📕My CEO Wife Paid Me To Marry Her, But We Fell In Love For Real!

Описание: Jack Sullivan, a struggling executive assistant burdened by his mother's medical debt, finds his three-year contract with the formidable, ice-cold CEO Victoria Sterling ending. Instead of termination, Victoria offers him a new 'lifelong marital agreement,' providing his ailing mother with unparalleled medical care and an annual 'household fund' in exchange for him serving as her 'husband'—a shield against family pressures and relentless suitors like Preston Vance. Jack, driven by desperation, accepts, entering a meticulously transactional, emotionally barren life as a 'kept man' in Victoria's opulent mansion.

Their distant dynamic begins to shift after Jack witnesses Victoria's vulnerability during a nightmare, sparking his empathy. He starts quietly caring for her, cooking and leaving small gestures, which she subtly begins to accept. This fragile bond is tested repeatedly by Preston Vance, who attempts to discredit Jack and expose their sham marriage. However, Victoria's surprising public defenses of Jack, and Jack's later discovery that she chose him not for his efficiency but for his perceived unwavering loyalty, begin to transform his perception of her from a mere 'employer' to a complex, perhaps lonely, woman.

Their relationship deepens through shared "dates" meant to uphold the facade, where Jack glimpses her sensitive side and private pain. Driven by a newfound curiosity, Jack uncovers a hidden truth: Victoria had chosen him three years prior as a "shield" to protect Sterling Enterprises from a hostile family takeover, needing someone trustworthy and dedicated to stand by her. He realizes their initial contract was a mutual rescue.

A visit to Switzerland to see Jack's recovering mother further cements their emotional connection, with Victoria admitting her own desperate need for him. Just as their bond transforms into genuine affection, Preston Vance delivers a final, venomous blow: a manipulated video implying Jack is only after money, shattering Victoria's fragile trust and leading her to cast him out.

Homeless and blacklisted by Preston, Jack struggles but refuses to crawl back. Victoria, still trusting him despite her pain, secretly provides him with incriminating evidence against Preston. Jack, understanding her silent plea and newfound trust, uses the information to bring down Preston's empire, saving Sterling Enterprises.

He returns to The Pinnacle, where Victoria, vulnerable and exhausted, presents him with a new "Constructive Framework" for their future—a quirky, business-like yet deeply personal proposal for a real marriage, addressing both financial and familial responsibilities. They reconcile, sharing their hidden pain and vulnerabilities, and building a genuine, loving connection.

The story concludes with Jack leading Victoria back to City Hall. On the spot where their transactional journey began, he proposes to her "his way," without contracts, just "us," sealing their transformed relationship with a heartfelt kiss, signifying a lifelong promise born from necessity but forged in love.
#manhwa #novel #romantic