Chapter 6: Caught Between Two Worlds
1102 Words
This is insane." I took a step back and shook my head.
Alexander didn’t move.
I let out a breath, feeling the walls closing in around me. "Why would you do this? What do you get out of it?" I questioned him.
But there were sparkles of love in his eyes. I need to strengthen my place, and a marriage—especially to someone like you—would help. People recognize a guy with a wife. Investors, board members… they see a solid life, they trust and …."
I scoffed. "So, this is just business for you?"
Alexander’s eyes stayed on me for a second too long. "Not entirely."
A strange hush spread between us. For the first time, I saw vulnerability in him that I had not noticed—a flash of something deeper, something unknown.
But it didn’t matter.
"Even if I agreed, it would not be real," I whispered. "It’s just a contract."
"Of course," he replied quietly. "But in the eyes of the world, it will be…."
I closed my eyes, my head spinning. This is madness. A week ago, I had been trying to keep my life together, and now I was being offered a marriage contract as an answer or solution to my problems.
A business deal.
A bond of life.
"Do I get a say in the terms?" I asked finally.
Alexander grinned. "Naturally."
I breathed deeply. "Fine. I have my conditions."
He nodded once. "Let’s hear them."
I squared my shoulders. "One—this ends the minute I say it does. No strings attached. Two—you keep your space. We may be married on paper, but I’m not playing the part of a loving wife. And three—"
I paused.
"Three?" he prodded.
I met his eyes. "No lies. If we are doing this, I need honesty from you."
For a minute, he said nothing. Then, he nodded. "Agreed."
I breathed slowly. "Then I will do it if you agree with my terms." Without waste of time,
Alexander walked forward, holding out a pen and paper. "Sign this."
I glanced at the page in front of me, my heart pounding.
This was it.
The moment my life changed forever.
With shaky fingers, I grabbed the pen and wrote my name.
As soon as I raised the pen, my phone buzzed.
I looked at the screen.
A word from Greg.
You cannot escape me, Isabella. I will destroy all you have built, even him.
The room spun. My fingers curled around the phone.
Alexander’s eyes sharpened. "What is it?"
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.
Because at that moment, I grasped one terrible truth—
I had simply swapped one dangerous guy for another.
"You can’t escape me, Isabella. I’ll demolish what you’ve made, even him." Those words keep echoing in my thoughts.
My fingers clenched firmly around the gadget, my pulse racing. An icy shudder went down my spine.
“What is it?” Alexander’s voice was strong and forceful, powerful this time.
I hesitated. If I told him, would it make things worse? Wasn’t that merely exchanging one strong guy for another?
“Nothing,” I murmured, but my voice was laced with betrayal.
Alexander’s eyes clouded. He took a step forward, his presence intimidating. “Don’t lie to me, Isabella.”
Before I could react, a slow, delighted laugh filled the room.
“Well, well, looks like I walked in at the perfect time.”
The voice was silky, tinged with malice. I whirled abruptly, my breath quickening as my eyes met his—Lucian Steele.
He leaned against the door frame, effortlessly charming in a clean black shirt, the top buttons undone as if regulations didn’t apply to him. His jet-black hair was slightly ruffled, and his keen blue eyes carried a mischievous twinkle.
Lucian was everything Alexander wasn’t—wild, unpredictable, and threatening in a manner that had nothing to do with money or power. It was a different type of peril. The sort that pulled you in only to see you collapse.
“What are you doing here, Lucian?” Alexander’s tone was ice.
Lucian grinned. “Relax, brother. I am simply coming to say hi to your wonderful new fiancée.” His eyes flashed to mine, piercing and scrutinizing. “I must say, Isabella, you do know how to keep life interesting, you are beautiful.”
I tensed. The way he pronounced my name seemed too personal as if we had a history that we didn’t complete.
“She does not have time for your games,” Alexander snarled.
Lucian lifted a brow. “Oh? And what precisely is she busy with? Becoming your obedient little wife?” His eyes returned to me, the mocking grin never receding. “Tell me, Isabella, do you truly want this arrangement? Or did Alexander back you into a corner?”
I breathed gently, attempting to keep my emotions in control. “I do not have a choice because I have already signed my fate warrant,” Lucian asked, smiling.
“That’s where you’re wrong. There’s always a choice.” He came closer, his voice lowering. “You just have to be brave enough to take it.”
I wasn’t sure why, but something about Lucian disturbed me in a way that Alexander never had before.
Alexander was a storm—cold, controlled, and capable of damage.
Lucian was wildfire—reckless, chaotic and hard to control.
And the worst part, I wasn’t sure which was more risky.
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Later that night, I found myself alone on the mansion’s balcony trying to make sense of everything. The city lights stretched endlessly before me, but all I could think of was the storm developing within my life.
“Thinking about running?”
I almost leapt. Spinning around, I discovered Lucian lounging against the railing, watching me with amusement from behind.
I breathed sharply. “Do you make it a habit to sneak up on people?”
“Only the interesting ones,” he said calmly.
I rolled my eyes and looked back at the vista. “Shouldn’t you be somewhere else? Like a party? Or maybe making trouble?”
Lucian chuckled. “You wound me, Isabella. Do I rook that predictable?”
“Yes,” I deadpanned.
He laughed. “Fair enough.” He walked alongside me, putting his elbows on the railing. A little hush stretched between us before he began again, his tone uncharacteristically serious. “You don’t belong in this world, you know.”
Would either of them be able to save me?
Find out in the next chapter!
- Writer
