The bride i never wanted

"I now pronounce you husband and wife."The words hit me like a slap. My hands shook inside the white lace gloves as Alexander Voss slid the heavy gold band onto my finger. Not Sophia's. Mine.I forced a smile for the hundreds of eyes watching us. The cathedral smelled of expensive flowers and even more expensive perfume. Cameras flashed nonstop."You may kiss the bride," the officiant said with a proud smile.Alexander leaned in. His grey eyes locked on mine for the first time up close. For one second I thought he might actually do it. Then something shifted in his face. His jaw tightened. He pressed a quick, cold kiss to my cheek instead.The crowd clapped anyway."Smile, Emma," I whispered to myself. "Just keep smiling."We walked back down the aisle together. His grip on my arm felt like steel. I could barely keep up in the heels Sophia had picked out.At the reception in the grand ballroom, the music swelled. People kept coming up to congratulate us. Alexander's grandmother, Vict

I flipped to the last page and my eyes locked on the final paragraph."Read it out loud," Alexander said, arms crossed as he watched me from across the room. "I want to hear you say it."My throat went dry. "Any attempt to annul or dissolve this marriage within the first five years triggers an immediate penalty clause. Full dissolution of the Voss-Harrington merger, personal liability for all lost profits estimated at two hundred and fifty million dollars, and public disclosure of all financial records from both families."Alexander took a slow step closer. "Keep going."I gripped the papers tighter. "The signatories agree that the marriage must appear legitimate for public and business purposes. Any evidence of fraud or separation will activate automatic asset forfeiture. Your father signed this on behalf of Sophia. Now it has my name.""Exactly." He snatched the contract from my hands and tossed it onto the table. "You’re not just my wife on paper, Emma. You’re locked in. Five years

My stomach dropped when I heard him on the phone.“Yes, move the board meeting to ten,” Alexander said through the office wall. “And make sure Emma sits in. I want her to see exactly what she married into.”I stood outside his door, fists clenched. He wanted to humiliate me in front of his people. Fine. I’d sit there and take it.Next morning came too fast. I chose a plain navy dress, nothing flashy. Alexander barely looked at me during the silent car ride to Voss Global Tower.We stepped into the glass elevator. “Don’t speak unless I tell you to,” he said without looking at me.“I’m not stupid,” I muttered.The doors opened on the top floor. Marcus waited outside the boardroom, coffee in hand. “Morning, power couple. Ready to dazzle them?”Alexander shot him a look. “Just do your job, Marcus.”We walked in. Ten men and two women sat around the long table. All eyes turned to me. Victoria Voss sat at the far end, her sharp eyes studying me again.“Everyone, this is my wife, Emma,” Alex

I didn’t know Alexander stood in the doorway, watching me cry.My shoulders shook harder into the pillow. Everything I held together all day broke at once. The wedding. The contract. His cold rules. The way he looked at me in his shirt like he wanted to hate me and touch me at the same time. It all came out in ugly, quiet sobs.I thought I was alone.“Emma.”His voice cut through the dark. Low. Rough.I jerked up, wiping my face fast with the back of my hand. “Get out.”He didn’t move. Just stood there in the doorway, one hand still on the handle like he couldn’t decide whether to come in or leave.“I said get out,” I repeated, voice cracking. “You wanted me invisible. This is me being invisible.”Alexander stepped inside anyway. He closed the door behind him with a soft click. “You’re crying loud enough to wake the whole building.”“I’m crying quietly,” I shot back. “You weren’t supposed to hear.”He walked closer but stopped at the edge of the bed. The moonlight from the window caug

His face was inches from mine.“Or what?” I asked, my back pressed against the door.Alexander’s hand stayed planted beside my head. “Or I stop fighting it right now.”I shoved at his chest. “You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to push me away for days and then corner me like you suddenly can’t control yourself.”He didn’t budge. “You think I planned this? You think I wanted to stand here wanting the woman who tricked me?”“Wanted?” I laughed in his face. “You don’t want me. You want control. You want to punish me. That’s all this has ever been.”His eyes flashed. “You don’t know what I want.”“Then say it!” I pushed him again, harder. “Stop playing these games and say it to my face. Tell me you still hate me. Tell me I’m still the wrong bride. Say it!”Alexander grabbed my wrists and pinned them against the door above my head. Not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough that I felt his strength. “I do hate what you did. I hate that you lied in front of everyone. I hate that I’m stuc