Chapter Two: The Announcement
1193 Words
Irene woke up to the sound of her phone buzzing on the bedside table.
Her room was unfamiliar. Too big. Too neat. Too quiet.
She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. For a moment, she forgot where she was. Then it hit her.
Mrs. Hartwell.
Her stomach twisted. The words still felt strange on her tongue. She had signed the papers yesterday. She had married a man she barely knew.
Her phone vibrated again. She picked it up. A message from her mother.
"Did you…? Are you safe? Tell me you’re okay."
Irene’s chest tightened. She typed back carefully:
"I’m fine, Mum. Don’t worry. Everything is… under control."
But she didn’t tell the truth. How could she? “Under control” didn’t even begin to cover the fear, the confusion, the loneliness.
The door opened quietly, and a soft voice called, “Miss Hale? Breakfast is ready.”
It wasn’t Lucas. It was one of the assistants. Irene nodded silently and followed her down the long hallway.
The dining area was enormous. A long table stretched across the room. The sunlight poured in from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Everything smelled faintly of coffee and fresh flowers.
Irene sat at the table, feeling small. The assistant placed a plate in front of her—eggs, toast, and fruit—but she barely touched it. She didn’t feel hungry.
“You’ll need your strength,” the assistant said kindly, “Mr. Hartwell expects you in the office in one hour.”
Irene nodded again, swallowing hard. She wanted to ask questions—so many questions—but her throat felt dry.
By the time she arrived at Lucas’s office, the place was already busy. Assistants moved quickly, carrying folders and checking schedules. Everything looked orderly and precise, as if nothing could go wrong.
Lucas was at his desk, reviewing papers. When he saw her, he didn’t smile. He didn’t look particularly pleased either. He just raised an eyebrow.
“Good morning,” he said curtly.
“Good morning,” Irene replied, keeping her voice steady.
He waved a hand toward the chair. “Sit.”
Irene obeyed. She could feel the tension in the room. The assistants moved around them quietly, pretending not to notice the new Mrs. Hartwell.
“You will attend the press conference this afternoon,” Lucas said. “It’s important that you understand the arrangement clearly.”
Irene nodded. “I understand.”
Lucas leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. “This is not a celebration. It is a formality. I do not expect smiles, tears, or emotional speeches. You are to present yourself properly. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Irene said again.
“Good.” He paused. Then his voice dropped slightly, colder than before. “Do not embarrass me.”
Irene’s stomach knotted. Embarrass you? How could she embarrass him? She had barely met him. But she understood what he meant—one wrong move, one slip, and this deal could be ruined.
The hours passed slowly. Irene barely touched her breakfast and didn’t eat lunch. She watched Lucas’s assistants prepare everything with military precision. Every detail—from her dress to the lighting—was arranged perfectly.
By the time the press conference started, Irene felt like a puppet. She was dressed in a simple cream dress. Her hair was pinned neatly, and makeup was subtle but polished. She walked into the hall, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.
The room was filled with cameras, reporters, and flashes that made her squint. Every eye seemed to look straight through her.
Lucas stood at the podium, confident, cold, untouchable. He looked like the man who owned the world, and for a moment, Irene wondered if he actually did.
He cleared his throat. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. Today, we are announcing my marriage to Irene Hale. She will be joining me in all official matters as required. This arrangement is formal and necessary for business purposes. Please respect our privacy.”
There were questions, but Lucas answered them with short, polite responses. Irene barely spoke. When a reporter asked if she was happy, she nodded quickly, keeping her gaze down.
Happy? she thought. I barely know him. How can I be happy?
After the press conference, the assistants guided her back to the car. Irene sat silently, her hands trembling slightly on her lap. The city rushed past the window, but she felt disconnected from it, as if she were floating in a dream.
Her mind wandered back to Lucas. He had barely looked at her during the whole event. Not once did he offer a smile, a glance, or any sign that he noticed her discomfort.
And yet… she could feel it, small and faint, that maybe—just maybe—he had noticed.
She shook her head. No. I must be imagining things.
Back at the mansion, Irene entered her room. It was quiet. Too quiet. The kind of silence that made her heart ache. She sat on the edge of the bed, letting the weight of the day crash over her.
Her thoughts were messy. Fear. Anger. Confusion. Relief that her mother’s bills were taken care of. Anxiety about the life she had just agreed to.
She sighed deeply, leaning back against the pillows. For a moment, she closed her eyes, letting herself imagine a life before this, a life where she had choices, a life where she could just be herself.
A soft knock at the door made her jump.
“Come in,” she called, her voice quieter than she intended.
The door opened slowly, and one of the assistants stepped inside. “Dinner is ready. Mr. Hartwell will be eating later. He asked that you join him then.”
Irene nodded. “Thank you.”
The assistant left, and Irene sat in silence again.
Her mind kept returning to the contract. Mrs. Hartwell. She could still feel the weight of the pen in her hand, the finality of her signature.
This isn’t love. she reminded herself. This is survival.
As night fell, Irene lay in the huge bed, staring at the ceiling. She couldn’t shake the feeling that everything had changed. Every sound in the house felt louder. Every shadow seemed deeper.
She imagined Lucas walking through the halls, the man she was now legally bound to, a stranger with sharp eyes and a colder heart.
Her chest tightened. She wanted to scream, to run, to somehow undo what she had done.
But she couldn’t.
And then, just as sleep began to creep over her, her phone buzzed again.
A message from an unknown number flashed on the screen:
"Welcome to the Hartwell family, Mrs. Hartwell. Are you ready for what comes next?"
Irene’s hand froze. Her heart thumped violently in her chest. She stared at the screen, the room suddenly feeling too small, too dark, too real.
Her mind raced. Who could have sent this? And… was it Lucas?
She didn’t know.
But one thing was certain: her life had just become even more dangerous than she thought.
And it was only the beginning.
- Writer
