MARRY ME

CHAPTER 2

CLAIRE

I wanted to say no. I wanted to say no, but what kind of daughter would I be if I let those people hurt my father?

Furthermore, I feel tears quickly wetting my face as I start to climb the stairs. I see that my mother is looking at me completely confused, but I just want to be alone in my room right now.

I go into my room and close the door before I fall to the floor and start crying uncontrollably. Not only that, but I don't feel like a person; I feel like an object now. Likewise, I'm going to marry a man I don't love, and I'm going to have to get pregnant at the age of 19.

I put my hands over my face as I continued to cry. I'm doing this for my family, not for me. All my life, I've made decisions based on what my family wanted, not what I wanted.

I haven't read that contract, and I don't know when John and I will get married, but I know it will be very soon because my father needs to pay off all the debts.

I'm still sitting on the floor with tears in my eyes when I hear someone knocking on my bedroom door.

"Claire...", I hear my father's voice calling me, but I keep my eyes closed.

"Claire, please..."

"I want to be alone!", I say, and he stops calling me and knocks on my door.

I still can't believe I signed a marriage contract with my father's best friend.

TODAY

Today is my wedding day; today is the day I'm marrying a man I don't love.

I'm doing this for my family and for the people I love most in this world. I still remember how I felt when I signed that marriage contract.

I'm going to marry my father's best friend, and I need to give him a baby. I still think it's all crazy.

When I stopped crying that night, my father came into the room and asked to talk to me. He told me the details of the contract and everything I would need to know before marrying John Lannister.

He told me that we wouldn't have to live in the same house; I could have my own space, and I wouldn't have to be with him all the time. It's a contractual relationship that doesn't involve feelings like love. I could live alone somewhere, but on camera, we'd have to be together and look like a happy couple.

And when I got pregnant, he would take care of me and the baby and would still see my son after our contract ended. I'm only 19, and I'm going to get married and have a child soon.

I'm ready, and it's only a few minutes until I marry John. We're at his mansion, and the wedding will be here. It'll be a contract wedding, but he's taken care of everything so that it's perfect, like a normal wedding in front of the cameras.

Since the announcement of our wedding, the media have been dying to know more about our union, and John told me that some photographers would be here for that.

I look in the mirror and see my body covered in a beautiful white dress. I chose this model when I went to the dress store, and I fell in love when I saw this dress.

Furthermore, I feel beautiful at this moment, but I would feel very happy if this were the wedding of my dreams, if this were a wedding with the man I love. I love John very much, but not like this.

"You look so beautiful, Claire!", My mother compliments me again, and I turn to look at her.

The wedding will take place this afternoon, and everyone is already waiting for me outside. It's not the wedding I always wanted, but I still feel very nervous.

"I know the circumstances are different at your wedding, but people can learn to love someone else, and that would make it easier for you.", She's touching my face, and I try not to cry at that moment.

"Love the man who watched me grow up? I don't know if I can do that, Mom.", I say, shaking my head, and she quickly hugs me.

"Don't worry, John is a good man; if he were a bad person, your father would never let this wedding happen; he'll be good to you.", she says, and I close my eyes, starting to hear the wedding entrance music outside.

"Are you ready?", she asks, and I nod.

The truth is that I'm not ready, and I don't know if I'll ever be ready to do it, but I signed that contract, and I can't give up now.

My father looks at me, smiling, before taking my arm.

"You're the most beautiful bride in the world, darling!", he says, kissing my forehead as we start walking along the carpet of flower petals.

No one but our family knows that this wedding is on contract, and this secret has to stay that way.

It's a very pleasant day, and I feel the light afternoon wind blowing against my face as we continue walking to John's. All the guests are standing and looking at me with smiles as if I'm happy to be doing this too.

"Dad...", I whisper, squeezing his arm and feeling the tears in my eyes.

Everyone here thinks I'm crying with emotion, but in reality, I'm crying because in a few seconds, my life will change forever, and I didn't want that to happen.

My eyes are fixed on John, who is waiting for me at the altar wearing a beautiful, elegant white suit; he looks perfect, and I keep looking at him all the way.

He's smiling at me right now, and I see that there are lots of photographers pointing their cameras in our direction. I'm sure all these pictures will be in the media the next day.

I was the daughter of a billionaire, and now I'm going to be the wife of the second-richest man in this country, and I know I have duties to fulfill after our wedding.

John wanted to book a trip to any country I chose for our honeymoon, but I refused. I don't want to travel right now, and I don't know if I can look like the perfect wife to him.

So our first night together will be in this house, and I don't know how to react. I've never been touched like this by another man. I was hoping to find the right man at the right time, but it seems my dreams have been interrupted.

Furthermore, I'm going to lose my virginity to my father's best friend tonight, and that reminds me of my mother's words: Can I love someone like that?

Would that make it easier for me? What if I love him, and he doesn't love me like that?

I push all the thoughts out of my head when I see my father hand my hand to John. I feel a shiver run through my body, and my heart beats faster when I feel his skin touching my skin.

"Take care of her, John...", my father whispers to his friend before kissing my forehead.

I look at the tall man in front of me, and I can still feel the tears on my face. I'm still holding John's hand when I feel his other hand drying my tears.

"You look very beautiful, Claire...", he says, looking at my body, and I nod.

"Thank you...", I whisper before turning my head to look straight ahead.

I signed that contract six months ago, and since that day he's tried to get close to me in every way; he's given me flowers and presents and always asked me out.

I know he doesn't love me as a woman; he likes me because I'm his best friend's only daughter, and he's created an emotional connection with the girl he's seen grow up over the last 19 years.

He's trying in every way possible to make it easier for both of us, while I just push him away from me. It's hard for me to deal with all this at the same time.