MARRIAGE CONTRACT

Chapter 4

Brooklyn’s POV

Slowly, my eyes opened.

Everything around me looked blurry at first, but as my vision cleared, I noticed my dad sitting beside me.

“Hey, Dad…” I said weakly.

“Oh! Brooklyn, you’re awake,” he said immediately, holding my hand tightly.

“Dad… where am I?”

“You’re in the hospital.”

My brows furrowed instantly.

“What? Hospital?”

“Wait, let me call the doctor,” he said quickly before rushing out of the room.

I slowly forced myself to sit up and looked around properly. Then I saw the white walls, medical equipment, and the strong smell of disinfectant. I was actually in a hospital.

But how did I get here?

Then suddenly…

Everything that happened came rushing back into my head, my mom, the phone call, the tears, and the darkness.

“Hey, you’re awake,” the doctor said, walking into the room with a small smile.

He checked a few things while holding his medical tools.

“Her body is stable for now, but we’ll still keep monitoring her,” he said, looking at my dad.

“Thank you so much, doctor,” my dad replied gratefully.

The doctor nodded before leaving the room again.

I looked back at my father immediately.

“Dad… what’s going on?” I asked softly. “What am I doing here?”

“You fainted,” he explained gently while holding my hand. “Apparently, one of the housekeepers found you hours later and informed your mother-in-law and your husband. That’s how you were brought here.”

I swallowed hard.

Then the question I had been avoiding finally escaped my lips.

“Dad…” My voice trembled. “What about Mom? What you said earlier… it’s not true, right? She’s still in the hospital?”

Tears immediately formed in my eyes.

My father lowered his head.

“I wish it was a lie,” he whispered painfully. “But it’s not.”

My chest tightened instantly.

“She’s gone.”

I froze completely.

“Her body has already been taken to the mortuary.”

“What? Dad!”

Fresh tears poured down my face immediately.

“Please tell me this is some kind of prank…”

“It’s not,” he said brokenly, tears falling from his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Brooklyn.”

I started shaking uncontrollably.

No!, no, this can’t be real, not my mom, I said as tears were still rushing down my cheeks.

“The burial ceremony will be next week,” he finally said after a long silence.

I laid back on the hospital bed, completely disoriented.

Nothing made sense anymore.

Absolutely nothing.

***

The next day, I was discharged from the hospital.

Brian’s driver came to pick me up.

Honestly, I didn’t want to go back to that mansion.

I begged my dad repeatedly.

“Please, Dad… I don’t want to go back there.”

But he kept convincing me that I had no choice.

And deep down…I knew he was right.

So eventually, I followed the driver back to my husband’s mansion.

Soon, we arrived.

The driver quickly stepped out and opened the door for me politely.

I slowly came out of the car and walked into the house.

Immediately, I saw Mrs. Helen Damson sitting elegantly in the living room as usual.

“Hm… look who we have here,” she said the moment she saw me.

I stayed quiet.

“Next time, if you want to die, just die properly and stop giving us unnecessary panic attacks.”

“Mom,” Brian’s voice suddenly came from the staircase as he walked downstairs. “Be nice. She just lost her mother.”

“Whatever,” Helen scoffed carelessly. “Who cares?”

I didn’t even bother responding.

At this point, I was already getting used to her behavior.

Without saying a word, I walked upstairs quietly.

As I climbed the stairs, I could feel Brian’s eyes on me, almost pitifully.

But honestly…Who cared whether he pitied me or not?

I entered my room, locked the door, and sat on the bed quietly.

A few seconds later, there was a knock on the door.

“Who is it?” I asked tiredly.

“It’s Brian.”

I stood up slowly and opened the door.

“Sorry about what happened,” he said almost immediately.

I didn’t respond. I simply walked back toward the bed and sat down.

“Everything regarding the burial arrangements has already been handled by my company,” he continued calmly.

I still said nothing.

“Life may seem hard right now,” he added with a faint smile, “but at least you’re married to Brian Damson.”

That statement alone irritated me deeply.

What made him think I ever wanted to marry him in the first place?

I stayed silent and looked away.

After a few seconds, he finally walked out and closed the door behind him.

I immediately let out a deep breath of relief.

It felt like a heavy weight had just been lifted off my chest.

***

One Week Later.

My mom’s burial ceremony was over.

And honestly…It was grand.

Just like Brian promised, he handled everything perfectly.

Important personalities from all over New York attended.

The ceremony looked expensive, elegant, and flawless.

But did any of that bring my mother back?

Absolutely not.

I sat quietly in my room, watching an online makeup tutorial on my iPad.

At least it distracted me a little from everything happening in my life.

Spread across the bed were different makeup kits Brian had bought for me.

Yes, he bought me whatever I wanted.

But that still didn’t change who he was., rude, arrogant, and cold.

Completely not my type.

There was no way I could ever fall in love with a man like him.

I picked up my brush and carefully followed the steps from the tutorial.

The lady on the screen looked absolutely perfect.

Meanwhile, mine looked terrible.

I stared at myself in disappointment before laughing softly.

“Well… maybe someday,” I muttered.

I closed the iPad after a while when my stomach suddenly growled loudly.

“Okay… food first,” I sighed, jumping off the bed.

I walked out of my room and headed downstairs.

But suddenly…I heard loud noises coming from a nearby room.

I stopped walking immediately.

Brian’s room.

Because it was only a few steps away from mine.

At first, I thought someone was screaming.

But after listening carefully, I realized it wasn’t screaming, it was moaning.

Immediately, I rolled my eyes.

One of his countless w****s again.

Still…Something pushed me to look.

Just once.

I tried ignoring the curiosity, but eventually, it won.

Slowly, I bent slightly and peeped through the partially opened space.

But I couldn’t really see anything clearly.

Then suddenly…The door swung open.

I froze immediately, I had no idea it wasn’t locked. My eyes widened in shock.

Mandy!, My best friend.

She was on Brian’s bed.

“What?!” I gasped in disbelief.

Mandy looked at me without even a hint of guilt on her face.

“What are you doing here?” Brian snapped angrily.

I couldn’t even respond.

I just stood there staring at Mandy in complete shock.

What the hell was she doing here?

With Brian?

“Baby, relax,” Mandy said casually before looking at me. “Let her watch if she wants.”

And just like that, they both ignored my presence completely, and they continued.

I slowly stepped backward before shutting the door.

Then I walked back to my room in silence.

My mind couldn’t even process what I had just seen.