chapter 1: The proposition

The sound of Isla Carter's heels clicking against the marble floor of Romano Enterprises echoed through the vast, glass-walled office. She tightened her grip on the tablet in her hands, her patience already wearing thin as she approached the mahogany desk of Alessandro Romano—her insufferable, arrogant, devastatingly attractive boss.

He was seated in his leather chair, dark eyes focused on the city skyline beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows. Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, his presence radiated power. He exuded an effortless dominance that made men respect him and women fall at his feet. Isla was neither.

"Mr. Romano, your eleven o'clock with the Tokyo investors has been rescheduled," she said, her tone crisp and professional.

Alessandro didn't turn. "Cancel it."

Her brows furrowed. "Cancel? Sir, that deal has been in negotiations for weeks. Why—"

"I have more pressing matters," he interrupted smoothly, finally looking at her. His gaze flickered over her with an unreadable intensity. "Sit, Carter."

Her stomach twisted at the way he said her name. It wasn't unfamiliar, but something about his tone today sent a ripple of unease down her spine. Nevertheless, she lowered herself into the chair across from his desk, crossing one leg over the other.

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the desk. "I need a wife."

For a moment, silence hung between them.

Then she laughed. Not the polite kind—this was full, incredulous amusement. "A wife?" she echoed. "Are you feeling alright, sir?"

His expression remained impassive. "Perfectly."

Isla narrowed her eyes. "Is this a joke? Because I have a lot of work to—"

"I'm offering you a contract, Carter." His deep voice was steady, controlled. "Marry me for one year, and I'll compensate you generously."

Her amusement died instantly. She searched his face, waiting for the smirk, the sign that he was playing some twisted power game. But Alessandro never joked.

"You're insane," she whispered.

"No, I'm practical." He leaned back, his eyes calculating. "I need to be married to secure an acquisition in Italy. The board wants stability, and a wife provides the illusion of it. You are the most logical choice—discreet, competent, already within my inner circle."

"Discreet? Logical? You make it sound like I'm a business transaction."

"Because you are." His voice was calm, measured. "Let's not pretend this is about romance."

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "Oh, trust me, there's nothing romantic about you."

Alessandro's lips curled at the edges—just enough to be infuriating. "And yet you've worked for me for two years."

"I have bills to pay," she shot back.

"Exactly. Which is why I'm offering you five million pounds."

The air shifted.

Isla's pulse jumped, but she kept her expression neutral. "You're joking."

"I don't joke."

Five. Million. Pounds.

That was more money than she'd make in a lifetime. It could pay off her student loans, help her mother retire, give her the freedom to leave this soul-sucking corporate life.

But… marriage? To him?

"I don't understand," she said, her voice softer now, cautious. "Why me?"

He exhaled, as if this conversation bored him. "Because I don't trust easily. Bringing in an outsider is a liability. You're already accustomed to my schedule, my habits. And," he smirked, "you despise me enough that I know you won't develop ridiculous expectations."

She should walk away. Tell him to go to hell. But the lure of financial freedom was too strong.

"And what do you expect in return?" she asked warily.

"You'll be my wife in the public eye. Attend events, act the part. You'll live in my house. Share my bed."

Her stomach flipped. "Excuse me?"

"We'll be a married couple, Isla." His voice was silk over steel. "And I intend to make it convincing."

Heat crawled up her neck. The implications of his words were clear.

"This is insane," she whispered.

He tilted his head, watching her. "Is it?"

Yes. And yet, a treacherous part of her—the part that had always been too aware of how devastatingly handsome he was—was considering it.

Five million pounds. One year.

And one dangerously tempting man.

Could she survive it?

She wasn't sure.

But as she met his gaze, she realized one thing:

She was already trapped.