CHAPTER 3-THE WEDDING

I woke up the next morning with one thought running through my mind.

I was getting married.

Not to Daniel.

Not to a man I had spent years loving.

To Adrian Blackwood.

A stranger.

A billionaire.

My future husband for the next six months.

I stared at the ceiling for several minutes, wondering how my life had changed so quickly. Two days ago, I had believed I knew exactly where my life was going. I had a boyfriend, a modest job, and a plan to build a future with the man I loved.

Now Daniel was gone, my family's home was in danger, and I was preparing to marry a man whose eyes made me nervous for reasons I didn't understand.

My phone rang.

It was my mother.

"Are you awake?"

"Unfortunately."

She sighed.

"Elena."

"I know. I'm getting married today."

There was a long silence.

"I still think you're making a mistake."

"I might be."

"Then why are you doing it?"

I sat up and looked at the small suitcase beside my bed. There wasn't much inside it. A few dresses, shoes, some personal things, and everything I owned that could fit into one bag.

"Because I can't watch you lose the house."

My mother's voice softened.

"The house is not more important than you."

"It isn't just a house, Mom. It's the only thing Dad left us."

Another silence followed.

My father had been gone for three years, but his absence still lived inside that house. Every room carried memories of him. The garden he had planted. The old wooden chair where he used to sit every Sunday morning. The marks on the kitchen wall from when I was a child.

Losing it would feel like losing the last piece of him.

My mother finally spoke.

"Just promise me something."

"What?"

"If Adrian ever makes you feel trapped, you walk away."

I swallowed.

"I promise."

"And Elena?"

"Yes?"

"Don't let a contract convince you that you don't deserve real love."

Her words stayed with me long after the call ended.

By ten in the morning, a black car was waiting outside my apartment.

The driver stepped out and opened the back door.

"Miss Moore?"

"Yes."

"Mr. Blackwood sent me."

Of course he did.

I climbed inside.

As the car moved through the city, I watched buildings pass by the window and tried to imagine what my life would look like after today.

I wasn't ready.

But I wasn't turning back.

When we arrived at the courthouse, Adrian was already there.

He stood beside the entrance in a perfectly tailored black suit, speaking to a man who looked like one of his lawyers.

Then he saw me.

His conversation stopped.

His eyes moved slowly over me.

I had chosen a simple cream-colored dress. Nothing extravagant. I hadn't wanted a wedding dress because this wasn't a real wedding.

At least, that was what I kept telling myself.

Adrian dismissed the lawyer with a quiet gesture and walked toward me.

"You came."

I gave him a look.

"You told me to be here."

"I know."

"Then why do you sound surprised?"

His lips almost curved.

"I wanted to see whether you'd change your mind."

"I considered it."

His expression became serious.

"And?"

"I remembered the bank."

That earned the faintest smile.

"Good."

I frowned.

"That's not exactly romantic."

"We agreed this wasn't romantic."

I looked away.

For some reason, hearing him say that irritated me.

A few minutes later, we entered the courthouse.

Everything happened quickly.

Names were confirmed.

Documents were checked.

Questions were asked.

Then the official looked at us.

"Do you both understand the legal commitment you're entering?"

I glanced at Adrian.

He was watching me.

For one brief second, I wondered whether he had doubts too.

Then he nodded.

"Yes."

The official turned to me.

"And you?"

My heart pounded.

I thought about my mother.

The house.

My father's memory.

The debt.

Then I looked at Adrian again.

"Yes."

The ceremony was simple.

There were no flowers.

No music.

No guests.

No family.

Just two strangers standing in front of an official, promising something neither of us intended to make permanent.

When it was time for the rings, Adrian reached into his pocket.

He took out a small black box and opened it.

Inside was a beautiful diamond ring.

I stared at it.

"This wasn't in the contract."

"I know."

"Then why do you have it?"

"Because people will expect you to wear one."

He took the ring from the box.

I held out my hand.

His fingers touched mine.

The contact was brief, but I felt it all the way up my arm.

I immediately pulled my hand back slightly.

Adrian noticed.

His eyes met mine.

"Are you nervous?"

"No."

"You are."

"I just don't like strangers touching me."

His gaze remained on mine.

"I'm not a stranger anymore."

My heart skipped.

I hated that sentence.

I hated even more that I liked the way he said it.

He took my hand again and slowly slid the ring onto my finger.

It fit perfectly.

I stared at it.

"How did you know my size?"

"I didn't."

I looked at him suspiciously.

"Then how does it fit?"

"Luck."

I didn't believe him.

But before I could question him, the official completed the ceremony.

"Congratulations. You are now legally married."

Married.

The word echoed inside my head.

I turned toward Adrian.

He looked calm.

Almost too calm.

Then he extended his hand.

"Mrs. Blackwood."

I stared at it.

"That's going to take some getting used to."

"Probably."

I placed my hand in his.

He held it firmly as we walked out of the courthouse.

The moment the doors opened, cameras flashed.

I stopped.

"What the—"

Adrian stepped closer to me.

"Don't look at them."

"Who are they?"

"Reporters."

"You said there wouldn't be anyone here."

"There weren't supposed to be."

More cameras flashed.

Questions were shouted from every direction.

"Mr. Blackwood! Is this your new wife?"

"How long have you been together?"

"Is this connected to your previous engagement?"

I looked at Adrian.

"Previous engagement?"

His jaw tightened.

For the first time since I had met him, I saw something dangerous in his expression.

He placed one hand gently against my lower back.

"Stay close."

The touch made me stiffen.

But the crowd was pushing toward us, so I did as he said.

His body shielded mine as we moved toward the waiting car.

Inside, I immediately turned toward him.

"You have a previous engagement?"

Adrian loosened his tie.

"Yes."

"And you forgot to mention that?"

"I didn't think it was relevant."

"You didn't think your almost-wife needed to know about your former fiancée?"

"You are my wife now."

"Temporary wife."

His eyes met mine.

"Six months."

"Exactly."

He looked out the window.

"Her name is Victoria Hale."

Something about the way he said the name made me uncomfortable.

"What happened between you?"

"Nothing you need to worry about."

I folded my arms.

"Adrian, we're married."

"Contractually."

I stared at him.

"You're impossible."

"I've heard that too."

The car stopped outside an enormous mansion.

I looked through the window.

The house was surrounded by tall iron gates, perfectly trimmed gardens, and rows of expensive cars.

I slowly turned toward Adrian.

"This is where you live?"

"Yes."

"I'm supposed to live here too?"

"For the next six months."

I stepped out of the car.

The front doors opened before we reached them.

Several staff members stood inside.

A woman in her fifties stepped forward.

"Welcome home, Mr. Blackwood."

Then her eyes moved to me.

Her expression changed.

"Mrs. Blackwood."

I smiled awkwardly.

"Hello."

She looked at Adrian.

"Your mother is here."

His expression immediately hardened.

"My mother?"

"She arrived twenty minutes ago."

I looked at him.

"You didn't tell me she was coming."

"I didn't know."

Before I could say anything else, a woman's voice came from the staircase.

"Adrian."

We both looked up.

A sophisticated woman stood at the top of the stairs, dressed elegantly and staring directly at me.

Her eyes narrowed.

"So this is the woman you married."

Adrian moved slightly closer to me.

"Mother."

She walked down the stairs slowly.

"I leave for a few weeks, and you suddenly get married."

Her gaze moved to the ring on my finger.

Then she looked directly into my eyes.

"Who exactly are you, Elena Moore?"

I swallowed.

Before I could answer, Adrian spoke.

"She's my wife."

His mother's expression became colder.

"For six months?"

Silence filled the room.

My stomach dropped.

She knew.

She knew about the contract.

And judging by the look on her face, she had no intention of allowing our marriage to remain peaceful.

Adrian reached for my hand.

His fingers closed around mine.

"Whatever you think, Mother, Elena is staying."

His mother smiled without warmth.

"We'll see about that."

I looked at Adrian.

Only then did I realize something.

The contract had been signed.

The marriage was legal.

But the real battle had just begun.