Ethan Watson, CEO—a man whose reputation for icy detachment was only surpassed by his ruthless business acumen—found his meticulously constructed life in ruins.  Diana, his supposed soulmate, had betrayed him, a viper in his paradise, absconding with his closest friend. The ensuing heartbreak, generously lubricated with top-shelf whiskey, led to a serendipitous, if somewhat inebriated, encounter.  He quite literally stumbled into Alea.

Alea, a vibrant woman whose fiery spirit masked a quiet vulnerability, was nursing her own wounds—a lover who'd prioritized wealth over genuine affection. Their meeting, a chaotic collision of bruised egos and spilled cocktails in a luxury hotel bar, was hardly promising.  Yet, amidst the wreckage of their respective love lives, a spark ignited—a fragile connection forged in the crucible of shared pain.  Then, as swiftly as it began, it ended, leaving behind only a delicate silver necklace—a cryptic clue in a mystery Ethan, ever the strategist, couldn't ignore.

Fueled by a potent mixture of vengeance and wounded pride, Ethan devised a plan—bold, audacious, even slightly ludicrous: a one-year contract marriage with Alea.  It was a scorched-earth strategy against their betrayers, a meticulously crafted scheme for mutual retribution. But, as fate often dictates, meticulously laid plans and unpredictable human emotions rarely harmonize.  The unexpected, naturally, ensued.

What began as a coldly calculated arrangement began to evolve.  Passion, simmering beneath the surface, threatened to erupt.  Secrets, insidious weeds in a carefully cultivated garden, choked their carefully constructed façade.  Malicious gossip and underhanded maneuvers threatened to derail their revenge plot. However, Ethan's formidable mother, Martha—a woman whose wisdom and unwavering loyalty were as formidable as her son's ambition—became an invaluable asset.  


The CEO's Unexpected Bride

The plan was set in motion quickly. Marcus called in favors, using his contacts to track Diana’s financial movements. Within hours, the walls were closing in on her. Several of her secret accounts were frozen, her transactions flagged as fraudulent.
Ethan made a few calls of his own, ensuring that ...

Chapter 1 A Glass Too Many

Chapter 2 Crossing the Line

Chapter 3  The New Arrangement

Chapter 4 Cracks in the Mask

Chapter 5 A New Threat Emerges

Chapter 6 A Dance of Deception

Chapter 7  A Game of Deception

Chapter 8 A Deal in the Shadows

Chapter 9 A Dangerous Bargain

Chapter 10 Shadows in the Boardroom

Chapter 11 Revelations and Risks

Chapter 12 Shadows in the Dark

Chapter 13 Fractured Loyalties

Chapter 14 The Eye of the Storm

Chapter 15  Breaking Point

Chapter 16 Shadows

Chapter 17 Breaking the Code

Chapter 18 The Reckoning

Chapter 19 The Breach

Chapter 20 The Betrayal

Chapter 21 The Hunt Begins

Chapter 22 The Confrontation

Chapter 23 The Hidden Threat

Chapter 24 The Unexpected Visitor

Chapter 25 The Aftermath

Chapter 26 No Escape

Chapter 27 A New Threat

Chapter 28 A Game of Power

Chapter 29 Unraveling the Threads

Chapter 30 The Price of Power

Chapter 31 Turning the Tide

Chapter 32 The Web Tightens

Chapter 33 The Silent Threat

Chapter 34 The Breaking Point