Chapter 2 THE CONTRACT OFFER

Ava woke the next morning to the persistent hum of the city below her apartment. Sunlight streamed through the thin curtains, illuminating the mess she had barely managed to clean after yesterday's disaster. Coffee stains were still faintly visible on her apron, and the memory of Damian Blackwell's storm-grey eyes made her stomach twist in a way she didn't like admitting.

She swung her legs over the bed, heart hammering. Sleep had done nothing to calm her. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him-his cold, precise stare, the quiet command in his voice, the subtle smirk that had made her feel both terrified and... something else. Something she refused to name.

At the café, the morning rush was mercifully slow at first. Ava moved through her tasks mechanically, brewing coffee, wiping counters, and trying not to imagine him walking in again. But the thought alone made her palms sweat and her heart race. She reminded herself over and over: He's just a man. He's a customer. Nothing more.

And then the elevator dinged.

Her heart stopped.

Damian Blackwell stepped out, perfectly composed, his sharp suit tailored to make anyone feel small in comparison. His presence alone seemed to pull the air from the room, and the staff instinctively gave him space. Ava froze in place, tray trembling in her hands.

"Ava Rosen," he said, his voice low and controlled, resonating in a way that made her ears ring. "We need to talk."

Her stomach lurched. "Mr. Blackwell-"

"Stop." The single-word command carried authority that brooked no argument.

Ava tried to steady herself. "I-I didn't mean-"

He ignored her, eyes locked on hers with the intensity of a storm. Every heartbeat felt magnified as if the world had contracted to just the two of them. She could feel the warmth radiating from him, a dangerous heat that made her acutely aware of every nerve in her body.

"I am offering you an opportunity," he said, producing a leather-bound folder from beneath his arm. "A contract. Six months. You will live with me. Follow my rules. In exchange, I will clear your family's debts and ensure your father receives the medical care he needs."

Ava staggered backward, heart in her throat. "A... contract? You want me to... live with you?"

"Not just live. You will perform the role assigned, follow the terms, and nothing more. If you do, your family will be safe. If you refuse..." His gaze sharpened, dangerous and precise. "...you risk losing everything."

Her mind reeled. This was impossible. Preposterous. And yet, her father's voice whispered in her memory: You can't afford to say no.

"I... I can't," she stammered. "I can't just... live with a stranger."

"Not a stranger. Me." His tone was low, commanding. The weight behind his words made her pulse spike. "You will have privacy, your own suite, boundaries. Break the rules and the contract is null. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she whispered, though her voice quivered. Pride urged her to refuse, but desperation tethered her to reality. Her father's life depended on this. She had no choice.

He opened the folder on the counter and slid it toward her. The paper gleamed under the café's fluorescent lights, crisp and final. Signature lines beckoned. The pen in her hand felt heavier than it should, as if the act of signing could physically bind her to a fate she wasn't prepared for.

Her fingers trembled as she picked up the pen. Thoughts screamed: This is insane. This is dangerous. This is terrifying. But what other option did she have?

She signed.

The sound of ink scratching paper reverberated in the quiet café, marking the moment her life shifted irrevocably. Damian watched her, studying every microexpression, every flicker of hesitation. A faint smirk tugged at his lips, subtle, teasing, infuriating.

"You understand the rules?" he asked, voice measured.

"I... yes." Her voice barely carried above a whisper.

"Good." He stepped back, exuding control and power in a way that made her knees feel unsteady. "Welcome to my world, Ava Rosen. Remember... perfection is expected."

Her chest tightened. Perfect? She had barely survived spilling coffee on him. How could she possibly navigate living with him for six months?

The day blurred into motion. Every glance at the door made her flinch, every footstep she heard made her heart race. And yet, when he didn't appear again that morning, relief mingled with anticipation, a dangerous cocktail she couldn't ignore.

By evening, Ava trudged home, mind spinning with the implications of the contract. Her tiny apartment felt impossibly small, yet familiar and safe-two things she would no longer be able to rely on.

She imagined Damian pacing, evaluating her like some complex problem, and heat rose to her cheeks at the thought. She hated the awareness of her own body, the fluttering in her chest, the way her pulse spiked even when she tried to dismiss it.

The words of the contract echoed in her mind: six months. Follow the rules. Live with him. Protect your family. Obey.

Ava shivered. She didn't know if she was scared, excited, or both. She was certain of one thing: she wanted to survive this. For her father. For herself. And somewhere deep inside, a smaller, less rational part of her feared she might not survive-emotionally, physically, or mentally-without being changed forever.

Her phone chimed softly. A message from an unknown number appeared: "Pack lightly. Your life changes tomorrow."

Ava's breath caught. She didn't need to read it twice. She knew. Damian Blackwell was coming. The storm wasn't just arriving-it was taking over.

She sank onto her bed, pulse racing, mind spinning. Every thought of him was a mixture of fear and something dangerously close to curiosity, maybe even desire. She hated that feeling, hated him, and yet couldn't stop imagining what it would be like to be under his gaze again, in his control, in his world.

Tomorrow, her life would no longer be her own. And deep down, she felt a thrill she wasn't prepared to acknowledge: she was already hooked.