A House Of Cards ~ The Marriage Gamble

It hadn’t started at the club.Not really.Ava Parks felt controlled by everyone—her parents, her fiancé, and even his parents, for heaven's sake. But the real fight was inside her: she wanted control of her own life, and she was going to do things her way, because the wedding had become another way to keep her trapped. It didn’t help that, deep down, her heart kept pulling her toward someone else entirely—someone she could never admit to wanting.The unraveling began two days earlier, but it all fell apart at her wedding rehearsal the last night before the big day—a scene meant for laughter, flowers, and the gentle chaos of family. But Ava could barely play her part, moving through the motions with a practiced smile and a heart pounding with a dread she couldn’t name aloud.The white aisle runner, the candlelight, the murmurs of relatives and friends: all of it felt like a set for someone else’s story.She kept glancing at Justin, her soon-to-be husband, the man her parents had chose

DeMarco woke with a pounding headache, his mouth dry and the sunlight stabbing through his eyelids. As he lay there, his mind raced through the fog—what had he done last night? Flashes of laughter, swirling lights, and the clink of glasses came to him in fragments. He remembered running through city streets, a blur of joy and recklessness.But as DeMarco shifted, he felt the undeniable presence of someone beside him in the bed. Slowly, a name began to surface through the haze: Ava Park. Did he and Ava really get married last night? The thought sent a jolt of panic and disbelief through him. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to remember the ceremony—a chapel, a wild promise, rings exchanged while giggling in their drunken state. It all felt surreal, like snippets from some movie he’d watched rather than lived. He turned to look, heart pounding, and there she was—Ava, her hair spilled across the pillow, her breathing slow and even. For a moment, he just watched her, trying to convince

A heavy silence blanketed the living room, only broken by the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hall. Ava sat rigid on the edge of the brocade settee, her mother’s hand at her back—gentle, but firm as a shackle. Across the room, her father’s face was a mask of disappointment and wounded pride. Justin stood near the fireplace, his posture ramrod straight, eyes fixed on a spot above her head as if he could will himself somewhere else.No one spoke. No one dared.Ava’s heart thudded in her chest, each beat loud enough, she thought, for everyone to hear. She drew in a shaky breath, but it did nothing to steady her.Finally, Justin moved. He crossed the room in two long strides and stopped in front of her. His blonde hair fell over his brow, and there was a tremor in the hand he ran through it. “Ava,” he said, voice low, “I need you to look at me.”She lifted her eyes, barely able to meet his. His jaw was set, lips pressed so tightly together she knew he was holding back a thousand

The next morning:The lawyer's office was in a quaint area of the city. The taxi lets DeMarco out in front of the building. When he went inside, he was offered a seat. Then, minutes later, Ava walks in."Good morning." "Good morning." She said, taking a seat. DeMarco had to admit the memory of their time spent together, though short, was terrific! She was everything a man could want in a woman. She was intelligent, sensitive, affectionate, witty, spontaneous, and passionate with a capital P. It was hard for DeMarco to think about anything else while his gaze took in everything about her. She was too good-looking for her own good, not to mention his. Everything about her was a total turn on, especially her walk."That's how I got in this situation in the first place," DeMarco mumbled under his breath. "Did you say something to me?""Uhm... no, I didn't say anything." At 30 years old, he has literally managed to avoid commitments, and it was as if he was stung by something that pen

DeMarco let Ava calm down; they were on the road in silenceAva said, "Okay, I have rules." She said in a firm tone."Let's hear them. I'm all ears." He said, in that cool manner he always spoke to her in. "Since we got married so quickly, we don't know if this will work. I'm willing to give it time, as the lawyer suggested. But I will be your wife in name only. That means no intimacy at all, or until I feel comfortable with you.""No holding hands either? DeMarco asked, looking a tad concerned.Ava sighed. "Okay, we can hold hands in public for aesthetics.""Since sex is off the table, could there be any more rules after that?" He asked, chuckling."How many bedrooms does this house have?" "Four bedrooms, I have a reasonable suggestion. I think we should court, then we can share a bedroom a little later after going on a few dates.""Is that how you do with other women? Take them on a few dates or maybe just a weekend, and sleep with them, and then you go your separate ways?""Look,