Chapter 1
In the chaotic mess of her hotel room, Chelsea Wise was jarred awake by the shrieking ring of her phone.
“Chelsea! Where the hell were you last night? Why the hell didn’t you handle Mr. Robinson? Are you trying to bring this family down?!” Her father, Drogo Wise, was practically growling on the other end, his anger like a slap in the face.
Still half–dazed, Chelsea forced herself upright, flashes of last night’s nightmare coming back like shards of broken glass.
Her childhood sweetheart, Wade Tucker, had hooked up with her half–sister, Margot Wise. But that wasn’t enough for them.
They had to go and team up with her ruthless father to drug her, all to force her into marrying some creepy, sixty–seven- year–old millionaire.
Somehow, she’d clawed her way out of that hellish setup, only to stumble into the wrong hotel room and end up spending the night with a total stranger.
Gripping her phone, her voice came out like ice. “So you’re really planning to make me marry that bastard Mr. Ronbinson?”
Stewart Robinson–sixty–something and notorious for his string of wives, each one ending up either “missing” or “tragically deceased.” If she actually went through with this, she’d probably end up dead, too.
“Chelsea! Don’t think I don’t see what you’re doing! Margot’s already engaged to Wade, so don’t get any ideas. You better get your ass over to Mr. Robinson, apologize, and beg him to take you. Otherwise, you can pack up and get the hell out of the Wise family!” Drogo snapped before slamming down the phone.
Chelsea stared at her phone, anger and disgust boiling inside her.
Just then, the bathroom door creaked open, snapping her back to the present.
Her heart stuttered in her chest. She yanked the covers up, clutching them to her as her gaze locked onto the man stepping
oul.
And wow, was he something. Six and a half feet of solid muscle, a ruggedly handsome face, and green, intense eyes that could probably stop traffic. He’d just showered, and a towel hung low around his hips, dangerously low.
Her cheeks flared as fragments from last night flickered in her mind.
She’d been so dead set against marrying some old creep, and here she was, tangled up with a stranger in a situation that seemed straight out of a soap opera.
And if her hazy memories were right, she’d been the one who’d made the first move last night. She cursed under her breath, blaming the drugs that had landed her in this mess.
“You’re awake,” the man said, his voice low and smooth, with a hint of amusement in his eyes.
“Uh… about last night… she stammered, instinctively pulling the covers tighter around her. Her back throbbed in protest, and she winced, letting out a small gasp.
Winston Moody watched her with a serious expression, a hint of regret shadowing his face. Apparently, he’d been at some event last night too, nearly falling into a trap himself before fate threw them together in this room.
He ran a hand through his wet hair, sighing. “Listen, I’m really sorry about what happened last night. Whatever you need- compensation, apology, whatever–11-
Before he could finish, his phone buzzed. He glanced down, and a familiar voice–clearly that of an elderly woman–came
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Chapter 1
through, loud enough for Chelsea to hear every word.
“Winston, I’ve got a few nice girls lined up for you to meet. Come home soon and meet them, alright? My biggest wish is to see you settle down and give me a great–grandchild…” she said with a hint of urgency.
Chelsea’s heart skipped a beat. ‘So this guy is under family pressure to marry!‘ she thought.
“Grandma, I’m not planning to get hitched anytime soon,” Winston said, doing his best to keep his patience.
“Oh, Winston, you’re killing me here!” She threw a hand over her chest like she’d just been struck. “If you don’t bring me a granddaughter–in–law soon, I might not make it! Can’t I just have this one thing before I’m gone?
“The doctor says I don’t have much time left, Winston! Show a little mercy on your poor grandma, will you?”
Winston had heard all this before. He’d built up a solid immunity to her guilt trips, and his face stayed as unreadable as ever.
“Look, Grandma, I’ve got something urgent to take care of. I’ll call you later, okay?” He hung up before she could protest, only to turn around and find Chelsea standing there, her eyes bright with anticipation.
“So,” she said, clearing her throat, “how about this–we get married?”
“What? Married?” Winston’s eyebrow shot up.
Last night’s events had already been unexpected, and he was ready to make amends. But marriage? That hadn’t even crossed his mind.
“Yeah, a fake marriage,” Chelsea clarified, reading the shock on his face. “We’ll keep it up for a year, then we go our separate ways, no strings attached.”
She saw his skeptical look and scratched her head, looking a little awkward. “Look, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but it sounds like you’ve got family breathing down your neck too. So, why not join forces?”
Winston started to speak, maybe to explain his situation, but Chelsea waved him off.
“No need for the details,” she said, patting him on the shoulder. “Here’s the deal: I’ll help keep your grandma happy, and you help me with my family issues. What do you say?”
He sighed, doing his best to ignore her big, hopeful eyes. Every instinct told him he should say no, but she was making it tough to refuse.
And, if he was honest, he did feel like he owed her after last night.
“Fine,” he said, giving in.
Chelsea let out a relieved breath, her whole face lighting up. “Perfect! I’ll go grab the paperwork, and then we can head to city hall and make this official.”
Winston reached into his closet, pulling out a light green dress and handing it to her. “Here, put this on first,” he said, all businesslike, then stepped out of the room to give her a moment.
Chelsea quickly changed into the dress, barely able to wrap her head around how fast her life had turned upside down.
Meanwhile, Winston was on his phone with his assistant, Fabian Howe. As soon as the line connected, Fabian spoke up in his usual no–nonsense tone. “Mr. Moody, everything’s set for the meeting. Will you be here soon?”
“Push it to the afternoon,” Winston said shortly, hanging up before Fabian could respond.
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5:15 pm G
Chapter 1
When he turned back around, Chelsea was standing there, looking at him with those clear, curious eyes.
“So… I’m Chelsea Wise,” she said softly, giving him a small, almost shy smile. “Figured we should at least know each other’s names if we’re about to… you know, get hitched.”
“Winston Moody,” he replied, his voice calm and deep, carrying the same intensity as the man himself.
Chelsea repeated his name under her breath, like she was testing it out. It felt right somehow.
Little did she know, Winston wasn’t just anyone. At twenty–seven, he was already the powerhouse CEO of Nova Group, one of the most influential financial empires in Evergreen.
“Let’s go settle up,” Winston muttered, nodding toward the front desk.
They headed over together, with Winston reaching for his wallet to pay. Chelsea caught sight of it–worn, scuffed, and looking like it’d seen better days.
She glanced at his outfit, too: plain and a bit shabby. ‘Definitely not rolling in it,‘ she thought, already pegging him as the “broke type.”
Not that it mattered to her. This whole marriage deal was just for show. She stepped out toward the hotel entrance, raising her hand to flag down a cab so they could get home and handle the paperwork.
But then, an angry shout shattered the quiet. “Well, well, look who’s back! The Wise family wants to pawn you off on me, and you think you can just run? And now you’re out here with some other guy?”
A middle–aged man with a shiny, balding head and a face twisted in anger barreled toward them.
He must’ve waited at the hotel all night, fuming over Chelsea’s disappearance, and now seeing her with another man was just fuel to the fire.
He lunged forward, grabbing Chelsea’s wrist with a rough grip. “You’re coming back with me to the Wise family, now. I’m not about to put up with someone else’s leftovers!”
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