The CEO's Contractual Wife

Chapter 11

I shut down my computer, stretching my arms above my head. The contract had been burning a hole in my bag all af ternoon, making it impossible to focus on anything productive.

My phone buzzed just as I was gathering my things. I grabbed it, heart jumping. Was it Ryan? Some pathetic attempt at reconciliation after I’d caught him balls-deep in my friend?

Or maybe Emilia was checking in. She’d been texting hourly updates since the party disaster, making sure I hadn’t drowned myself in wine or jumped off my balcony.

Unknown Number: Be ready at 8 p.m. Wear something nice, something sexy. I’ll pick you up for dinner.

I stared at the screen, mouth dropping open. Alexander fucking Carter. It had to be.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard. How the hell did he get my personal number? Then again, the man had some- how known about my father’s medical needs and my brothers’ financial situations. Getting my phone number would be child’s play for someone with his resources.

Me: How did you get this number? And why dinner? I haven’t agreed to anything yet.

His response came immediately.

Unknown Number: Dinner is casual. No strings attached. Consider it an opportunity to get to know the man you might marry before signing anything. Be my girlfriend for the night. I promise to make it special.

I snorted. Special? What did that even mean? A five-star restaurant where the menu didn’t list prices? Some exclusive club where celebrities snorted coke off each other’s asses?

Me: Only for tonight. This doesn’t mean I’m saying yes to your proposal.

I hit send before I could think better of it. Why the fuck was I agreeing to this? The man had basically offered to buy me as a sex slave with a wedding ring, and here I was, agreeing to play girlfriend for the night.

But I knew why. Curiosity. That’s what I told myself, anyway. Not the way my pussy had clenched when he’d talked about making me come. Not the way my nipples had hardened under his gaze. Just simple curiosity about what kind of man would propose such an arrangement.

My bank account was crying for mercy after covering Dad’s last round of

for the elevator,

date tonight?” Nova appeared beside me,

-0.0%

16:43

“What? No.”

got that

“What look?”

ex? Tell me you’re not going back to that cheating bastard.” “God, no.”

Wait-” Her eyes widened. “Is it the CEO? Did Alexander Carter ask you out?” “Don’t be ridiculous,” I

ate.”

and stepped inside, already mentally cat- aloging my closet. Something nice. Something sexy. What the

scrolling through my phone. Should I text Emilia? Should I tell her about this insane dinner invitation? No, she’d either try to talk me out of it or demand to come along as

fifty,” the driver announced as we pulled up to my

thirty dollars.

and keys on the counter and headed straight for the shower. The hot water pounded against my skin as I tried to make sense of what

I muttered, squeezing

later, wrapped in a towel with my hair dripping, I stood before my open closet. The contents looked

pulled out a black dress, too funeral. A green jumpsuit, too casual. A

checking the

a red dress I’d bought for a company Christmas party, but I chickened out of wearing it. The neckline dipped low between my