Elena Carter sat in the dimly lit hospital waiting room, gripping her phone so tightly her knuckles turned white. The screen displayed the latest medical bill—a number so impossibly high that it made her stomach churn.
$150,000.
She swallowed hard, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps.
It wasn't just a number. It was her mother's life.
A fresh wave of helplessness crashed over her as she glanced through the glass doors of the ICU. Inside, her mother lay unconscious, her frail body looking even smaller beneath the stark white hospital sheets. The sound of beeping monitors filled the silence, each rhythmic tone a cruel reminder that time was slipping away.
What am I going to do?
She had already sold everything she owned—her car, her jewelry, even the tiny apartment she and her mother had lived in since she was a child. Every credit card was maxed out, every favor from friends exhausted.
Her mother needed surgery. Urgently.
And she had no way to pay for it.
Tears burned at the corners of her eyes, but she forced them down. Crying wouldn't solve anything.
"Elena?"
A soft voice pulled her from her thoughts.
She turned to see her best friend, Sophia Brooks, approaching with two cups of coffee. Sophia sat beside her, concern etched across her face as she handed over the steaming cup.
Elena took it, even though her hands trembled too much to drink.
"You need to rest," Sophia said gently.
Elena let out a bitter laugh. "Rest? My mom is dying, and the hospital won't operate unless I pay. How am I supposed to rest?"
Sophia bit her lip, hesitating, before speaking again. "I know you don't want to hear this, but there is one person who can help you."
Elena stiffened. She already knew who Sophia meant.
Everyone in New York did.
Alexander King.
The name alone sent a shiver down her spine.
A billionaire. Ruthless. Untouchable. The CEO of King Enterprises, the most powerful corporate empire in the country.
And, most importantly—the man who had fired her just two days ago.
Her jaw clenched as the memory flooded her mind.
She had been an intern at King Enterprises, working tirelessly to prove herself. She had sacrificed sleep, personal time, even skipped meals just to meet deadlines. And then, in a cruel twist of fate, she had been accused of leaking confidential files—something she hadn't done.
She had marched into Alexander King's office, desperate to defend herself. But he hadn't even given her a chance to explain.
"You're fired," he had said coldly, without a trace of emotion.
That was it. No hearing her side of the story. No room for negotiation. Just a ruthless decision that shattered her dreams.
And now, she was supposed to ask him for help?
"No," Elena said firmly. "Not a chance."
Sophia sighed. "Elena, your mother doesn't have time. And we both know that Alexander King needs a wife."
Elena snapped her head toward her. "What?"
"Think about it." Sophia leaned closer, lowering her voice. "The media's been all over it—his company's board of directors is pressuring him to settle down. They don't trust an unmarried CEO to lead the company. He needs to marry someone, fast, to silence them."
Elena frowned. "And why would he choose me?"
Sophia gave her a knowing look. "Because you're desperate. Because you won't expect love. And because you need the money more than anyone else."
Elena's stomach twisted.
Marrying a man like Alexander King? The idea was ridiculous.
He was as cold as ice, a man who saw emotions as nothing more than a weakness. She had seen it firsthand—the way he ruled his empire with an iron fist, the way he dismissed people without a second thought.
A contract marriage with him would be nothing but a business deal. No love. No feelings.
Could she really do that?
The thought made her feel sick.
But then she turned toward the ICU again.
Her mother's pale face. The soft rise and fall of her chest. The machines keeping her alive.
She doesn't have a choice.
Elena took a deep, shaky breath and looked at Sophia. "Do you think he would even agree?"
Sophia smirked. "With your looks? Definitely."
Elena rolled her eyes. "Be serious."
"I am serious." Sophia crossed her arms. "Alexander King isn't the type of man to believe in love. He just needs a convenient wife to shut everyone up. You need money. It's a perfect deal."
Elena bit her lip. The idea of selling herself into a marriage, even a fake one, made her stomach churn.
But was it really that different from what rich people did all the time?
Marriage for power. Marriage for money.
She wasn't the first woman to make a deal with a billionaire. And she wouldn't be the last.
Could she do this?
Could she sign away her future for the sake of her mother?
The answer came almost immediately.
Yes.
Because she would do anything to save her mother.
She stood up, determination hardening in her chest.
Sophia's eyes widened. "Wait. Where are you going?"
Elena lifted her chin. "To make a deal with the devil."