Contract marriage.
1037 Words
even know me till now.
For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then, slowly, he said,
“Are you sure about that?”
Selene stiffened.
“What do you mean?”
Elias leaned back, a smirk teasing his lips, but his eyes burned with a knowledge she didn’t understand. He didn’t answer her question. Instead, he picked up his pen and returned to his paperwork, dismissing her with a single glance.
Selene stood frozen, pulse racing. There was something in the way he said it. something chilling like Elias Crowns already knew a piece of her life she thought was hers alone. And she hated how badly she wanted to understand what he meant.
The office had gone quiet by nightfall. Selene was still sorting through files when her phone buzzed in her pocket. Heart hammering, she slipped into the empty hallway and pressed the device to her ear.
“Selene,” a voice rasped, it was her step-sister. “Where have you been? Mom wants you back immediately.”
The line went dead.
Selene’s fingers trembled as she slid the phone into her pocket. Her mother’s face flashed in her mind, the shallow, worried breathing she remembered. Trouble was coming. She could feel it in her bones.
When she returned to the office, Elias was still at his desk, sleeves rolled up, the ink on his wrist dark against his skin. He glanced up as she entered, expression unreadable.
“You’re pale,” he said smoothly, tilting his head. “Did I work you too hard already?”
Selene forced a laugh, soft and brittle.
“Maybe I’m just not used to this pace yet.”
Elias’s eyes narrowed slightly, studying her. He could sense the lie but didn’t press it. His voice dipped low, almost teasing.
“Don’t be afraid of me, Selene. It ruins the fun.”
Her chest tightened at his words. They mocked, but the weight behind them made her stomach twist. She dropped her gaze quickly, pretending to busy herself with the stack of papers on his desk.
But deep down, her fear wasn’t just of Elias, it was of the choice looming over her. She didn’t know what awaited her at home tonight, and the thought made her pulse spike.
The drive back was quiet, her mind replaying her step-sister’s voice like poison: What’s going on with them now? Panic clawed at her chest.
The mansion loomed ahead, white and brown with its modern architecture, gleaming under the streetlights. Selene hesitated at the doorstep, gripping her bag so tightly her knuckles went white. She hadn’t wanted to come home yet. Not like this.
Inside, the air felt heavy. She could hear her stepmother’s sharp voice and her father’s subdued sighs echoing from the sitting room. Stepping lightly, Selene moved toward the sound, trying to steel herself.
Her stepmother, Lucia, looked up as Selene entered.
“What took you so long?” she demanded, voice edged with irritation.
“Work,” Selene replied stiffly.
Lucia’s eyes narrowed.
“You finally show up. And here comes the perfect stepsister.”
Lysandra, dressed in a deep red velvet gown and matching heels, sauntered into view, all elegance and calculated charm. Her smile was sharp, a weapon in its own right.
“The Crowns family will be here tomorrow at nine for your introduction,” Lucia said, turning to Selene like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Selene blinked. “I… I don’t understand.”
“What don’t you understand? Dad wants you to marry the young master to save our company,” Lysandra added, her voice deceptively sweet.
Selene’s chest tightened, tears threatening.
“Why can’t you do it? You’re the eldest daughter of the family!”
“Your sister is fragile and cannot marry the young master, according to the rumors. And besides, the Crowns need a virgin. you are the perfect match,” Lucia shot back, sharp as a whip.
Selene’s mind reeled. “I’m not getting married to that man! Dad, how can you sell your daughter to a dangerous person like that?”
Her protest ended in a rush of emotion. She fled upstairs, slamming the door behind her. Her phone trembled in her hands as she dialed her best friend.
“Ella…” she whispered, voice tight with panic. “They want me to marry Elias Crowns.”
Ella’s shocked voice came through immediately. “Elias Crowns? Crowns Family?”
Selene swallowed hard, her pulse spiking. “Yes… I don’t know what to do. How can they just… sell me like this?”
A knock at the door startled her.
“Come in,” she called, trying to sound composed.
Lysandra stepped inside, all smiles and calculated charm.
“I just wanted to congratulate you on your marriage with Elias,” she said.
Selene’s hands curled into fists at her sides, but she forced herself to remain calm.
“I’m tired, Lysandra. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day,” she said flatly.
Lysandra scoffed, tossing her hair back as she exited.
“Close the door !” Selene snapped after her, relief mingling with the dread that had settled over her.
The night stretched on, silent except for the hum of the city outside. Selene sat on her bed, staring at the floor, heart hammering. Tomorrow would come soon, and she still hadn’t come downstairs. She hadn’t faced them yet.
And in the darkness, she wondered… how would she survive it.
The next morning:
The first ray of the sunlight slipped through the curtains, but Selene barely noticed. Her eyes were heavy, mind racing. She had barely slept, thoughts spinning around Elias, her family, and the impossible choice laid before her.
A gentle knock at the door made her start.
“Miss Selene? Your Breakfast is ready,” a maid said softly.
“I… I’m coming,” Selene replied, her voice barely steady. She ran a hand over her face .
Across the table, Lysandra sat close to Lucia, nodding sweetly at every mention of unity and prosperity. Selene’s father spoke proudly of the Charles family’s honor, their values, their gratitude.
They sounded flawless.
Elias leaned closer, his knee brushing hers beneath the table.
- Writer
