The Phantom Pact
By @john1208
Elara Vance's world is crumbling. Her family’s ancient, artisanal silk-dyeing workshop, a legacy stretching back centuries, faces imminent foreclosure. Desperate, she accepts a cryptic, highly confidential offer: become the "phantom bride" to cold, enigmatic billionaire Ronan Sterling. This isn't a real marriage, but a generations-old pact, a symbolic union required to unlock ancient family trusts vital for his empire. Her role? Live under his roof, maintain appearances behind closed doors, and remain an invisible, unacknowledged presence to the world. She’s a ghost in his opulent mansion, bound by a contract that promises financial salvation in exchange for her freedom and her heart's silence. Ronan's gaze, sharp as obsidian, promises danger, yet his unexpected kindnesses stir a forbidden warmth. Every shared glance, every brush of silk-clad skin, sends a tremor through her. If their secret leaks, or if her burgeoning feelings are discovered, not only will her family lose everything, but she stands to lose her very identity, swallowed by the glittering, unforgiving world of a man who sees her as nothing more than a necessary illusion. Her breath catches whenever he's near; her heart beats a frantic rhythm, a dangerous counterpoint to their silent, secret dance.
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