I MARRIED A VEGETABLE; He's Dead To Me

CHAPTER 4: Flash Marriage

The representatives from the civil affairs bureau declared her and Sebastian husband and wife while Edward Clarke came forward to receive the check.

“Let the banquet begin,” Harrow announced to everyone.

A banquet? That was a joke. With these handful of people who look like they were forced to come here. Aside from the mocking look in their eyes and the whispers coming from them, there was nothing that interested them here.

Not even the lavish meal. They seemed like they were forced to come.

The security was tight, and the Duncans were making frantic efforts to keep this marriage tightly under wraps.

She had heard from some people passing by while they lamented the strict security check at the gate.

They weren't allowed to come in with their phones to prevent anyone from taking pictures in the hall.

Their phones were confiscated at the entrance, but they would normally be returned to them as they left Mia’s footsteps echoing softly against the polished marble floor as she walked from the stage to the back like the lone bride she was.

The heavy weight of the white wedding dress felt more like a shroud than a symbol of celebration.

The tiny gold embroidery shimmered faintly under the crystal chandelier, but no sparkle reached her eyes.

Her bouquet of deep crimson roses was the only vivid colour in the vast, cold hall filled with cold eyes, an echo of her hidden sorrow and the heavy sacrifices she was forced to make.

The marriage arrangement had been the final blow, giving Mia away to a man who lay trapped in silence and darkness, even though he was the young master of the Duncan estate.

Sebastian Duncan was a man who had once been full of energy.

His future was promising, but an accident left him comatose, a prisoner of his body.

His family’s offer came with strings attached—Mia's hand in marriage in exchange for the survival of the Clarke group.

Mia’s eyes scanned the hall. The people in it were all giving her a disgusted look. It was obvious they saw the Clarkes as shrewd people.

They saw Mia as an even more cunning person. They saw her as shameless, someone who would not hesitate to sell her future just to marry into a wealthy family, regardless of the circumstances.

Inside this hall and in the vast Duncan estate lay the mystery of Sebastian’s life, his secrets, and his silent suffering.

No one dared speak much about the accident that had left him in this state, and the butler, Harrow, was the only one who seemed to know more than he let on.

Yet he carried the weight of the family’s silence with a quiet dignity.

As she tightened her grip on the bouquet, Mia wondered if love could grow in a place so silent.

Could a bond be forged without words? Or was she simply a pawn in a game far bigger than herself?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps approaching.

Unity approached her with her usual smug expression, followed closely by Erica, whose eyes gleamed with the same victorious malice she had shown when stealing Mia’s fiancé.

The two women’s presence filled the space like a storm cloud, darkening the already sombre atmosphere.

“Look who's married without walking down the aisle.” Unity sneered, crossing her arms.

“Though it’s funny, no groom in sight. Poor Mia, always the forgotten one.”

Erica smirked, leaning closer to Mia with a mock sympathy that made Mia’s skin crawl. “Don’t worry, sister. You’ll get used to being a shadow in everyone else’s life.”

Mia didn’t respond.

She had long since been used to their taunting and had learned that arguing with them was futile.

Instead, she focused on the one truth that kept her going: her mother’s memory, her legacy, all that she painstakingly built, and her resilience.

She would endure this marriage, the coldness of the Duncan estate, and the silence of a husband who could not speak, because she had no choice.

But deep inside, a fire burned. One day, she would uncover the truth behind the accident, the secrets the Duncan family kept, and the real reason her life had been traded like a commodity.

Until then, Mia would wear her crown of silence with dignity, waiting for the moment she could awaken not just Sebastian, but herself.

Mia’s gaze drifted away from Unity and Erica’s sneers, focusing instead on the grand clock mounted high on the wall.

It ticked steadily, the only sound that filled the vastness of the Duncan estate’s banquet hall.

Each tick felt like a countdown, not just to the wedding, but to the start of a life she had never chosen.

Memories flooded her mind.

The warmth of her mother’s smile, the gentle lullabies she sang softly to her during sleepless nights.

She remembered the sounds of laughter echoing through the Clarke family’s cosy home.

Those laughs and smiles weren't forced or staged; they were a product of the happy times they shared together as a family.

Those days seemed like a lifetime ago. Now, the house felt cold, distant, and heavy with secrets.

Her father, Edward Clarke, had once been a man of pride and ambition.

But the weight of debts, failed ventures, and personal betrayals had twisted him into someone Mia barely recognised, or maybe he had been twisted from the start.

Mia could not even see any trace of the loving father and husband he once was.

Potentially he had always been pretending then. Now the real Edward was out.

She could still see the greedy look in his eyes when the butler proposed the marriage and when he had agreed to the deal with the Duncan family.

He had signed his consent even before telling her. A desperate man caught in a web he could no longer control.

It wasn’t just the family business that was faltering; it was their family’s foundation.

The guests began to disperse. After collecting the money, Edward didn't linger any longer.

He had gotten what he wanted, and that was enough.

Mia was sure that the only reason Erica and Unity stayed was so that they could mock Mia to the fullest, and that was all they did until the hall was empty.

Now the large banquet hall that had about fifteen people in it was only left with Unity, Erica, and Mia, aside from the servants tidying up the hall.

Unity stepped forward, smiling triumphantly. “See, Mia? A perfect match. Our families are united, and your father’s debts are settled.”

Erica laughed softly, her voice dripping with malice. “And you’re finally where you belong, under the Duncan roof, a prisoner in your marriage.”

Mia’s jaw tightened, but she said nothing. There was no use arguing now. The path had been set, and she had no choice but to follow it.

“Happy married life to you, dear sister. I hope you enjoy living with your ‘unresponsive husband ’” Erica's smile was disgusting.

She was the only one who gained satisfaction from whatever it was she was doing. “I hope you will be present to give me and David your blessings; our official engagement party will take place next month.”

Mia was unfazed. “I wish you well. You both are fit for each other. I'll send you gifts on that day.”