Chapter Six

Ace’s POV

I lay on my bed, head aching like crazy. I had buried myself in work all day after hearing the details of the marriage contract. I almost believed she wouldn’t come, that she would fight it, but she appeared at my door looking lovely as ever. 

She didn’t look all too happy to be here but I believe she’s settled now. I don’t know if her father told her about the agreement but I will find out tomorrow. 

I picked up my laptop from the side desk and turned it on. Emails flooded in immediately, most from Stella wanting to know why I wasn’t responding to her messages and why I'd decided to work from home, and others from my contractors and business partners.

I ignored them and opened the email the private investigator sent to me. It contained information about Mila and how she’d lived. If she was going to be my wife, I needed to know she could handle the duties that came with it.

Her father had done a good job of hiding her from the media. I couldn’t find anything on her on my own when I tried. There wasn’t much the private investigator could find too, most were about her academic background and family. Her only recorded friend is Anaya, whom I have yet to meet.

I closed the laptop letting out a deep sigh.

“Well that was disappointing,” I blurted out.

Her father is really good at this. My mind quickly drifted to the dinner after Mila had left.

*Flashback* 

The door closed behind her with a sharp sound and the room fell silent. I remained at my seat, my hands at my sides. I tried to remain calm. I didn’t expect her reaction at all.

I expected anger, yes. Fear maybe. But she looked at me like I was another chain around her neck and that hit harder than I thought it would. Hearing her plead with me to find a way out of this made me pity her.

Her father cleared his throat. “She’ll come around,” he said, “She’s just emotional, she’ll adjust.”

“They always adjust,” my father replied.

I said nothing. 

I wasn’t angry, I was shaken because the truth was hard to ignore. Mila Gerald was the woman from the club and she didn’t remember me at all.

I couldn’t stop thinking about how she looked tonight. Her hair fell neatly over her shoulders. Her green dress was simple but it hugged her curves perfectly. 

My father spoke again, bringing me out of my thoughts. “Ace, now that the introductions are over, you need to understand the full agreement.”

I looked up. “You didn’t tell me everything before?”

“No,” he said. “Because you weren’t meant to hesitate.”

Mr. Gerald nodded. “This marriage is meant to bind both families, it’s not just symbolic.”

He slid a folder across the table. I opened it and the words stood out in bold block letters.

Marriage Contract Agreement 

I read it fast, then slower.

My stomach tightened.

“There’s a no-divorce clause,” my father said. “You can’t divorce under any condition.”

I looked up. “Ever?”

“Ever, unless both families agree. Which they won’t.”

I turned the page.

“There’s also a behavior clause,” Mr. Gerald added. “Your public actions matter. Affairs, scandals, anything that harms our names will have consequences.”

“What kind of consequences?” I asked.

“You lose company shares,” my father said. “And your inheritance rights.”

I leaned back and exhaled slowly. This was a trap

“And if we don’t follow this?” I asked.

“Then neither of you gets full control of your inheritance,” my father replied calmly. “This alliance is the key to your inheritance.”

I stared down at the papers again.

“Is Mila aware of this?” I asked. “Because it seems she thinks this is just another business deal.”

“She will come around,” her father replied. “She has no choice.”

I didn’t respond. I knew arguing was pointless.

*Flashback ends*

My phone buzzed, another message from Stella. 

“Stop ignoring me, Ace.” It read.

“I already told you to ask my father for details. Keep this up and I’ll block your number.” I responded quickly and switched off my phone.