Divine_riro_Riro

Lena Carter never imagined her wedding day would feel like a sentence rather than a celebration. Forced into marriage to save her family’s legacy, she finds herself bound to Damian Blackwood—a man as ruthless in business as he is in his personal life. Cold, calculating, and utterly unyielding, Damian sees their union as nothing more than a strategic move.

But neither of them expected the sparks that ignite between them.

Trapped in a marriage neither wanted, Lena fights against the invisible chains of her new life, refusing to be another pawn in Damian’s empire. Yet, the more she resists, the more she finds herself drawn to the man behind the icy façade—a man who harbors secrets as deep as his ambition.

When old enemies resurface and betrayals threaten to destroy them both, Lena must decide—will she continue to fight the man she was forced to marry, or will she risk her heart for a love she never saw coming?

A marriage built on obligation. A passion neither can deny. Can love bloom in the midst of reluctance?

The Cold Billionaire's Birde

The wedding had been a quiet, clinical affair. No vows whispered with devotion, no loving gaze exchanged between bride and groom only a signature on paper, a band slipped onto her finger, and a deal sealed in silence.

Now, as Lena sat in the backseat of Damian Blackwood's sleek black car, she felt the walls of her new reality closing in. The city lights blurred past the tinted windows, but her mind was elsewhere, replaying the day's events.

His voice pulled her from her thoughts. She turned her head to find Damian watching her, his sharp gaze unreadable.

"What exactly do you expect me to say?" she asked, crossing her arms. "That I'm thrilled to be your wife?"

His lips curved slightly, though there was no humor in it. "No. But you could at least pretend."

Lena scoffed. "Would that make you feel better?"

Damian didn't answer right away. Instead, he studied her, as if searching for something beneath her defiance. "This arrangement benefits you as much as it does me. You'll want for nothing."

His expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes something she couldn't quite name. "You knew what you were getting into, Lena."

Instead, she turned away, refusing to let him see the emotions warring inside her.

The Blackwood estate was even more imposing at night.

As Damian led her inside, the grand halls stretched endlessly, their golden chandeliers casting an eerie glow over the marble floors. The place was breathtaking, yet it felt hollow, like a museum rather than a home.

"This will be your room." Damian stopped before a set of double doors, pushing one open to reveal an elegant suite. The decor was rich and refined, but it did little to soothe the cold knot in her stomach.

"Separate rooms, then?" she asked, glancing at him.

His expression remained impassive. "This is a business arrangement, not a love story."

A part of her should've been relieved. But instead, a strange, unsettling tension filled the space between them.

"I have meetings early tomorrow," he continued. "A driver will be available if you need to go anywhere."

Lena arched a brow. "Am I allowed to leave?"

"As long as you remember you're a Blackwood now." His voice was quiet, but the weight behind it was unmistakable.

She held his gaze, refusing to be intimidated. "I don't need a reminder."

For a moment, neither of them moved. Then, without another word, Damian turned and walked away, leaving Lena alone in her gilded cage.

She lay in the unfamiliar bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind tangled in a web of uncertainty.

Cold. Calculated. A man who married her for convenience.

And yet, beneath that icy exterior, she sensed something else. Something dangerous.

Something that could either break her or make her lose herself completely.

A Cage Of Gold