Chapter 4

Mary & Ree

“Mary!” Ree’s voice burst through the phone, loud with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“Can we meet up?” Mary asked.

“Sure. What time?”

“Now.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. Not long, but long enough to make Mary’s chest tighten.

“Okay…” Ree said carefully. “But is everything alright?”

Mary tightened her grip on the phone, her fingers digging into her palm as if holding herself together by force. Her throat felt tight, clogged with words she didn’t know how to arrange.

When she spoke, her voice came out thin, almost a whisper.

“I… I honestly don’t know.”

Her breath hitched.

“I just… Ree, I need comfort right now.”

The tears came before she could stop them, hot and relentless, blurring her vision.

“Mary,” Ree said gently, her voice softening instantly, “tell me where you are. I’ll come to you.”

“Let’s meet at Mia’s coffee shop.”

“Okay. I’m on my way. Please, just… take care of yourself until I get there.”

Mary didn’t answer right away. She only nodded, even though Ree couldn’t see her. Words felt too heavy, too fragile to trust.

“O-okay,” she managed, her voice shaking. “I’ll see you.”

Then she hung up.

The moment the call ended, her strength vanished.

She squatted down slowly, folding into herself, burying her face in her lap as the sobs finally broke free. Her shoulders shook violently as she cried, the kind of crying that came from somewhere deep, like she had been holding everything in for years, and her body could no longer cope.

People passed by. Some glanced at her briefly. Others pretended not to notice. She didn’t care.

When the storm eased and her breathing steadied, she stood slowly. Her legs felt weak, unsteady beneath her. She lifted her head to the sky, blinking hard, forcing the tears back even though her eyes burned.

She wiped her face with the back of her hand, ignored the curious stares, and flagged down a cab by the roadside.

“Mia's coffee shop,” she muttered as she slid into the back seat.

The car pulled away.

She stared out the window, her reflection faint against the glass—eyes swollen, lips pressed tightly together, a stranger staring back at her.

Back at Lipton Corporation

A knock echoed through the office door.

“Come in.”

David, Alexander Lipton’s personal assistant, stepped inside and bowed slightly.

“Sir, Mr. Andison is here to see you.”

Alexander looked up from the files spread neatly across his desk. His expression didn’t change. He adjusted his cufflinks calmly, as if this visit had been expected.

“Let him in.”

Two minutes later, the door opened again.

“Mr. Lipton,” Mr. Andison greeted, his voice tense, almost fragile.

“To what do I owe this visit?” Alexander asked coolly.

“I came to ask for my daughter,” Mr. Andison said. Worry etched deep lines into his face.

“Your daughter?” Alexander raised an eyebrow slightly.

“I know I gave her away,” Mr. Andison continued, guilt heavy in his tone. “But she only just came back. We haven’t had time to be with her… to prepare her mentally for marriage. Mary is my only child.”

“You should have thought of that before signing away your parental rights,” Alexander cut in sharply.

“I was desperate then. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“And now you are?” Alexander asked, icy.

Mr. Andison swallowed. “Are you rethinking your decision?”

“I thought as much,” Alexander said with a faint smirk.

He stood. His tall frame instantly filled the room, his presence suffocating.

“Well, father-in-law,” he said calmly, “your daughter is now my lawful wife. We signed the marriage certificate today.”

Mr. Andison’s breath caught.

“She was obedient throughout the process,” Alexander added coolly. “Just how I like my women—docile and obedient.”

For the briefest second, something unreadable flickered in his eyes. It vanished almost immediately, buried beneath cold composure, but his jaw tightened slightly before he looked away.

The air grew heavy, thick with tension.

Mr. Andison’s hands clenched at his sides, trembling slightly.

“I have failed my daughter,” he whispered.

“Yes,” Alexander said bluntly. “You have.”

He walked around his desk slowly.

“Because if you had paid attention, you might have wondered why your daughter chose to travel abroad eight years ago.”

Mr. Andison shook his head slowly, pain written all over his face.

Alexander let out a soft laugh.

“Exactly. You were too busy thinking about yourself and your company.”

He straightened.

“At least now she is mine. I’ll take proper care of her, as long as she follows my rules.”

His fingers tapped the edge of his desk, a small, controlled movement. The only sign he wasn’t as calm as he seemed.

“Is that why you followed her when she came back?” Mr. Andison asked sharply.

Alexander laughed again, unbothered.

“Father-in-law, you think too little of your son-in-law. Our meeting at the club was coincidental. Fate, if you will.”

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes cold.

“And the moment you signed her off to me, she became my responsibility.”

He straightened.

“You may go home now. Send my greetings to my mother-in-law.”

“David.”

David appeared instantly.

“Please see my father-in-law out.”

Mr. Andison bowed his head, shame heavy on his shoulders, and walked out.

---

Back at Mia’s Coffee Shop

Mary and Ree sat opposite each other, coffee cups steaming gently between them.

They smiled—small, fragile smiles that barely hid the ache beneath.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Mary whispered.

“Me too,” Ree whispered back, squeezing her hand gently.

Mary stared at her coffee for a long moment before speaking.

“I got married.”

Ree froze. “What?”

“This morning.”

The words felt heavier out loud. Saying them made everything real in a way signing the certificate hadn’t. It wasn’t just a decision anymore. It was a life she could not take back.

“Mary… to who?”

“Alexander Lipton.”

Ree’s eyes widened.

“The Alexander Lipton?”

Mary gave a weak nod.

“But…" How? Why?”

Mary swallowed.

“For my family.” She paused. “They needed help. And he needed a bride.”

“Well,” Ree said softly, “at least you married someone powerful.”

Mary gave a faint, broken smile.

“Well… sadly, we don’t get to choose our partners.”

She looked away, briefly wondering what it would feel like to choose someone freely. To love without obligation. The thought hurt more than the marriage itself.

Later That Night – Alexander’s Mansion

Mary stepped into the mansion, glancing at her phone.

11:48 p.m.

“Oh God… I’m late,” she whispered, fear crawling up her spine.

“I hope he’s not around,” she prayed silently.

She walked into the living room.

The lights snapped on.

Alexander sat calmly, dressed in nightwear, legs crossed.

“You’re late,” he said.

He did not raise his voice. That made it worse. His calm felt deliberate, like he had been sitting there for a long time, watching the clock.

Mary’s breath hitched.

“I… I…”

“I instructed you to return home,” he said as he stood and walked toward her. “Where did you go?”

“I was with a friend.”

“Why didn’t you inform me?”

His gaze dropped to her trembling hands. It lingered for a second before lifting back to her face.

“I forgot,” she whispered. What are you saying, Mary? She thought sharply. I didn’t actually forget. I don’t have your number.

“This is your first mistake,” he said calmly. “I’ll pardon you. But it must never happen again.”

There was no anger in his tone. Only certainty.

“Yes.”

“Good.”

He turned and walked away.

Inside the Bedroom

Mary pressed her back against the door, clutching her chest as she struggled to breathe.

This was her husband. The word still felt foreign in her mind. Heavy, but permanent.

She began to undress, leaving only her undergarments. Her movements felt mechanical, detached, like she was watching herself from outside her body.

The door suddenly flew open.

She gasped.

Alexander stood there. His eyes dropped.

For a fraction of a second, something shifted in his expression. Not desire. Not shock. Something darker. Restrained. His hand tightened slightly on the door handle before he stepped inside.