Aisha Malik never expected her life to change with a single phone call.

The evening had started like any other. The scent of jasmine lingered in the air as she sat at the dining table, waiting for her father to return home. Her younger brother, Rami, was watching cartoons in the living room, unaware of the storm that was about to shatter their peaceful world.

When the front door creaked open, Aisha stood up with a smile. “Baba, you’re home.”

But the look on her father’s face drained the warmth from her voice.

He looked… destroyed. His shoulders sagged beneath the weight of an invisible burden, and his eyes—usually full of hope—were now dull and defeated.

“Baba?” Aisha hurried over. “What happened?”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he walked straight to the table and sank into a chair, dropping a file on the polished surface. Aisha opened it slowly.

Debt statements. Legal notices. Bank threats.

Every page screamed one thing: Bankruptcy.

Her breath caught in her throat. “This… this can’t be real.”

“I tried, Aisha,” her father whispered, rubbing his forehead with trembling fingers. “I tried everything. Loans, investors, selling assets—but nothing worked. They’re going to seize the company. And the house. Everything.”

Aisha gripped the edge of the table. “There has to be another way. Something we haven’t thought of yet—”

“There is.” His voice cracked.

She looked at him sharply. He wouldn’t meet her eyes.

“A man came to see me today. Zavian Knight.”

The name hit her like a slap.

Zavian Knight. Billionaire. CEO of Knight Enterprises. Known not just for his wealth, but for his cold, heartless reputation. Ruthless in business. Unforgiving in life.

Her voice came out faint. “What does he have to do with us?”

“He’s agreed to save the company. Pay the debts. All of them.”

A flicker of hope lit inside her chest. “That’s… good, isn’t it?”

But her father finally looked at her then, and her hope turned to ice.

“He wants something in return, Aisha.”

She stared.

Then she whispered, “What?”

“A marriage. To you.”

The world tilted on its axis. She blinked, thinking she’d misheard him. “That’s not—no, Baba. That’s insane. He doesn’t even know me.”

“He does. He’s been watching. Said he’s seen you at events, through business meetings. He wants you as his wife. And he’s offering everything we need. He gave me 48 hours to decide.”

Aisha stumbled back, her heart thudding wildly.

“You’re selling me to a stranger?” she said, tears brimming.

“I'm saving you, Aisha,” he said brokenly. “I can’t lose this company. I can’t lose everything.”

“But what about me?” she cried.

There was silence.

Then the doorbell rang.

The sound echoed through the house like a death knell.

Aisha turned toward the door, her heart hammering.

Her father didn’t move.

The butler opened it.

And there he stood.

Zavian Knight.

Tall. Impeccably dressed in a black suit, his expression carved from stone. His gaze found Aisha instantly—sharp, unreadable, cold.

“I’m here,” he said. “To claim what I’ve paid for.”

Aisha’s world shattered.

Aisha couldn’t breathe.

The man standing in the doorway looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine—tall, commanding, and dangerously handsome. But the coldness in his eyes stole the breath from her lungs. He wasn’t here to charm her. He was here to collect.

Zavian Knight walked into the Malik home like he owned it. In a way, he already did.

Her father stood quickly, his voice shaky but formal. “Mr. Knight. You’re early.”

“I like to conclude business swiftly,” Zavian said, without looking at him. His eyes were on Aisha—dark, assessing, as if he were sizing up a property, not a person.

Aisha took a step back, clutching the edge of the chair behind her. “You can’t be serious,” she whispered.

Zavian’s gaze flicked to her. “I don’t play games, Miss Malik. Your father agreed to my terms.”

“I didn’t.”

“You weren’t required to.”

Her father winced.

Aisha turned to him. “Baba, please tell me this isn’t happening. You can’t just hand me over like a—like a product!”

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I know this is unfair. But if I don’t do this, we lose everything. Rami won’t have a home. Our employees—hundreds of them—will be out of work. I don’t have another option.”

“You had me, and you didn’t even ask!”

Zavian interrupted. “This isn’t a love story, Aisha. It’s a transaction. You agree, and I rescue your family. You walk away, and everything crumbles. The choice is yours.”

Aisha turned on him, anger pulsing through her veins. “You’re a monster.”

He didn’t flinch. “I’ve been called worse.”

She stared at him, chest heaving. Everything she knew, everything she trusted, was crashing down around her. And at the center of the wreckage stood this man—calm, powerful, unfeeling.

But behind her fury was fear. For her brother. For her father. For the people depending on her.

“How long?” she asked, voice hollow.

Zavian’s brow arched. “How long what?”

“This marriage. How long would I have to be your… wife?”

He paused. “Two years.”

A business term.

A contract length.

“And after that?”

“Divorce. Clean. You’ll walk away wealthy. Independent. Free.”

She felt like screaming. But instead, she whispered, “You don’t want a wife. You want ownership.”

His lips curved—not quite a smile. “You’re smart. That’s good.”

Aisha turned back to her father. “If I say no, will you still be able to survive?”

He looked down. “No.”

Tears stung her eyes.

Then, slowly, she turned back to Zavian Knight.

“I’ll do it,” she said, her voice low but firm.

Zavian’s jaw tightened, and for the briefest second, something flickered in his eyes—surprise, maybe. Or regret. But it vanished too quickly to be sure.

“Good,” he said. “We’ll marry in five days.”

And with that, he walked out.

The silence left in his wake was deafening.

Aisha stood still, her soul cracking in places she didn’t know could break.

She had just agreed to marry the heartless billionaire.

And it was only the beginning.

The world knew Zavian Knight as a legend.

A self-made billionaire. The youngest CEO in Knight Enterprises’ history. Ruthless in the boardroom. Untouchable in his personal life.

But Aisha Malik only saw a storm she was being forced to step into—blindfolded.

The days leading up to their wedding were a blur of preparations she had no say in. Dresses were brought to her room. Invitations were sent without her approval. Paparazzi already camped outside her family’s estate, buzzing with rumors of the mysterious woman who had captured Zavian Knight’s interest.

No one knew it was a business arrangement. A trade cloaked in white lace.

And the worst part? She hadn’t seen him since that night.

Until now.

Aisha stood outside the massive black doors of Knight Enterprises, her stomach in knots. Her father had received a call that morning—Zavian wanted to “formally introduce her” to the company and begin legal preparations.

She hadn’t agreed to that part. But as always, her opinion didn’t matter.

The receptionist, a tall woman in a sleek gray suit, barely looked up. “He’s expecting you. Top floor.”

The elevator ride was suffocating. Each number she passed felt like a countdown to execution. By the time the doors opened, her legs were trembling.

She stepped into silence.

The top floor was stark and modern—marble floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and black-and-gold accents. At the far end was a glass office with its door wide open.

And there he was.

Zavian stood with his back to her, gazing out the window. He wore a charcoal suit, no tie, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Even from behind, he radiated control—like a king surveying his kingdom.

He didn’t turn as she approached.

“I came like you asked,” Aisha said, keeping her voice calm.

“Right on time.” He finally faced her. His eyes scanned her face with a cool intensity that made her shiver.

She hated how gorgeous he looked. Hated that his voice, smooth and deep, unsettled her. Hated that he seemed completely unmoved, while she was falling apart inside.

“Sit,” he said, motioning to the chair across from his desk.

She didn’t move. “This isn’t a real marriage. Let’s get that straight.”

He gave a slow nod. “I’m not asking for your heart, Aisha. Just your obedience.”

Her fingers clenched at her sides. “What exactly do you expect from me?”

“Public appearances. Hosting events. A pretty smile when cameras are near. And silence when it comes to personal matters.”

“So I’m a doll in a display case.”

“You’re a shield,” he said bluntly. “A wife on paper keeps certain board members off my back and stabilizes investor confidence.”

“And what do I get?”

“Your family saved. A future secured. And, when the contract ends, your freedom.”

His cold detachment made her skin crawl.

But she knew what she was signing up for. She’d already agreed.

Still, one thing burned in her chest. She stood tall and met his gaze. “I’m not afraid of you, Zavian.”

For the first time, his expression shifted—just slightly. There was a flicker of amusement, or maybe interest, in those stormy eyes.

“Good,” he said. “Fear is boring.”

They stared at each other in a tense silence, two strangers bound by a cruel bargain.

This was the man she would marry.

And she had a sinking feeling—

He would ruin her before this was over.