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

The Tedd family garden bloomed in elegant silence.

Roses trimmed daily.Waterfalls placed to drown secrets.And in the center of it all sat Isabelle Tedd, widow to a ghost and mother to a storm.

Her mother sipped afternoon tea as if the world wasn't folding in on itself.

"You found the files," Isabelle said without turning. "Didn't take you long."

Esther sat opposite her. No smile. No hesitation.

"You knew. About the Circle. About Shawn. About me."

And in that single glance—Esther saw it.

"He didn't want you to know," Isabelle said.

"So, you just let me grow up inside a lie?"

"No. I let you grow strong without being defined by one."

Esther placed the burned tape player on the table. The ashes still clung to it.

"I want answers. About the blood. About the 'other one.'"

"You weren't the only child in the program."

The words dropped like a thunderclap.

"There was another born before you. A boy. They called him... 'Echo.'"

"Echo and Umbra were designed to be opposites.One creates chaos. The other—order."

"We thought he was Umbra. But that's the thing about ghosts… they shift."

"I'm done with riddles. If there's another Umbra—or Echo—walking this earth, I need to find them."

"If you do… it might destroy him."

"Then I'll find a way to rebuild him."

And with that, she walked away from the garden, the silence, and her mother's tearful warning.

Back at Shawn's Penthouse

The sensors pinged.A signal traced. A voice decrypted.

Shawn stared at the old Circle comms screen that had just flickered to life.

[Echo is awake.][He's coming for her.]

And then the Umbra symbol reappeared, this time glitching—flickering between black and white.

The Widow’s Silence