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

Ella should have known the media wouldn't let this go.

After the charity luncheon, where she had single-handedly roasted half of high society, the press had latched onto her like sharks scenting blood in the water.

Now, her phone was blowing up with headlines that made her want to either laugh or scream.

The Headlines Were Ridiculous

"Adrian Blackwood's Mysterious Wife: Fiery, Fearless, or Just Foolish?"

"Is This Love or the Most Expensive PR Stunt of the Year?"

"Cinderella or Con Artist? The Truth About Ella Blackwood."

She groaned, tossing her phone onto the couch. "Do these people ever get tired of being wrong?"

Adrian, who was sipping his morning coffee, didn't even look up. "Welcome to my world."

Ella rolled her eyes. "Oh no. Poor billionaire. Must be so hard having the media obsess over you."

Adrian slowly looked up. "You do realize this affects you now too, right?"

She hesitated. "…Yeah. But it's not like I asked for it."

Adrian leaned back in his chair, his sharp blue eyes studying her. "You agreed to play this game, Ella. Now, you have to learn the rules."

The Media Circus Escalates

Paparazzi were now camped outside the penthouse.

Some tabloids were digging into Ella's past.

And worst of all—there were rumors.

"Sources claim the Blackwood marriage is in trouble—already!"

"Adrian seen without his wedding ring. Trouble in paradise?"

"Ella Blackwood caught 'flirting' with another man—Who is he?"

Ella froze when she saw the last one.

"What the hell?" she muttered, clicking on the article.

It was a photo of her talking to the waiter at the charity luncheon.

Adrian glanced over her shoulder. "Congratulations. You're now a cheating wife."

Ella turned to him, scandalized. "I asked him to bring me extra breadsticks!"

She groaned. "This is ridiculous! What do we do?"

Adrian took another sip of coffee. "Simple. We beat them at their own game."

A Public Display of Affection… for the Cameras

The next day, Adrian took control.

Which meant dragging Ella to a high-profile event, knowing full well the press would be watching.

Ella grumbled as she slipped into her dress. "This feels like feeding raw meat to wolves."

Adrian adjusted his cufflinks, completely unfazed. "Then we make them believe we're the perfect couple."

He smirked. "We give them a show."

And that's how, for the first time since their accidental marriage, Adrian Blackwood pulled Ella close in front of the flashing cameras—

It was supposed to be just for show.

But the moment their lips met, the line between fake and real blurred.

And as the paparazzi snapped their photos, Ella realized—

She might have just stepped into a game far more dangerous than she expected.

Chapter 20: A Dangerous Game