Terms And Conditions Of the Heart

Chapter Seven : A Deal with the Devil.

Eliana Carter had built her life around control.

She had always been a woman of logic.

She never made reckless decisions.

She calculated, she analyzed, and she always had the upper hand.

But tonight, as she sat across from Adrian Blackwood, she realized something disturbing—control was slipping right through her fingers.

"Convince me" she said.

And Adrian's response told her he planned to do it.

He leaned foward, resting his elbow on the table, " marrying me makes sense"

"Oh does it?" . She raised an eyebrow.

"Think about it". He said smoothly

"Right now the media is picking our engagement, if we let the rumors grow, it will hurt your company's reputation. Investors hate uncertainty.

She hated that he was right.

"Marrying me kills the speculation,Adrian continued. It locks everything in place. No one questions a signed marriage license."

She folded her arms. "And when we divorce?"

"By then the damage control will be complete. The media would have moved on and we both walk away unscathed.

She studied him, every word was logical and strategic just like her.

And worse of all?

She wasn't sure she wanted it back.

Because this man—this infuriating, arrogant, dangerously charming man—had just proposed the most reckless idea of her life.

A marriage.

Not for love.

Not for forever.

Just one year.

A perfect, polished, publicly adored marriage, designed to fix their reputations, silence the media, and give them both the stability they needed.

It was a calculated move—one she should have rejected on sight.

It was terrifying

Because she could not argue the plan

But instead?

She was actually considering it.

And that is on period.

A Game of Power

Adrian sat back, watching her, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on his whiskey glass.

He looked relaxed.

Too relaxed.

Like he already knew she would say yes.

Smug bastard.

Eliana took a slow breath. "So let me get this straight. You think we should actually go through with this? A full-blown, legally binding marriage?"

Adrian smirked. "I don't think, Eliana. I know."

She arched an eyebrow. "Oh, well, if you 'know,' then who am I to argue?"

His smirk widened. "Exactly."

She rolled her eyes.

But inside?

Her mind was spinning.

Because despite her sarcasm, she couldn't deny that his proposal made sense.

Right now, she was drowning in media scrutiny.

Nathan's reappearance had only made things worse.

Her company's investors were questioning her stability.

If she let the rumors fester, she could lose everything she had built.

And Adrian?

He wasn't wrong—the Blackwood name had power, but investors liked consistency.

A man who settled down looked responsible, reliable—married men were seen as safe investments.

They were both business moves to each other .

They both needed this.

But a marriage?

That was dangerous territory.

Because it wasn't just a contract.

It was living under the same roof, sharing the same space, pretending for the cameras—

Pretending.

Her stomach twisted at the thought.

Could she really pretend?

Could she really fake a love that didn't exist?

And worse—what if, somewhere along the line, it stopped feeling fake?

No.

She pushed the thought away before it could take root.

This wasn't about emotions.

This was business.

Purely business.

The Fine Print

She inhaled, steadying herself. "Alright," she said at last. "If we do this, we do it on my terms."

Adrian lifted a brow. "Oh? And what are your terms?"

She held up a finger. "One year. No extensions."

A smirk. "Fair enough."

She held up a second finger. "No real intimacy. We play our roles in public, but in private, we keep our distance."

Something flickered in his gaze—something dark and unreadable.

Then he smiled. Slow. Dangerous.

"As you wish."

She ignored the way her pulse betrayed her.

"And finally," she continued, "there will be an ironclad exit plan. A clean, quiet divorce, no messy fallout. I won't let my reputation be ruined by a nasty breakup."

Adrian's gaze stayed locked onto hers.

Then, to her surprise, he reached across the table.

And offered his hand.

"Deal."

For a long moment, she just stared at it.

His fingers—long, strong, steady—were waiting for hers.

If she shook his hand, there was no turning back.

This wouldn't just be an idea anymore.

It would be real.

It would be binding.

A marriage.

She should walk away.

She should laugh, toss her napkin on the table, and pretend this conversation never happened.

Instead—

She extended her hand.

The moment their fingers touched, something shifted.

A spark.

A flicker of heat.

A silent, unspoken challenge between them.

And Eliana knew—in that exact moment—she had just made a deal with the devil.

The Night That Changed Everything

Hours later, Eliana lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

Sleep was impossible.

Her mind kept replaying everything.

The handshake.

The way Adrian had looked at her—like he had already won.

The slow, deliberate way he had whispered, "You won't regret this, Eliana."

But what if she did?

Her phone vibrated on her nightstand.

She reached for it, squinting at the screen.

Adrian: Sleep well, fiancée.

A mix of amusement and irritation flickered through her.

Of course, he had to be insufferable about this.

Biting her lip, she hesitated for only a moment before replying.

Eliana: Try not to dream about me too much, husband.

She tossed her phone aside, but the damage was already done.

She was smiling.

And that was the most dangerous thing of all.

Because this wasn't just a deal anymore.

This was a game.

And she had no idea who would win.