The Billionaire’s Contract Wife 🔥

Chapter 3: The Family

Three days passed in a blur. Elena spent the time arranging her mother’s care, packing a small suitcase with her few belongings, and trying to calm her own racing heart. She kept reminding herself: This is for Mom. Just one year. You can do this.

On the morning of the wedding, a sleek limousine arrived at her small apartment building. Two men in black suits stood by the door, waiting for her. They didn’t smile, didn’t speak, simply opened the door for her.

The drive was short, but they arrived at a massive, ancient-looking estate surrounded by tall iron gates and perfectly manicured gardens. This wasn’t just a house — it was a palace.

As she stepped out, Julian was there waiting for her. He looked breathtaking in a tailored dark suit, but his face was as cold and distant as ever. He walked over, took her arm firmly, and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Remember your role. Smile. Look happy. Do not say anything unnecessary. My family is… difficult."

Elena nodded, her throat dry. "I understand."

They walked inside. The hall was grand, filled with expensive furniture and paintings that looked hundreds of years old. Standing near the fireplace were three people: an elderly man sitting in a wheelchair, a sharp-looking woman in her fifties, and a young man who looked somewhat like Julian but with a much more playful expression.

"Grandfather, Mother, this is Elena," Julian announced formally.

The elderly man — Grandfather Sterling, the head of the family — looked at her closely with sharp, intelligent eyes. He didn't smile. He studied her from head to toe, as if inspecting a piece of merchandise.

"So this is the girl you chose?" His voice was rough but strong. "She seems… ordinary. Are you sure she is fit to be a Sterling?"

Elena felt her face burn. She wanted to look away, but she remembered Julian’s warning. She kept her head high and smiled politely.

"She is exactly what is required, Grandfather," Julian replied calmly, though Elena noticed his grip on her arm tightened slightly.

The woman — Mrs. Sterling, Julian’s mother — stepped forward. She was elegant, beautiful, and carried an air of arrogance that made Elena feel small instantly. She looked Elena up and down with clear disapproval.

"Ordinary indeed," she said with a cold laugh. "Where did you find her, Julian? She looks like she has never held a silk dress in her life. Are you sure she won't embarrass us at the gala next week?"

Elena’s hands balled into fists at her sides. She wanted to defend herself, to say she worked hard for everything she had, but she bit her tongue. Stay calm. It’s just a role. It’s just a contract, she told herself.

The young man stepped closer, grinning widely. He extended a hand to her. "Ignore them. I’m Lucas, Julian’s younger brother. And honestly? You look way nicer than the last boring girl he tried to bring home. Nice to meet you, Elena."

Elena shook his hand gratefully. "Thank you, Lucas."

"Enough chatter," Grandfather Sterling interrupted, banging his cane lightly on the floor. "The papers are signed. The marriage is legal. Now, Julian, you have what you wanted — access to the company. Do not make me regret this decision. And you, girl…" He pointed a finger at Elena. "You better learn how to behave like a wife of this family. Or you will be out on the street faster than you came in."

Julian turned to Elena, his face unreadable. "You heard him. From today, you live here. You follow the rules of this house. You represent the Sterling name."

He led her toward the grand staircase, away from his family. As they walked, Elena felt tears stinging her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.

This was only the beginning, she realized. If his family was this cruel on day one, she couldn't imagine what the rest of the year would be like.

But looking at Julian’s broad back as he walked ahead of her, she made a silent promise: I will survive this. And I will prove to all of them that I am not as weak as they think.