Chapter 1 The Proposal

The rain poured relentlessly over New York City, turning the skyline into a blur of silver and black. Adriana Calloway sat in the corner of a dimly lit café, staring blankly at the untouched coffee in front of her. The last 24 hours had shattered her life beyond recognition.

She clenched her fists under the table, willing herself not to cry. Her family's company-everything her late father had worked for-was gone. The debt collectors had come like vultures, stripping away not just the business but their home, their assets, everything. Her mother, fragile and grief-stricken, lay in a hospital bed, unaware of how close they were to complete ruin.

A shadow fell over her table. Adriana glanced up, and her heart stuttered.

Marco Romano.

The man was devastatingly handsome in a way that felt dangerous. Dressed in a tailored black suit, his presence sucked the air out of the room. His dark hair was slicked back, a few strands carelessly falling over his sharp, chiseled features. But it was his eyes that held her captive-icy blue, calculating, unreadable.

She had no idea why he was here.

"I hear you're in trouble, Miss Calloway." His voice was smooth, controlled. The voice of a man who never had to beg for anything.

Adriana's fingers curled around the handle of her cup, seeking something-anything-to ground her. "I'm fine," she lied.

Marco arched a brow, amusement flickering in his gaze. "You're homeless, your mother's hospital bills are unpaid, and your father's legacy has been wiped out overnight. I wouldn't call that fine."

Anger flared in her chest. "Did you come here to mock me?"

"No," he said simply. Then, with the ease of someone who owned the world, he slid into the seat across from her. "I came to make you an offer."

Adriana frowned. "An offer?"

Marco leaned in slightly, the scent of expensive cologne and something darker-something undeniably masculine-filling the space between them. "Marry me."

Adriana's breath caught. For a second, she thought she had misheard him. But the way he watched her, like a predator waiting for its prey to react, told her he was serious.

She forced out a dry laugh. "I think I misheard you."

"You didn't."

Her mind raced. Marco Romano was one of the most powerful businessmen in the country, heir to the Romano fortune-a man who didn't need anyone. Least of all her.

"Why would you want to marry me?" she asked, suspicion lacing her voice.

Marco exhaled, as if debating how much to tell her. Then, with ruthless efficiency, he laid out the truth. "My grandfather's will is very specific. I must be married within six months, or I lose my inheritance."

Adriana blinked. Of course. There had to be a reason. Men like Marco didn't do anything without a purpose.

"So this would be a business deal," she said carefully.

His lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Precisely. You need money. I need a wife. A one-year contract. At the end of it, we go our separate ways."

She swallowed hard. A year. A marriage that wasn't real. A deal with the devil himself.

And yet... what choice did she have?

Her mother's hospital bills alone would crush her. She had nothing left. No way to rebuild. No way to survive.

Marco must have sensed her hesitation because he leaned back, watching her with cool detachment. "Of course, you can refuse," he said. "Walk out of here, struggle for scraps, and hope your mother doesn't get evicted from the hospital."

Her stomach twisted. He was cruel, but he wasn't wrong.

Adriana inhaled sharply. "And what do you expect from me in return?"

Marco's gaze darkened slightly. "You will play the role of my wife. Publicly, we will be a devoted couple. Privately, we live our own lives. I don't expect love or affection, just obedience to the contract."

Obedience.

The word sent a shiver down her spine.

She studied him carefully. He looked bored, as if this was just another business transaction to him.

Maybe it was.

But for her, it was a deal with no escape.

A deal she couldn't afford to refuse.

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

Marco's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his gaze.

He extended his hand. "Then we have a deal."

Adriana hesitated only a moment before placing her hand in his.

The warmth of his skin against hers sent a jolt through her veins.

And just like that, she signed away the next year of her life to the devil.