CHAPTER THREE: Forced to Be His Wife

Isabella's POV 

When the sun finally rose, pale light spilling through the tall windows, the lock on the bedroom door clicked. I jerked upright and scrambled out of bed.

The door swung open, and Charlie stood there.

He was completely sober now. His dark hair was brushed back, and he wore a crisp white button-down shirt, but his face was terrifyingly pale. The rage in his eyes was no longer clouded by alcohol, it was cold, controlled, and lethal.

He stepped into the room, slammed the door shut behind him, and stared at me for a second.

“You? How the hell did you get in here?” he rasped, taking a slow step toward me.

I backed away until my spine hit the cold glass of the window. “Charlie, I tried to tell you last night, but—”

He grabbed my chin roughly, forcing my head up. His fingers dug into my skin, and his gaze raked over my face with absolute disgust. The realization of his mistake seemed to make him even more furious.

"Isabella," he spat out my name like it was poison. "Where is she? Where is Evelyn?"

"I don't know!" I cried, trying to pull my face out of his harsh grip. "She left six months ago! You forced me into your car last night because you were drunk! You thought I was her!"

Charlie released my chin with a violent shove that made me stumble.

He turned away, running a hand through his hair, his chest heaving with rage and grief. “I touched you,” he whispered, staring down at his hands in horror. “I carried you into my home thinking you were Evelyn… and you let me do that?”

“I tried… I’m not a monster, Charlie,” I said, my voice breaking as I wiped a tear from my cheek. “I had nothing to do with Evelyn leaving. The brakes failed that night. It was an accident.”

"Shut up!" he snapped, whirling back around. 

He stepped into my personal space, his eyes burning into mine. “Don’t play your dirty games with me! You ruined her life. You drove that car into a ditch because you were jealous of her. You left her a cripple, then harassed her until she fled the country. And now you dare stand here in her place?”

"I am not trying to stand in her place! Let me go home!"

“Home?” Charlie let out a cold, humorless laugh that sent chills down my spine. “You think you’re going back to your cozy little life after what you did? No… fate brought you to me last night, Isabella. And I’m going to make sure you pay for every single tear Evelyn shed.”

My chest tightened. Pay? 

He turned sharply, pulling out his iPhone and pacing the room as he dialed a number.

“Ms. Theo,” he said when the line connected, his voice clipped and businesslike. “Good morning. I need you here immediately with a marriage contract draft.”

My breath caught as I stared at him. He didn’t even look at me as he continued, jaw tight.

“Yes. A binding agreement. I want it prepared for signature today, if possible now.” A pause. His eyes flicked briefly in my direction before hardening again. “The parties to be filed are Isabella Reed and Charlie Harrington.”

Another pause as he listened, his grip tightening on the phone. “Yes… make sure every clause is airtight. No loopholes, no delays. I want full legal enforcement from the moment it’s signed.”

He lightly scratched his chin with one finger, listening as the person on the other end spoke.

“You have no damn right to question my orders, Theo,” he snapped suddenly, his tone sharp and cutting. “Just shut it and listen. I need those papers within an hour.”

He ended the call and slid the phone back into his pocket, still pacing as if I weren’t even breathing in the room.

Then he pulled the phone out again and dialed another call.

“And one more thing,” he said coldly when the call connected. “I don’t want anyone to know about this yet. Not even Victoria… do you understand me?”

He paused, listening, expression unreadable, then ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket.

"Cha-charlie, what are you planning to do? What are you—" I asked, trembling, unable to find the last words.

"Planning to get married to the scheming Isabella Reed," Charlie said, his voice dropping into a calm, deadly tone that was far more terrifying than his shouting. "And you are going to sign those papers. Today."

I blinked in absolute shock. 

"Marriage? Are you insane? You hate me! You love Evelyn!"

"Exactly," Charlie hissed, stepping closer until I could feel the cold aura radiating from him. "I love Evelyn. And because you destroyed her future, I am going to destroy yours. You wanted everything Evelyn had? Fine. You will take her place as my wife. But it won't be a fairy tale, Isabella. It will be your living hell."

“I won’t sign them,” I said, forcing a shaky breath as I searched for a spark of courage inside me. “You can’t make me do that.”

Before he could respond, a sharp knock echoed through the door.

Charlie didn’t move at first. His gaze stayed locked on me for a brief, dangerous second before he turned. 

“Yeah, come in.”

The door opened and a man stepped inside first, exchanging brief, familiar greetings with Charlie as if this tension-filled room didn’t exist. A woman followed closely behind him, dressed sharply in a brown suit, holding a tablet. 

Her eyes immediately swept over me from head to toe, her lips curling slightly in obvious judgment.

Without wasting time, she turned to Charlie. “Your official line has been ringing non-stop since last night, sir.”

Charlie exhaled through his nose, already irritated. “Did you take any?”

“Just two, sir,” she replied, tapping her tablet. “And both were about the same issue.”

She turned the screen toward him.

Charlie took it, scanning the display in silence. His jaw tightened once, then he scoffed. “Inform the head department I will handle the allegations myself.”

I stood frozen, watching everything unfold in rapid motion, as if I were trapped outside my own life.

The woman’s gaze flicked back to me again, sharper this time. “Sir… why does she look like the alleged woman?” she asked cautiously, glancing between us.

Charlie’s head snapped toward her instantly. The look in his eyes alone made her straighten, her confidence faltering.

“Sorry, sir,” she muttered quickly, lowering her gaze.

“If there’s nothing else,” Charlie said coldly, already turning away from her, “you may leave.”

“Oh… okay, sir.”

She hesitated only a second longer, shooting me one last irritated look before stepping back. The man who’d entered with her followed silently, and the door clicked shut behind them.

Silence settled heavily in the room.

Charlie turned back to me, his expression tight with restrained anger. 

“All thanks to you,” he said flatly. “Now, Harrington Group’s reputation is on the line… allegations that I kidnapped you.”

He stepped closer, stopping just short of me. “Now listen, we’ll fix this together. By tomorrow, we’ll go to the press interview and clear it up… as husband and wife.”

I stood frozen, the words ‘husband and wife’ crashing into me like a slap. 

My throat tightened as I stared at him, unable to fully process what I had just heard.

“No…” I finally whispered, shaking my head slightly. “You can’t just decide that. I can't marry you.”

Charlie leaned down, his face inches from mine, those hazel eyes completely void of mercy.

“If you don’t sign those papers when Theo arrives with them,” he said coldly, “I will ruin your life in ways you can’t even imagine. I’ll destroy your father’s business by tomorrow morning. I’ll buy out everything your family owns, throw them out into the streets, and erase the Reed name from New York, Isabella.”

He tilted his head slightly, his voice dropping even lower. “Do you want to test me?”

My breath hitched. I knew he wasn’t bluffing. Charlie Harrington was a ruthless billionaire who crushed his business rivals without a second thought. If I refused, he would do exactly what he promised.

And even though my father had failed to protect me, he was still my father. If I caused his downfall, Eleanor would make my life even more unbearable… and the guilt would destroy me.

"Why are you doing this?" I whispered, tears streaming freely down my face. "Please, Charlie. Just let me go."

“Because someone has to suffer for Evelyn’s pain,” he said coldly, his expression completely unreadable. “If she’s out there somewhere hurting, then you will hurt right here. You’ll live in this mansion like a prisoner. A living reminder of your selfishness.” 

He straightened, adjusting his posture as if the conversation meant nothing. “Theo will arrive soon… and I don’t want you doing anything foolish, Isabella. Don’t push me.”

He turned toward the door.

Panic surged through me. I rushed forward and dropped to my knees, grabbing at his legs. “Please, Charlie… I–I..”

He shoved my hands off him without even looking down, then pulled the door open, walked out, and slammed it shut with a loud bang.

I was left on the floor, tear-streaked and broken. A sob tore out of my chest as I collapsed fully, my hands trembling against the cold floor.

How on earth am I supposed to marry Charlie Harrington?