CHAPTER FOUR

JASMINE

What. The actual. Fuck. 

Every time I thought this arrangement couldn’t get any worse, I was proved wrong.

I stared at the three men sitting across from me, wondering if I had somehow misunderstood what Noah had just said. 

I was marrying all three of them? 

No. That couldn’t be right.

For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.

Noah released my chin, but I could still feel the pressure of his fingers against my skin. His grey eyes held mine for another second before he stepped away, wearing the same infuriating smile he had given me when he caught me in the rain. 

Of all the men I could have ended up marrying, it had to be him.

My stomach tightened as I remembered how I had practically insulted him outside. Sitting here now and realizing that he was to be my husband, fear settled in my chest. 

I should have just kept my mouth shut. 

What if he rejected the marriage because of me? The whole plan would fall apart and my grandmother’s life would be at stake.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to get into character. What would Willow do? How would she act?

I forced my expression into the bored look Willow would wear if someone had inconvenienced her.

“I didn’t realize I would be getting married to all three of you,” I said, forcing my fear into annoyance. “Is there anything else I should know?”

Noah’s lips curved into a smirk. “You have plenty to learn, sweetheart.”

“Enough, Noah,” the brother in the tailored suit commanded. His voice was calm, but there was an underlying tone in it that made shivers run through my spine. 

Danger. It was oozing from him.

“Sit down, Miss Sinclair. We have several matters to settle.”

I took the chair opposite them, conscious of the third brother standing behind it for a moment before moving to his seat. He had not said a word so far, and I could feel his eyes boring holes into me. 

For some reason, his silence was even more intimidating. 

“I am Damon Callahan, and these are my brothers Noah and Elijah,” the brother in the suit began. “The arrangement has been discussed a number of times between both families, so I won’t waste any time with details.”

The chill in his voice was striking, but I nodded once. 

“Our family is constantly in the public eye,” he continued. “Our business dealings, personal relationships, and conduct are subject to scrutiny. Whoever marries into this family must understand that her actions will reflect on all of us.”

This was not about romance, and none of them was pretending otherwise. They needed a wife who would satisfy their grandfather’s condition without damaging their reputation, and they intended to make sure I qualified before they put their name beside mine.

“Your background has been reviewed,” Elijah finally spoke. “We know about your education and the public record attached to your name. But records don’t tell us everything about a person. Your associations, the people you spend time with. Anyone who might use your marriage to gain access to this family. Anyone who might expose us to blackmail.”

I thought of Travis, the ten million dollars, and the folded note hidden inside my clutch. The urge to warn them rose so quickly that I nearly opened my mouth.

But the truth would destroy the only arrangement keeping my grandmother’s treatment secure.

“No one comes to mind,” I answered.

Elijah watched me for a moment. His expression gave nothing away, which somehow made the silence more uncomfortable.

“You’re certain?”

“As certain as I can be.”

He held my gaze a second longer before looking down at the document. I could not tell whether he believed me, and I decided I would rather not find out what would happen if he didn’t.

Damon turned a page.

“Have you ever been involved in a public scandal? An arrest, a serious allegation, or a dispute that might resurface after the wedding?”

“No.”

“Have you accepted money to influence a decision, sold information about someone, or participated in anything that could be used against you?”

“No.”

“Any criminal associations?” Elijah asked. “Anyone who might claim to have a hold over you?”

“No.”

“Any former partner who might appear after the wedding claiming you promised him something? Anyone who believes he has a right to you?”

My fingers tightened around the edge of my clutch.

I knew about Travis, but I did not know every man Willow had met, every promise she had made, or every person she had offended. Inventing an elaborate history would have been foolish, so I chose my words carefully.

“There is no one who will interfere with this marriage.”

Noah leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. “That wasn’t exactly what he asked.”

“I heard the question.”

“Then answer it.”

“There is no man who will interfere with this marriage,” I repeated, sharpening my voice with the sort of impatience Willow would show. 

Noah’s lips twitched. “We’ll see.”

I couldn’t tell whether he was still annoyed about our encounter, and I had no intention of giving him another reason to be.

Damon turned another page. “Have you ever been engaged? Married? Lived with a partner?”

“No.”

“Have you been sexually involved with anyone?”

My head snapped up.

The question was so blunt that, for a moment, I could only stare at him. Heat crept up my neck, and I resented the fact that all three men were watching me from different angles.

“I…I…that is a rather personal question.”

“It is,” Damon agreed. “And you are about to become part of a family whose private affairs attract public attention. If there is anything in your history that could become a scandal, we need to know before the ceremony, not after.”

I reminded myself that they were not interested in my feelings. They were checking whether the woman they intended to marry would bring trouble to their doorstep.

“I have had relationships,” I answered. “But there is nothing in my past that will embarrass your family.”

Noah studied my face. “You seem nervous, Willow.”

He leaned a little closer, and I became painfully aware of how little distance separated us across the table. There was something provocative about the way he watched me, as if he wanted to discover how much pressure it would take to make me lose my composure.

I refused to give him the satisfaction.

“Would you prefer that I be delighted to discuss my private life with three strangers?” I asked without thinking. 

“Strangers?” Noah’s smile widened. “Soon, you’ll be our wife.”

I looked away first and pretended to study the contract. My heart was beating faster than I would have liked.

Damon closed the folder. “Your public conduct will be scrutinized. There will be photographs, interviews, and events where people may try to provoke you simply to see how you react. You will not answer every insult, and you will not turn every disagreement into a spectacle.”

I almost laughed at the thought of Willow following that instruction.

“I know how to behave in public,” I said.

“Then demonstrate it.”

His eyes held mine, and I felt my heart jump. 

God, he was gorgeous. They all were. 

I forced my eyes away, reminding myself that their good looks didn’t make them any less dangerous, and that I wasn’t here because I wanted to be.

I nodded instead of arguing.

He then pushed the contract closer. “Read the terms carefully. It covers your public obligations, confidentiality, security arrangements, and the conditions under which the agreement can be terminated. A breach may trigger legal consequences and financial penalties.”

I scanned the pages. The ten-million-dollar escrow was listed under Willow Sinclair’s legal name, with its release subject to the agreement’s conditions after thirty days of marriage. Confidential business information had to remain within the family, and security instructions were not optional.

My pulse raced when I reached the breach clause. 

“If the marriage ends before the required period, the escrow isn’t released?”

“Correct,” Damon replied. “The funds remain subject to the conditions stated here.”

I wanted to ask whether there was any circumstance in which they would end the arrangement themselves, but I kept the question to myself. I didn’t want to hear an answer that might make this even harder.

I turned to the signature page.

Willow Sinclair.

For a moment, the name seemed to blur. Signing it felt like stepping deeper into a life that had never been meant to be mine, but I didn’t have a choice.

Here goes nothing…

I quickly signed the name. 

Damon checked the page before closing the folder. 

“One more thing. Your wedding will take place tomorrow.”

I raised my head, surprised. “Tomorrow?”

“The invitations have already been sent. This is a significant family occasion, and the ceremony will be attended by our business associates, political connections, and members of high society.”

Shit. 

“B-But…my family said the wedding was to be a quick, private affair. That’s why I…” I gestured to the wedding dress I was wearing. 

“We will not conduct a marriage of this importance in private simply because someone prefers a smaller gathering,” Damon cut in coldly. 

“There will be several hundred guests,” Noah added. “Possibly more.”

Oh no. I felt dizzy just thinking about it. 

People in this social circle knew Willow. They had attended parties with her, spoken to her. Some of her friends could even be present, and all it would take was one unexpected question or a private joke I didn’t understand to expose me.

Pretending to be Willow in front of three men was one thing, but convincing hundreds of people who knew the real Willow was something else entirely. 

What the hell was I going to do?