Chapter 9:- The Ride

Kate's POV

I looked up at him. “Why… why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

He shrugged. “I thought you’d want to see it for yourself.”

My chest was burning. “And you’re okay with this? With them calling you—”

“A cripple?” he cut in, voice flat.

I shut my mouth.

He reached for his tea again. “I’ve been called worse.”

I dropped the phone face down on the table.

I didn’t know what was worse, being dragged through the mud by strangers or getting married to a man whose family is filled with murderers.

I dropped my fork and leaned back in my chair, letting out a tired sigh. “It’s not even been twenty-four hours, Calvin,” I said quietly. “And yet, it feels like I’ve faced a thousand problems.”

He looked at me, expression unreadable. “If it’s any comfort,” he said, wiping his mouth with his napkin, “you’re the first wife I’ve had that the press actually found interesting.”

I stared at him. “How exactly is that supposed to be comforting?”

He gave a half-shrug. “I mean, if I were you, I’d rather be dragged by the press than feel the full heat of my family’s hatred.”

I scoffed. “Lucky me. I’m feeling both.”

He paused, his gaze settling on me. I don’t know what came over me then, maybe the pain, the pressure, or just the fact that every word from his mouth felt like a jab to my ribs, but I didn’t hold back.

“To be honest,” I said, watching him closely, “I only married you because of my father.”

I meant it to sting.

His lips curved into a smile, slow and unbothered. “That’s fine,” he said calmly. “I’m not your enemy, Kate. Whatever anger or bitterness you feel, you might want to direct that at the man who pushed you into this marriage.”

His words hit their mark, and I hated that they did. Without saying anything more, he called out for the male servants. They appeared almost instantly and moved to help him from the chair back into his wheelchair.

He straightened his suit jacket, then turned to me. “I’ll be in the car, waiting for you,” he said. “Try not to take too long with your food. We don’t have time on our side.”

Then he wheeled himself out of the dining room, the quiet hum of the chair fading into the hallway.

I sat there, staring at the untouched food on my plate. I picked up a piece of toast and chewed slowly, but it felt like I was swallowing sand.

Something was eating at me from the inside.

I hadn’t even had the time to heal from Alexander’s betrayal, hadn’t fully understood how it all crashed so fast. And here I was, thrown into another storm.

The worst part?

I didn’t love Calvin the way I had once loved Alexander. Not even close.

But still… I wished he was a little nicer.

Just enough to make this pain feel less like a punishment.

Without wasting more time, I pushed my plate away and stood up. My appetite was gone anyway.

Outside, a few men in suits were already waiting near the carport. One of them stepped forward and pulled open the back door of a black Range Rover.

Calvin was already inside, seated calmly like he wasn’t dragging me into the belly of something dark and dangerous.

I climbed in beside him, shutting the door behind me.

“Hope you enjoyed the meal,” he said casually, not even looking at me.

I crossed my legs. “The food is the only good thing about your house.”

He turned slightly and placed his hand gently over mine. I jerked it away. “Don’t touch me.”

He chuckled. That same slow, irritating, amused chuckle that made my blood boil.

“Suit yourself,” he said. Then his tone shifted, quieter, heavier. “But for your own good, don’t think the fire stops at my house.”

I looked at him, brows furrowed.

He faced forward. “Where we’re going, every person in the room either wants me dead… or works for someone who does. And now that you’re my wife, you’re no longer invisible. They’ll see you as a threat.”

I didn’t speak, but I felt my fingers tighten around my clutch.

“So,” he continued, voice low but firm, “you’d better start seeing me as a partner. Because trying to survive in my world alone… is the fastest way to die in it.”

The ride was quiet, tense. I stared out the window, trying to calm the storm inside me. When we finally pulled up in front of a tall glass building that screamed power and secrets, I felt my chest tighten.

Two men opened our doors. Calvin wheeled himself out first, and I followed, adjusting my dress and summoning every ounce of confidence I had left.

The inside was even more intimidating—marble floors, mirrored walls, and security that looked like they belonged in a military base. Everyone we passed greeted Calvin with stiff nods and wary glances, but no one spoke to me.

We entered the conference room. It was wide, cold, and full of people already seated.

And then I saw her.

I froze.

There, across the table, in a cream-colored suit with her signature red lipstick, was her, the woman Alexander had been kissing in the video. His first love. The one who ruined everything.

She glanced up… and our eyes locked.

Recognition flickered in hers, followed by a sly smile. Like she knew exactly what she was doing here. Like this was her world, and I didn’t belong.

My stomach twisted.

What the hell is she doing here?