chapter 2

Chapter 2

Elara did not get a wink of sleep the entire night, even though her body was exhausted and her eyes burned from holding back her tears.

Every time she closed them, Dominic’s voice echoed in her mind like a broken recorder, steady and indifferent, as though he had been talking about an investment rather than a human being who had emotions.

Once she gave birth, her role would be fulfilled. And that meant one thing: her service would no longer be needed.

Just how did she find herself in that mess?

When morning arrived, her heart already felt older, heavier, and painfully aware of the reality she had married into.

Dominic returned to the bedroom just before sunrise, fully dressed and ready to leave, as though the night before had never happened at all. Her presence did not even shake anything in him.

Elara felt like crying, but even her tears betrayed her. They could not come out no matter what.

The man paused briefly when he noticed she was awake, but there was no discomfort in his expression, and there was no sign that he found the situation awkward or even worth acknowledging.

“There will be a family breakfast this morning,” he said evenly. “You are expected to attend.”

“Yes,” Elara replied, forcing her aching body to sit up.

As he turned to leave, she finally found the courage to stop him, because if she did not ask now, she knew she never will.

“Dominic,” she called out softly.

The man paused in his steps, though his hand remained on the door handle. “What is it?” His voice was still flat, like he was addressing his business partner.

Elara took a deep breath, steadying herself before she spoke up. “What you said last night about our marriage, did you mean it?”

He finally turned to face her, but his gaze was still calm and direct, without even a trace of guilt.

“This was a contract marriage, and it was for a purpose,” he said. “You agreed to it knowing that.”

“And after that purpose is fulfilled,” she asked, her voice barely steady, “what happens to me?”

“You will be taken care of,” Dominic replied. “You will have status, comfort, and security. That is more than most marriages offer.”

Elara clenched her fingers into the sheets, her heart breaking into a million pieces. She wanted none of the things he had mentioned above.

She looked at Dominic dead in the eyes and questioned, “And love?”

Dominic frowned upon hearing that. His countenance became cold as he spoke, “Elara, don’t complicate things. I don’t have time to indulge in your stupid fantasies. There is no love between us, and there will never be. You hold your end of the bargain, and I would do just the same.”

“I…”

“Get changed. My family doesn’t like to be kept waiting.” Dominic said before he marched out of the room without looking back.

The words Dominic had said settled in her, and she felt something inside her quietly give way.

Dominic did not wait for a response, because to him the conversation was already over, and he left the room without looking back.

Breakfast was a carefully staged performance. Smiles were exchanged, polite questions were asked, and expectations hovered unspoken in the air.

Elara felt them watching her, evaluating her posture, her manners, and her suitability, as though she were livestock being inspected for quality.

She smiled when required and spoke when addressed, yet inside she felt smaller with every passing minute.

By the time she returned to the bedroom, her chest felt tight, and her head ached from holding everything in.

She sat on the edge of the bed and stared at her reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing the woman staring back at her.

Gosh, it had only been one night, and she could barely recognize herself. What would become of her in the coming days?

She had entered this marriage believing that sincerity would be enough, that patience might soften a man like Dominic Blackwood, and that time would reward her courage.

But she had made herself a laughing stock of the entire Blackwood family.

…

That evening, Dominic did not return to the bedroom.

Elara lay alone beneath the covers, her hand resting over her stomach as a strange unease settled deep within her.

What had she signed up for? Had she just sold her life to the devil?

The thought of how Dominic had treated her on their wedding night scared her stiff. It was like he was performing his routine duty. He did not even care that it was her first time, and he did not even care if she was comfortable or not.

Elara had endured a lot growing up, but one thing she always looked forward to was her marriage.

She would fantasize about her first kiss, her first night, and how lovingly her husband would treat her.

But after everything, maybe Domic was right. All those were just her stupid fantasies.

She closed her eyes and turned onto her side, holding onto herself because no one else would. The tears she had been holding since last night could not be contained anymore.

Elara buried her head in the pillow and allowed her tears to fall freely. She knew that she would not allow herself to be weak, but she could not help it.

For the first time since she had become Mrs. Blackwood, a terrifying thought took shape in her mind, and it shook her to the core.

If she truly became pregnant with Dominic’s child, then neither her life nor her child would ever belong to her.

And that thought scared Elara to the point of insanity. She wondered if it was too late to ask for an out.

For the next few days, Dominic rarely entered the bedroom, and the days he did, it was just for the sake of depositing his seeds into Elara.

Elara felt worthless with each passing day, and she wondered when the torment would end. Every time she wanted to talk to him, Dominic would just use work as an excuse, because even having a conversation with her was a waste of his precious time.