Chapter 1: The Proposal
Olivia Bennett stared at the gleaming ring on the polished mahogany table. It was enormous—too big, too gaudy. But that wasn’t the issue. The issue was the man sitting across from her.
Daniel Cross was a business tycoon, the type of man who was used to getting what he wanted. Today, what he wanted was her. Or rather, her compliance.
“This isn’t a marriage proposal,” he said, his voice calm but commanding. “It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.”
Olivia raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I got that part when your lawyer emailed me the contract.”
She wasn’t the kind of woman to be intimidated, but Daniel had an aura that filled the room. At 35, he was one of the richest men in Manhattan, with a jawline sharp enough to cut glass and eyes that revealed nothing.
Daniel leaned back, completely unfazed by her sarcasm. “Your family needs the financial bailout. I need a wife to secure my position on the board.”
“And love?” she asked, tilting her head.
“An unnecessary complication,” he replied, as if the word itself was distasteful.
Olivia sighed. She didn’t want this. But her family’s failing publishing business had left her little choice. They’d lose everything without Daniel’s financial rescue.
“Fine,” she said finally. “I’ll marry you. But don’t expect me to be a submissive trophy wife.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Daniel said, his lips twitching into what might have been a smile.
Chapter 2: The Wedding
The ceremony was lavish, staged to perfection. Guests mingled under chandeliers dripping with crystals, unaware—or maybe unconcerned—that the bride and groom were little more than strangers.
Olivia felt like an actress playing a role. The wedding gown was stunning, the kind of dress every girl dreams of, but it felt like a costume. When Daniel slipped the ring onto her finger, his touch was steady, impersonal. A camera flashed, and Olivia realized they’d just sealed their “perfect” union.
As the party carried on around them, she leaned in and whispered, “I hope you know, I’m keeping the cake topper. That’s the only thing I like about this circus.”
Daniel chuckled—a low, genuine sound that surprised her. “You’re full of surprises, Mrs. Cross.”
The way he said her new name sent an unexpected shiver down her spine.
Chapter 3: The Deal
Their honeymoon wasn’t in some tropical paradise. Instead, Daniel took her to his sleek Manhattan penthouse, where everything gleamed in shades of steel and glass. It was beautiful, but cold—much like him.
“We’ll keep things simple,” he said on their first night. “We attend public events together. In private, we live our lives as we see fit.”
Olivia folded her arms. “So, we’re roommates?”
“Essentially,” he agreed. “But married.”
The arrangement should have made her feel relieved, yet Olivia found herself irritated. Daniel was too controlled, too detached. She wanted to shake him, to see what lay beneath his polished exterior.
Chapter 4: Cracks in the Ice
Weeks passed. They attended charity galas and board meetings together, presenting a picture-perfect façade to the world. But behind closed doors, their interactions were… complicated.
One evening, Olivia found Daniel in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, cooking pasta. She couldn’t hide her surprise. “I didn’t take you for the type to get his hands dirty.”
He smirked. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
Over dinner, they talked—not about business or appearances, but real things. Olivia shared stories from her childhood, her love of books, her dream of writing. Daniel listened, his usual sharpness softened.
For the first time, Olivia saw glimpses of the man behind the mask.
Chapter 5: The Past Returns
Just as Olivia started to feel something real between them, an ex-fiancée of Daniel’s entered the picture. Vanessa was everything Olivia wasn’t—elegant, poised, and deeply manipulative. She attended a gala uninvited, draping herself over Daniel like a snake.
“She’s harmless,” Daniel assured Olivia later, but his distant tone stung.
“You’re blind if you think she’s not trying to get you back,” Olivia shot back, jealousy simmering beneath her words.
Daniel frowned. “Why do you care?”
The question hung between them like a challenge. Olivia didn’t have an answer—or maybe she was too scared to admit the truth.
Chapter 6: The Breaking Point
One night, after another confrontation with Vanessa, Olivia snapped. “I’m tired of playing this charade! You may not care about this marriage, but I do. I want more.”
Daniel stared at her, something flickering in his eyes. “More?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice trembling. “I want honesty. I want trust. I want… you.”
The words surprised them both. Daniel looked away, his jaw tight. “I don’t know how to be what you want.”
“Try,” Olivia whispered, her voice breaking. “Because I can’t do this alone.”
Chapter 7: The Turning Point
The next day, Daniel took her to his childhood home—a modest brownstone far from the penthouse she was used to. He showed her the small room where he’d grown up, the corner where his mother used to read him bedtime stories.
“This is where it all started,” he said quietly. “My drive to succeed, my fear of failure. I’ve spent my whole life building walls because I thought they’d keep me safe.”
Olivia reached for his hand. “You don’t need walls anymore.”
For the first time, Daniel didn’t pull away.
Chapter 8: A Real Marriage
Things changed after that. Slowly, carefully, Daniel let Olivia in. He wasn’t perfect—there were still moments when he retreated into his shell—but he tried. And Olivia met him halfway.
Their marriage, once a cold arrangement, grew into something warmer, deeper. They became partners in every sense of the word.
One night, as they lay together watching the city lights, Daniel turned to her. “I never thought I’d say this, but… I’m glad you said yes.”
Olivia smiled. “Me too.”
The End