Married to the Cold Billionaire

Episode2

Chapter 4

Public Appearance

The flashes didn’t stop.

Ariana felt blinded by the cameras as she stood beside Lucas, her hand still resting lightly on his arm. Her smile remained fixed, practiced—just as he had instructed—but her heart was anything but calm.

Every eye in the room seemed to be on her.

She had never been this visible before.

Lucas leaned closer, his lips barely moving. “Smile,” he murmured. “You look stiff.”

“I’m trying,” Ariana whispered back.

“Try harder,” he said quietly, still smiling for the cameras.

The reporters continued firing questions, most of them directed at Lucas—but some had begun to focus on her.

“Mrs. Blackwood, how did you meet your husband?”

“Is it true you got married secretly?”

“Are you planning to take a role in Blackwood Group?”

Ariana hesitated for half a second too long.

Lucas tightened his arm around her waist.

“My wife prefers to stay out of business matters,” he said smoothly. “She values privacy.”

Ariana nodded quickly, grateful yet unsettled.

She hadn’t said a word, yet he had spoken for her.

Again.

As they moved deeper into the hall, the noise softened into polite chatter. Soft music played in the background, and servers moved between guests with trays of drinks.

Lucas finally released her.

“You did fine,” he said flatly.

“That didn’t sound like praise,” Ariana replied.

“It wasn’t,” he said. “It was an observation.”

She pressed her lips together, choosing not to respond.

Across the room, Ariana noticed Evelyn again.

The woman stood near a group of executives, dressed in a red gown that demanded attention. She laughed easily, confidently—like someone who belonged here.

Unlike Ariana.

Evelyn’s eyes met hers.

For a brief second, something sharp flashed in her gaze.

Then she smiled.

Ariana felt a chill run down her spine.

“Stay close,” Lucas said suddenly. “Some people here are… curious.”

“About me?” Ariana asked.

“About why I married you,” he replied honestly.

Her chest tightened.

“And why did you?” she asked softly.

Lucas looked at her, really looked at her, for the first time that evening.

“Because it was convenient,” he said.

Of course.

They were interrupted by an older couple approaching them.

“Lucas!” the man exclaimed. “We were shocked when we heard the news.”

Lucas smiled politely. “Mr. and Mrs. Grant. This is my wife, Ariana.”

Mrs. Grant clasped Ariana’s hands warmly. “You’re beautiful, dear. We were wondering when Lucas would finally settle down.”

Ariana forced a smile. “Thank you.”

Mrs. Grant tilted her head. “You must have quite the patience to handle this one.”

Lucas chuckled lightly. “She manages.”

Ariana laughed at the right moment.

Inside, she felt like screaming.

As they moved away, Ariana gently pulled her hand back.

“Do you enjoy this?” she asked quietly.

“Enjoy what?” Lucas replied.

“Deciding who I am for everyone,” she said. “Answering for me. Speaking over me.”

Lucas frowned slightly. “I’m protecting you.”

“From what?” she asked.

“From attention,” he said. “From rumors. From people who would tear you apart.”

Ariana stopped walking.

Lucas turned back, surprised.

“I didn’t ask for protection,” she said. “I asked for respect.”

For a moment, the world around them seemed to fade.

Lucas stared at her, his expression unreadable.

“You’re forgetting the rules,” he said finally.

“And you’re forgetting I’m human,” Ariana replied.

Before he could respond, Evelyn appeared beside them.

“Lucas,” she said sweetly. “It’s been a long time.”

Lucas’s jaw tightened. “Evelyn.”

Ariana felt the tension immediately.

Evelyn turned her attention to Ariana. “You must be exhausted. These events can be overwhelming for someone new.”

Ariana met her gaze calmly. “I’m doing fine.”

Evelyn’s smile didn’t reach her eyes.

“I remember when I used to stand right where you are,” she said lightly. “By Lucas’s side.”

Lucas stiffened. “This isn’t the time—”

“Oh, relax,” Evelyn interrupted. “I’m just being friendly.”

She leaned closer to Ariana. “Tell me, how long did it take you to convince him to marry you?”

Ariana felt heat rush to her face.

“I didn’t convince him,” she said evenly. “We made a mutual decision.”

Evelyn laughed softly. “Of course.”

She turned back to Lucas. “Some things never change, do they?”

Lucas said nothing.

Evelyn’s eyes flicked between them one last time. “Enjoy the night.”

As she walked away, Ariana’s heart pounded.

“Who is she?” Ariana asked again.

Lucas exhaled sharply. “My past.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

“It’s all you need to know,” he said coldly.

Ariana nodded slowly.

Fine.

The rest of the night dragged on.

Ariana followed Lucas from one conversation to another, smiling, nodding, pretending. Her feet ached, her head throbbed, and her emotions felt stretched thin.

At one point, Lucas left her briefly to speak with investors.

Ariana stood alone near the balcony, grateful for the cool night air.

She leaned against the railing, closing her eyes.

“I didn’t expect him to marry someone like you.”

Ariana opened her eyes to find Evelyn standing beside her.

“What do you mean?” Ariana asked calmly.

“You’re… ordinary,” Evelyn said bluntly. “No offense.”

Ariana straightened. “None taken.”

Evelyn studied her. “Lucas doesn’t do ordinary.”

“People change,” Ariana replied.

Evelyn laughed softly. “Do they?”

She stepped closer. “Let me give you some advice. Don’t get attached.”

Ariana met her gaze. “I’m not.”

“Good,” Evelyn said. “Because Lucas never stays where his heart doesn’t belong.”

Before Ariana could respond, Evelyn walked away.

Ariana’s chest felt tight.

Never stays where his heart doesn’t belong.

She didn’t know why the words hurt so much.

Lucas returned moments later.

“Ready to go?” he asked.

“Yes,” Ariana said quickly.

The car ride home was silent.

This time, Lucas didn’t reach for her hand.

Back at the mansion, Ariana removed her heels and walked ahead, exhaustion weighing her down.

“Wait,” Lucas said suddenly.

She turned.

“You handled yourself well tonight,” he said.

The words surprised her.

“Thank you,” she replied softly.

He hesitated. “Evelyn likes to provoke people.”

“I noticed,” Ariana said.

“She doesn’t matter,” Lucas added.

Ariana searched his face.

“Then why does she still affect you?” she asked.

Silence.

Lucas looked away. “Get some rest.”

He turned and walked upstairs.

Ariana stood there, her emotions tangled.

She had survived her first public appearance.

But she had also realized something dangerous.

This wasn’t just a contract marriage.

It was a battlefield.

And she was standing right in the middle of it.

Chapter 5

The Cold Husband

The mansion felt colder that night.

Ariana noticed it the moment she woke up the next morning. Not the kind of cold that came from air-conditioning or marble floors—but the kind that settled quietly in the chest.

Lucas didn’t come down for breakfast.

Mrs. Chen served Ariana alone at the long dining table, the empty seat across from her more noticeable than she wanted to admit.

“Mr. Blackwood already left for work,” Mrs. Chen explained gently. “He had an early meeting.”

“Oh,” Ariana replied, lowering her gaze. “I see.”

She stirred her tea slowly, her appetite gone.

Last night replayed in her mind—Evelyn’s smile, Lucas’s silence, the way he walked away instead of answering her question.

She doesn’t matter, he had said.

But his eyes had told a different story.

After breakfast, Ariana wandered through the mansion aimlessly. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do with her time. She had no job, no schedule, no place she truly belonged in this world.

She was a wife in title only.

By noon, boredom turned into restlessness.

She found herself standing outside Lucas’s study door without realizing how she got there.

The door was closed.

She hesitated, then turned away.

Don’t forget your place, his words echoed in her mind.

Ariana sighed and went back to the library.

Lucas returned late that evening.

Ariana heard his footsteps before she saw him. She was seated on the couch in the living room, reading but not really processing the words on the page.

Lucas walked in, loosened his tie, and glanced at her briefly.

“You’re still awake,” he said.

“So are you,” she replied.

He paused slightly, then continued walking.

“Dinner was served an hour ago,” she added.

“I’m not hungry,” he said.

She closed the book gently.

“Lucas,” she called.

He stopped but didn’t turn around.

“Yes?”

“Did I do something wrong?” she asked quietly.

The question hung in the air.

Lucas turned slowly to face her, his expression unreadable.

“No,” he said. “Why would you think that?”

“You’ve been distant,” Ariana said. “More than usual.”

His lips pressed into a thin line.

“You’re imagining things.”

“Am I?” she asked. “You barely spoke to me last night. You didn’t come down this morning. And now—”

“This arrangement doesn’t require conversation,” Lucas interrupted coolly. “Only cooperation.”

The words cut deeper than she expected.

“I know this is a contract marriage,” Ariana said, standing up. “But I didn’t think it meant complete silence.”

Lucas walked closer, stopping a few steps away.

“You’re getting too comfortable,” he said.

Her heart clenched. “Comfortable?”

“You’re forgetting the boundaries,” he continued. “We agreed on distance.”

“I’m not asking for affection,” she said. “Just basic decency.”

Lucas’s gaze hardened.

“You wanted money,” he said. “You got it. Everything else is unnecessary.”

Ariana stared at him, stunned.

“Is that really how you see me?” she asked softly.

Lucas looked away.

“That’s how this works,” he said.

She took a shaky breath.

“Then let me make something clear,” Ariana said, her voice trembling but firm. “I may be here because I need the money—but I won’t be treated like I don’t exist.”

For a moment, Lucas didn’t respond.

Then he said quietly, “You should rest. Tomorrow will be busy.”

He turned and walked away, leaving Ariana alone in the living room.

Again.

The next few days followed the same pattern.

Lucas left early and returned late. Their conversations were short, cold, and strictly necessary. If Ariana didn’t speak first, he didn’t speak at all.

It was as if he had built an invisible wall between them.

Ariana tried to distract herself.

She spent more time in the library, read books, took walks around the garden, and even helped Mrs. Chen in the kitchen.

But at night, when the mansion fell silent, the loneliness crept in.

She hated herself for noticing how empty the house felt without Lucas’s presence.

She hated herself even more for caring.

One evening, as she was heading upstairs, she overheard voices from Lucas’s study.

The door was slightly open.

“…the board is pressuring me,” Lucas said, his voice low and tense. “They want stability.”

Ariana stopped.

“I’m married now,” he continued. “That should be enough.”

Another voice responded—male, unfamiliar. “Marriage doesn’t erase rumors, Lucas. Especially when your wife came out of nowhere.”

Ariana’s breath caught.

“Be careful,” the man added. “People are watching her.”

Ariana stepped back quietly, her heart pounding.

Watching her.

She suddenly felt exposed.

The next morning, Ariana decided she had had enough.

If Lucas insisted on treating her like a stranger, she would stop trying to reach him.

She dressed neatly and spent the day focused on herself. She exercised in the gym, organized her thoughts, and even started writing plans for her future—what she would do after the one year ended.

That night, Lucas came home earlier than usual.

Ariana was in the dining room when he entered.

He paused when he saw her.

“You didn’t wait for me,” he said.

“You said cooperation, not companionship,” she replied calmly. “I’m cooperating.”

Something flickered in his eyes.

They ate in silence.

Halfway through the meal, Lucas suddenly spoke.

“You spoke to Evelyn yesterday,” he said.

Ariana looked up. “You knew?”

“She mentioned it,” he replied.

“And?” Ariana asked.

“And nothing,” Lucas said. “She likes to stir trouble.”

“She warned me not to get attached,” Ariana said quietly.

Lucas’s grip tightened on his fork.

“And did you?” he asked.

Ariana met his gaze steadily. “No.”

The lie tasted bitter.

“Good,” he said.

She looked away.

After dinner, Ariana headed upstairs.

She was halfway down the hallway when she heard Lucas’s voice behind her.

“Ariana.”

She turned.

“You’re doing well,” he said awkwardly. “Adjusting.”

The words surprised her.

“Thank you,” she replied.

Silence fell between them.

Lucas opened his mouth as if to say something else—then stopped.

“Good night,” he said instead.

“Good night,” she replied.

As she entered her room, Ariana leaned against the door, her heart racing.

He was cold.

But cracks were forming.

And that scared her more than his distance ever had.