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The Billionaire's Broken Contract
img img The Billionaire's Broken Contract img Chapter 4 The Decision
4 Chapters
Chapter 6 The Servant's Quarters img
Chapter 7 Impossible Standards img
Chapter 8 The Supporting Cast img
Chapter 9 The Panic Attack img
Chapter 10 Hidden Kindness img
Chapter 11 The Fountain Incident img
Chapter 12 Testing Boundaries img
Chapter 13 Electric Tension img
Chapter 14 The Almost Kiss img
Chapter 15 The Thunderstorm img
Chapter 16 Intimacy img
Chapter 17 After the Storm img
Chapter 18 Dangerous Territory img
Chapter 19 The Other Woman img
Chapter 20 Victoria's Entrance img
Chapter 21 The Maid Treatment img
Chapter 22 Revelations img
Chapter 23 The Comparison img
Chapter 24 Jealousy's Sting img
Chapter 25 The Betrayal img
Chapter 26 The Choice img
Chapter 27 The Photographer img
Chapter 28 Public Humiliation img
Chapter 29 Family Rejection img
Chapter 30 Lily Crisis img
Chapter 31 The Breaking Point img
Chapter 32 The Ultimatum img
Chapter 33 The Fightback img
Chapter 34 Shifting Dynamics img
Chapter 35 The Realization img
Chapter 36 The Contract Questioned img
Chapter 37 The Fall img
Chapter 38 The Benefactor img
Chapter 39 The Surgery img
Chapter 40 The Watcher img
Chapter 41 The Job Interview img
Chapter 42 The Breakdown img
Chapter 43 The Shelter img
Chapter 44 The Watcher img
Chapter 45 The Volunteer img
Chapter 46 The Decision img
Chapter 47 The New Beginning img
Chapter 48 The Coincidence img
Chapter 49 The Recognition img
Chapter 50 The Article img
Chapter 51 The Inspiration img
Chapter 52 The Unexpected Encounter img
Chapter 53 The Coffee Shop img
Chapter 54 The Apology img
Chapter 55 The Flowers img
Chapter 56 The Illness img
Chapter 57 The Caregiver img
Chapter 58 The Tenderness img
Chapter 59 Don't stop img
Chapter 60 The Realization img
Chapter 61 The Courtship img
Chapter 62 The Yes img
Chapter 63 The Public Test img
Chapter 64 The Business Pressure img
Chapter 65 The Ultimatum img
Chapter 66 The Stand img
Chapter 67 The Consequences img
Chapter 68 The New Threat img
Chapter 69 The Alliance img
Chapter 70 The Attack img
Chapter 71 The Protection img
Chapter 72 The Unity img
Chapter 73 The Revelation img
Chapter 74 The Abandoned Child img
Chapter 75 The First Betrayal img
Chapter 76 The Test img
Chapter 77 The Apology img
Chapter 78 The Sleepless Night img
Chapter 79 The Conditions img
Chapter 80 The News img
Chapter 81 The Proposal img
Chapter 82 The Daughter's Choice img
Chapter 83 The First Therapy Session img
Chapter 84 The Breakthrough img
Chapter 85 Don't Stop img
Chapter 86 The New Dynamic img
Chapter 87 The Public Debut img
Chapter 88 You can't scare me img
Chapter 89 The Team img
Chapter 90 The Foundation img
Chapter 91 The Sabotage img
Chapter 92 Riley proposal img
Chapter 93 The Investigator img
Chapter 94 Turning the Tables img
Chapter 95 The Investigation img
Chapter 96 The Mole img
Chapter 97 Countdown to Confrontation img
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Chapter 4 The Decision

Riley's POV

The car windows were fogged with our breath, and I could barely see the hospital parking lot through the condensation. Lily was curled up in the backseat, finally sleeping after hours of restless crying.

I stared at Brett Graham's business card in the dim light from the street lamps. The paper was thick, expensive. Even his business cards probably cost more than my monthly food budget.

My phone's battery was at three percent, but I used what little power remained to google him. The search results made my stomach clench with fear.

"Ruthless Tech Mogul Destroys Competitors" "Brett Graham: The Ice King of Silicon Valley" "Graham Industries CEO Known for Crushing Opposition"

The photos showed him at business events, always surrounded by beautiful women. Models, actresses, socialites. They all looked the same-tall, thin, perfect. Everything I wasn't.

One article from six months ago caught my attention: "Graham's Engagement Ends in Scandal."

I clicked on it, squinting at the small screen. Victoria Sterling, a blonde socialite from old money, had been engaged to Brett for two years. The engagement ended when she was caught cheating with his business partner. The article mentioned her statement that Brett was "impossible to please" and "emotionally unavailable."

The woman who'd had everything beauty, money, social status couldn't handle him for two years. What made me think I could last six months?

My phone died with a soft beep, plunging me into darkness.

"Mommy?" Lily's voice was small and scared.

"I'm here, baby."

"I don't feel good."

I reached back and touched her forehead. She was burning up, worse than before. The fever was spiking, and I had no way to help her. No money for medicine, no insurance for a doctor.

"I know, sweetheart. Try to sleep."

But she was shivering now, her small body wracked with chills despite the fever. I climbed into the backseat and pulled her onto my lap, wrapping my jacket around both of us.

"Tell me a story," she whispered.

"Once upon a time," I began, my voice shaking, "there was a little princess who lived in a castle."

"Was she happy?"

"She was very happy, because she had everything she needed. A warm bed, good food, and people who loved her."

"Like us?"

The question broke my heart. "Yes, baby. Like us."

But as I held her burning body against mine, I knew I was lying. We had nothing. No home, no money, no future. In a few hours, she might be so sick that no amount of money could save her.

I thought about Brett Graham's cold eyes, his cruel words, his impossible demands. Six months of playing dress-up for a man who saw me as nothing more than a business transaction. Six months of pretending to love someone who'd made it clear he despised me.

But also six months that would give Lily a chance at life.

When dawn broke, I was still sitting in that car, holding my daughter and trying to find the courage to save her life.

At exactly 9 AM, I dialed the number on Brett's business card.

"Graham Industries," a crisp voice answered.

"This is Riley Plia. I need to speak with Mr. Graham."

"One moment."

The hold music was classical, expensive-sounding. Even his phone system was designed to intimidate.

"Riley." Brett's voice was smooth, unsurprised. "I wondered if you'd call."

"I have an answer."

"I'm listening."

I looked down at Lily, still sleeping fitfully in my arms. "Yes. I accept your offer."

"Excellent. Marcus will pick you up in one hour. Be ready."

"Wait, I need to"

"One hour, Riley. Don't be late."

The line went dead.

I sat in the car for another few minutes, trying to process what I'd just done. In one hour, my life would change forever. I'd enter Brett Graham's world, submit to his control, and pretend to be something I wasn't.

But Lily would live.

That's all that mattered.

When the black sedan pulled up exactly one hour later, I was ready. Marcus stepped out, professional and efficient.

"Miss Plia? Mr. Graham is waiting."

I buckled Lily into the car seat Marcus had brought, my hands shaking. This was it. No going back.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we pulled away from the hospital.

"To sign the contract," Marcus said, his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror. "Then to prepare you for tonight's charity gala."

"Tonight?"

"Mr. Graham doesn't believe in waiting."

*****

As we drove through Manhattan, I watched the city pass by outside the window. Somewhere in this maze of glass and steel, Brett Graham was waiting for me to sign away six months of my life.

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