SageKingAlpha

When Esther Tedd, heiress to the most powerful family in Nairobi, is forced by her late father’s will to marry before claiming her inheritance, she makes a bold, calculated move: propose a flash marriage to a complete stranger on a blind date.

That stranger is Shawn Williams—calm, mysterious, and seemingly unremarkable. He agrees to the deal with one condition: no love, no questions, no strings.

What Esther doesn’t know is that Shawn is far from ordinary.

Behind his quiet demeanor lies a man who secretly controls global markets, owns invisible empires, and carries the legacy of an ancient cultivation sect. He’s the richest man in the world—and he’s hiding from enemies that go far beyond the boardroom.

Bound by a contract but pulled together by fate, Esther and Shawn’s fake marriage starts unraveling secrets neither of them was ready for. She’s drawn to his silence. He’s intrigued by her fire. But in a world of hidden dynasties, spiritual power, and ruthless ambition, their deal may turn out to be anything but fake.

Because destiny has plans—and love might be the greatest secret of all.

Married to the Hidden Tycoon

[Location: Undisclosed Research Compound – Somewhere in Eastern Europe][Date: March 17, 1988]

The air was thick with ozone and ambition.

Rows of scientists in black lab coats moved like chess pieces across a steel-lit facility, the hum of machines and whispered warnings dancing through the hallways.

"Subject Zero has stabilized. Core vitals holding steady."

Inside a cylindrical chamber filled with golden-blue liquid floated a boy.

No older than twenty.Eyes closed.Pulse calm.Mind fragmented into thousands of futures.

His name was Shawn. But back then, he didn't remember that.

To the Circle, he was simply: Umbra.

Project Umbra was born from a single obsession:To predict the future not with data… but with blood.

The founders of the Solstice Circle believed some bloodlines carried echoes of time.

A child prodigy. IQ off the charts. Orphaned at 9 under suspicious circumstances.Disappeared by 16. Reborn in this tank by 18.

They mapped his DNA.Fed him languages. Combat. Philosophy. Algorithms. Art. Emotion.Then they started removing time from his body.

But he didn't stop feeling.

[Day 982 of the Experiment]

"His mind is forming patterns we didn't code," a scientist whispered.

"He dreams," another said. "And they're not just random—he feels guilt."

That night, the chamber shattered.

Eyes glowing with something ancient.Not rage. Not pain.

"You tried to own time," he said, voice low. "But time… always fights back."

The lights exploded.Systems crashed.All files corrupted—except one backup that Shawn left untouched.

He disappeared.But not completely.

Over the next decade, the Solstice Circle would lose five founders.

And the ghost they once created.

Shawn stood alone in a hidden chamber beneath his penthouse.In front of him, a single phrase flickered on a holographic screen:

"Umbra Protocol: Reactivation Imminent."

"Not yet.Not until she knows everything.And not until I know if she'll stay…"

Interlude – Project Umbra: Birth of the Ghost