Chapter 5 Contract Marriage

---

ARICA

It was 5:00 PM, another mundane day of her 9-to-5 job coming to an end.

She was officially done for the day-or so she thought. Her boss slammed a huge pile of files on her desk.

"Need this in my office first thing tomorrow morning," she ordered.

Arica sighed inwardly. Another day working overtime with no extra pay.

Fifteen minutes later, she got into the flow of her work, grateful for the quiet evening.

Her phone buzzed on the table, the sound shattering the peace of the late evening.

She barely glanced at it, too preoccupied with the stack of files she needed to review. But then another buzz-and annoyed, she reached for it.

It was a video file. From an unknown number. No sender name. Just the file. Something about it felt off.

For some reason, she looked around, having this eerie feeling that someone was secretly spying on her and had sent her a video.

Calm down, Arica. You watch too many thriller shows.

She tapped on the video, and the moment it started, she felt goosebumps-like multiple needles pricking her skin.

Sounds of her moans pierced the air, accompanied by Eliano's deep-throated groans.

The audio was awful: the wet slap slap of skin on skin, two bodies slamming against each other viciously.

Fear gripped her heart as her eyes glued to the screen.

It was that time at Eliano's office-where she had to strip to save her job.

So he videoed her?

Is this payback for stealing his stuff? I thought we resolved this...

A text appeared beneath it.

"Imagine how your precious Eliano would feel if this hits the media. Or better yet, imagine how you'd feel."

Okay, so this isn't Eliano. And he's not my precious Eliano!

She hadn't even known his name until recently.

"Who are you and what do you want?" she typed back, dread building in her stomach. She didn't have the money to pay off anyone.

"I want you to bring down Amaris with it."

Huh?

Then another message buzzed in. It was a photo. Bryan. Her ex.

She felt the wind knock out of her. Memories of him tangled in bed with her ex-assistant came flooding back.

Surprisingly, the betrayal still stung.

"She played with me. Broke my heart," he texted. "Now she wants to marry one of the billionaire Elysian brothers."

Anger coursed through her. It's been three years!

How dare he entangle her in his drama? Why did she still have to pay for what karma did to him?

"That wedding must not hold."

He was still typing.

"You'll take this video. Use it to blackmail him. It has to work out, Arica. That-or it'll be splashed all over social media."

She furiously typed back, her hands trembling with anger.

"You're insane. How did you even get this?"

"You're asking the wrong questions. Their wedding is tomorrow. You have less than 24 hours."

Offline.

Arica's hands shook as she set her phone down, her chest tightening in panic.

And as her panic rose, so did her fury.

How dare Bryan come back into her life again after three years of silence to control her?

But then her mind wandered to Amaris and the Elysian brothers-two sets of people who had deeply wronged her.

The Elysian brothers had killed her mom, used their connections to bury the case, stripped her of her position, and turned her into a pauper.

Amaris had slept with the love of her life in her absence and turned his heart against her.

She knew what to do. She would blackmail him and take her place as his bride-

Then she'd infiltrate the brothers' bond and destroy them like they destroyed her.

---

ELIANO

"I'm sorry, Amaris, but I cannot take you as my lawfully wedded wife."

The silence that fell over the grand hall was palpable as he strode away from the altar, leaving Amaris, his bride, dumbfounded.

"Eliano! What's going on?" she demanded, tears brimming in her eyes.

Hushed, confused whispers spread throughout the hall.

"You can't leave me here, Eliano!" She picked up her gown and followed him. "Eliano!"

He turned back, his gaze deadpan.

"It's not personal, Amaris," he said coldly. "This is just-necessary."

"Necessary?! What do you mean-?"

Then her eyes caught Arica standing at the back of the hall, poised, a mocking smile on her lips.

The wedding was strictly by invitation, and she sure as hell hadn't invited her.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed at Arica, her tone a low growl, making everyone instinctively turn to look.

Eliano ignored the harsh questioning stares from his brothers and the board of directors.

It was his reputation versus a wedding to a woman he didn't even like-and he chose the former.

He looked at Arica, and Amaris caught the exchange.

"You bitch!" she screeched.

A blur of white whizzed past him. It was Amaris. She stopped in front of Arica, who gave her a demeaning smirk.

"I'm sorry, Amaris. Truly, I am. It for sure doesn't feel nice to be jilted at your wedding."

But her tone wasn't meant to comfort-it was meant to scorn.

Amaris made to slap her, but Arica caught her hand and threw it back.

"Get over yourself," she mocked. "I'm the woman he chose. The one you lost to."

He saw the satisfaction that rippled through her face-and the fear that settled in Amaris'.

Amaris managed a bitter laugh.

"You really think he's going to settle with a pauper like you? That he's gonna stay with a church rat like you?"

A devilish smile crossed Arica's lips.

"He's already with me. And indeed-he dumped an elegant lady like you for a church rat."

Amaris was about to reply with a bitter remark when Eliano finally reached them.

"You think that-"

"All right, Amaris." He cut in harshly and grabbed Arica's hand. "We are done here."

As he walked outside with Arica in tow-and Amaris' mouth hung open in disbelief-the crowd broke into an uproar.

---

ARICA - States Courthouse

His handsome features contorted into a stony glare that burned through her when she hesitated to sign the document.

"I've done my part of the deal, Arica," he said emotionlessly. "It's time for you to do yours."

Arica nodded gravely, his words repeating in her head.

"The arrangement will be for three years, and after that, we both walk away.

I-as the newly installed CEO of Elysian Bank-and you, with all your accumulated debts paid in full.

During those three years, the marriage will remain platonic with no physical or romantic involvement.

We will both have separate living quarters.

There will be no need for you to work, as everything you need will be provided.

And most importantly, you will not have any romantic involvement outside the union.

I do not intend to share my wife with anyone."

Arica felt the rules were too oppressive, but she signed the contract marriage anyway.

Three years was enough time to wreak havoc on the brothers and their empire.

She already had her plan laid out.

She stilled as Eliano suddenly took her arm while they walked outside the courthouse.

"We have to make this look and feel real," he whispered to her. "We have to pretend to love each other in front of my brothers and the board."

As they stepped into the light, he kissed her forehead, and she looked up at him lovingly.

There was scattered applause from his other billionaire brothers and the board.

Her phone buzzed in her bag. It was a message from Bryan:

Thank you.

She smiled.

The pleasure is all mine.

As the bodyguard gently helped her into the limousine, she allowed herself one triumphant thought.

Checkmate.