Chapter 04~ The Contract

ALVINA

It’s been three days since I started living under the same roof with a man I barely know. Three long days of waiting, hoping to hear some news about my sudden disappearance, but the silence only told me one thing: my parents weren’t looking for me. Maybe they were even relieved.

I kept trying to convince myself that this was all a mistake, that any moment he’d walk in, smile, and tell me everything that happened was just a joke. But each passing day proved me wrong.

Ethan was... cold. Too cold to be around with. He moved around the house like I didn’t exist, like I was just some ghost taking up space in his perfect world. He never spoke to me, never looked my way unless absolutely necessary. And when he did, it was with the kind of expression that made me feel twice intimidated than I already was.

His mansion was as beautiful as it was suffocating. Everything looked perfect, yet, somehow, it all felt lifeless. Whenever I remember I'd be spending the rest of my life here, I couldn't help but wish for death to wrap me in its arms.

I spent most of my time in the room they gave me. At first, I thought maybe I could just leave, sneak out and disappear again. But the first night I discovered the door was locked, I knew whoever this man was, he wasn't as simple as he looked.

And for some reasons I wish I knew, I silently thanked the heavens for not giving poor Vivienne to a man like this.

I was growing tired of the awkward silence, and the cold attitude he was displaying to me. It took every confidence in me to approach him. I knew I was making a big mistake the second the idea popped into my head. What can I do?

He raised his gaze at me then returned it to the stack of papers before him. "I don't remember requesting to see you."

"I don't care if you did or not!" I snapped. "Why would you bring me here if you wouldn't want to talk to me?" He paused, but didn't spare me a glance. "I have a family who are probably out there, looking for me. And you can't just keep me here like I'm some kind of slave."

"Family... you say?" He raised an eyebrow, and scoffed. "If you really had people who cared so much of your whereabouts, you'd have been on the media a long time ago. But I guess even your so-called family are very much happy to know you're nowhere to be found."

"That's not true!" I said, even though I know too well my parents would never in their entire live, risk their lives to save mine. "My parents wouldn't breathe a second without me. They're probably doing something, and when they figure out it's you holding me..." I feigned boldness. "I'm pretty sure you'll be somewhere in the dungeon."

He laughed, not so hard, but enough to mock me. "I see. Such a loving parent." He tilted his head. "Well, I didn't see such loving act when those dudes were after your life. Let me guess, they did send them to hunt you, so they could have you out of their lives."

My blood was burning, I wanted every chance to wrap my hands around his neck, strangling that precious life out of him. However, I hid it with a smile.

"Look, Mr. I don't know whatever your reasons were for breaking up with your wife, but that doesn't mean you should make me a prey to your nonsense."

He looked me up and down, like I was stupid the very moment I spat those words. He said nothing, returning his gaze back on the stack of papers.

"Hey," I yelled. "I'm talking to you!"

"I'm sorry, were you saying something?" He frowned. "Because the last time I heard you talk was three nights ago."

His words hit me like a slap.

I tried to calm my nerves down, assuring myself this was one of his tactics of getting me annoyed.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, trying not to speak too much.

"Isn't it obvious already?" he said darkly, those cold eyes meeting mine once again. "I don't want any damn thing about you. I don't even want to see your face. I just want you somewhere in the corner, living your best life like we never even met."

I laughed a humourless laugh. "You're joking, right? You expect me to live my best life under your roof like nothing happened?" I held back the tears, already feeling more like a worthless prisoner than the woman I was. "What do you even take me for? Some kind of rag you could grab and toss away?"

"Well... I guess that's exactly how it is."

"If you take me as a worthless person, why then did you bring me here?!" I yelled. "Why?"

He stood up, stepping away from his desk and walking towards me. I didn't move, I just stood there, staring at him while tears streamed down my eyes.

"You dare ask me why, Miss Frost?" He growled, his voice sending shivers done my spine. He leaned closer, so our faces were barely an inch apart. "Do you have the slightest idea how much your presence means to me? You really think I'd just let you walk away like it was the easiest thing to do?"

I looked away from his gaze, unable to stare at those eyes that sent terror to every part of my body. His finger touched my chin, raising my face that my gaze met his once again.

"If only you know how much important you mean to me, you wouldn't have thought walking into my wedding was the biggest mistake."

He let go, walking towards his desk. He brought something out from his drawer, sealed in a big brown envelope. He tore the top of the envelope, pulling out a cream coloured paper that almost looked like an expensive certificate.

He took the hardcopy, and walked back to my side. "If you want to save your life, then this is your only option." He handed the hardcopy to me.

I took the hardcopy from him, my eyes flying open the second I saw the main context. Indeed, it was a certificate. Only that this one was a marriage certificate.

"Y-you want... me to marry you?" I stuttered, shaking my head. "No. Is this some kind of a joke?"

“Everyone already believes you’re mine. They all think I replaced my bride with my lover. So, the only way to fix this mess is to make it look real.”

I shook my head, refusing to fall for his trap. "You created the mess yourself, so fix it. As for this," I pointed at the certificate. "I am not leaving my signature on it."

He was staring at me, so deep like he was searching my soul. His silence felt twice terrifying, until I could hear nothing but the pounding of my heart.

I forced myself to believe all this. His words, and the fact that he really wanted me to do this with him.

"Marry me. Be my wife for six months. No love, no strings attached, no intimacy. This is just a contract. After that, we go our separate ways, and you can return to whatever life you want.”

"Why would I even do that?" I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

He leaned to my side, so close I could feel his breath against the skin of my ear. "Because you don't have a choice, Kitten."