I'll tremble as I stare at the contract before me. The weight of my decision pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I could feel Kieran's eyes on me—cold, unreadable, waiting for me to sign my life away.
"Sign it." His voice was smooth, controlled, but beneath it, I sensed an edge of impatience.
I swallowed hard. One signature. That's all it would take. One stroke of ink, and I would belong to a man I had met only hours ago.
"Once you sign this," he continued, his tone dangerously calm, "there's no turning back."
I forced myself to look up at him. His striking face was devoid of emotion, but there was something in his gaze—something dark, something unreadable.
"Why me?" I whispered.
Kieran leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "Does it matter?"
I hesitated. "It does to me."
His jaw tightened, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his icy blue eyes. "You need the money. I need a wife. It's that simple."
But I knew it wasn't that simple.
A man like Kieran Weston didn't do anything without a reason. He wasn't the type to make impulsive decisions, let alone marry a stranger. There was something he wasn't telling me, and that made me uneasy.
I clenched my teeth. I had no choice.
Taking a shaky breath, I lowered the pen to the contract and signed my name. Lauren Greene.
The moment the ink dried, a strange chill ran down my spine. I had just made a deal with the devil.
Kieran reached for the papers, his fingers brushing against mine for a fleeting second. I flinched at the unexpected warmth of his touch. He noticed, his lips curving into something that almost resembled amusement.
"You flinch like I'm a monster," he murmured.
I swallowed hard. "I don't know what you are."
He smirked. "You'll find out soon enough."
A shiver ran through me, but before I could dwell on it, Kieran stood up.
"Pack your things. You're moving in with me tonight."
I blinked. "Tonight?"
His gaze darkened. "Did you think this was just on paper? You're my wife now, Lauren. You'll live under my roof, by my rules."
The finality in his tone sent a bolt of panic through me. This was real. I was officially married to a man I barely knew.
I rose shakily from my chair. "I just need a few hours—"
"You have one."
One hour. Sixty minutes to say goodbye to the life I knew.
---
I rushed back to my tiny apartment, my heart hammering in my chest. The dim light flickered as I stepped inside, and for the first time, the place felt unbearably small.
I had lived here for years, struggling to make ends meet, caring for my mother, working late shifts, and scraping by on minimum wage. Every corner held memories—some painful, some bittersweet.
Now, I was leaving it all behind.
I grabbed a suitcase and threw it in, I found my best friend, Sophie.
Her eyes widened when she saw the suitcase. "Lauren, what's going on?"
I hesitated. "I...I got married."
Silence.
Then— "You what?!"
I bit my lip. "It's complicated, Sophie. My mom needed surgery, and—"
"Wait, wait, wait." She raised a hand as if she could physically stop the words from sinking in. "You married someone for money?"
I exhaled sharply. "I didn't have a choice."
Sophie's face twisted with worry. "Who is he? Do you even know him?"
I hesitated before whispering, "Kieran Weston."
Her face was drained of color. "Lauren, are you insane?"
Fear settled in my stomach. "You know him?"
"Everyone knows him," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's ruthless. Cold. No one really knows what happened to him after his accident, but rumors say he's—"
A sharp knock interrupted her.
I turned slowly, my heart stopping as I saw Kieran standing at the doorway. How long had he been there?
"Time's up," he said, his voice like ice.
Sophie's grip tightened on my arm. "Lauren, don't go with him."
Kieran's gaze flickered to her, expression unreadable. "She's my wife now."
The possessiveness in his voice sent a chill down my spine.
I turned to Sophie, forcing a weak smile. "I'll be fine."
She didn't look convinced. "If you ever need me—"
"I know," I whispered.
With that, Kieran took my suitcase and led me away.
I felt like I was walking toward my fate.
And I wasn't sure if I would survive it.
The drive to Kieran's house was tense. The silence between us was thick, suffocating. I kept my gaze on the city lights flashing past the car window, my hands clasped tightly in my lap.
"Scared?" he finally asked, his deep voice cutting through the quiet.
I stiffened. "Should I be?"
A slow smirk curled at the corner of his lips. "That depends."
"On what?"
He glanced at me briefly, amusement dancing in his cold blue eyes. "How well you behave."
I swallowed hard, my fingers tightening around the fabric of my dress.
The car turned onto a long, private road lined with towering trees. A mansion loomed in the distance, dark and foreboding. It was nothing like I had expected.
"Welcome to your new home," Kieran said, pulling the car to a stop.
A butler stepped forward to open my door, but my feet felt glued to the ground.
"Lauren."
I turned my head to look at Kieran. His gaze was sharp, piercing. "Get out."
With a deep breath, I stepped out of the car. The air was cold, crisp against my skin. The house looked even bigger up close—massive glass windows, sleek modern design, but something about it felt... empty.
Kieran led me inside. The grand entrance was silent except for the faint ticking of a clock.
"You'll stay here," he said, pushing open a door.
I stepped inside cautiously. The bedroom was large, elegant, but sterile. No personal touches. No warmth.
"This isn't what I expected," I murmured, running my fingers along the cold marble dresser.
"What did you expect?"
I turned to face him. "Something less... lonely."
Something flickered in his eyes. It was gone before I could name it.
"Get some rest," he said. "Tomorrow, we start playing our roles."
"And what role is that?"
His lips twitched. "The perfect wife to a perfect husband."
A chill ran through me as he walked away, leaving me standing alone in my new reality.
Married. Trapped. And at the mercy of a man I barely knew.