Chapter 1 Desperate Choices

Lily Green gripped the eviction notice in her trembling hands, her pulse roaring in her ears.

Past Due. Final Warning.

The words glared back at her like a death sentence.

She squeezed her eyes shut, swallowing the lump rising in her throat. How has life come to this?

Her tiny Brooklyn apartment smelled of stale coffee and desperation. A single flickering light buzzed overhead, casting a weak glow over the stack of unpaid bills on the table.

Rent. Medical expenses. Utilities.

Every month, she thought she'd find a way to catch up. Every month, she failed.

She turned toward the small bedroom, where her younger sister, Emily, lay asleep, her frail body barely making a dent in the mattress. The blankets were too thin for a cold night like this, but they had no money for heating.

Emily let out a weak cough in her sleep, and Lily's chest tightened painfully.

She needed medicine. Checkups. Proper care.

But those things required money-money Lily didn't have.

She had already sold everything valuable, worked double shifts, skipped meals-anything to keep her sister alive.

And yet, it still wasn't enough.

Her vision blurred with tears as she whispered, "I need a miracle."

Then, as if the universe had been listening, her phone rang.

Lily jumped, her heart slamming against her ribs. She fumbled for the phone, barely glancing at the caller ID before answering.

"Hello?"

"Lily, it's Ava. Get dressed. Now."

Lily frowned, gripping the phone tighter. Ava Harper was her best friend, but she was also the kind of person who loved risks and reckless decisions.

"Ava, I can't-"

"No excuses." Ava's voice was firm. "Meet me at The Regent Hotel in thirty minutes. I have something that could change your life."

Lily hesitated. Ava had always been the impulsive one, diving into things without a second thought.

But right now, reckless sounded better than hopeless.

She glanced back at Emily, sleeping peacefully.

I don't have a choice.

"Fine," Lily said, already pulling on her one decent dress. "But this better not be illegal."

Ava only laughed. "Just hurry."

The Regent Hotel – Where Everything Changed

Lily stepped into the grand lobby of The Regent Hotel and immediately felt out of place.

The chandeliers dripped with crystal. The marble floors gleamed. Guests in designer suits and silk gowns floated by, their expensive perfumes saturating the air.

Everything about this place screamed wealth and power.

And she didn't belong here.

She tugged at the hem of her dress, acutely aware of how cheap it looked compared to the luxurious evening gowns around her.

Ava waved her over from a corner table, looking infuriatingly comfortable in a red cocktail dress that hugged her curves.

Lily slid into the seat, lowering her voice. "Ava, what is this? I don't have time for games."

Ava smirked. "Oh, but you'll want to hear this."

She leaned forward, eyes gleaming with excitement.

"How would you like to be a billionaire's fiancée?"

Lily blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Not a real one," Ava clarified. "Just for show."

Lily's pulse spiked.

"Julian Saint Clair needs a fake fiancée for six months. He's willing to pay a ridiculous amount of money."

Lily's stomach dropped.

Julian Saint Clair.

Even if she didn't follow business news, she knew who he was.

The ruthless billionaire hotel tycoon. The man who controlled half of New York's luxury real estate.

He was everywhere. His name on the news, his face in magazines, his scandals whispered about at dinner parties.

And he needed a fake fiancée?

"This is insane," Lily whispered.

Ava shrugged. "Maybe. But it's also your way out."

Lily's mind raced.

Six months.

Money.

Enough money to change everything.

Before she could talk herself out of it, Ava slid a sleek black envelope across the table.

"Read this," she said. "Then decide."

Lily hesitated, then reached for the envelope with trembling fingers.

She flipped it open, scanning the contract inside.

And the moment she saw the six-figure offer, her world tilted on its axis.

A Deal with the Devil

Lily sat in stunned silence.

The number at the bottom of the contract stared back at her like a lifeline.

Five hundred thousand dollars.

Her throat tightened.

That kind of money wasn't just a way out-it was a miracle.

She could pay off the medical bills. Save Emily.

But at what cost?

She swallowed hard and looked up at Ava. "What does he want in return?"

Ava smirked. "He needs a fiancée. A perfect, well-behaved one. For the press, for his business, for his grandmother's approval."

Lily bit her lip. This felt like selling her soul.

But what choice did she have?

"Come on, Lily." Ava leaned closer. "When has life ever handed you an opportunity like this?"

Lily exhaled shakily.

She was tired.

Tired of fighting, tired of never having enough, tired of watching Emily suffer.

This wasn't about pride.

It was about survival.

Her fingers clenched around the contract.

If she did this, she would be stepping into a world of power, lies, and dangerous men.

But if she didn't...

She would lose everything.

Lily took a deep breath.

Then, with a final surge of desperation, she picked up the pen...

And signed her name.