THREE

I.V

Chapter Three: Contract Marriage

POV: Adrian

She was not Claire Bennett. I knew it the moment she walked into the restaurant. Her demeanor gave her away. Unlike the rich and spoiled heiresses I had met before, this woman carried herself with a simpler air. She looked nothing like the polished photos and reports I had reviewed about the real Claire Bennett. Still, I decided to play along.

 I wanted to see exactly how far she would take this pretense.

"Here is the contract marriage deal," I said. I pushed the agreement file across the table toward her. "Go through it and let me know if there is any clause you want added. But none can alter my already written words."

I watched her expression shift from calm to pure confusion in a single moment. It almost amused me. Did she not understand what she had stepped into tonight?

"Aren't you Claire Bennett?" I asked. I gave her an opening to back out if she chose. "I understand this might feel like a rush. As I said, I also don't want to go through with this. But we both have responsibilities. I am making it simple by offering this contract. All you need to do is act as my wife in public."

She still looked lost.

"Yes, I am Claire," she answered quickly. "But is this not too fast? Do you not want to get to know me before any marriage deal is made?"

"I have read enough about you already," I replied in a calm tone. "There is no need for that. Besides, the marriage will not be real. It is only temporary."

I observed her closely as she processed my words. Her face moved from confusion to panic and then to something like anger. I couldn't help the small smirk that tugged at my lips. This was more entertaining than I had expected.

She muttered something under her breath. I caught fragments of it. "Damn you, Claire. How am I supposed to get out of this? Should I just tell him I am not the real Claire? No. What if he has me arrested for impersonating someone? Oh my God. Adrian Cole is not someone I can mess with. If you can save me from this, Lord, I promise I will not stand in for Claire anymore."

Her words confirmed what I already suspected. She was an imposter. Yet I kept my expression neutral. I wanted to see how she would handle the pressure.

"I have other matters to attend to, Miss Claire," I said. I pulled out my business card and placed it on the table. "Reach me on this number once you are ready to proceed with the certificate. You can also suggest additions to the contract if needed." I stood up to leave. 

I motioned toward the entrance and walked away without looking back. Let her sit with the documents and her thoughts for a while.

****

POV: Sarah

I remained seated at the table. The agreement file now felt heavy in my hands. All the life seemed drained from my body. I stared at the papers but the words blurred together. 

This was supposed to be a simple blind date. Show up, reject the man politely, and leave with the money Claire had paid me. How had it turned into a marriage contract?

A voice pulled me out of my daze. "Hello, Miss Claire. I am Stanley, Mr. Adrian's personal assistant. He asked me to take you home safely since he had an emergency."

I lifted my head. The man stood there in a neat suit with dark sunglasses. He looked professional and calm. I nodded without much energy and pushed myself up from the chair. 

My legs felt weak as I followed him closely. I moved like a zombie under someone else's control.

Inside the luxurious Maybach car, the soft leather seats and quiet engine barely registered. Stanley's voice brought me back to reality once more.

"Where to, Miss Claire?"

I gave him the name of my apartment building without thinking. I didn't notice the brief confused look that crossed his face. The car pulled smoothly into the busy evening traffic. 

Lights from the city streets flashed past the windows. My mind stayed stuck on Adrian Cole and that thick folder he had left behind.

The contract terms still echoed in my head. Public wife. Temporary. No real marriage. It sounded like a business deal dressed up in fancy words. But why would a man like him need a fake wife? And why had he chosen someone he thought was Claire Bennett?

My phone buzzed with a notification. I looked down. It was a text from Claire.

"Hey girl, how did it go? I am sure you totally ruined the date. You don't know how grateful I am to you. Hurry back home. I am waiting at your apartment."

I read the message twice. Ruined the date? If only she knew. Instead of rejection and goodbye, I now held a marriage contract in my bag. My hands shook slightly as I typed a short reply. "We need to talk. Now."

The car continued through the buzzing streets. Horns and city noise felt distant. I leaned my head against the cool window and closed my eyes for a moment. The weight of the thousand dollars in my account no longer felt like a blessing. It felt like the start of a problem I couldn't easily escape.

Adrian Cole had not seemed angry or suspicious on the surface. But something in his sharp eyes told me he knew more than he let on. What would happen if I told him the truth? Would he really have me arrested? Or worse, would he demand the money back from Claire?

The Maybach slowed as we approached my neighborhood. The contrast hit me hard. Tall glass buildings and luxury gave way to familiar cracked sidewalks and modest apartment blocks. Stanley stopped the car in front of my building. He stepped out and opened the door for me with polite efficiency.

"Thank you," I mumbled. I stepped onto the pavement in Claire's red dress and heels. The outfit felt ridiculous here.