0 •• Prologue

|My Marriage Is A Contract: Craving The Girl He Always Wanted|

°Prologue°

•JENNY DARLINGTON•

"And the court hereby declares that Jenny Darlington can have custody of the child but Stanley Darlington is given the privilege of seeing his kid twice a week." The judge declared.

Happiness bloomed in my chest as I heard this and I could not help but cut a glance at Stan who had his fist clenched and his eyes hardened on me already.

Nice one I got him there.

I smiled at him and blinked innocently. He thought he had the upper hand but I beat him to it.

He wanted to claim custody of our kid and he could have succeeded if I had not been smart.

I turned around and walked out with my three-year-old kid, Johnny who did not understand what just happened. 

Jason was standing close to his car with a smile that told me he knew that I had won the case. I gave him an appreciative smile and he waved it off.

I felt Stan's presence behind me and I stopped. 

"Just because you won the case with your... Husband does not mean that you won. I will have my kid with me rather than with another man." He gritted out.

Jason walked towards me and held me by my waist. My throat squeezed at the way he was protective of me.

No, I cannot let my heart go there. Not now.

"You don't have to worry about it, Stanley. I will definitely take care of your wife and your kid most especially." He told him, his voice was calm and collected. 

Stanley watched what he did with hooded eyes and arched his brow. "I don't know what sort of prank the both of you were able to pull off in the matter of these few months but I am going to prove that you are not capable of having the kid to yourself." He said again, this time sounding like he would not give up. But he was already fighting a losing battle.

"I will love to see you try. Jenny and I are happily married. Is it bad that you found love before you divorced and she found love after you divorced? Oh, c'mon Stanley. You lost already so fuck off." Jason told him too nicely.

I smiled at Stanley. "You can try to prove it but I will keep showing you that I can," I said and was about to walk away.

"The both of you don't love each other. That ring..."

"Is not yours." Jason cut in this time and turned fully to him.

He had promised me that he wouldn't speak to him but it seemed like he was pushing Jason's buttons.

Jason's face hardened as he glared at Stanley. "You lost her. You lost a strong woman like her. You lost the first kid you ever had in this life of yours. You lost everything and I will advise you to keep away from them if you don't want to lose 'everything'." He warned him. 

I slowly placed my hand on his, calming him. His fingers twitched and he swallowed hard.

Stanley snorted. "What can you do? You look like a man who is trying to get three square meals with hardship. And besides, Jenny here deserves to be loved but not by a pauper like you. I have the inkling that you will never love her and she will never love you. She is the clingy type and you won't do long before you are fed up with her."

Really?

My heart broke at the demeaning words he said. I will not show him how affected I was.

"Is she? Funny part is that that happened to be my type of woman too." Jason stepped closer to him. He let out a deep breath. "You think she will come back to a cheat like you? You never deserved her and never will." 

Stanley's nose flared in anger. "I don't care. But none of us will..."

"Stop. What you are going to do now is you will leave here and you will stay away from her. You won't come anywhere close to her and her kid, do you understand?" He said.

Stanley jutted his chin up and said. "You don't get to dictate anything when it comes to my family."

"The family you lost you mean. Why do we keep going in circles? When it comes to my wife, I certainly get to. And as for your kid, you are only allowed two days to see him. She will make sure to drop him off at your place. Don't get any ideas in your head. They are both mine. Will always be." He said, pulling me closer.

I could not help the shudder that ran down my spine at the way he said those words with possession. He slid his gaze to me and I noticed something like impatience and something I dared not comprehend. Not now. Not ever.

"You will regret this," Stanley told me and I raised my chin.

"The only thing I regret is ever giving my heart to you," I said icily. 

Jason looked at me with worry. "Should we go?" He asked and I nodded at him.

I took Johnny by hand and led him to the car. Just as we entered fully and the door was shut. 

I let out a deep breath of relief and tears that I have been trying to fight back spilled out.

Jason glanced at me and ignited the car's engine.

"You have to be strong." He said with a straight face.

He was right. I have to be strong. For myself and my kid.

I blinked back the rest of the tears and relaxed against the seat.

But what Jason said in response to Stanley's gibberish kept ringing in my head. Jason does not love me yet he acted that out well without any flaws. He wanted this marriage for an obvious reason but he... I should not think like that. 

Jenny, don't get your heart up. It is not worth it.

You both just need to pretend and it will be over soon. I stared out of the car's window.

He doesn't love me... Right?