The Unwanted Marriage

Chapter 3

The soft click of my heels against the marble floors echoed through the vast, silent hall of the Damian mansion. My fingers trembled slightly as I held onto my tote bag, the edges of the manila envelope inside creasing from my tight grip. The envelope contained nothing special just a copy of my degree, a few letters of recommendation, and a trembling sense of dignity that hadn’t entirely left me.

This wasn’t how I imagined my first job offer.

A grand chandelier hung above me like a crown of judgment, glittering with a thousand crystals. Every step I took deeper into the mansion made me feel smaller. I still couldn’t believe I was doing this.

But I had no other choice.

After what happened last night finding Dad collapsed on the floor, his face pale and soaked in cold sweat I’d been forced to see reality in its cruelest form. The hospital had admitted him immediately, and the doctor hadn’t minced words. “He’s been skipping his medication. His blood pressure is unstable. We’ll need to keep him for observation. He’ll require long-term care.”

Translation? Expensive treatment. Medication. Another pile of bills I couldn’t afford.

Even Clara’s savings, even if I sold my laptop and worked double shifts at the hotel, wouldn’t scratch the surface. So here I was, walking back into the mansion of the man whose offer had once made my blood boil. This time, however, the anger had been replaced with a quiet, bitter resignation.

The butler greeted me at the door and led me toward Mr. Damian’s private study. His smile was kind, but I couldn’t bring myself to smile back. My heart thundered in my chest as he opened the double doors.

“Alice,” Mr. Damian stood from behind his massive oak desk as I entered. He looked surprised but not unkind. “I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.”

“I… I’ve thought about your offer,” I said, trying to steady my voice as I walked toward him. “And I’ve made a decision.”

His eyes searched my face, and I saw something there I hadn’t expected relief. Maybe even a trace of guilt.

“I won’t lie to you,” I continued. “This isn’t how I pictured my future. Not even close. But right now… I can’t afford to lose my father. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure he’s okay.”

Mr. Damian nodded slowly, his expression softening. “You’re a brave young woman. And I promise you, Alice, this isn’t a trap. I don’t want to ruin your life I just want to fix my son’s.”

I hesitated. “Your son… does he even know?”

He let out a weary sigh and stepped around his desk. “No. He doesn’t. And if I’m being honest, that’s part of the problem.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s reckless. Proud. Spoiled, even. But he’s my only son, and I’ve done everything I can to turn him into a man. Nothing has worked. I thought… maybe, with the right woman beside him, things might change. And maybe someday… he’ll even thank me for it.”

My chest tightened. I wasn’t expecting romance. I wasn’t foolish enough to think I’d walk into some fairy tale. But hearing the desperation in his voice made it harder to hate him.

“I’ll sign the papers,” I said, placing the envelope on his desk. “But I want a few conditions.”

His brows lifted. “I’m listening.”

“I want to keep working. I didn’t spend four years studying architecture to be someone’s trophy wife. And I want full control over my finances. If I’m going to live in your world, I want to keep a part of mine.”

A smile crept onto his face. “Spoken like someone who knows her worth. That’s exactly why I chose you.”

“I didn’t know I was being chosen,” I muttered, folding my arms.

He chuckled softly. “You were. And I think you’ll find, Alice, that life has a funny way of giving us exactly what we need just not always in the package we expect.”

Before I could reply, the doors behind me creaked open.

“Dad, did you call for me? I was in the garage”

The voice stopped mid-sentence. My heart skipped a beat. That voice. That unmistakable, cocky tone. It couldn’t be.

I turned around slowly.

He froze in the doorway.

My breath caught in my throat as recognition dawned like a cruel joke from the universe.

It was him.

The guy from Brewed Magic. The arrogant, flirty stranger who had touched me without permission. The one I slapped across the face for acting like he owned the world.

And now, standing in front of me with the same smug grin faltering on his lips, was my future husband.

He blinked, clearly just as shocked as I was. “You?!”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I whispered under my breath.

Mr. Damian looked between us, clearly oblivious to the electricity crackling in the air. “Ah. I see you two have met already.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to keep my composure. My stomach twisted into knots. All I could do was stare at the man I was supposed to marry a man whose name I still didn’t even know.

The same man who had whispered in my ear just days ago, “You’ll regret this for the rest of your life.”

And now?

Now I was about to marry him.

To save my father.

To bury my dreams.

To enter a life I didn’t choose.

And yet… somewhere deep inside me, something stirred. A fire. A challenge.

Because if this was the man I had to spend the next chapter of my life with… then he had no idea what he was in for.

But before another word could be exchanged between us, a door down the hallway suddenly swung open.

Click.

Heels tapped hastily against the tile, echoing in the quiet tension of the room.

A woman strutted in, wearing nothing but an oversized white dress shirt that barely covered her upper thighs. Her skin gleamed like porcelain, and her hair was still damp from what must’ve been a recent shower.

“Oh, Eddie, I couldn’t find you” She stopped dead when she saw me.

I stood frozen. My mouth went dry.

Edward’s face drained of all color.

Mr. Damian stiffened behind me.

The girl blinked, then looked from me to Edward, clearly assessing the situation in a matter of seconds.

And then, with a sly smile tugging at her lips, she crossed her arms and said calmly, “Oops… did I interrupt something?”

No one answered.

Because at that moment, everything broke into silence like a glass shattering in slow motion.

And just like that, I realized…

I had no idea what I had just gotten myself into.