The Marriage Contract

The elevator stopped and I stepped out of it quietly, everything in the environment felt so cold, the lights were also too bright. 

There was no warmth in this place, there were no smiles, no laughter, there was only silence and him, Lucien Stone.

He stood alone, right in front of the tall glass window and he didn't move.

He did not turn when I walked in, but he knew it was me, he always did.

“Shut the door,” he said in a quiet and calm voice but I felt it pierced through my heart and I then pushed the door shut gently. 

I swallowed so hard and took a step forward, my hands shook, so I held my purse firmly and I tried to keep them still.

Lucien finally turned around, I stopped breathing for some seconds.

He looked… different. He was taller than I remembered and he looked more sharp and strong.

His broad shoulders, his straight back, his sharp jaw… everything about him felt like steel. It was cold and unbreakable.

His face hadn’t changed.

Those cold gray eyes. That mouth that once used to smile when he looked at me. 

Now, his lips were pressed in a thin, hard line. There was no emotion or softness.

“You are late,” he said.

I opened my mouth, but words refused to come out immediately.

“I had to check on—”

I stopped.

My heart rang harder.

Lucien tilted his head slightly and his eyes narrowed. “On what?”

I shook my head quickly. “Nothing. There was traffic.”

He didn’t believe me, I could tell from his eyes, but he did not ask again.

He walked to his desk with some slow, and quiet steps.

The desk was so wide and dark and everything on it was neat and cold, everything was just like him. 

He opened a drawer and pulled out a black folder and placed it on the desk in front of me and his fingers tapped once on the top of it.

“That’s the contract,” he said. But I did not move, I couldn't.

My legs were heavy and my hands were still shaking hard. My throat was tight andI forced myself to walk closer.

With just a few steps, I stopped at the edge of the desk and stared at the folder like it was something dangerous.

Lucien’s eyes stayed on my face.

“Do you want the money or not?”

His voice was sharp now, like he had done being patient.

I swallowed hard. “How much?”

“Five million dollars,” he said. “One million now and the rest after one year of marriage.”

My knees almost crippled hearing that.

I held the back of the chair in front of me and I instantly felt dizzy. 

It was more money than I had ever seen in my whole life. It was even more than I ever thought I would need, but I needed it.

Just for him and for Jace.

Lucien sat down across from me and he looked completely calm. It was like this was nothing. 

It was like offering five million dollars for a fake marriage was just another business deal to him.

He steepled his fingers in front of him. 

“The conditions are simple. You will live here with me. You will play the role of my wife in public and in private, you will keep to yourself. No touching, no feelings and no lies.”

My stomach twisted. No lies? 

But I was already lying just by standing here.

I looked down at the folder again and I didn't open it. My fingers were frozen.

He spoke again, and his voice was low. “Still afraid of me, Elena?”

I looked up and his eyes were hard, but his voice was almost soft now. Almost.

“No,” I whispered. “I am just thinking.”

He raised one of his eyebrows. “Thinking about what? The man you left me for?”

My eyes shot up to his.

“There was no one else,” I said quickly.

He let out a dry, bitter laugh. It was short and cold.

“Don’t lie to me,” he said. “You disappeared. There was no goodbye, no explanation. I heard you married someone rich.”

“That is not true,” I said and my voice was tight.

“Then why are you here now?” he asked. “For five million dollars?”

I felt heat rushed to my cheeks and I couldn’t look him in the eye.

Because my son was dying, because I have no one else, and because the surgery cost more than I had, and time was running out.

But I couldn’t say that and I couldn’t tell him about Jace. Not yet.

Lucien leaned forward and his eyes locked with mine. “You want to be my wife, Elena? Then sign it. Right now.”

He pushes the pen toward me.

I stared at the folder for a few minutes and slowly, I started opening it. Inside, there was a stack of papers and the words blurred together and I quickly flipped to the last page.

My name was printed at the bottom already, Elena Rivera.

The pen was heavy in my hand.

I picture Jace’s small face and his eyes, so much like Lucien’s. The way he smiled, even when he was tired. The way he whispered, “Mommy, is my heart going to stop?” just last week.

Tears stung my eyes and I signed.

The pen stretched softly across the page and the black ink spread over the white paper, it was done.

Lucien took the folder without a word and he closed it, stood, and straightened his jacket.

“Good,” he said. “We’re getting married in two days. My lawyer will handle everything.”

“Two days?” I asked, surprised.

He walked past me, but stopped when he was right beside me and his shoulder brushed mine and his face came close to mine. I felt the warmth of his breath on my cheek.

“You will regret walking away from me five years ago,” he whispered and then he walked out.

Just like that.

I stood there alone, and I held the pen firmly, the room became more cold now and my heart rang so loud that I couldn't hear anything else.

Lucien didn't know anything, not yet.

And I really

didn’t know how long I could keep the truth hidden.

But I have to.

For Jace.

For my son.

For the one secret that could ruin everything.