Claimed At First Sight

CHAPTER 3: THE CONFRONTATION

At 7.00 PM, Reign found herself staring at the freshly printed certificates in her trembling hands.

Mr and Mrs Pierson.

Her heart raged in her chest, pounding so hard she thought it might explode.

She was married. Actually married to a stranger she had met not even up to hours ago, a man whose first name she had only learned when they were signing their certificate. She was terrified. But the deed was done. Her signature stood proud on the certificate, next to his simple, perfect initials.

Dashiell glanced at her as they walked side by side out of the building. "You alright?"

She nodded, not trusting her voice. And mostly because she was unable to meet his eyes, or what to say if their eyes met. Thanks for agreeing to this. Or did she start calling him husband now?

Gosh! This is so embarrassing.

They walked in silence for a few minutes until they were now strolling down the empty parking lot towards where her old car sat.

"We should exchange numbers," Dashiell said suddenly, pulling out his phone. "In case we need to contact each other."

Right.

They exchanged numbers in silence.

The whole thing felt surreal, standing in an empty parking lot swapping phone numbers with the stranger she had just married.

Well, not strangers per se anymore. He was now her husband.

What do I save his number with? My husband? This is crazy.

"I'll be in touch," Dashiell said, pocketing his phone. "We can discuss the contract details over a meal."

“Sure,” Reign nodded with a small smile and reached for the door handle.

“Mrs Pierson…”

Her hand stilled, and she turned back slowly.

His dark eyes, swirling with amusement, held hers for a moment. "Get some rest." He smirked, and with that, he turned and walked away.

For a moment, Reign couldn’t move.

Mrs. Pierson?

Her face burned, and heat climbed up her neck, settling fully in her cheeks.

Did he just….

Did he just call her that to get a reaction from her?

She stared after him, while he kept walking away without looking back. He was so calm and clearly unbothered, like they had just signed a business deal instead of a marriage license.

“…unbelievable,” she muttered under her breath.

With a shake of her head, she unlocked her car and slid into the driver’s seat, shutting the door a little too loudly.

For a moment, she just sat there, staring into nothing, then she leaned back against the seat and let out a slow breath.

Mrs. Pierson.

That was her name now, and for the next year.

As simple as that sounds, she found it terrifying and unnerving.

She didn’t even know who the man was. Her mother may have arranged their date, but she had hastened a marriage without getting to know him at first.

But come to think of it, Reign tilted her head.

Isn’t he weird? Because who in their right mind marries a stranger… and walks around looking that calm about it?

Or worse…that entertained?

She hadn’t even looked him up. Everything had spiralled so fast that it skipped her mind.

She’d do it when she got home, Reign reassured herself, but before she could start the car, her phone rang, the sudden sound startling her.

She rolled her eyes when she saw the name flashing across the screen.

"Did you go?" Miranda's voice was sharp.

"Yes, Mother.” Reign replied as she started the car. “I went."

"And?"

Reign pulled out of the parking spot, eyes on the road. "I did what you wanted. What you need to do now is to give me what's mine."

"What you…Reign dear, don't be ridiculous. I need confirmation from the Pierson family first. I need to know you actually showed up and didn't embarrass me."

"I went, and we talked. Now release my inheritance." She wasn’t in the mood for chitchat with her mother. She never was.

Miranda laughed. "It's not that simple, darling. I haven't received an affirmation call from his family. Why would I trust you?"

Reign's jaw tightened as she turned onto the main road. "Fine. When you get your confirmation, I want my shares and my father's house back."

There was a pause.

"The house?" Miranda's voice sharpened; she surely wasn’t expecting that. "You know Kora is living there."

Reign’s hand tightened on the wheel, her jaw clenched tight. "I don't care."

"Reign…"

"That house is mine.” Reign snapped. “Father left them to me. You've withheld them long enough."

"Don't be selfish!" Miranda snapped. "Do you know how hard I've worked to win Kora over? That house is the only reason she finally respects me! You're intentionally trying to ruin my peace isn’t you?"

Reign rolled her eyes. Kora didn't respect Miranda. She tolerated her, and that is even barely. The whole "happy blended family" act was a performance, and either Miranda knew it and was pretending otherwise, or she was genuinely that blind.

Either way, Reign didn't care.

"The house was mine before you gave it to Kora," Reign said coolly, even though her inside was boiling. "The shares were mine before you locked them away. You took them to control me. To force me into doing what you wanted. Well, I did it. Now give them back."

"You ungrateful little…"

"And Mother?" Reign cut Miranda off. "Don't make me involve Grandma Iris."

Silence.

Then Miranda's voice came back, shaking with fury. "Are you threatening me? After all I've done, the sacrifices I've made raising you alone...

"Goodnight, Mother."

Reign hung up.

She gripped the steering wheel tighter and scoffed.

After the sacrifice she gave her? Anyone who heard that would think she did anything. All her mother did was get married to another man, not even six months after her late husband’s death. She wasn’t even bothered by her broken twenty-one year old daughter, who needed a parent, someone to comfort her.

Reign's vision blurred with unshed tears, and she blinked fast to get rid of them.

Grandma Iris is her father's mother. The one true woman who held the real power in the Sutton family and final say on everything. She could take it all from Miranda if she wanted. But she wouldn't. She didn’t even attend her son’s funeral. Reign couldn’t blame her, as her father was Grandma Iris's only and precious son, and Reign looked just like her father. Same eyes. Same smile. Grandma Iris couldn't bear to look at her, and Reign could never blame her for that.

Twenty minutes later, Reign pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building. She grabbed her purse, locked the car, and walked toward the entrance, her bones heavy with exhaustion. All she wanted was to collapse into bed and forget this entire day had happened. But when she reached her apartment door, she froze.

The lights were on inside. She could see them through the gap under the door, and the door itself was unlocked.

Every hair on her body stood on end with fear.

She knew she should run, maybe alert her neighbours or something, but instead she pushed the door open slowly, heart pounding. Then she froze. Her fear shifted into disbelief and anger when her eyes fell on the person standing in the middle of her living room, one of her mugs in her hand, smiling like she owned the place.

"How did you get in here?" Reign gritted, eyeing Kora.

Kora took a sip of tea. "That's not a way to greet your sister."

"We aren’t related in any way.”

“Hmm,” Kora hummed as she set the mug down on the coffee table and walked around the sofa, her eyes sweeping over Reign from head to toe.

"You look terrible," Kora said, tilting her head. "Did you go on a date looking like that?"

Reign shifted on her feet, "That's none of your business. “I asked you a question. How did you get in here?"

Kora folded her hands under her chest. “Your mother asked me to bring you some home-cooked food." She gestured toward the kitchen counter, where a covered dish sat. "Quite out of character for her, honestly. Everyone knows she doesn't care about you."

The words were meant to hurt her, but Reign showed no reaction. It was a known fact. Her mother sending her home-cooked meal rubbed even Reign the wrong way.

"Speaks the same as you," Reign said flatly. "You were never a dutiful stepdaughter. So there must be a reason you'd willingly accept her request." Her voice hardened, eyes narrowing. "Don't you think that's suspicious? And since you've done your errand," Reign continued, crossing her arms too, "you should leave."

Kora's smile widened, but something cold flickered behind her eyes.

"Oh, I will," she said. "But by the look on your face, I can tell you got the message."

Reign remained silent; she was too tired for this anyway.

Reign and Kora had never liked each other. They were two daughters forced into a family neither wanted. But for some reason, Kora didn't just dislike her. Kora hated her. And now she finally understood why.

"You shouldn’t be upset.” Kora continued. “I thought you should know the truth, for the grace of us being sisters. And because I don't want you to get hurt."

Reign's stomach tightened.

"Asher is mine," Kora said. "He's always been mine. So for your sake, I'd suggest you stop pining after him. It's disgusting enough that you keep sending him messages even when he doesn't reply. Not to mention the nudes."

Reign went rigid, hands dropping at her side, her anger instantly dissolving into shock.

Kora laughed. "Seriously, Rey. I didn't think you were that kind of person."

"Did…Did Asher tell you that?" Reign's voice was low, almost shaking.

Kora's smile widened. In her mind, Kora knew she was lying. Asher had never shown her anything. In fact, he had kept their relationship hidden from her, too. Kora had only found out recently. But Reign didn't need to know that.

Kora took a few steps forward, grinning. "Not told. Showed."

Reign's hands curled into fists. Her eyes were red with anger.

“Wait.” Kora’s eyes lit up. “You really thought he loved you?” She laughed. “God, Reign....he was just being nice. You were his niece’s pathetic friend. And you…" Her eyes gleamed with amusement, "You ate it up like a starving dog.”

She laughed again, loud, with a hand flying to her mouth in mockery.

Reign's grip tightened around her bag strap, her neck muscles straining with the effort of holding back.

"If you knew all this," Reign said, her voice perfectly level despite the storm inside, "why wait until now to tell me? Why not confront me as soon as you find out?"

Kora's laugh ceased into a faltering smile.

"You just found out, too, didn't you? You didn't know about me any more than I knew about you. We're both victims here, Kora. So stop acting pompous."

Kora's face flushed. She opened her mouth to retort, but Reign beat her to it.

"You can have him," Reign said flatly. "Asher was never mine. So take what's left of him. But if you're done, get out of my house."

Kora's eyes flashed. "You can’t…"

"I said get out." Reign snapped, and Kora flinched.

For a moment, Kora looked like she might argue. Then she grabbed her purse, shot Reign one last venomous look, and stormed toward the door.

Reign waited for her footsteps to fade away before finally sinking onto the floor, pulling her knees to her chest.

Her body was wound tight, like a spring ready to snap. But she refused to let it. She refused to cry even though her heart was heavy with impending sob.

How long...How long would it have gone on if Faeth hadn't walked in on them?