Chapter 2: Let's Get Married

Evelyn sat curled up on her worn-out couch, staring blankly at the soft glow of her apartment's ceiling light. The city skyline stretched beyond her window, its brilliance a stark contrast to the storm brewing inside her mind. On the coffee table, her resignation letter lay where she had tossed it earlier, crumpled but not yet discarded.

It was supposed to be a simple decision.

Leave.

Walk away from Damian Lancaster and the cold, calculating world he ruled with his indomitable presence. She had worked under him long enough to know that nothing he did was without purpose. That marriage proposal? It wasn't about love. It was about control.

Yet, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself that she would never consider it, a nagging voice at the back of her mind whispered otherwise.

"You and I both know how this ends."

His words haunted her.

She had spent years working tirelessly as his secretary, keeping her emotions in check, pretending that his sharp blue eyes didn't make her breath hitch whenever they lingered on her for a second too long. Damian Lancaster was everything she had sworn to avoid—ruthless, powerful, and devastatingly charismatic. He played by his own rules, and now he wanted her to play by them too.

Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Ryan.

Her younger brother's name flashed on the screen, accompanied by a message that made her stomach twist in knots.

—Hospital bills are piling up, Eve. Don't worry, I'll figure something out.

Her throat tightened. She knew he was downplaying it, trying to shoulder the burden on his own. But she also knew the truth—he was running out of time. And no matter how many extra shifts she took, no matter how much she sacrificed, it would never be enough.

Evelyn pressed a trembling hand against her forehead, closing her eyes as she fought against the helplessness clawing at her chest.

Damian's offer wasn't just about marriage.

It was a lifeline.

She sucked in a shaky breath.

If she accepted, she could pay for Ryan's treatment, secure his future, and finally stop living in fear of what tomorrow might bring. But in return, she would bind herself to a man who played with power like it was his birthright. A man who had never once let someone close enough to hurt him.

Could she really survive in his world?

She spent the rest of the night battling her own thoughts, but as dawn broke, she knew the answer.

She didn't have a choice.

She was about to make a deal with the devil.

The next morning, Evelyn found herself standing in front of Lancaster Enterprises once again. The towering glass building reflected the morning sun, making it almost blinding. It felt suffocating, like an inescapable fate looming over her.

Her reflection in the glass doors showed a woman who looked far more composed than she felt. But she knew better—beneath the carefully applied makeup and tailored blouse, her heart pounded in turmoil.

She had spent years running from her fears. But not today.

Squaring her shoulders, she walked inside.

The elevator ride to Damian's office was excruciatingly long. Her fingers clenched at her sides as she rehearsed what she would say, yet the moment the doors opened, and she stepped into his domain, her mind went blank.

There he was.

Leaning against his desk, watching her with an unreadable expression. Damian Lancaster—effortlessly powerful, dressed in an immaculate black suit that fit him like a second skin. His piercing blue eyes assessed her as if he already knew why she was there.

Evelyn's pulse thrummed in her ears as she stood in front of Damian Lancaster, the man who had just shattered the fragile stability of her life with one simple proposal. His presence alone was overwhelming—broad shoulders, sharp features, and those piercing blue eyes that seemed to strip away every layer of pretense she tried to wear.

The moment she stepped into his office, she knew she had crossed a threshold. There was no turning back now.

"You came back," Damian murmured, amusement flickering in his voice.

Evelyn squared her shoulders, meeting his gaze head-on.

She was about to make a deal with the devil. "I have conditions."

A slow, knowing smile spread across his lips. "I expected nothing less."

She tightened her grip on her purse, trying to steady herself. "If I agree to this… arrangement, I need assurance that my personal life remains mine. My brother comes first. I won't be treated like one of your business acquisitions."

Damian tilted his head slightly, studying her like she was a puzzle he was slowly piecing together. "You think I would treat you like just another deal?" He let out a low chuckle, pushing off his desk and closing the distance between them with measured steps.

"Evelyn, you are far more valuable than any deal I've ever made."

Her breath hitched as he stopped just inches from her, his cologne—dark, rich, intoxicating—wrapping around her like a forbidden temptation.

"Then prove it," she whispered, hating the way her voice betrayed her resolve.

Damian reached into his desk drawer, pulling out a sleek black folder. He handed it to her, his fingers brushing against hers for the briefest moment, sending an unexpected shiver down her spine.

"Read the contract. Every clause is in your favor," he said smoothly. "You'll have financial security, your own space, and complete autonomy over your personal matters. And in return, you'll play the role of my wife in the public eye."

Evelyn hesitated before flipping open the folder. The contract was meticulously detailed—generous to the point of disbelief. He wasn't lying.

She looked up at him, searching for the catch. "Why me?" she asked quietly.

Something unreadable flickered in his gaze before he leaned in slightly, his voice dropping just above a whisper.

"Because you're the only one who's never been afraid of me."

A sharp exhale left her lips.

Damian Lancaster, the ruthless billionaire feared by everyone in the corporate world, had chosen her—the woman who had spent years resisting his magnetic pull, the only person who had never backed down from him.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she closed the folder. This wasn't just a contract. This was a game of power and control, one she wasn't sure she could win.

But with Ryan's future at stake, she didn't have the luxury of walking away.

Lifting her chin, Evelyn met his gaze with quiet determination.

"I'll sign it."

Damian's smile was slow, victorious.

"Good," he murmured. "Then let's get married