Chapter 7
964 Words
Cassandra
The polished marble floors of the registry gleamed softly. Cassie stared at the minimalist cream dress she’d chosen that morning. It was plain, forgettable, like this marriage was supposed to be. Terry stood behind her, restless, his hands shoved into his pockets. He’d insisted on coming, and Richard hadn’t objected. Richard stood calmly opposite her, immaculate in a charcoal suit.
The registrar, an elderly woman with reading glasses perched at the tip of her nose, glanced between them.
“You both understand this is legally binding?” she asked.
“Yes,” Richard answered smoothly.
Cassie swallowed. “Yes.” Her voice sounded steady, unlike how she felt.
“Do you enter this union of your own free will?” There it was, the question she dreaded. She knew what happened after. Cassie hesitated long enough for Richard to notice. His gaze shifted to her, sharp and assessing.
“Yes,” she repeated. Technically true.
The registrar slid the marriage registry book toward them. “Sign here.”
Richard signed first, his gesture smooth. When the book was pushed toward her, Cassie stared at the blank line beside his name. Richard Evans. Her heart thudded. It dawned on Cassie that was unlike the image of the future they’d painted together. It was a cold, unfeeling contract. She signed, the scratch of pen against paper like a final nail in the coffin.
The registrar stamped the document decisively. “It is done.”
There was no applause, no kiss, and no fanfare. Terry hugged her tightly. “Call me. If you need anything.”
“I’m fine,” she whispered. She was anything but.
Richard stepped closer. “It’s time.”
The drive felt longer than it had before. The iron gates opened soundlessly. This time, when the car rolled up the long driveway, Cassie noticed more security than before. Cameras. Motion sensors. Guards.
“Is all this necessary?” she asked quietly.
“Yes.”
“For what?”
“Trust me on this, Cassie.” Her stomach tightened at the way he called her name. Inside, the mansion felt even larger now, intimidating and isolating, like a large gilded cage.
Five greeted them near the entrance with a respectful nod. “Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Evans.” Cassie almost laughed at the absurdity of it.
Richard gestured toward the staircase. “Your room is upstairs.”
“My room?” she echoed, surprise coloring her tone.
“Yes.”
She shouldn’t have felt relieved, but she did. The bedroom he led her to was expansive. Neutral tones, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a private balcony. On the bed lay folded clothes. New. Carefully selected. She turned slowly.
“You planned this.”
“I plan everything.”
She faced him. “Is there a hidden camera in here too?”
His expression hardened slightly. “No.”
She searched his face, and whatever she saw there convinced her.
“This is your space,” he said. “No one enters without permission.”
“And yours?”
“Across the hall.”
Across the hall. As far away from her as he physically could. He stepped toward the door but paused. “There’s a dinner tonight.”
She frowned. “Tonight?”
“Something small and private with the board members.”
“You said this wouldn’t be immediate.”
“I said the wedding would be private. I didn’t say the consequences would wait.”
Her jaw tightened. “You move fast.”
“I have to,” he countered. “That’s the only way to stay ahead of the game.” The air shifted, and something unspoken passed between them. “You don’t look like someone who just got married,” he observed after a beat.
“What does that look like?”
“Happy.”
She didn’t answer because she didn’t trust what her face might reveal. He took one more step back into the room, closer than necessary. “You can still walk away,” he said softly.
Her eyes snapped to his. “Can I?”
His gaze held hers. “No.” His blunt honesty tore through her, sharp and clean.
She nodded once. “Then let’s stop pretending.”
For a moment, something almost like respect flickered in his expression. He left, and the door closed behind him. Cassie exhaled slowly. She walked to the window and looked out over the sprawling grounds.
One year.
She could survive one year.
****
Cassie stepped into the hallway in a deep emerald dress she’d found hanging in the wardrobe. It hugged her curves subtly but elegantly. When Richard emerged from his room, he stopped abruptly.
His appreciative gaze moved slowly from her face downward. Her senses tingled wherever his eyes landed.
“You look good,” he said evenly.
She arched a brow. “High praise coming from you.”
He stepped closer to adjust a strand of hair that had fallen over her shoulder. His warm fingers brushed her skin. Her breath caught. His hand lingered half a second too long. The tension was immediate. Thick. Dangerous.
He noticed.
She noticed that he noticed.
“You smell the same,” he murmured before he could stop himself.
Her pulse spiked. “You remember that?”
“I remember everything.”
Heavy silence fell between them at the quiet admission. She forced herself to step back.
“This is business.”
“Yes,” he agreed.
But neither of them sounded convinced. As they walked downstairs side by side, their shoulders nearly touching, Cassie felt it keenly. This was going to be more than just a contractual marriage.
And if either of them let their guard down, it wouldn’t just be their hearts at risk; it would be everything.
- Writer
