The rain hit the pavement like broken promises.
Amara Cole tugged her thin coat tighter around her shoulders, shielding her sketchpad as she stood outside the Lux Gallery. Her fingers were numb, her toes soaked through her shoes, but that wasn't what hurt the most.
It was the words.
"We've decided to go with someone else. Your work is good, just... not what we're looking for."
She'd forced a smile, thanked them politely, and left before the tears could betray her. The rejection wasn't new. But it never got easier.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She didn't have to check it. She already knew.
Landlord: Rent due Friday. No excuses, Amara. Final warning.
She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the building, letting the cold rain slide down her cheeks like uninvited tears.
Her stomach growled. She hadn't eaten since yesterday.
What am I even doing? Her dream of being a full-time artist was crumbling fast, and she was running out of options. Or maybe she'd already run out.
That's when the sleek, black SUV pulled up to the curb.
She noticed it only because it looked out of place. Too expensive. Too polished. The kind of car that didn't stop for people like her.
But this time, it did.
The door opened smoothly, and a tall man stepped out, holding an umbrella. His tailored charcoal suit hugged his broad frame like it had been designed just for him. He was striking—sharp jawline, piercing gray eyes, dark hair slicked back like he didn't have time for anything messy.
He moved toward her with purpose, not hesitating for a second.
"Miss Cole?" he asked, his voice low and commanding.
She blinked. "Yes?"
"I'm Darius Kane."
The name hit her like a lightning bolt. Darius Kane—the billionaire CEO of Kane Tech. He was always in business magazines, in gossip blogs. Ruthless. Cold. Powerful.
What was he doing here?
He studied her with unreadable eyes. "I've been looking for you."
"Why?" she asked, stepping back slightly.
"I have a business proposal. One I think you'll find... very lucrative."
She scoffed. "If this is some weird scam—"
"It's not." He handed her a card. It was real—clean, black, embossed with silver letters.
Darius Kane
CEO, Kane Tech Corporation
She stared at it. "Okay. This is weird."
He glanced around, then gestured to the SUV. "Can we talk? Somewhere warm?"
She hesitated. Every instinct screamed not to follow a stranger into a car. But... this wasn't some random man off the street. This was Darius Kane.
And what did she have to lose?
After a moment, she nodded.
Inside, the SUV was quiet and luxurious. Heated seats. Soft leather. Her fingers started to thaw as she held her sketchpad close.
"You're probably wondering why I approached you," he began, sitting across from her.
"Obviously."
He leaned forward. "My father's company board doesn't trust me. They're old-fashioned. Traditional. They believe a man like me shouldn't be running Kane Tech without a 'stable' personal life."
Amara raised an eyebrow. "So... what? You want dating advice?"
He didn't even blink. "I need a fiancée. Someone to stand by my side for public appearances, family events, and press conferences. Just for one year."
She stared at him. "Are you joking?"
"I never joke."
"And you picked me? Why?"
"Because you're not part of my world," he said bluntly. "You're an outsider. No press connections, no hidden agenda. And frankly, you look the part—elegant, artistic. The board will believe it."
She gaped at him. "You want me to pretend to be your fiancée for a year?"
He nodded once. "In exchange, you'll receive one hundred thousand dollars. Half upfront. The rest after the contract ends."
Her jaw dropped. "That's insane."
"But it's real," he said smoothly. "And it could solve all your problems, Miss Cole."
She glanced down at her soaked coat, her cracked phone screen, and the missed calls from her landlord.
One hundred thousand dollars.
It could change her life. Pay off debt. Buy time. Restart her dream.
But live a lie? Be someone's puppet?
"What happens if I say no?" she asked.
"Then I walk away. And you go back to... this." He gestured to her rain-soaked clothes, the street outside. "But I don't think you want that."
She glared at him. "You're arrogant."
"I'm honest."
The SUV fell into silence. Her mind raced. This couldn't be real. Things like this didn't happen to girls like her.
But the desperation clawed at her chest.
"What's the catch?" she whispered.
His eyes locked onto hers. "No real feelings. No emotional attachments. This is a business arrangement. Nothing more."
She swallowed hard. "And if I break the contract?"
"You don't want to break the contract."
There it was. The cold edge beneath the charm. The warning.
Amara's heart pounded.
She had a choice. Walk away—and lose everything. Or dive into a lie that could save her life... and ruin her heart.
"I'll think about it," she said finally.
Darius smiled slightly. "You have forty-eight hours."