chapter three - Let's go get married

Zebulunia POV 

The sun filtered through the sheer curtains of my childhood bedroom, casting a soft glow on the white walls. I blinked into the unfamiliar calm, the silence too gentle for the chaos that had happened just the night before. For a second, I didn’t know where I was. 

Then it all came crashing back.

The failed engagement, the unexpected proposal. Damon’s smirk as he knelt before me, I must confess, he's so handsome and interesting but that's not enough, he looks secretly dangerous to me.

Spend the night with him? Was he serious?

Who the hell did he think I was? A whore?

This whole contract would exclude any sexual activities I would make that clear to him. 

But something inside me wanted to be close to him secretly. 

After his silly question, I had walked away, without answering, without looking back, I wasn't ready to face what any of it meant, I was upset..but what's the use.

So I'd come back here? To my parent's house, the house that had never really felt like home.

I shifted under the blanket and sat up slowly. The silk sheets were new-too new, like they were trying to impress me now… 

A knock at the door cut my thought.

Before I could respond, the door flung open. 

“Zee!” I heard the familiar voice I haven't heard in a while.

Amber!.

She rushed in, her long brown curls bouncing around her shoulders, her smile radiant, her frame glowing in a light yellow dress. My big sister,the perfect daughter. The one who got sent abroad to study business, the one my parents were proud of. 

She enveloped me in a hug before I could even react. She has changed so much after many years. 

 “I'm so sorry I wasn’t there yesterday, my flights were a mess, and you know Dad didn’t want me interrupting the arrangement. But God, I heard everything!” She said in a rush, pulling back to look at me. 

“You did?” I asked slowly. 

Amber sat on the edge of the bed, her expression softening. “Yes, Ethan’s rejection, Damon’s proposal, the ball losing its mind… Mom's been calling me nonstop, but I wanted to hear from you.”

I looked away, feeling ashamed.

Amber reached for my hand. “Zee, you okay?”

I hesitated. “I don't know,it's all so….unreal. One moment I’m being rejected Ethan like I’m some diseased offering, and the next, his older brother is asking to marry me” I lied knowing no one should know about the contract especially my parents who Amber could expose to. “I didn't sleep, I couldn't” I added, this wasn't a lie, I couldn't sleep but couldn't tell why.

Amber’s smile faded, “I know how hard this is for you, but you didn’t just survive that, you owned it. You made him kneel. Damon Cross.  Do you know what people are saying? They think you planned it” I stared at her eyes as if searching for her feelings about the rumours, but she let out a forceful chuckle that reminded me how she had always done in the past when she I was always getting the attentions…

I scoffed. “I planned it?” I tried to look convincing, “I didn't even know Damon before last night.”

She chuckled and gave a half shrug. “Well, it was dramatic.”

Amber has always been sweet to me since we were children even before I was sent to the strange village. But in all I have always smelt jealousy and discrimination then, I don't know about now.

She has come visiting once in a while, but she carried our parents’ traits too, shadows of their  duplicity. There was always a part of her that felt…. Rehearsed.

Amber’s eyes softened when she noticed my expression. “Zee, I hated that. When they sent you off to that village, I cried for days. You were just fifteen.”

“ I wasn't allowed to cry,” I whispered. “They said I brought shame. That my face was a curse. That man almost destroyed our family’s business because of me.”

Amber shook her head. “You were a child, it wasn't your fault.”

“I learned to live without them,” I said. “And now.. they want me back for what? An alliance not even for love or acceptance”

Amber’s grip on my hand tightened. “You're more than that. I see that, even if they never did.”

A knock interrupted our moment. 

Our mother entered, carrying a tray. My father followed with another. 

The sight was almost laughable. 

“We thought you might be hungry, you didn't eat when you got back from the engagement” mother said, placing the food gently on my side table. 

A peace offering. It was pathetic. 

I sat back, hands on my lap, watching them like strangers playing dress-up in a life they barely understood.

My parents stood as if posing for a family portrait, awkward and polite. 

Father cleared his throat. “We appreciate what you did last night, it meant a lot for the company.”

That was it, the company. 

I said nothing, my throat was tight. 

I had spent years craving this, acceptance, gratitude, their pride. But now, with it offered like a business transaction, it felt fake. They were just pretending, I know that for sure.

They turned to leave before words came out…

“There's someone at the door,” My mother said softly. “It’s Damon.”

My heart jumped. What is he doing here? I felt my cheek heat up, something in me wanted to see him again even though I was upset with him, it's strange.

I stood, quietly, and moved to the mirror. I adjusted my hair. Found my mask and tied it back into place. 

Then I walked downstairs. 

Damon was waiting in the living room, tall and dressed in a deep navy suit, crisp and commanding. His gaze flicked up to meet mine, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe. He was looking strikingly handsome, of course he did. 

Does he really have to wear a suit all the time?

In his hands, he held a dark velvet box. “Good morning, fiancée,” He said with that signature smirk that made my heart skip, even the previous night. I immediately kicked myself for doing so.

He stepped forward and extended a folder. I just stood there. 

Inside the folder was a marriage licence. “What is this?” I asked, stunned. 

“A solution,” he replied. “We don’t have time. Ethan tried contacting your father this morning. He's not done.”

The words hit me like a punch to the chest. 

“What does he want?He rejected me,” I asked, confused.

“He feels embarrassed about me taking his place by getting us engaged” 

That didn't make sense, who gets embarrassed for getting someone embarrassed? “So… this is your plan? Rushing me into a courthouse wedding?”

“It's not rushing. It's protection,” Damon said, his voice hardening. “Ethan doesn’t like to lose, he's surely going to retaliate”

I crossed my arms and spilled without thinking “Do you always solve problems by rushing one into marriage,”

He leaned in, the corner of his lips twitching. “Only when the woman is more fascinating than anyone I've ever met.”

My breath caught. Damn him. Damn him for making me feel this strange way.

“Our wedding should be in a week time with our immediate family members, what now?”

“We could celebrate this some other time, I just want you to stay with me so you can be safe”

That took me aback, did he really care or it's just one of his games. 

We stood there, surrounded by unspoken tension, the air thick with everything we couldn't say.

He finally stepped back and glanced toward the front door. “You don't have to answer now. I'll wait downstairs. Thirty minutes. If you say no, we walk away. No questions asked.”

I swallowed. “And if I say yes?”

His eyes glinted. “Then meet me in the car. Let's go get married.”

He turned to leave, then paused. “Take the box,” He added, gesturing towards the table. “It's a dress. Wear it.”

With that, he disappeared, exiting like he owned the damn world. 

What have I gotten myself into? Two brothers.

Amber reappeared beside me, eyebrows raised.”You know… he doesn't seem like a kind of man who waits up to thirty minutes” I didn't  know what exactly she meant by that but she was right. Damon's kindness isn't quinine, I could feel it.

Then I turned to her, but something flickered in her eyes that almost scared me.