CHAPTER 2: HIS RULES
414 Words
The black limousine pulled up in front of the mansion, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
It wasn’t a house. It wasn’t even a home. It was a palace. White marble steps stretched endlessly, with golden lights glowing against glass walls that reflected the city skyline.
This was the world I had just agreed to enter.
A man in uniform opened the door for me, but I hesitated. I clutched the strap of my worn handbag, feeling more out of place than I ever had in my life.
“Get out,” Alexander’s cold voice ordered from beside me.
I stepped out, my heels clicking nervously against the marble. Inside, the mansion was even colder than the man who owned it. Everything was silver, glass, and black. No warmth. No laughter. Just silence.
He handed his jacket to a butler and finally turned to me. His eyes were unreadable, but his tone was sharp and precise.
“There are rules, Ava.”
The way he said my name made me shiver.
“Rules?” I repeated, my voice trembling.
He stepped closer, towering over me, his presence filling every inch of the room. “Yes. Rule number one: this marriage is nothing more than a contract. Don’t expect love, affection, or… anything else from me.”
My chest tightened, but I nodded.
“Rule number two: in public, you will act as my devoted wife. Smile, hold my arm, play the role. Behind closed doors, stay out of my way.”
It felt like a slap, but I bit my lip and said nothing.
“Rule number three,” his eyes narrowed dangerously, “my reputation is everything. Don’t embarrass me. Ever.”
Silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to tell him that I wasn’t some toy he could buy. But then I remembered my mother’s weak voice in the hospital bed, and the words died in my throat.
“Do you understand?” he demanded.
I lifted my chin, meeting his icy gaze with all the courage I could gather. “Yes… Mr. Stone.”
For a moment, something flickered in his eyes — surprise, maybe. Then, just as quickly, the mask returned.
“Good,” he said flatly, turning away. “Your room is down the hall. Stay in it.”
As his footsteps faded, I realized the truth:
I hadn’t married a man.
I had signed a deal with the devil.
- Writer
