MARY_OMONOWA

Married by Mistake to the Ice-Cold CEO

Ella Carter is at rock bottom. Broke, jobless, and desperate to pay off her debts, she agrees to a shady but simple deal—sign a fake marriage contract in exchange for a life-changing sum of money. It’s supposed to be a harmless formality, just a few signatures, and she’s free.

But when she wakes up the next morning, she’s no longer a fake wife. She’s legally married to Adrian Blackwood, the ruthless billionaire CEO with a heart of ice and a glare that could freeze fire. Worse, he believes she’s nothing more than a conniving gold digger who trapped him into this marriage.

Determined to end their arrangement as soon as possible, Adrian is cold, cruel, and utterly unshaken by Ella’s protests. He wants her gone. But there’s one problem—she refuses to be intimidated. Unlike everyone else in his life, she fights back, and to his shock, she actually wins their battles.

The more they argue, the more their tension ignites. And the more Adrian tries to push her away, the more he finds himself drawn to her defiant spirit, her fire, her ability to see the man behind the icy mask.

But when secrets come to light and enemies lurk in the shadows, their marriage of convenience becomes a battlefield of trust, passion, and betrayal.

Will Adrian let down his walls and accept the one woman who dares to stand by his side? Or will Ella walk away before she loses her heart to a man who never planned to keep her?

One mistake. One contract. One marriage neither of them saw coming.

Married by Mistake to the Ice-Cold CEO

Two weeks.

Two weeks of petty sabotage, thermostat battles, and silent power struggles.

Two weeks of pink unicorn coffee mugs, ghost pepper pasta, and suspiciously placed trip hazards.

Adrian Blackwood had conquered industries, crushed competitors, and built an empire from nothing. But somehow, he was losing his mind…

The Breaking Point

Adrian sat in his office, pinching the bridge of his nose.

2. Find a way to coexist before he lost his sanity.

He stormed into the living room, where Ella was comfortably sprawled on his expensive couch, flipping through TV channels like she owned the place.

He cleared his throat. "We need to talk."

She didn't even look up. "Uh-oh. Is this about the salt in your sugar jar or the fact that your assistants keep calling me Mrs. Blackwood?"

Adrian clenched his jaw. "Neither."

She finally turned to him, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Oh, so it's about me replacing all your black towels with rainbow ones?"

Adrian inhaled sharply. Focus, Blackwood.

He crossed his arms. "We need a truce."

Ella gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. "You? Calling for peace? I never thought I'd see the day."

Adrian exhaled through his nose. Patience.

"Look," he said, voice strained. "This war is childish."

She raised an eyebrow. "Says the man who put blue food coloring in my toothpaste."

"That was strategic," he said smoothly.

"You're impossible," she muttered, shaking her head.

Adrian sat on the armrest of the couch, too close, but he didn't care. "Ella, we are trapped in the same house. This isn't sustainable."

She tilted her head. "So what do you suggest? Marriage counseling?"

She smirked. He walked right into that one.

"I'm saying," he continued, "we call a ceasefire. Set some rules. Act like adults."

Ella tapped her chin. "Hmm. Rules. I like the sound of that."

Adrian sighed in relief. Finally. Progress.

Until she grinned. "Rule one: You have to compliment me every morning."

"Rule two: You can't glare at me before coffee."

"Rule three: You have to admit I'm smarter than you at least once a week."

Adrian exhaled sharply. "You are insufferable."

He scrubbed a hand down his face. This was a mistake.

But then—the unexpected happened.

Ella laughed. Genuine. Unfiltered. And for the first time, Adrian realized something.

How much worse would it be if he started enjoying her company?

He shook the thought away. Dangerous territory.

Adrian stood up. "Fine. Truce. But no more unicorn mugs."

Ella pouted. "Compromise, Mr. Blackwood. I'll consider removing one unicorn."

This woman would be the death of him.

And somehow, that no longer seemed like the worst thing.

Chapter 15: Trapped in the Same House