Chapter one

CHAPTER 1

I felt nothing as I stared at my reflection in the full length mirror to see the stranger in a white silk wedding dress staring back at me.

“You look really beautiful, Mariah,” my mother said, her voice cracking as she teared up and adjusted my veil.

“Stop,” I wanted to tell her. I wanted to let her know that no amount of fussing around with the dress would make it feel less like a costume and more like a wedding dress. I wasn’t getting married as far as I believed. I was just putting up a show.

“The Langfords are seated,” my father announced at the doorway. The desperation in his voice was so obvious to me. “It’s time.”

As I smoothed the front of my dress and forced my lips to curl into a smile, I told them, “I’m ready.”

As I walked out of the house, it felt more as if I was walking to my execution than my own wedding.

But I had made this decision, and I would see it to the end.

~

The church was smaller than I had expected it to be. I hadn’t planned anything related to the wedding anyway. It was filled with people whose faces I barely even recognized.

My father’s arm was rigid as he held onto mine and we walked forward.

“You’re doing good,” he muttered at me, but I didn’t respond. I kept my eyes fixated on the altar I was heading to, looking at the man waiting for me.

My would-be husband, Ashton Langford.

He stood with his hands clasped together in front of him and a stoic look on his face. Even without being told, one would know that he was a billionaire heir with his tailored black suit and how untouchable he was.

I hated just how handsome he looked in a way that told you that you could only look from afar.

He doesn’t want this either, I silently realized when his eyes met with mine and there was nothing there before he looked away.

The entire ceremony was a blur as words flowed around the room that I didn’t care to listen to. I read out my vows that I had researched online last night, and his vows were just as lifeless.

“I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”

There was silence in the room, as if everyone present was holding their breath. Ashton leaned closer, and I closed my eyes as his lips met with mine for only a split second. The kiss was so brief that it could as well have been a handshake.Everyone started to cheer almost immediately.

“Smile,” Ashton murmured as we turned to face the guests, his cold hand resting on the small of my back. “They’re watching. There’s press members here as well.”

I smiled, and so did he. We walked back down the aisle as Mr. and Mrs. Langford, each of us playing our parts perfectly.

I didn’t get the chance to look back at my family to tell them goodbye. We had agreed that a reception was not necessary, but they hadn’t said anything about leaving immediately.

“We need to establish some ground rules,” Ashton started as soon as we were in the backseat of the limousine, loosening his tie and moving to the other side of the door to put distance between us.

“Ground rules?” I asked, blinking as I processed the fact that I was married.

“This is a business arrangement, Mariah. Nothing more. We’ll maintain appearances in public and whenever my parents visit. Outside of that, we live our separate lives.”

“Separate lives,” I repeated slowly, the thought sounding nice and agreeable to me. I didn’t even want to have to live in the same house with him, but I had to.

“We have separate bedrooms and separate schedules. You do whatever you need to do, and so do I. We stay out of each other’s way. But whatever you do, remember that you’re a Langford now. You represent our family from now on, and whatever you do is being watched by everyone you come across.”

I felt sick at the constant reminder of the fact that I was no longer Mariah Thorne.

Mariah Langford. All in the blink of an eye.

“My assistant will send you the household and family guidelines. Any questions?” He said.

I had a thousand questions burning in the back of my head.

Why did you agree o this? Do you hate yourself for this? What do you gain from this?

“No questions,” I replied, swallowing all of my questions.

“Good.”

~

Ashton Langford’s private estate was exactly what I had pictured it to be. It was massive but utterly devoid of any warmth. Glass and steel woven together that cost more money than my family’s company.

“Your room is on the second floor, east wing,” he said as we entered the foyer. A staff member walked out and took my bags out of the car, walking back and forth in silence.

“Mine is on the west,” Ashton announced. “The housekeeper will show you around tomorrow. For now, you can take a good look around your room and the balcony. Maybe figure out how to make it accommodating enough for you if you think it’s too basic or monotone.”

“Wait, I wanted to…”

He walked away before I could speak, his footsteps echoing across the room as I stood there in my wedding dress, alone in the house.

This is for my family, I reminded myself. This will save the company and save my father.

I continued to remind myself of that throughout my first week as Mrs. Langford. I barely saw Ashton except when he was leaving for work, and that was if I woke up early enough. We were strangers living in the same house, walking around each other and careful not to run into the other person.

I spent my days exploring the house, trying to memorize which hallways led where. All the walls matched in a strange and uncanny way. Nothing felt like mine.

The staff were polite, and it was obvious that they had been instructed not to engage beyond pleasantries.

I was lonely. Way more than I had anticipated that I would be.

On the eighth day, Brenda Langford came for a visit when I was in the only room in the house that I actually liked, the library.

I heard her sharp voice, causing my spine to straighten as she asked, “Where is she?”

“Mrs. Langford is in the library, ma’am,” I heard someone respond.

Footsteps grew louder before Brenda burst into the room. She was exactly as I remembered from our brief pre-wedding meetings. Not a hair out of place with eyes that were so sharp they could cut through metal.

“I wasn’t expecting you. Would you like a cup of tea or—”

“I have come to make one thing clear to you, Mariah. I’m not your friend who you can offer whatever whenever I’m here, and this isn’t some sort of social experiment for you. You’re here because my husband insisted. Because Ashton needed a wife for appearances and because your father needed money. Especially because of that, even. Don’t think for a second that it makes you one of us because I’ll be here to remind you over and over again that it doesn’t.”

Her words hit me like a slap. Where was that coming from?What did I do?

“I don’t think I understand what you’re talking about, Mrs. Langford. Maybe there’s been some sort of misunderstanding—”

“It’s Brenda, and I’m only going to tell you this once. I want you to stay out of Ashton’s way. Don’t embarrass this family. You don’t step out and make decisions on your own anymore. Whatever you do, remember that the Langford name follows you like a shadow under the sun. The moment you’re no longer useful, this marriage ends. Understood?”

She wouldn’t let me say anything else, and I knew that. Instead, I nodded.

“Good.” She turned to leave, but she paused at the doorway. “Oh, and Mariah? We’re having dinner here on Friday. Make sure you and Ashton look…convincing.”

She left before I could respond.

As I sank back into the chair, it fully dawned on me. This wasn’t just an arranged marriage. It was a sentence.