Ben didn't want to admit that he was moved by what Ella said, so he decided to make her pay for it in the only way he knew how by making her life at work unbearable.

The next morning, he gave her tasks that were higher, tougher, and far beyond her role. It wasn't about the work, it was about testing her limits. Watching to see if she'd break.

By noon the following day, when the office buzzed with laughter and the smell of food filled the air, Ella's stomach growled softly. It was break hour. She had barely eaten since morning.

Just as she stood to head toward the cafeteria, her phone buzzed.

Ben: "My office. Now."

Her heart sank. She adjusted her blouse, straightened her skirt, and walked toward his door.

When she entered, Ben didn't even look up from his desk. His tone was flat, cold.

" I have lots of documents and emails I need you to handle," he said. 

Ella hesitated, clutching her notepad tightly.

"B...but sir, it's break, and I need to get some food," she said quietly, voice almost trembling.

Ben looked up, his gaze sharp as a blade.

" I don't care. Do as I've told you. It's a command, not a request ". 

His words sliced straight through her. Ella's jaw clenched, anger and exhaustion fighting to escape, but she swallowed it down. She nodded slowly, turned, and began her work without another word.

Hours passed.

She replied to dozens of his emails, sorted through files stacked taller than her forearm, picked up business calls meant only for the CEO, scheduled investor meetings, and made sure every minor detail of his day ran perfectly.

Every task was intentional as a test, a punishment, a wall Ben built between himself and the strange, quiet woman who had dared to confront him.

But she never broke.

Even when her hands shook from fatigue, she inhaled deeply, steadied herself, and kept going. A faint, practiced smile stayed on her face.

The office began to notice.

Whispers spread like wildfire through the halls.

" Why is the boss suddenly trusting her with everything?" 

" He's never let anyone that close "

" Maybe she is doing more than just working."

The jealousy was thick, bitter, and unkind. Some stopped greeting her. Others snickered when she passed. The air around her grew heavy with resentment but Ella stayed focused.

All she wanted was to work, get paid, and build a better life. Even if it meant breaking silently every day.

Ben, on the other hand, was observing.

He'd catch glimpses of her through his glass walls; her tired eyes, the way she pushed stray hair behind her ear, the determined look that refused to bend.

He didn't show it, but it intrigued him. Her composure, her drive, her quiet strength, stirred something deep in him that he didn't want to feel.

That night, the office was silent except for the faint tapping of keys and the hum of the air conditioner. Everyone had gone home except the two of them.

Ben sat at his desk, reviewing contracts, but exhaustion weighed his eyes. Before long, he fell asleep where he sat, the papers still in his hand.

Ella glanced over, hesitated for a moment, then quietly stood. She took off her heavy jacket and gently draped it over him. For a brief moment, she looked at his face so calm in sleep, stripped of its usual coldness.

Then, softly, he murmured her name.

" Ella...."

Her heart stilled.

Ben slowly opened his eyes, blinking at the dim light. His voice came low, almost tender, the hardness gone.

" You are not like the others. I've tested beyond what you can handle, and you've proven yourself with no doubt." 

Ella met his gaze steadily.

" Because I'm not like others'" she said softly. " Everyone has their reason for working." 

He leaned forward slightly, curiosity flickering in his dark eyes.

" So what's your reason?"

Her voice trembled, but her words were steady.

" I want to get a better life for myself and my parents " 

Silence lingered in the air; thick, unspoken, heavy with something neither could name.

For the first time, Ben saw her not as an employee, but as a person, a woman with fire in her spirit and stories written behind her calm eyes.

And for Ella, she saw him just a man, tired, bruised by life, hiding behind his arrogance.

It was the first night the air between them shifted, quietly, permanently.

The room was silent except for the faint hum of the air conditioner. Ella stood by the door, waiting for his usual harsh tone, but what she heard next was... different.

" Ella..."

Her name rolled off his tongue softly, not with authority this time, but hesitation. His voice was calm, almost uncertain, as though what he was about to say required courage.

Ella blinked, taken aback by the sudden shift.

" Yes, Sir?" she answered carefully, her voice steady but her heart beginning to race. 

Ben rose slowly from his chair, his eyes locked on hers. There was no arrogance in his expression but only something serious, something that made the air between them tense and quiet.

" I would like you to be my wife....for two years," he said each word deliberate and heavy. 

The world seemed to freeze around her.

Her breath caught in her throat.

" How can I be your wife, Sir?" she stammered, her voice trembling. " I'm below your king of woman, I'm broke, poor, low class and don't meet you in any form." 

Ben's jaw tightened, his gaze unwavering.

" Why me? " Ella whispered. 

He sighed deeply, walked to the window, and slid his hands into his pockets. He spoke, his tone was edged with frustration and quiet desperation.

" My father has decided to give my inheritance and everything I've built to my junior stepbrother if I don't introduce a woman I want to marry to the family. He wants someone ready for marriage. And he gave me..." he paused, turning to her, " .....two weeks". 

" Two weeks?!" Ella's voice echoed, sharp with disbelief. 

Her mind spun in circles - this was absurd, ridiculous even. A man like him? Proposing something like this?

" No, no sir," she said quickly, taking a step back. " This is something I can't do in a rush. I need some time, please." 

Ben studied her carefully, then nodded once, slow and controlled.

" You have only two days,"  he said quietly 

" I'll reward you well; a house, a car, any business if your choice to set yourself up. Something you couldn't achieve here, even if you worked for ten years. Think about it" 

His words hung in the air like a weight.

Ella left the office in silence, her heart pounding with confusion. That night, she sat on her small bed, staring at the cracked ceiling of her room. Thoughts raced through her mind; his offer, the risks, the possibilities.

She thought of her parents, of the struggles, of every night she had cried herself to sleep wishing for a chance, just one chance, to change her life.

The promise of a house. A business. Freedom. Stability.

It all sounded like the kind of miracle she'd been waiting for.

By morning, her decision was made.

She walked into the office, the air crisp and new with dawn, her steps firm even though her heart still wavered. When Ben looked up, she met his gaze directly.

" I'll do it, " she says. " But only if a valid contract is written, signed, and sealed.

Ben's lips curved slightly, a ghost of a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

" Agreed," he said simply 

They both went back to their daily routine, pretending everything was normal but nothing about this day was ordinary.

Later that noon, Ella went to her regular eatery to get food. As soon as she walked in, she felt the weight of eyes on her. Whispers slithered through the tables like smoke.

" That's her, the boss's toy."

" Can you imagine? She is marrying him for money."

" Gold digger. She'd do anything for a car and a house."

Ella didn't flinch. Her face remained calm, her heart still.

For the first time, she wasn't sad. She wasn't angry. She was free because she knew why she was doing this.

Every insult rolled off her skin like water. She smiled through it all, her lips curved with quiet triumph. Let them talk. Let them hate.

She knew where she was going. And for once, she felt in control.

Back at the office, she walked to her desk with light steps smiling as she imagined what life might be like after two years. When the contract ended, when she'd finally have everything she dreamed of.

Her peace didn't last long.

" Ella..."

The deep voice came from behind her. Ben. She turned quickly.

"You know this isn't about love," he says, his tone serious, eyes dark and fixed on her.

" I'm not asking for that," Ella replied with a calm smile, her confidence radiating for the first time. 

Ben tilted his head, studying her face with that same soft smile, that same calm..

" Why me again?" She asked quietly 

His answer came without hesitation.

" Because I know you can handle this "

And in that moment, they both knew this was not just a deal. It was the beginning of something neither of them could control.

The office had gone quiet long ago, but Ella's thoughts wouldn't stop echoing. After work hours, she walked home slowly, her mind heavy. When she reached her small apartment, she slipped off her shoes, dropped her bag on the floor, and exhaled deeply. The night was calm, but her mind wasn't. She took a long shower, the warm water running down her back like a temporary escape. Dinner was simple, rice and stew but she barely tasted it.

Later, lying on her bed, she replayed Ben's words over and over in her head: "Because I know you can handle this." The sentence rolled around her mind like a mystery she couldn't solve. What did he mean by that? Was it a compliment, or was it his way of saying she was disposable? She stared at the ceiling, her chest tightening with worry.

Is he going to maltreat me? she wondered. Make my life miserable? Make me regret ever knowing him, let alone accepting this proposal?

But then, her gaze drifted toward the cracked wall beside her bed, and she smiled faintly. The promise of a house, a car, and a business; things she had only dreamed of was enough to silence her fears. She brushed off every thought of doubt, whispering to herself, It's only two years. Two years, Ella. Then your life changes forever.

The next morning, Ella walked into the company building with confidence she didn't fully feel. Her lips carried a gentle smile that caught everyone's attention. Eyes followed her from the entrance to her desk, some filled with hatred, others with jealousy, and some with quiet disbelief. Whispers trailed her every move, but she didn't care.

She kept her chin up and focused on her work as if their opinions were invisible. She had learned long ago that people only envy what they can't have.

By noon, her phone buzzed with a call from Ben's secretary. "Mr. Ben wants to see you in his office."

Ella adjusted her blouse and walked down the hall. When she stepped inside, she froze for a moment. Sitting opposite Ben was a man in a navy-blue suit, his briefcase open, papers neatly arranged on the desk. The polished shine of his shoes told her everything, this was someone important.

"Have a seat," Ben said, his tone neutral.

Ella sat down, her fingers folded tightly in her lap. Her eyes darted between Ben and the stranger.

"This is the lawyer," Ben said finally. "You asked for a valid document, something that guarantees your reward after the deal is done. Here it is."

Ella blinked, taken aback. "So we're doing this now?"

"Yes," he replied. "You'll sign them, and then we'll proceed to why this arrangement is necessary in the first place."

She glanced at the papers laid before her; lines of text, stamps, legal jargon she couldn't fully understand. "How do I know these documents are real?" she asked quietly. "As easily as you can fake a marriage, these could be fake too."

Ben leaned back in his chair. "They're real," he said calmly. "But if you want, we can take it up to a higher authority. Everything can be done in front of you. No tricks."

Ella studied his face. He looked confident, unbothered. Something in his tone made her want to believe him. The thought of going through the stress of cross-checking everything made her sigh in exhaustion. She finally nodded.

"Okay. I'll sign it but I want to keep the original copy. You'll have a duplicate."

Ben gave a small approving nod. "Agreed."

The lawyer slid the papers toward them. Pens clicked open. The room went silent as their signatures touched the page one after another, binding them together in a deal that was more than paper. When they were done, Ben closed the file neatly.

"I'll come pick you up this weekend," he said. "We're going to visit my family."

Ella's heart skipped. She wasn't ready for that kind of pressure. "Sure," she said softly, even though her voice trembled a little.

When the weekend came, Ella wore her best dress; modest, elegant, though far from what the rich would consider stylish. The drive to his family's mansion was long, and the silence between them even longer. The moment they arrived, she felt the tension in the air.

The house was massive, grand, but cold. Every gaze that landed on her carried silent judgment. The servants whispered. The relatives smiled too tightly. Ben's father, a short man with a stern face, looked her up and down as if she were a stranger who'd stumbled into the wrong house.

Dinner was stiff. Silverware clinked against porcelain, but no one spoke kindly. Every word from the table felt like a hidden insult. Ella tried to keep her composure, though she whispered under her breath, "It seems rudeness is in the DNA of rich people."

Ben caught it but said nothing, only suppressing a small smirk.

By the end of the meal, his father cleared his throat. "The wedding will be held next week," he announced, leaving no room for argument. Ben nodded, Ella nodded. No one dared protest.

Three days later, the plan unfolded exactly as Ben intended; a quiet, fake court wedding witnessed only by him, Ella, and the lawyer. A few family members and friends were invited to keep up appearances. There were flowers, vows, and cameras, but none of it was real.

When it ended, and they stepped outside, Ella looked at him with a mixture of disbelief and relief. "So this is it?" she asked.

"Yes," Ben replied evenly. "Until the terms end."

She looked up at him, her eyes steady. "Don't make me regret this."

"None of us can afford that," he said.

From that day, Ella moved into his luxurious penthouse; a sprawling space of glass, marble, and silence. The domestic staff greeted her with courtesy, showing her around every room. Her own bedroom was larger than her entire apartment. The wardrobe was already stocked. The bathroom smelled of lavender and money.

For one fleeting night, she felt safe.

But by morning, Ben had turned cold again. The arrogance returned. His walls were back up, his words short and sharp. It was as if the man who once spoke to her softly had never existed.

And in that moment, Ella realized, though they were married on paper, she was stepping into a world where love had no place. Only survival.