Chapter 1

As a broke nobody, I never thought the school beauty would ever ask me out.

"Ryan, I'm pregnant."

Sophie Sterling, the most popular girl on campus slid a report across the table to me.

I nearly dropped my coffee, and I was about to lose it and curse her out.

"Be the father of my child, and you'll get 1.5 million dollars."

Sophie spoke again.

I rubbed my chin.

"You know, I've always been a virgin. If you want me to do this it's gonna cost you extra."

*****

Sophie's manicured nails tapped impatiently on the table.

She bit her lip and said, "2 million dollars. That's all you're getting.

"If you don't want it, there are plenty of guys who will."

I pretended to think it over, but inside, I was already over the moon.

2 million dollars. How many years would it take me to earn that?

Playing stepdad and getting hitched again? Piece of cake.

Everyone knew Sophie's family was the richest in Brighton.

And a lot of people knew about her first love, Charles Rivers.

It was likely that the baby she was carrying belonged to him.

Just to cover my bases, I asked, "What's the length of the contract? And when do I get the rest of the cash?"

Sophie looked a little annoyed. She figured I'd ask a bunch of questions, maybe even who the real father was.

But she didn't expect me to go straight to talking cash and when I'd get paid.

But honestly, that's the main reason she came to me.

No dating history, broke as hell, spotless record, and my family's been farming for generations. My background could handle any digging.

Sophie kept a straight face as she pulled out a contract she'd already prepared and set it down in front of me.

She said, "Three years. Once the kid starts kindergarten, you get your money and walk. 1 million dollars as a down payment, and the rest when the contract's up."

I gave the contract a quick once-over and pulled out my pen.

"No problem," I said.

Sophie looked surprised.

"You're not even gonna read it?" she asked.

I grinned. "Come on, it's simple. You need a dad for the kid, I need the money. Win-win, right?"

But Sophie still went over the key points.

"First, this is just a contract marriage. You can't touch me.

"Second, you have to act like a real husband and go to events with me.

"Third..."

I cut her off.

"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill. As soon as your Mr. Perfect comes back, I'm gone," I said with a smirk.

Then I scrawled my name across the contract without a second thought.

Then I pulled out my beat-up old bank card from my backpack and handed it over with a cheeky grin.

"Dear wife, show me the money!" I said.

Sophie hesitated for a moment before taking the card, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Don't you feel a little wronged? Raising someone else's kid and not even trying to bargain for more?" she asked.

I just shook my head with a smirk, totally unfazed.

Wronged? Please, I was the one cashing in here.

2 million dollars for three years? I'd be laughing all the way to the bank, even in my dreams.

While everyone else was hustling for jobs and getting doors slammed in their faces, I would be chilling in my own luxury penthouse downtown.

When I saw the money hit my account, I put my phone down and started counting the zeros.

Zero, one, two, three all the way up to a million.

Once I saw the money was really there, I was grinning from ear to ear.

"Not at all, boss lady. Just say the word, and I'm there," I said.