The CEO's Contractual Wife

Chapter 8

Olivia

“You heard me correctly.” He remained perfectly composed while I coughed and sputtered. “I require a wife within four months, and I’ve decided you’re the most suitable candidate.”

I stared at him, certain I’d slipped into some alternate dimension. “Is this a joke?”

Alexander’s face remained perfectly serious, those gray eyes locked on mine without a hint of humor.

“I assure you, Ms. Morgan, I never joke about business matters.”

“And this is… business?” I managed, and my voice was higher than normal.

“Precisely.” He leaned back, completely at ease, while my world tilted on its axis. “My grandfather has given me an ultimatum. I must marry within six months to retain control of Carter Enterprises. Two months have already passed while I’ve evaluated my options.”

I set my water glass down before I could spill more of it. “And you landed on… me? A random employee you drove home once?”

“There was nothing random about my selection process.”

“Mr. Carter, I don’t understand why you’re telling me this. Surely you should be out there looking for someone suit- able to be your wife? Someone you’re actually dating? Maybe propose to your girlfriend?”

He looked at me in a way that suggested I was being deliberately obtuse. “If I had a girlfriend, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“Then find one! There must be thousands of women in Los Angeles who’d jump at the chance to marry you.”

“That’s precisely the problem. They want to marry Alexander Carter, CEO and heir to the Carter fortune. The actual person is irrelevant.”

“And I don’t want to marry you for your money?” I asked incredulously.

His lips curved into something almost resembling a smile. “You’re different.”

“You don’t know me!”

one long leg over the other. “You’re intelligent, resourceful, and you understand busi- ness. You’re also honest-brutally so,

crept up my neck at the reminder. “That doesn’t mean I want to

haven’t explained

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insane! I’m your employee, Mr. Carter. You can’t just ask employ- ees to marry

my employees,” he

I demanded, standing up. “This is completely

with those unnerving eyes. “I chose you

much as

stopped me cold.

propositioning you, Olivia. This is a business ar-

couch. “What could you possibly know about what

loans have been in deferment for two years, but that grace period ends next month. You’ve

open. “How did

cover. You’ve been working overtime for months, plus freelancing on

the blood drain from my face. “Have you

“After I drove you home that night, I saw you in the office on

my personal life?” I demanded. “That’s a serious invasion of privacy. You had

file. You applied for a company loan three months ago and were denied. You’ve been working sixty-hour

making me work those hours! The marketing department is severely understaffed

aware. And you’re being compensated for the

even as my exhausted body betrayed me

Alexander’s lips twitched. “Clearly.”

insane. You can’t possibly think I’d agree to marry

corrected. “Be my wife for exactly one year. After which we’ll amicably divorce, and you’ll walk

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