The rain had been drumming steadily all morning, banging rhythmically on the windows of Elena Cruz’s tiny apartment like stubborn fingers. She sat at her cluttered kitchen table with her fingers drumming on her coffee cup; her coffee was frozen in the cup that had been there since dawn. She shook her fingers to get them to stop trembling; she was shivering with more than the chilly air that was circulating in her room. She had discovered the letter in her mailbox; it was black with no inscription on it, with no clue who sent it to her.
She ripped it open with a loud crackle of paper and unclasped one sheet that was typed with icy accuracy.
Ms. Elena Cruz,
I was reviewing your portfolio and was pleased with what I saw. This is an opportunity to build your contract to design my private estate in the Hamptons. The terms will be set upon acceptance. Please respond within the next twenty-four hours.
Alexander Voss
She felt her pulse racing, not with excitement but with this strange combination of curiosity and wariness. She was thinking about Alexander Voss. The name ticked somewhere in her mind. She didn't connect it immediately. Yet there was something about the strong and unswerving letters with which the signature was written that turned her stomach. He had certainly not extended her an offer of employment. This was something else entirely.
Elena pushed her chair back and ran a hand through her wet hair. Could this be her break? The break she needed to rescue her family from the accumulation of dollars owed to the point of foreclosure? She had earned her reputation as an architect with the skills to revitalize implausible projects, but her bank account had yet to reflect her expertise.
But she was unsure. She had the feeling that there was more to the grand offer than met the eye. Because in New York, no one extended such offers without expecting something in return.
The next morning, Elena found herself standing in the sleek and intimidating lobby entrance of Voss Enterprises, which struck her as nothing more than a shard of steel and glass that seemed to slice through the sky itself. The receptionist didn't even bother to look up as she made her announcement.
“Miss Cruz. Mr. Voss is waiting for you. Fifth-floor private elevator.”
The elevator ride was silent but full of tension. Elena’s mind was racing with possibilities. A billionaire picking her among all architects in New York City—that was extraordinary. And yet… something about the extraordinary was dangerous.
The doors swung open to reveal a corridor adorned with abstract paintings and windows that reached all the way to the ceiling with sleek cityscapes. At the end was a figure standing with his back to her. Big shoulders, tailoring to perfection, appearance dripping with dangerous poise.
“Ms. Cruz,” he said without turning. His voice was deep, commanding but calm, with the fury of a storm brewing in a glass. “Thank you for coming on such short notice,” he added.
Elena caught her breath. Slowly, he turned to face her fully, his features illuminated by the sun to reveal a face that was handsome and terrifying, strong bones and piercing grey eyes that seemed to bore into her soul with an unholy light. This was Alexander Voss.
“Your work precedes you,” he added, pointing to a sleek black chair. “Please, sit.”
Elena did as she was told, though her mind was screaming warnings. Something about him was precise. Methodical. But still, she couldn't shake the sense that she was drawn to him, that his eyes surveyed her almost as if he was seeing beyond the surface she had so carefully constructed.
“I’ve read your portfolio,” he continued, pacing with the deliberation of a predator sizing up his prey. “Your work is ambitious. Adventitious. You certainly are talented enough to rank with anyone in the world. But that has little to do with the price tag on this job.”
“What are the terms?” she ventured to ask in an even tone.
“It’s extensive,” he continued to explain. “You’ll be allowed full artistic license with the property. But,” he paused for what felt like forever until he continued with caution. “There’s one stipulation. My demands are unshakeable.”
Elena cocked her head to one side, feeling danger, curiosity, and intrigue mixed. “And what would that be?”
He stared at her for an interminable moment before speaking again, his tone carrying the edge of a katana wrapped in velvet.
“You will be… my fiancée for the duration of this contract.”
“Sorry?”
Her heart stopped.
“This contract offer means you’ll be hired on a… temporary basis,” he continued with perfect clarity and no evident feeling. “The media will know us to be in a committed relationship. Social outings, charity appearances—everybody has to be fooled. As repayment, you’ll receive enough money to compensate you for your work and extra money to compensate you… for your cooperation.”
Elena's mind reeled. A pretend engagement? Was this some form of twisted game, corporate machination, or personal grudge couched in terms of opportunity?
“I don’t understand,” she stuttered, though a tiny corner of her mind was aware of the potential that this presented. The money to save her family and the connections to further her career, if she was enough to withstand the personal repercussions.
“Now listen,” he continued sharply, leaning in closer. “This is what you must understand. This is no love affair. Not one marriage proposal in the making here. You are to pretend,” he repeated gruffly. “That is all.”
Elena swallowed hard. Pretend. The taste of the word was bitter on her tongue. Yet… something about the task, the risk, and the frigid look in his eyes caused her to feel a spark she had thought long extinct.
“Fine,” she said finally, surprising herself with the calmness that crept into her voice. “I’ll do it. But then I need complete info about the project before I sign anything.”
Inclining his head slightly with just the hint of approval in his eyes. “You'll be provided with whatever you need. But here's the thing… One miscalculation, one mistake, and the contract becomes null and void. You walk away with nothing.”
The words should have frightened her. They should have terrified her and made her run. But instead, there was something dangerous, almost thrilling, about them. She had never been one to follow the rules. Not even when the consequences are this great.
A secretary entered with a polished black folder that she placed on the desk. Elena opened it gingerly to reveal contracts, project overviews, and architectural drawings, and nestled among them, in minute lettering that she had not seen before, was the “Engagement Agreement” clause. A cramping sensation began in her gut as she read over the particulars, appearances, social functions, technical requirements, and you name it. She was about to be sucked into something much bigger than architecture.
“I don't sign until I understand every detail,” she said. She touched the letters of his signature, boldly signed at the bottom of the paper.
Almost invisible was the smile that flickered over Alexander’s face. “You will. And soon. Because time is of the essence, Ms. Cruz. Accept this project, and your whole life will change forever. Refuse… and you return to mediocrity. Your choice.”
Her hands shook as she closed the folder. The truth was impossible to deny: he had power. Influence. Charm. But with something dark lurking beneath the surface that made her skin want to crawl.
“I’ll need a day to review,” she said, granting herself a mere sliver of control.
He nodded. ‘A day. Then… I will consider that you are refusing.’
As Elena stepped outside, she noticed that the rain had ended, but something had changed about the city. It felt sharp, electric with danger. In her own chest, her pulse pounded with dark agitation and anticipation. She had agreed to enter a world that was one of luxury and sure danger. A world that had all that she wanted could just as easily remove her from existence.
But little did Elena know that the man she had agreed to pretend to be in love with had secrets that would harbor darkness greater than that seen within the city lights of Manhattan itself, as she was about to embark on a whirlwind storm that she might never be able to come out from within.
The contract was more like an offer and a trap.
Cliffhanger: Elena joins the project; however, she has no clue about the true intentions behind Alexander’s actions nor the extent to which he might be tied to her family’s history.
