Bound by a billionaire のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 11 - チャプター 20

~JESSICA~ The wedding was the Saturday of the same week.Daniel was so fast about everything. It was as if he's scared I would change my mind.It was a court wedding consisting of Daniel and his lawyer, me and my lawyer, and my stepsister, Grace, as a witness.No flowers. No guests. No emotions.The judge read the vows in a dull, rehearsed tone, and I signed the marriage certificate with hands that barely stopped trembling. Daniel, on the other hand, looked calm…too calm. Like a man who just closed a business deal.Afterwards, we posed for some photos that the court clerk took. Daniel placed his hand lightly on my waist, and the moment the camera flashed, he pulled away."Congratulations, Mrs Sutherland" Grace said softly, pulling me into a hug. I could feel the hesitation in her voice, the unspoken questions in her eyes. But she didn’t ask any. She simply squeezed my hand and stepped aside.I knew she was concerned about me and wanted to know if I

~JESSICA~~THE PAST~ “Ma'am…we're here already” the taxi driver tapped me softly, waking me up from my sleep.I yawned and stretched my body, looking around me.“I've been calling you since. But you're too deep in sleep” he said.“I'm sorry, Sir” I apologized. Last night had been another long one, staying up to send out job applications to as many companies as I could find. With each passing day, I felt the weight of responsibility press harder on my shoulder, but today especially, it was crushing me.The moment morning broke, I rushed to the hospital to check on my stepmother—though in every way, Sarah was my true mother.Three days ago, she had been admitted with severe pain, and every test the doctor ran seemed to pull us closer to a diagnosis I dreaded more with each hour.And then the tests were really expensive and was draining me financially, more reason why I need a job as soon as possible and stay awake most nights to send application letters.Sar

~JESSICA~It was a loud knock that woke me up from sleep the next morning. It was a sunday.For some minutes, I forgot where I was and why I was here, but it all came running back at once.I got married to Daniel Sutherland yesterday. A contract and fake marriage.“Who's there?” I asked, stretching and yawning.“It's me” came the brief reply.I knew who it was from the voice.“Come in” I said, picking up my glasses from where I dropped them before sleeping last night and wearing them.My vision was so blurry this morning.The door opened and Daniel walked in. He looked around my room as if searching for something or someone.“Good morning” I greeted to draw his attention back to me.“Good morning,” he replied.“I came here to inform you that I've signed the Armitage contract and we'll be having a dinner party to celebrate the signing of the contract and our marriage”“Why are we celebrating our marriage? It's not even real” I asked him.“That's what the Armitage

~JESSICA~The car ride was quiet, save for the low hum of the engine and the frantic beat of my heart. Daniel didn’t say much, his gaze fixed on the city lights as they flickered past the tinted window. I kept sneaking glances at him, trying to decode the unreadable expression on his face.He hadn’t answered me earlier.Who was going to be at this dinner party?And why did the idea of it make my palms clammy?When we finally pulled up in front of a luxury hotel ballroom glittering with golden lights, Daniel stepped out first and turned back to offer me his hand. Cameras flashed in the distance. Photographers. Guests. Eyes.“Smile,” he whispered, his hand warm and firm around mine. “They’re watching.”I did my best, curling my lips into something resembling grace and confidence, even though my nerves were screaming. We walked in together—him tall, polished, powerful… me trying not to trip over my own feet in heels I wasn’t used to.The room was stunning. Cr

~DANIEL~I did what I've always wanted to do since tonight. I did what I wanted to do when I saw Jessica descend the stairs looking so beautiful and gorgeous.I kissed Jessica!!!The moment my lips met hers, the world shifted beneath me.I had kissed other women before, but never like this. Not with the electricity that surged through my veins, the sudden pounding in my chest, the way my fingers ached to pull her closer, not just for the cameras, but because I wanted to.I didn’t understand why. I knew it that she's a dangerous, beautiful trouble, but I didn't imagine it'll affect me so fast.I was the man who thrived on control. Emotions were weaknesses I buried deep under layers of steel and strategy. Yet, that kiss… it unsettled me.I pulled away first, breathing uneven, trying to ground myself. The applause around us sounded distant, a background noise to the storm swirling inside me.I told myself it was part of the plan. A tool to keep the press off o