The Billionaire Who Married Me In Silence

**Lina’s POV** "First, just listen to me." My stomach drops just listening to my brother's voice tremble. This is not how he always sounds—never cautious, never scared. I tighten my fingers on the wooden table's edge and add, "I've been listening." "You've spent ten minutes pacing." He halts his motion. Like it's waiting too, the ceiling fan hums loudly and slowly between us. "Lina," he murmurs. Too gently. "We're having problems." I exhaled a tiny breath. "What problem?" He doesn't respond. I gave him a look. His gaze drifts from my face to the wall, the door, or somewhere else. "What problem are you talking about?" I asked again. I looked at him. He looked away to the door "What problem are you talking about?" I asked again. He states, "It's... it's not something we can pay back." "Not with my earnings. Not even if the house is sold. My chest gets constricted. Suddenly, it seems as though the walls have leaned in to listen, making the space feel smaller. "Whose debt is it?" I inquire. He swallows. "Mine." Between us, the word lands hard. I slowly nod. "All right. We'll work it out after that. We can speak with the bank once more. Or Aunt Rose— He lets forth a single, acrid laugh. "You're not sure? You don't, of course. People like them are unknown to people like us. I tuck my fingers into my hand. "Stop using riddles when you speak." He lowers his voice and takes a step closer. "They're wealthy. strong. Untouchable. One of them is prepared to fully erase my debt. I get a weird chill. "Why?" His gaze falls to the ground. "Because he requires a spouse." At first, the words don't make sense. They seem light and ethereal, floating in the air. "A… wife?" I say again. My sibling gives a nod. Slowly. "A marriage under contract. A year. Perhaps more” He interrupts, "Lina," and his voice breaks now. "The bank isn't the issue." There is a period of silence. My own heartbeat is audible. Once. Twice. "So, who?" At last, he turns to face me. It looks really good. And I see terror in his eyes. Untidy and rough. "Tonight, they want an answer." My mouth becomes parched. "Who are *they*?" He inhales as if he were going to plunge under the waves. "The Coles." I look at him. I have no idea what the name means, but it sounds weighty. costly. "Who are they?" I inquire. Before I can stop myself, I start laughing. It sounds incorrect. slim. "You're kidding." "I wish I was." I get up so quickly that the chair makes a loud scraping sound as it hits the floor. Not at all. No, this is insane. You are unable to be sincere.I shake my head and say, "I won't do it, Lina --" He's someone I've never even met. You want to sell me something like—like— "Like a solution?" he screams, then recoils immediately. I mumble. It's becoming too hot in here. I go directly to the window side and open it. I started to breathe harder. "Do you know what you're asking me to do?" I say, with my back facing him. "Marriage is not a loan. It's my life, and I am sure you know that." "I understand," he replied. "I haven't slept in days because of this problem on the ground." I turn around. He looks at me again, but this time I see he's really desperate. "They'll take everything if I refuse. The home. The store. They will destroy us.” My throat gets constricted. "Us?" "Yes," he replies hastily. “You. Everyone.” I hold onto the windowsill. My skin gets pricked by the wood. "What kept you from telling me on time?" I inquire. He claims, "I was attempting to fix it." "I believed I could. I was mistaken.” This time, the silence is thicker. The hospital bills for our mother come to mind. Rain comes into the house anytime it rains. My brother does everything alone since dad died. "I'm just twenty," I mumble. "I understand." I go on to say, "I have never even dated anyone." "I understand," he says again, his voice cracking. I shut my eyes. Something begins to sink somewhere deep within me. heavy. final. "What sort of a man is this?" Without opening my eyes, I ask. My brother is hesitant. Too much time. "Say it," I instructed him. He says, "He's cold." Busy. He rejects the idea of love. My mouth closes. My brother continues quickly, "But he's fair." "You'll have it all. Cash. Security. You won't endure any hardship. I chuckle once again, in a low voice. "You're unaware of that." He responds hastily, "If you don't want him to touch you, he won't." "It is stated in the contract." "Agreement," I say again. The word has an odd flavor. I look at him. He makes his jaw tight. His hands become fists, and I can see he's very stressed. "If that's how it is, let's look for other ways from tomorrow," I said. He whispered, "I don't know if we'll have a tomorrow after tomorrow." I need something heavy, so I take a step closer, my fingers grazing the table's edge. "You mean that everything will be taken away without giving us nothing?” He nods quickly, like it hurts to agree. He looks away again. He admits, "They're dangerous," There is a weight to the term, as if saying it out may summon them. People dread them since they don't pose a threat. They have consequences. We are also in the center. The air is heavy with an unfathomable horror as I press my lips together, making the room constrict. He remains silent when I whisper. As if to suppress a scream, I take a step back and shake my head. I sit down again slowly. "Am I offered a choice?"I ask. He doesn't answer. That ought to be enough of a response. I ask. There is almost no sound in his voice as he says, "Tomorrow." My heart stops when I hear, "You're going to see him tomorrow." They don't wait, he says. I nod. Tomorrow. I get to my feet and walk past him toward my room. Every stride I take feels like I'm walking through water. "Lina." "I sincerely apologize." He calls after me, and I pause at the entrance without turning around. I respond, "I understand," And I do. Somehow, it hurts the most. I think we should sell my father's properties including the house but it won't still be enough to cover up half of the debt and I can't stand it seeing my only brother going to prison. I’m fed up, I said as tears rolled down my eyes. I lean against the door and close it, then slip down until I'm seated on my room's floor. My hands start to shake. This husband is someone I've never met. A life was decided one night. A duty that is listed in my name. I place my palm against my chest to try to regulate my breathing. Tomorrow, I'll meet the man who just bought my future. I don't even recognize his face. On the bed, my phone starts vibrating softly. A strange message appears on the screen with an **unknown number** and it says: