Rain hammered against the windows of the small café, turning the streets of New York into a blur of headlights and umbrellas.

Elliot Hayes sat alone at the corner table, staring at the message glowing on his cracked phone screen.

Your rent is three months overdue. Final notice.

He closed his eyes and slowly exhaled.

“Of course,” he whispered.

At twenty years old, Elliot had already learned that life rarely gave him a break.

He worked two jobs just to survive—morning shifts at a bakery and evening shifts at the café where he was sitting. His tiny apartment was barely big enough for a bed and a table, but it was all he could afford.

And now even that was at risk.

Elliot rubbed his tired face.

“I just need a miracle.”

He didn’t know that his miracle was about to walk through the café door.

The entire atmosphere changed when the man entered.

Lucian Cross.

At forty, Lucian was one of the most powerful billionaires in the country. The owner of Cross Holdings, a business empire that stretched across finance, technology, hotels, and real estate.

He was tall, impeccably dressed in a black tailored suit, with dark hair and sharp features that made people instinctively move out of his way.

Two men followed behind him.

Everyone in the café went silent.

Elliot barely looked up.

He had no interest in billionaires.

He was more concerned about how he was going to pay his rent.

Lucian walked toward the back of the café, but before he reached his table, his assistant suddenly stopped.

“Sir.”

Lucian looked at him.

“The private room isn’t available. There’s been a booking mistake.”

Lucian’s expression hardened.

“Then fix it.”

“We’re trying.”

Elliot glanced over.

The man’s voice alone was enough to make the employees nervous.

Then something unexpected happened.

Lucian’s eyes met his.

For several seconds, neither of them moved.

Elliot quickly looked away.

Why is he staring at me?

Lucian, however, continued looking.

There was something about the young man that caught his attention.

Elliot didn’t look impressed by him.

He wasn’t staring at his expensive watch or designer suit.

In fact, Elliot looked like he wanted nothing to do with him.

Lucian was used to people wanting something from him.

This was different.

“Sir?” his assistant asked.

Lucian finally looked away.

“Find somewhere else.”

He turned to leave.

Then Elliot’s phone rang.

“Hello?”

His expression immediately changed.

“Landlord? Please, I know. I said I’ll pay.”

Lucian paused.

Elliot lowered his voice.

“Just give me until the end of the week. Please.”

A long silence followed.

“Okay…”

He ended the call.

His shoulders dropped.

Lucian watched him for another moment before walking away.

He had no idea why he cared.

He simply did.

⸻

Three days later, Elliot was walking home after his shift when a black luxury car stopped beside him.

He frowned.

The back door opened.

A man stepped out.

“Mr. Hayes?”

Elliot immediately became cautious.

“Yes?”

“My employer would like to speak with you.”

“Who?”

The man didn’t answer.

Instead, he handed Elliot a black business card.

LUCIAN CROSS

Elliot’s eyes widened.

“The billionaire?”

“Yes.”

Elliot stared at the card.

“Why would he want to speak with me?”

“You’ll have to ask him.”

Elliot hesitated.

Every sensible thought in his mind told him to walk away.

But then he remembered the eviction notice.

He swallowed.

“Fine.”

He entered the car.

⸻

Twenty minutes later, Elliot found himself sitting inside the penthouse office of the most powerful man he’d ever met.

Lucian stood beside the enormous windows overlooking the city.

“You came.”

Elliot sat stiffly.

“You asked me to.”

Lucian turned around.

For the first time, Elliot saw his face clearly under the soft lighting.

He was intimidating.

Beautiful, too.

But Elliot immediately pushed that thought away.

“Why am I here?”

Lucian walked toward his desk.

“I have a proposition for you.”

“What kind?”

“Marriage.”

Elliot nearly choked.

“Excuse me?”

Lucian’s expression didn’t change.

“I want you to marry me.”

Elliot stared at him as though he had lost his mind.

“You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough.”

“You’re forty.”

Lucian raised an eyebrow.

“And?”

“And I’m twenty!”

“I know.”

Elliot stood.

“This is insane.”

Lucian remained calm.

“I’ll pay you five million dollars.”

Elliot froze.

Five million.

That amount could change his entire life.

But something about the offer felt wrong.

“What do you want in return?”

Lucian’s eyes darkened.

“One year.”

“One year?”

“You will live with me, attend public events as my husband, and maintain the appearance of a genuine marriage.”

“And after one year?”

“We divorce.”

Elliot stared at him.

“Why me?”

For the first time, Lucian hesitated.

Because he didn’t have an answer he could explain.

His grandfather’s will had forced him into a corner. If Lucian didn’t marry within thirty days, control of the company would pass to his younger cousin.

He couldn’t allow that.

And Elliot…

Elliot was the only person he’d met in years who hadn’t been intimidated by his name.

“I need someone I can trust,” Lucian finally said.

Elliot laughed bitterly.

“You don’t even know whether you can trust me.”

Lucian stepped closer.

“Then I’ll take the risk.”

Elliot looked down at the contract sitting on the desk.

His hands trembled slightly.

Five million dollars.

One year.

A fake marriage.

It sounded simple.

But something in Lucian’s eyes made Elliot feel that nothing about this arrangement would be simple.

Lucian pushed the contract toward him.

“Think carefully.”

Elliot looked at him.

“And if I say no?”

Lucian’s voice was calm.

“Then you walk out of that door, and nothing changes.”

Elliot looked at the contract again.

Then he remembered his empty bank account.

His overdue rent.

His uncertain future.

Slowly, he reached for the pen.

Lucian watched silently.

Elliot signed his name.

Elliot Hayes.

He had no idea that the signature would change his entire life.

And he certainly didn’t know that the man sitting across from him had already begun to regret one part of the agreement.

The part that said their marriage had to end after one year.

Because somewhere deep inside Lucian Cross…

he already knew he might never want to let Elliot go.

To Be Continued

Elliot stared at the contract in front of him long after he had signed it.

His signature looked strangely unfamiliar on the expensive paper.

Elliot Hayes.

He had just agreed to marry Lucian Cross.

A forty-year-old billionaire he barely knew.

For one year.

Five million dollars.

It sounded like the kind of deal that only happened in movies.

Yet here he was, sitting in Lucian’s private office, wondering whether he had just made the biggest mistake of his life.

Lucian picked up the contract and calmly examined the signature.

“Good.”

Elliot frowned.

“That’s all you have to say?”

Lucian looked up.

“What did you expect?”

“I don’t know. Maybe congratulations?”

“This isn’t a real marriage.”

The words shouldn’t have bothered Elliot.

But somehow, they did.

He looked away.

“I know.”

Lucian placed the contract inside a black folder.

“The wedding will take place next Saturday.”

Elliot’s eyes widened.

“Next Saturday?”

“Yes.”

“That’s only seven days.”

“I don’t have time to waste.”

Elliot gave a nervous laugh.

“You really are used to getting everything you want, aren’t you?”

Lucian’s expression remained unreadable.

“Yes.”

Elliot shook his head.

“Of course you are.”

Lucian stood and walked toward a small cabinet.

“There are rules.”

Elliot immediately became serious.

“What rules?”

Lucian turned around.

“First, nobody can know this marriage is contractual.”

Elliot nodded.

“Fine.”

“Second, you will move into my penthouse tomorrow.”

Elliot nearly jumped out of his chair.

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“I have an apartment.”

“You also have three months of unpaid rent.”

Elliot froze.

“How do you know that?”

Lucian’s eyes remained fixed on him.

“I told you. I did my research.”

Elliot felt embarrassed.

“That’s none of your business.”

“It becomes my business when you’re going to be my husband.”

The word made Elliot uncomfortable.

Husband.

He still couldn’t believe it.

Lucian continued.

“Third, there will be no romantic relationships outside this marriage.”

Elliot raised an eyebrow.

“I wasn’t planning on dating anyone.”

“Good.”

“And what about you?”

Lucian paused.

“What about me?”

“You’re not allowed to date anyone either.”

For the first time, a faint smile touched Lucian’s lips.

“Are you jealous already?”

Elliot’s face immediately heated.

“What? No!”

Lucian’s smile disappeared as quickly as it came.

“Good.”

Elliot folded his arms.

“You’re really annoying.”

Lucian simply stared at him.

No one spoke to him like that.

Yet instead of being angry, he found himself strangely amused.

“Fourth,” Lucian said, “you don’t enter my private study without permission.”

“Fine.”

“Fifth, you don’t discuss our agreement with anyone.”

“Fine.”

“And finally…”

Lucian walked closer.

Elliot looked up at him.

“The moment you decide you don’t want this anymore, tell me.”

Elliot studied his face.

“And you’ll let me go?”

“Yes.”

Something about the certainty in Lucian’s voice surprised him.

Elliot slowly nodded.

“Okay.”

Lucian extended his hand.

“Then we have a deal.”

Elliot stared at his hand before taking it.

The moment their hands touched, something strange happened.

Lucian’s fingers tightened slightly around his.

Elliot looked up.

Their eyes met.

For a second, the room seemed unusually quiet.

Lucian released him first.

“Someone will pick you up tomorrow morning.”

⸻

The next morning, Elliot stood outside his tiny apartment with two suitcases.

He looked at the place one last time.

It wasn’t beautiful.

The walls were cracked, the furniture was old, and the kitchen sink leaked whenever he used it.

But it had been home.

At least for a while.

A black car stopped in front of the building.

Elliot stared at it.

I’m really doing this.

He placed his bags inside and got into the car.

Twenty minutes later, the vehicle stopped in front of an enormous glass building.

Elliot stepped out.

He looked up.

The penthouse occupied the top three floors.

“Are you serious?” he whispered.

A member of Lucian’s staff approached him.

“Mr. Hayes, welcome.”

“Please just call me Elliot.”

The woman smiled politely.

“This way, sir.”

Elliot followed her inside.

The moment the elevator doors opened, he forgot how to breathe.

The penthouse was enormous.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entire city. Expensive furniture filled the living room, while massive paintings decorated the walls.

Elliot looked around.

“I could fit my entire apartment in this living room.”

The staff member smiled.

“Mr. Cross asked us to prepare the bedroom.”

“Bedroom?”

“Yes.”

Elliot stopped.

“Whose bedroom?”

“Yours and Mr. Cross’s.”

Elliot’s eyes widened.

“Wait. We’re sleeping in the same room?”

Before the woman could answer, a deep voice came from behind him.

“Yes.”

Elliot slowly turned.

Lucian stood there.

He was wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing strong forearms. His dark hair was slightly messy, making him look less like the intimidating billionaire Elliot had met yesterday.

And somehow, that made him even more dangerous.

Elliot swallowed.

“You never said we’d share a room.”

“You never asked.”

“That wasn’t part of the deal!”

Lucian walked toward him.

“If we’re going to convince everyone we’re married, separate bedrooms would raise questions.”

Elliot opened his mouth.

Then closed it.

Unfortunately, Lucian had a point.

“I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because this is your home now.”

Lucian walked past him.

“The bed is large enough for two people.”

Elliot stared at his back.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Lucian stopped.

Without turning around, he said calmly,

“Don’t worry, Elliot. I won’t touch you.”

Elliot’s cheeks warmed.

“I wasn’t worried about that.”

Lucian finally looked back at him.

“Then why are you blushing?”

“I am not!”

A faint smile appeared on Lucian’s face.

Elliot immediately looked away.

He had a terrible feeling that living with Lucian Cross for one year was going to be much harder than he had imagined.

And he was right.

Because that evening, while Elliot was unpacking his clothes, Lucian received a phone call.

His expression changed immediately.

“Who told you?”

A pause.

Lucian’s jaw tightened.

“I don’t care what my grandfather wrote in his will.”

Another pause.

His eyes shifted toward Elliot.

“And nobody is going to find out that my husband is part of a contract.”

Elliot froze.

He hadn’t meant to listen.

But he heard every word.

And suddenly, he realized something.

Lucian hadn’t told him the whole truth.

There was something much bigger behind this marriage.

And Elliot was already trapped in the middle of it.

To Be continued