A CONTRACT MARRIAGE

Chapter 6-A Grandfather’s Will, A Man’s Decision

After leaving Damien’s office, Gwynne finally let herself breathe. Her palms were still slightly damp, her heartbeat unsteady — but she couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips. She had faced him head-on, and she hadn’t crumbled.

On her way down the grand staircase, Mr. Chase appeared with his usual warm smile.

“How did it go with my grandson?” he asked gently.

Gwynne hesitated, then replied with a polite smile. “He’s… challenging.”

Mr. Chase laughed softly. “That’s a polite way to put it. Don’t mind him too much. Damien just needs time to warm up — though I can’t promise when that will be.”

Gwynne couldn’t help but smile at the older man’s humor.

“Oh, and before I forget,” Mr. Chase added, “I’d like you to join us for dinner tonight. It’s tradition to welcome new members of the household properly.”

Her eyes widened slightly. “Dinner? With both of you?”

“Of course,” he said with a wink. “It’ll be good for Damien to learn some manners.”

That evening, Gwynne found herself seated at the long, elegant dining table, feeling both nervous and out of place. The golden lights reflected off the crystal glasses, the silverware too perfect to touch.

Mr. Chase sat at the head of the table, smiling warmly at her. Across from her, Damien sat in silence — poised, unreadable, his eyes occasionally flicking toward her but revealing nothing.

The meal began peacefully enough. Mr. Chase asked about Gwynne’s family, her life back at the farm, her plans for college. She answered shyly, her voice soft but sincere.

But as the conversation flowed, Damien suddenly set down his glass, his gaze cold and deliberate.

“Grandfather,” he said calmly, “I’ve made my decision.”

Both Mr. Chase and Gwynne looked at him in confusion.

Damien leaned back slightly in his chair, his voice steady — too steady.

“If you truly wish for me to settle down and take responsibility, then fine.” His eyes shifted to Gwynne, locking on her with unsettling calm.

“I’ll marry her.”

The sound of silverware against china stopped instantly.

Gwynne’s breath caught. Mr. Chase’s smile vanished.

The entire room froze in stunned silence as Damien’s words hung heavily in the air.

-MINUTES BEFORE DINNER-

Gwynne walked gracefully down the long, silent hallway toward the dining room. The sound of her soft footsteps echoed faintly against the marble floor. From above, Damien stood at the top of the grand staircase, his eyes following her every move. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he murmured under his breath, “Let’s see where fate brings your little game, Grandpa.”

He lingered there for a moment, his gaze dark and unreadable. But then, as his expression softened slightly, a memory flashed in his mind — one week ago.

Flashback — One Week Ago

At the vast dining table of the Chase mansion, Damien sat across from his grandfather. The room was quiet except for the clinking of silverware and the faint hum of the chandelier above. Mr. Chase set down his fork and studied his grandson with a stern yet weary gaze.

“Damien,” he began, his tone calm but firm, “you have everything a man could ever want — success, wealth, the respect of others. But tell me… have you thought about settling down? About marriage?”

Damien didn’t look up from his plate. “I’ve already settled my future, Grandfather,” he replied flatly. “But marriage is not part of it. I haven’t found the perfect woman for me.”

Mr. Chase’s brows furrowed. “Perfect? You don’t need to do this alone. I can help. I know people, families… I can find someone suitable for you.”

Damien’s jaw clenched. “No, Grandfather. I’ll decide for myself. I don’t need anyone’s help, not even yours. Marriage isn’t a business deal I can just sign. I won’t force myself into someone’s life just because it’s convenient or expected.”

Mr. Chase’s hand slammed on the table, his voice rising. “You’re being stubborn, Damien! This isn’t just about you. I built everything for our family, for you. And yet, you can’t even think about your future beyond your pride?”

Damien finally met his grandfather’s gaze, his tone cold but firm. “I am thinking about my future. Just not the one you’re dictating.”

Their voices grew louder, tension filling the air like a storm waiting to break. Servants outside the door exchanged anxious glances but dared not enter.

“You’ll end up alone if you keep living like this,” Mr. Chase said, his voice trembling slightly with anger. “And when you realize it, it’ll be too late!”

Damien rose abruptly. “Then I’ll face that future myself.”

Before he could take another step, Mr. Chase suddenly gasped. His hand clutched his chest, and the color drained from his face.

“Grandpa?” Damien’s eyes widened, panic breaking through his composure. “Grandpa!”

Mr. Chase collapsed beside the table, and the room erupted in chaos as Damien shouted for help. Servants rushed in, and Damien knelt beside his grandfather, his hands trembling.

“Stay with me, please,” he murmured, his voice cracking for the first time.

After the collapse, Damien stayed by his grandfather’s side at the hospital, his anxiety never letting up. But then, a brief moment of distraction — a nurse stepping away, a commotion in the hallway — and suddenly, Mr. Chase was gone.

“Grandpa?!” Damien’s voice roared through the empty corridors. His heart pounded in his chest as fear gripped him. What if someone took him? What if…

Frantically, he searched the hospital halls, calling his grandfather’s name. Every passing second felt like an eternity.

He ran out onto the street, scanning the crowds. And then, he saw them.

Mr. Chase was there — upright, steady — but beside him was a young woman Damien didn’t recognize at first. Her hands were gently supporting his grandfather, steadying him.

“What are you doing with him?!” Damien’s voice cut through the quiet street like a gunshot. His heart raced. “Did you… did you kidnap my grandfather?!”

Gwynne froze, her eyes wide with shock. “I—I didn’t! I’m just helping him!”

But Damien didn’t listen. Fear and anger had clouded everything else. He barked to his men, his voice sharp and commanding: “Hold her! Take her to Cole’s resthouse! Don’t let her move an inch until I give the order!”

Gwynne hesitated, bewildered, but had no choice. Damien’s men carefully guided her away as he sprinted toward his grandfather, heart hammering in his chest.

As Damien lifted Mr. Chase toward the waiting ambulance, the old man’s voice, weak but firm, reached him.

“Damien… do not hurt the little woman,” he whispered.

Damien froze mid-step, his hands tightening around his grandfather. His protective instincts clashed with a sudden, uneasy realization — she wasn’t his enemy. Yet he didn’t lower his guard. Not yet.

By the time they reached the ambulance, Damien’s mind was a whirlwind of fear, confusion, and the burning need to protect both his grandfather and the mysterious young woman who had unwittingly become part of this dangerous moment.

As Mr. Chase whispered, “Damien… do not hurt the little woman,” a plan began forming in Damien’s mind. He couldn’t fully trust the situation, and he needed control until he understood his grandfather’s intentions.

Pulling out his phone, Damien’s fingers moved swiftly, sending precise instructions to his men:

“Hold the girl at Cole’s resthouse. Do not release her for any reason. Keep her safe but under watch. Wait for my command. Grandpa’s orders will clarify everything.”

Within minutes, his men confirmed receipt. Gwynne was escorted carefully, still bewildered, to the rest house. Damien’s eyes didn’t leave the ambulance as the paramedics tended to Mr. Chase.

Even though his grandfather had explicitly told him not to harm her, Damien’s protective instincts were in overdrive. He knew that until Mr. Chase fully recovered and revealed his intentions, Gwynne’s safety and position in this sudden, chaotic web of events depended entirely on his control.

As the ambulance doors closed, Damien leaned back slightly, sending one last sharp look at his phone screen — a silent warning to anyone who might challenge his authority: he would wait, watch, and act according to his grandfather’s will… and according to his own judgment.