THE BILLIONAIRE'S CONTRACT WIFE He Hated Me, But Needed an Heir Adrian Blackwood has everything a man could want—wealth, power, influence, and a business empire built on his own terms. What he doesn't have is a wife. When his grandfather's will threatens to strip him of control of the Blackwood empire unless he marries and secures an heir within twelve months, Adrian is forced to make a choice he never imagined he'd have to make. Find a wife. And the woman he chooses is the last person anyone expects. Elena Carter. The daughter of the family Adrian blames for one of the darkest tragedies in Blackwood history. Elena has spent years living under the shadow of a scandal she didn't cause. Now, with her family's business collapsing and creditors closing in, Adrian offers her a deal she can't afford to refuse. One year of marriage. Financial security for her family. An heir for him. No love. No real relationship. And absolutely no falling for each other. Elena signs the contract believing she can survive twelve months with the man who hates her. But living beneath the same roof changes everything. The cold billionaire behind Adrian's ruthless reputation begins to reveal a side of himself no one has ever seen. And Elena starts wondering whether the hatred in his eyes has always been hiding something else. Then an anonymous message exposes a shocking possibility: The Carter family may never have betrayed the Blackwoods. As Adrian and Elena begin digging into the past, they uncover secrets powerful enough to destroy both families—and someone is determined to keep the truth buried. Their marriage began as a business arrangement. Their hearts were never supposed to be part of the deal. But what happens when the billionaire who needed a wife discovers that he doesn't just need Elena... He loves her.