Contract/fake marriage

                          ~JESSICA~

         The wedding was the Saturday of the same week.

Daniel was so fast about everything. It was as if he's scared I would change my mind.

It was a court wedding consisting of Daniel and his lawyer, me and my lawyer, and my stepsister, Grace, as a witness.

No flowers. No guests. No emotions.

The judge read the vows in a dull, rehearsed tone, and I signed the marriage certificate with hands that barely stopped trembling. 

Daniel, on the other hand, looked calm…too calm. Like a man who just closed a business deal.

Afterwards, we posed for some photos that the court clerk took. Daniel placed his hand lightly on my waist, and the moment the camera flashed, he pulled away.

"Congratulations, Mrs Sutherland" Grace said softly, pulling me into a hug.

 I could feel the hesitation in her voice, the unspoken questions in her eyes. But she didn’t ask any. She simply squeezed my hand and stepped aside.

I knew she was concerned about me and wanted to know if I was happy with the decision I just made.

Daniel turned to me. "We should go. The car is waiting."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

As we stepped outside the court, people started to take pictures of us.

I was shocked.

How did they know that we'll be getting married today at this particular court??

There were lots of murmurs and loud talking.

“Shit! I wasn't expecting this” I heard Daniel swear.

It's a good thing they weren't trying to get too close to us and were just busy taking pictures.

Why did the popular billionaire do a very quiet wedding??

This wasn't the kind of woman I was expecting him to marry??

She looks so plain.

What's with those glasses??

Who is she?? I don't think she's famous like Daniel Sutherland!

I thought the rich marries the rich??

And so many talks that I could barely hear. I was glad when we finally entered the car.

****

The car ride to his penthouse was silent. I stared out the window, watching buildings blur past, feeling like I was being carried away from the life I knew and dropped into a carefully built cage made of wealth, secrets, and a contract with my name on it.

When we arrived, he held the door open for me like a gentleman. I stepped into the marble-floored lobby, my heels echoing loudly with each hesitant step.

Inside the elevator, he finally spoke.

"I'll have your room prepared. We agreed not to share a room.”

“Yes” I supported.

"Then we go our separate ways inside the same walls. Like strangers” he said.

The elevator dinged, the doors sliding open to reveal a world of polished floors, pristine furniture, and silence.

The penthouse was breathtaking—floor-to-ceiling windows, soft ambient lighting, and a view of the city that most people would kill for. 

But all I felt was the weight of silence pressing against my chest.

Daniel walked ahead of me, not bothering to look back. “Your room is on the left. Everything you’ll need is in there. If something’s missing, let Elsa know.”

“Elsa?” I asked quietly.

“Housekeeper. She comes in the mornings. You won’t see much of her.”

So that was it. No welcoming warmth. No awkward but tender effort to make me feel at home. Just instructions. Like I was a guest—or worse, a stranger who happened to wear his ring.

I opened the door to my room and stepped inside. The room was beautiful, decorated in soft hues of ivory and gold, and yet I felt like I’d just walked into a hotel. Impersonal. Pristine. Lifeless.

I sank onto the edge of the bed, still in my simple white dress. I hadn’t even changed. 

My fingers brushed the fabric absentmindedly, and before I could stop myself, the tears came—hot, quiet, and full of everything I hadn’t allowed myself to feel.

This was never the dream. Not the wedding, not the marriage, not the man.

And yet I’d agreed.

I thought I could be strong. Thought I could wear the mask, play the role, and keep my heart locked away. But I hadn’t anticipated the emptiness.

A soft knock on the door broke the silence. I quickly wiped my face and stood up.

“Yes?”

Daniel pushed the door open slightly, not stepping inside. “Dinner will be ready in twenty minutes. You’re free to join me… or not.”

I met his gaze for a split second. There was something unreadable in his expression—something restrained, like a man holding back a thousand words.

“I’ll be there,” I said quietly.

He nodded once, then left.

As I stared at the closed door, a chill crept into my bones. This was going to be harder than I thought.

Because Daniel wasn’t just cold.

He was holding a lot of things back.

And I had a terrible feeling… that whatever it was would eventually destroy us both.

But I didn't care about that now. I cared about my new life.

My new life as Mrs. Daniel Sutherland had begun.

And it didn’t feel anything like love.

Instead it felt like I was bound to a billionaire.

God help me!!!