---
Chapter 1: The Mistake of a Lifetime
Sophie Carter groaned as the sunlight burned through the hotel window. Her head throbbed, her mouth was dry, and her memory was fuzzy at best.
What happened last night?
She turned to her side—only to come face-to-face with a man.
Not just any man.
Adrian. Freaking. Blackwood.
Sophie gasped and scrambled away, nearly falling off the bed. Adrian, shirtless and frustratingly perfect, opened his eyes slowly, his dark gaze sharp despite the early hour.
"What the—" Sophie started, clutching the sheets to her chest. "Why are we in the same bed?!"
Adrian sat up, running a hand through his tousled hair. "Good morning to you too," he said dryly.
Sophie's panic grew. She barely knew him! Sure, she'd seen him on TV, read about him in business magazines, but how did she end up in his bed?
And then—
Her eyes widened as she noticed something on her finger.
A ring.
A wedding ring.
Her stomach dropped.
"No," she whispered. "This—this can't be happening."
Adrian reached for his phone and scrolled through it. His expression darkened. He turned the screen toward her.
BREAKING NEWS: BILLIONAIRE ADRIAN BLACKWOOD SECRETLY MARRIED?!
A picture of them—her in a white dress, him in a suit, standing in front of a wedding officiant—was plastered on every news site.
Sophie felt dizzy.
"What did we do?" she whispered.
Adrian's jaw tightened. "We got married."
Sophie's entire world collapsed.
---
An hour later, Sophie sat across from Adrian in his luxurious penthouse, her hands gripping a hot cup of coffee.
"So," she said carefully, "how do we fix this?"
Adrian leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes studying her. "Annulment would be the obvious choice."
Sophie nodded quickly. "Yes! Let's do that."
But then Adrian's expression shifted.
"There's one problem," he said. "My company's board has been pushing me to settle down. If they find out I got married and immediately annulled it, it could ruin my credibility. Investors don't trust a reckless CEO."
Sophie frowned. "So what are you saying?"
Adrian exhaled. "We stay married. For six months. Then we quietly divorce."
Her jaw dropped.
"Are you insane? We don't even like each other!"
Adrian's lips curved slightly. "I don't have to like you. I just have to be married to you."
Sophie stared at him, horrified. A fake marriage… with a billionaire?
What could possibly go wrong?
---
Sophie paced the length of Adrian's office, her arms crossed as she tried to process what was happening.
A fake marriage? Six months of pretending to be a billionaire's wife?
Absolutely not.
She spun on her heel to face him. "This is crazy."
Adrian, leaning against his desk with his arms folded, raised an eyebrow. "It's a mutually beneficial arrangement. You need money, don't you?"
Sophie stiffened. "That's not the point."
He smirked. "Isn't it?"
She hated that he was right. Her small design business was barely surviving, and rent was due in a week. But selling herself into a fake marriage? That was insane.
Adrian sighed and slid a thick document across the desk. "Here's the contract."
Sophie hesitated, then picked it up.
> Marriage Agreement:
The marriage will last six months.
Sophie must accompany Adrian to public events.
No romantic entanglements outside the marriage.
At the end of six months, a divorce will be arranged, and Sophie will receive a financial settlement.
Her eyes widened at the last part.
"Ten million dollars?" she blurted out.
Adrian shrugged. "You'd be surprised how much a peaceful divorce is worth."
Sophie swallowed hard. That kind of money could change her life.
Still, she hesitated. "And if I say no?"
Adrian's gaze darkened. "Then the media will dig into this. And trust me, Sophie, they'll destroy your life trying to figure out who you are and why a billionaire married you."
Her stomach twisted.
She had no choice.
With a deep breath, she grabbed a pen and signed her name.
Adrian smirked. "Welcome to your new life, Mrs. Blackwood."
---
Sophie stared at the massive bed in Adrian's penthouse bedroom.
"One bed?" she asked, voice rising.
Adrian unbuttoned his cufflinks. "It's my house."
She crossed her arms. "I'm not sleeping with you."
He gave her a slow, amused look. "You think I want to share a bed with you?"
Heat rushed to her face. "Then where am I supposed to sleep?"
Adrian walked past her, grabbing a pillow. "You can take the bed. I'll take the couch."
Sophie blinked. "Oh."
He glanced at her. "Unless you'd rather sleep next to me?"
She threw a pillow at him.
Adrian only laughed.
As she climbed into bed, she realized something.
This was only the beginning.......
---
Sophie adjusted the shimmering gown that clung to her frame as she stepped out of the limousine. Flashing lights exploded in her vision, reporters and paparazzi swarming the red carpet like hungry wolves.
This wasn't just any event—it was Blackwood Enterprises' Annual Gala, the most exclusive event of the year. And tonight, she wasn't just Sophie Carter.
She was Sophie Blackwood, wife of Adrian Blackwood.
Her pulse pounded as Adrian stepped beside her, his presence commanding as always. Dressed in a tailored black suit, his sharp jawline and piercing gaze made him look untouchable.
"Relax," Adrian murmured, placing a hand at the small of her back.
Her body tensed at the unexpected warmth of his touch. "Easy for you to say. You do this all the time."
His lips curved slightly. "And now, so do you."
With that, he guided her forward.
The cameras loved them.
A reporter pushed forward. "Mr. Blackwood, how does it feel to finally be a married man?"
Adrian smirked. "It's an adjustment," he said smoothly, "but I think I made the right choice."
His hand slid around her waist, pulling her closer. The cameras clicked wildly, capturing what looked like a perfectly in-love couple.
Sophie fought the urge to shove him away. Instead, she forced a dazzling smile. "He still leaves his socks everywhere, though."
The reporters laughed, and Adrian gave her a look—half amused, half impressed.
Just then, a sharp voice cut through the crowd.
"Adrian! Darling, I wasn't expecting to see you here with… her."
Sophie turned and immediately wished she hadn't.
A stunning woman in a scarlet dress approached, her icy blue eyes locked onto Adrian.
> [Vanessa Sinclair]
[Adrian's Ex-Fiancée & Heir to Sinclair Holdings]
Sophie had seen her in magazines—a perfect socialite, groomed for the billionaire lifestyle.
And now she was looking at Sophie like she was a cockroach that had somehow crawled into her diamond-encrusted world.
Sophie straightened. Game on.
---
Vanessa's smile was sharp as she extended a delicate hand toward Adrian.
"It's been a while," she purred.
Adrian's expression remained unreadable. "Not long enough."
Sophie nearly choked on her champagne.
Vanessa's gaze flickered to her. "And you must be… the new wife?"
Sophie returned the same sweet-but-deadly smile. "Sophie Blackwood. You must be the ex."
A flash of annoyance crossed Vanessa's face, but it was gone in an instant.
"Oh, darling, no need for labels," she said, her tone dripping with condescension. "Adrian and I have a long history. I was certain we'd end up together."
Sophie refused to let this woman get under her skin.
She turned to Adrian and, before she could talk herself out of it, wrapped her arms around his.
"Well, lucky for me, he changed his mind," Sophie said with a grin. "Didn't you, sweetheart?"
Adrian didn't even hesitate. He tilted his head toward her, his golden gaze amused but approving. "Absolutely."
Then—he kissed her.
Sophie froze.
His lips brushed against hers, soft but firm, sending a shockwave through her body. It was meant to be a show, just for the cameras, just to win this little game.
But for some reason, Sophie's heart raced for real.
Vanessa's jaw tightened. "Enjoy it while it lasts," she said coolly.
She turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Sophie breathless and Adrian smirking.
"That was bold," he murmured, his voice low.
Sophie swallowed. "You started it."
Adrian chuckled, his thumb brushing against her waist.
"Maybe I did," he admitted. "And maybe I'll do it again."
---
What's Next?
Vanessa isn't done playing games—she has a plan to break them apart.
Sophie realizes she might be falling for Adrian… but does he feel the same?
A business scandal threatens Adrian's empire, and Sophie gets caught in the middle.