MARRIAGE CONTRACT

Chapter 5

Brooklyn’s POV

That evening, I sat on the edge of my bed staring at my phone.

Because nothing made sense to me.

My chest still felt tight from what I had seen earlier.

Mandy and Brian together.

I quickly dialed her number, the phone rang once, twice, three times. Then finally, she answered.

“Hello?” she said boldly, sounding completely normal.

“Mandy!” I snapped immediately. “What exactly was that today?”

She stayed quiet for a second.

Then she sighed.

“Exactly what you think it was.”

I sat up straighter instantly.

“No… no, tell me it was a joke,” I said desperately, trying to convince myself.

“A joke?” she repeated before laughing softly. “Brooklyn, are you seriously being delusional right now? You literally saw everything with your own eyes.”

I opened my mouth slowly in disbelief.

“Wow…”

“Please,” she scoffed. “I honestly don’t know where all this energy is coming from. You’ve told me multiple times you don’t love Brian and that this marriage is just to clear your family’s debt, so why are you acting like this?”

“Acting up?” I repeated emotionally. “Are you serious right now? Mandy, you’re my best friend.”

“And who said we still aren’t?” she replied casually. “We’re cool, girl. In fact, I expected you to be happy for me instead of giving an attitude.”

I wiped the tears forming in my eyes angrily.

“Happy for you?”

“Wait…” she gasped dramatically. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous.”

“Jealous?” I almost laughed in disbelief. “Mandy, I expected loyalty from you.”

“Oh, please,” she replied. “Guess what? I want Brian. Every sensible woman does. So don’t blame me.”

“Mandy, Brian isn’t even the kind of man you should want,” I argued. “He’s rude, arrogant, proud, and a complete flirt. Don’t you think you deserve better?”

“Oh please, stop right there,” she cut me off sharply. “You’re not in any position to tell me what I deserve.”

Her tone suddenly changed.

“Or are you jealous because he finds me more attractive?”

My chest tightened.

“Well, guess what?” she continued proudly. “Brian is mine now. So start getting used to the idea of me becoming your co-wife soon.”

The line disconnected immediately.

I slowly lowered the phone from my ear.

“What the hell…” I whispered.

I stared at her contact on my screen in disbelief.

It still didn’t feel real, Mandy?

Out of everyone?

I leaned back against the bed weakly.

Maybe I never truly knew her at all.

***

The Next Day.

The mansion was unusually busy that morning.

Housekeepers moved around quickly.

Fresh flowers were being arranged downstairs.

Even Helen looked more excited than usual.

I frowned slightly while walking down the staircase.

What exactly was going on?

The moment Helen noticed me, her expression instantly changed.

“Oh, you’re awake,” she said dryly.

I ignored the attitude.

“Good morning ma'am” I said calmly.

Before she could answer, the sound of a car pulling into the compound echoed outside.

Helen immediately stood up with excitement.

“She’s here,” she said smiling.

I looked confused, because I definitely know that she and excitement are in different lines.

A few seconds later, the front door opened.

And a woman walked in, tall, elegant, and beautiful.

She wore a long beige coat with expensive heels, designer sunglasses resting perfectly on her face.

Confidence practically followed her aura.

The moment Brian walked downstairs and saw her, he stopped completely.

For the first time since I met him…

He actually looked shocked.

“Vanessa?” he said slowly.

The lady smiled brightly before rushing toward him.

“Oh my God, Brian!”

She threw her arms around him tightly.

And Brian hugged her back immediately.

I stood there quietly watching everything unfold.

Helen looked happier than I had ever seen her before.

“My future daughter-in-law is finally back,” she said proudly.

Future what?

I blinked in confusion, wow…the word escaped from my mouth.

Vanessa finally pulled away from Brian and smiled at him.

“You look even hotter now,” she teased lightly.

Brian chuckled softly.

So the rude billionaire actually knew how to smile.

Then her eyes landed on me.

The smile on her face faded slightly.

“And who is she?”

Silence filled the room instantly.

I suddenly felt awkward standing there.

Brian rubbed the back of his neck slightly before speaking.

“She’s… my wife.”

Vanessa froze completely.

“What?”

The atmosphere changed immediately.

Her eyes slowly moved from Brian to me.

Then back to Brian again.

“You got married?” she asked quietly.

No one spoke.

Helen quickly stepped in.

“It’s not what you think, sweetheart. This whole thing is just temporary, and it's not that serious… she said stammering.

I looked at her immediately.

Temporary?

Vanessa laughed softly like she couldn’t believe it.

“You promised to wait for me,” she said to Brian.

“I did,” Brian replied calmly.

“Then what is this?”

“It’s complicated.”

“No,” she snapped suddenly. “Don’t do that. Don’t stand there and tell me that it is complicated, after everything we had.”

I quietly tried walking away.

Clearly, this was none of my business.

But suddenly…

“Wait.”

Vanessa stopped me, I turned slowly.

She walked closer toward me, her heels clicking sharply against the floor.

“You,” she said coldly. “Did you know about me before marrying him?”

I swallowed hard.

“No.”

She laughed bitterly.

“Of course you didn’t.”

“Vanessa,” Brian warned.

“No, let her answer,” she snapped.

I stayed quiet.

Because honestly…I didn’t even know what to say.

Vanessa suddenly looked at me from head to toe and scoffed lightly.

“So this is the woman you replaced me with?”

“Enough, Vanessa you can never be replaced, it was my mom's whole idea, to marry her for kids, since you can't…suddenly he stopped.

“Continue, why did you stop?”

“I left for France to build our future!” she yelled angrily. “And I come back to find out you married some random girl?, all because of what?”

“I just wanted to protect you, protect us,” Brian replied coldly.

“Oh, I’m sure you did.”

Tension filled the room heavily.

Even Helen looked uncomfortable now.

Vanessa turned back to me again.

“And you,” she snapped, stepping closer. “You really think a man like Brian would actually love someone like you?”

I frowned slightly.

“I didn’t marry him for love.”

The words slipped out before I could stop myself.

Everyone went silent, even Brian looked at me briefly.

Vanessa blinked.

Then suddenly she laughed.

“Oh wow… this just keeps getting better.”

She shook her head slowly before grabbing a glass cup from the table beside her.

At first, I thought nothing of it.

Until she suddenly smashed it hard against the floor, everyone gasped.

The glass shattered everywhere instantly.

“Vanessa!” Helen shouted.

But Vanessa looked completely unstable now.

“You ruined everything!” she screamed at Brian.

“I didn’t ruin anything,” Brian fired back.

“Oh really?!”

Before anyone could react…She suddenly grabbed one of the sharp broken pieces from the floor.

My eyes widened instantly.

“Vanessa, stop!” Brian shouted.

But she was already walking forward angrily, towards Brian.

Everything happened too fast.

Then suddenly…she threw it at Brian eyeballs, blood started gushing out.

I stood there completely shocked.