Page 1 of Her Possessive Dominant Fake Husband

Chapter One

Claire

It wasn't just my reflection that seemed outlandish; it was the whole fairy tale stretched out in front of me. This wasn’t how my life was supposed to go.

I stood in the bridal suite, a designer gown wrapping me in uncomfortable luxury, as the weight of this deal crushed my chest until I couldn’t breathe. Or maybe it was the bodice.

The girl in the mirror had hazel eyes too large for her pale face, her hair was swept into an elegant style that directly contradicted her usual simple style.

Two weeks ago, I'd been scrambling to keep my family afloat, drowning in debt with my mother’s growing medical bills and my brother’s tuition. Of course, to add insult to injury, my boss, seeing that I was desperate, decided to try to get me into his bed. Things were looking helpless, until Alexander Reed's phone call threw me a lifeline of razor wire.

The room's grandeur pressed down on me: fresh flowers sweetly perfuming every breath, champagne bubbling in a crystal flute, a dress that probably cost more than my college tuition, mom’s mortgage, and the cost of raising two kidscombined. I ran a hand down the lace bodice, feeling both captive and queen, wondering if I would survive this deal.

My mind flashed back to my boss, how he’d cornered me, his warm breath on my face and a cold wall at my back. His voice was a growl, making every hair on the back of my neck prickle and stand on end.

"Claire, you're not thinking this through," he'd said, leaning closer with the kind of smile that made my skin crawl. "Consider the benefits. You and me—it's the best deal you'll get."

I remembered clutching the performance review in my hand, crumpled and damp from the shock. He’d promised to overlook my “poor performance” if I just… gave into him.

"I can't." My voice broke and terror flooded my chest. His dismissal followed me out the door, a revenge for not warming his bed, leaving me jobless and reeling. With no other options and rent and bills overdue, I'd swallowed my pride and agreed to Alexander’s offer. I’d chosen between the devil and the deep blue sea, but this option didn’t require intimacy I wasn’t ready for, so it was the better choice.

Alexander Reed. The name alone stirred something sharp and painful. I'd admired him from afar when I worked for his company—a man whose looks could cut glass and whose arrogance often did cut people to the bone. A few hours after I hit send, my phone buzzed with his number, the call that changed everything.

"Claire," he'd said, his voice as smooth and cold as polished steel. "I have a proposition for you."

His words were like ice water, shocking and leaving me in over my head. I had sat on the edge of my bed, heart hammering, as he outlined his bizarre proposal. He needed a wife—fast, no questions asked—and I needed money even faster. The contractwas specific, stripping away any illusions: one year, no inquiries into motives, and enough money to keep my family secure for a long time. I’d be stupid to say no.

I blinked back to the present, the veil over my face like a bag over my head suffocating me. The girl in the mirror trembled. The suite, extravagant and indifferent, waited for me to step into the role of Mrs. Reed, a part I had no idea how to play.

A soft knock on the door pulled me from my spiraling thoughts. "Claire?" Michael's voice was gentle, filled with the only certainty I felt today.

"Come in," I said, trying to sound braver than I felt.

Michael slipped inside, awkward in his suit, looking like a younger version of our father. His presence was both a comfort and a reminder of why I was here, and his eyes scanned the room before settling on me.

"Wow," he said, his voice a mix of awe and disbelief. "You look... rich."

Despite myself, I laughed. "I feel like a fraud."

He sobered, crossing the room to take my hands. "You don't have to do this, Claire."

I squeezed back, finding some anchor in his solid grip. "Yes, I do. You know I do."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, a gesture so like Dad's that made me ache. "I don't want you getting hurt. Or more hurt than you already are."

I thought of our mother, her hospital bills stacked up, Michael’s tuition and future on the line, and overdue rent. He was wrong, I didn’t have a choice. "I'll be fine. It's just a year, andthen everything will be better." One year, then I could return to life as usual.

"Is it worth it?" Michael's voice cracked, showing the boy still inside the young man. "Living with that guy?"

I hesitated, the image of Alexander's wintry blue eyes flashing in my mind. "It's only business," I said, echoing the lie I needed to believe.

He looked at me with the kind of knowing only brothers have. "Does he know about, you know, the fact that you've never—"

"No," I cut in quickly. "And he won't." There was no reason for him to know that.

Michael nodded, his face shifting with conflicting emotions. "Just be careful, okay?"

I nodded back, not trusting myself to speak. I felt the pressure of every sacrifice I'd ever made pulling me under like an anchor.

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