while, the gravity of the situation settling between them. Clara handed Lila one of the coffees, offering a small, comforting smile.

"Well, if you're going to marry a billionaire, at least make sure you get a killer wardrobe out of it," she joked, trying to lighten the mood.

Lila managed a weak laugh, though the humor didn't reach her eyes. "Yeah. I guess I'll be the most fashionable prisoner in L.A."

They sipped their coffee in companionable silence, but Lila's mind kept circling back to Dominic. His icy blue eyes, his commanding presence, the way he had barely blinked when laying out the terms of their so-called marriage.

She had agreed to marry him, but what would happen once she stepped into his world?

Would she survive it, or would Dominic Westwood consume her whole?