CHAPTER TWO: THE BILLIONAIRE'S SHOCKING OFFER

Amara Williams stood in front of the enormous glass building, staring at the golden letters above the entrance.

BLACKWOOD INTERNATIONAL GROUP.

She swallowed nervously.

The building was taller than anything she had ever seen. Men in expensive suits walked through the entrance, while women wearing designer clothes stepped out of luxury cars.

Amara looked down at her simple blue dress and worn shoes.

"What am I even doing here?" she whispered.

She almost turned around.

Almost.

Then she remembered her mother's hospital bills.

She remembered her younger brother, Michael, asking her the previous night when they would be able to eat chicken again.

And she remembered the landlord's threat to throw them out if they didn't pay their rent.

Amara took a deep breath and walked inside.

"Good morning. How may I help you?" the receptionist asked politely.

"I'm here to see Mr. Daniel Blackwood."

The receptionist looked her up and down.

"Do you have an appointment?"

Amara showed her the business card.

The receptionist's eyes widened slightly.

"Please, have a seat. I'll inform his personal assistant."

Amara sat on a leather sofa, nervously twisting her fingers together.

Five minutes later, a tall woman approached her.

"Miss Williams?"

"Yes."

"I'm Vanessa, Mr. Blackwood's assistant. Follow me, please."

Amara followed her into a private elevator that took them to the top floor.

When the doors opened, she found herself standing in front of an office that looked bigger than her entire family home.

Vanessa knocked.

"Come in," a deep voice answered.

Amara entered.

Daniel sat behind a massive black desk, reading some documents. He didn't look up immediately.

"You're five minutes early," he said.

"I didn't want to be late."

"Good. Sit down."

Amara sat in the chair opposite him.

Daniel finally lifted his eyes to hers.

"You look nervous."

"I'm sitting in front of a billionaire. What do you expect?"

For a second, Daniel looked surprised. Then the corner of his mouth lifted.

"You're always this honest?"

"Only when people ask me questions."

He leaned back in his chair.

"I like that."

Amara frowned. "You called me here because you have a proposition. What is it?"

Daniel opened a drawer and removed a file.

"I want you to pretend to be my girlfriend."

Silence.

Amara blinked.

Then she laughed.

Daniel's expression hardened.

"Something funny?"

"Are you serious?"

"Completely."

"Why would a man like you need a fake girlfriend? Can't you find a real one?"

"I could. But I don't want one."

"Then stay single."

Daniel stared at her.

She was either incredibly brave or completely unaware of how dangerous it was to challenge him.

"Listen carefully, Miss Williams," he said. "My grandfather has been pressuring me to get married. He believes I should settle down before he transfers control of a major part of the family business to me."

"And?"

"And my ex-girlfriend has been telling everyone we're getting back together. I need to put an end to those rumours and make it clear that I've moved on."

Amara folded her arms.

"So you want me to pretend to be your girlfriend to make your ex jealous?"

"That's one way of putting it."

"And what do I get out of this?"

Daniel pushed the file across the desk.

"Three months. You attend a few events with me, accompany me to family dinners, and act as though we're in a relationship."

He paused.

"In return, I'll pay your mother's hospital bills, settle your family's outstanding rent, and give you enough money to start a small business afterward."

Amara stared at him.

Her heart began beating faster.

Her mother's hospital bills alone were more than she could afford in a year.

But something about the arrangement troubled her.

"Why me?" she asked quietly.

Daniel's expression changed.

"Because you don't seem interested in my money."

Amara almost laughed.

"That's because I don't know you well enough to trust you."

For reasons he couldn't explain, Daniel found himself smiling.

"Fair enough."

She looked down at the file.

"Are there any other conditions?"

"One. You must never fall in love with me."

Amara slowly raised her head.

"And what makes you think I would?"

Daniel stood and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows.

"Because women always do."

His confidence irritated her.

"Don't flatter yourself, Mr. Blackwood. You're handsome, but you're not the last man on earth."

Daniel turned around.

For the first time that morning, he laughed.

A real laugh.

It surprised even him.

He returned to his desk and placed a pen beside the agreement.

"Read the contract carefully. If you agree, we begin tomorrow."

Amara picked up the papers.

Three months.

Three months of pretending to love a man she barely knew.

Three months of expensive clothes, luxury cars, and a world she had never imagined entering.

Three months that could save her family.

But what would happen when the pretending became real?

She looked at Daniel.

"I have one condition of my own."

His eyebrows rose.

"You're negotiating with me?"

"Yes."

"What do you want?"

"You will never insult me because I'm poor. You will never treat me like I'm beneath you. And you will never use my family's situation to control me."

Daniel's smile disappeared.

Nobody had ever spoken to him that way.

He studied her for a long moment before finally nodding.

"Agreed."

Amara picked up the pen.

Her hand trembled slightly as she signed the contract.

Daniel watched her write her name.

Amara Williams.

He had no idea why he felt that signing this agreement would change his life as much as hers.

Perhaps it was because she was the first woman who had looked him in the eyes without fear.

Or perhaps it was because, deep down, he was beginning to suspect that three months with Amara Williams would be far more dangerous than he had planned.

As Amara stood to leave, Daniel called her name.

"One more thing."

She turned.

"Tomorrow night, there's a family dinner. You'll meet my grandfather, my mother, and the rest of the family."

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes. Wear something elegant."

Amara looked at her simple dress.

"I don't have anything like that."

Daniel pressed a button on his desk.

"Vanessa will take you shopping."

Amara shook her head.

"I can buy my own clothes."

"With what money?"

She opened her mouth, then closed it.

Daniel's expression softened slightly.

"Consider it part of the arrangement."

Amara hated that he had a point.

She hated even more that she had to accept his help.

But she had made a promise to herself: she would never let anyone make her feel worthless because she was poor.

"Fine," she said. "But don't expect me to become your obedient little doll."

Daniel stepped closer, his dark eyes fixed on hers.

"Trust me, Miss Williams. I have a feeling you're going to be the most difficult woman I've ever met."

Amara smiled sweetly.

"Good. At least you'll remember me."

She walked out of his office without looking back.

Daniel watched the door close.

Then he picked up his phone.

"Vanessa?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Find out everything you can about Amara Williams."

"Everything, sir?"

Daniel glanced at the signed contract on his desk.

"Everything."

Because for the first time in a very long time, Daniel Blackwood was curious about someone other than himself.

And he didn't like how much he wanted to know.