CENRIC
Something is off.
I knew it.
I could feel it in my bones. But why was I even surprised anymore? She was forced. Why did they also have to treat her terribly? I couldn’t blame her if she wanted to run away. If I were in her shoe, I had already done it a thousand times. Poor thing.
Nowadays, this awful tradition should be banned, but a lot of old-fashioned—those powerful families kept this tradition alive for their transaction purposes—to keep the family business running.
I shut my eyes close for a moment. Gritting my teeth was as painful as the twist in my stomach. They would pay for this.
Money could be earned and replaced, but the pain and trauma they had inflicted on her couldn’t be undone—it stuck in her brain like goddamn cancer. I knew how it felt—I’d been there. Even until now, I was still haunted by it—the trauma—the mental trauma was difficult to be cured. I just hoped she hadn’t gone that far. One broken person was enough in a relationship, but two? That would be too much.
I called my brother. As if he was expecting me, he sang my name, irritating me further.
“Who’s your inside man?”
“Who?” I knew he was messing with me. I could feel him grinning from the other line.
“Trust me, if you don’t take this seriously, I’m going to beat the hell out of Jasper—” I checked the time on my watch. “In less than thirty minutes, and I will drag her with me, whether it would cause havoc between Hanslo and me, I don’t give a fuck! They’re the ones who are in deep debt, not me.” My eyes gleamed against the reflection on the glass wall.
“Wow! Since when do you care?”
I growled. “Casimir?”
“Fine. Jeez, you’re grouchier. How did you even know I have someone inside. Don’t answer that. I’ll send the contact to you now.”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. Just glad you care.”
“Bye.”
I didn’t want her to get in trouble with her brother again than she already had. As much as I hated this arrangement, I made sure to keep up at the end of the bargain.
I called the contact as soon as I received it.
The second I heard her voice again, instead of making me feel angrier and unapologetic, she made me feel relieved.
Her tone seemed to relax as she talked about her failed plan.
And then the asshole that I was. “I don’t want to get married.” That was honest to the fault answer. At least, I wasn’t yet ready, and I hadn’t found my choice of bride. But maybe we could work this out. So long as she would not be a constant pain in my ass.
“So did I.” Her admission definitely didn’t surprise me. And so was her honesty. At least there was something I liked about her. “So, maybe we can talk about this before we both regret it.”
“No. And you promise to be there.”
“Aye yay, captain." I could even see her saluting at me. "A promise is a promise. Unless my father or my brother would poison me before our wedding.”
I blew out a breath. I knew she was joking, but it just validated my suspicions. They did not treat her right because she was a woman who didn’t have a place in their business. For Hanslo, the only good of women was for fucking and baring their heir. That was why he abandoned his wife to choose what she loved to do than being his goody-two-shoes spouse.
“They won’t dare touch or lay a hand on you again. Did you hear me?”
“Then you don’t know my family, Cenric.”
“Then they’re about to know me, Sadie.” I grabbed my coat before I walked to my assistant. He’d been working for me since I started to make my way in cryptocurrency. Theo was reliable.
“I’m surprised you know my name, Wollf.”
“I know your name, your birthday, your favorite color.” That was a lie, but I was about to find out.
“Let me guess. Did you a background check on me? Guess how many boyfriends I have? How old I was when I lost my virginity?”
“Don’t go there, Sadie,” I growled. My voice raised. My outrage blurred into fury, and I saw a dark tunnel ahead. It was painfully obvious that this was the least topic I wanted to talk about. As much as I liked her untouched, I wasn’t a saint either. Knowing someone was touching her, giving her pleasure, it already terrified the living shit out of me. If this is how I started our relationship, then I fucking sucked at it.
I hoped I didn’t terrify her. “This is why I didn’t want to talk until we got married. Since we both didn’t have a choice at this moment, I’d rather not talk to you for the time being.” I entered my private elevator that headed up to my loft.
“You can’t make me bow to you or bend for you with your empty threats, Mr. Wollf.”
“We’ll see if that was an empty threat,” I snarled. “Keep in mind that you’re worth my twenty-five million dollars. You can work as my slut a hundred lifetimes. You won’t be able to pay your family’s debt,” I groaned, pissed beyond reason that I just used a fucking debt against her. She provoked me, and I didn’t have time for this shit.
I shouldn’t have called her.
“You’re right. Maybe I just pay it in hell.”
“It was out of line.” My patience started wearing thin. I swiped my card and punched codes to my penthouse.
“Is that your way of apology? I could get used to it, but it needs a little practice, though.”
I sighed in irritation. This woman didn’t back down. I didn’t know if I was to be thrilled or pissed off for her being strong. Her picture didn’t do justice—she looked innocent, classy, and poised, and I was like talking to her evil twin right now.
“I don’t apologize. Not to anyone, even to my future wife. So, suck up my attitudes. I won’t change a fuck. I just called to make sure you’re okay.”
“I get it. You said a thousand times, and I said a million times, that I won’t ditch you at the altar. Since I am now your property, you can just put a leash around my neck, or you might also put a mind control technology on me so that I will just do what you want without my objection.”
“You clearly like to talk, my asset,” I snickered. I couldn’t remember someone had retorted to me like this to annoy me. In our case, it amused me as much as I didn’t like to admit.
“What else do you want, my master, before I kill you in my dream?”
“Naked?” I froze a little. Too late to take it back. I didn’t know why I said that, but I was sure I wasn’t flirting with her. No fucking way. Maybe I just felt comfortable talking without a filter, just like her to me.
“Asshole.” I know, I am.
“Watch your tone.” I slumped to my ass on the couch and took my shoes off. I massaged my temple. This morning, when I woke up, I never had a plan or even thought of talking to her. Now, a few hours later, I was bickering with her and her filthy mouth—the kind that I dislike.
“You kept shoving into my face the obvious which, I’m freaking fed up, hearing it from my family every freaking day.”
“If you need anything, call Devin, indiscreet. If either of your father or brother lay a hand on you, call Devin.”
“Yes, boss.”
“Stop being a brat.”
“Goodnight, sweetheart,” she sang. Jesus Christ.
I snorted. “Bye.”
Before I could toss my phone aside, it vibrated again. Fuck me. Did she call me again?
“What is it, Sadie?”
“Wow! You two seem to get closer quickly than I ever anticipated.” Fuck. Me. It was Cas.
“I was just messing with you. She doesn’t have a phone, asshole.”
“I bet you wish she’s the one in the other line.”
“What do you want? If it’s not important, then I need to rest. I’m exhausted.”
“Sweet dream, brother.”
“I hate you right now.”
“I love you too.”
My phone dinged, and it appeared I received a message.
You’re not what I thought you were. SADIE
Careful what you wish for. I replied
SADIE: Oh, I’m so terrified.
CENRIC: Are you gonna annoy me for the rest of the day?
SADIE: I was thinking maybe we should just elope.
I chuckled.
CENRIC: Not gonna happen. You only get married once. At least let me make it special for you, even if you loath your groom.
SADIE: This is just a business deal. Why do you have to make it special since I am just a sacrificial lamb?
CENRIC: I don’t want you and Devin will get in trouble, Sadie. Get some beauty rest.
SADIE: See you then.
SADIE Three years later… My husband in a perfectly tailored suit was drool-worthy. In a blue military uniform, damn, my uterus just contracted. He always took my breath away, even after years of marriage. Cenric was finally called. He gripped my hand before he rose and walked to the stage to receive his award. I turned to my side to look at my guys, applauding their brother. Cenric was awarded Humanitarian of the year for his philanthropic works and considerable donations to the military. “Once a Marine, always a Marine,” he quoted. “I’m proud to have services this wonderful nation. I would always help and support my brothers in service and our people.” He looked at his award. “Thank you for recognizing my humble works.” He then found me in the audience. “Semper Fidelis.” I rose from my seat just like everyone and applauded him. His brothers in arms loved him—they admired him. So did I. I
CENRIC Jasper’splace was on a small island—a fishing community turned into a beautiful resort that could only be reached by boats. It was a summer paradise, away from crowded tourists. As we arrived at the harbor, the view from there just took my breath away. “How many women did you bring here before me?” I knew she was messing with me. I smiled. “Jealous?” “Nah. I’m always into Greek gods. You know with tan skin, hard specs, dashboard abs with long and thick—” She shrugged, making girls laugh out loud. “Long and thick what, Sadie Wollf?” I reminded her of the surname she was carrying. She shrugged again. “Hair and thighs?” I wasn’t aware the guys were also listening. They burst out laughing. Terrible things happened from my past, and my extreme decisions led me to meet my soulmate—my wife. Sadie never ceased to amaze me. My chest expanded as I realized that God always had reasons for everythin
CENRIC The jet just took off. My wife invited her friends, Maeve and Zhuri, and of course, Becka to this trip. We were supposed to be on our honeymoon, but she decided to do something before our Italy trip. I couldn’t say no to her because after last night, and I didn’t think I could defy my wife again. We were supposed to fuck our brains out, and I should have taken her warning seriously, so here we were, flying to Greece. “I apologized about last night,” I tried to talk it out, hoping it would work. She rested her head on my shoulder as she scrolled the photographs of our wedding. “I didn’t sleep with you because I was mad.” “Oh. You have—” I didn’t finish my words. “Fuck me.” She giggled. “That’s not my fault.” Her smile was wicked. Maybe she was just messing with me or something. Anyhow, I played along. After a few hours, we landed. We were picked up by my contact and drove to the pier. It was hotter this time.
SADIE “Are you nervous?” Becka asked me. I blew a shaky breath. “No. Not at all. I’m excited, unlike my first wedding. I wanted to run if there was a chance. I thought I was marrying a mafia boss.” In a few minutes, I was going to be married to the same man—the love of my life, for the second time—this time, at the back of our house. I wasn’t wearing anything extravagant like my first wedding. This time I wore a minimalist satin-wrapped wedding dress with a hat to honor my late English father, Lewis. Last week, we found out he was buried in London. We took a quick trip and visited his grave. “Are you ready?” I nodded at Austin. “Yes,” I asked him if he could walk me down the aisle. He was even glad and said yes. When the music started, I took a deep breath and walked towards my man waiting for me. He was wearing a simple beige suit and pants and a white crisp open-button shirt. He always looked breathtaking dressed or naked. Fo
CENRIC “I came here today to marry my girl, to cherish her, to protect and respect her, and to be the faithful husband to her. I knew the first time I saw you, and you would be the woman I wanted to spend my life with. I knew you would change me to be the best version of myself. Today, I swear to you to have your back, be your number one supporter, love you faithfully, and honor what we have from today and onwards. I give you my heart, my life, and my soul.” I just watched my vow over and over again as she kept replaying it in the entertainment room. In the video, she looked so innocent as she stared at me while I read my vow. I didn’t write anything. When you were caught in that moment, you just spoke from your heart—that was what happened that day. She wiped her face again. She did that every time she played that clip. She was crying, and I didn’t know why. Did my vow touch her? Had she realized something, or had she changed her min
SADIESince I heard the news weeks ago that my father—the man I thought he was, pleaded guilty on all charges, it kept me awake at night. How wouldn’t I miss when his face was all over the news? And I felt like we had an unfinished business. And I needed that closure.I had never felt this twist in the pit of my stomach as I sat on the visiting lounge. Even if guards and a glass wall were separating us, I still felt unsafe.When he walked in, goosebumps erupted all over my skin.Our eyes met.He smiled.Hanslo Greer was still the man I once knew, although he looked different than the last time I saw him. I could feel the difference—I couldn’t find any intimidation, and he looked powerless and less arrogant in his prison uniform.I picked up the phone, but I didn’t say anything.“Sadie, what are you doing here? Does your husband know you’re here?” I wasn’t e