The Contract Marriage

Chapter Nine: The preparation

By the time we reached Blackwood Enterprises, I had convinced myself that the worst part of the day was over.

I was wrong.

Very wrong.

The moment I stepped out of Damien's car, three cameras flashed in my direction.

I froze.

Another flash.

Then another.

"Damien."

He stepped out beside me.

"Don't look at them."

"That's easy for you to say."

"Keep walking."

"People are taking pictures of me."

"I know."

"Why are you so calm?"

"Because I've been doing this for years."

I glanced at him.

"Well, I've been doing this for approximately twelve hours."

He almost smiled.

"Then you'll learn."

He placed a hand lightly against my back.

I stiffened.

His eyes flicked toward me.

"Sorry."

"It's fine."

We walked into the building.

The moment the doors closed behind us, I exhaled.

"I hate this."

"You'll get used to it."

"You keep saying that."

"Because you keep complaining."

"I haven't complained that much."

He looked at me.

I stared back.

"Fine. Maybe I have."

The elevator opened.

Daniel was waiting.

"Mr. Blackwood."

"Daniel."

His eyes moved to me.

"Miss Aria."

"Hi."

"We have a slight change of plans."

I frowned.

"What change?"

"The wedding planner wants to see you."

"Today?"

"Immediately."

I looked at Damien.

"Did you know about this?"

"Yes."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"I knew you'd complain."

I stared at him.

"I can't believe you."

"You'll survive."

---

The wedding planner's office looked like someone had emptied an entire bridal magazine onto the walls.

Flowers.

Dresses.

Venues.

Invitations.

Everything was white, cream or some expensive shade I'd never heard of.

A woman named Victoria sat behind a large desk.

She smiled when we entered.

"Perfect. You're both here."

I sat.

Damien sat beside me.

Victoria opened a folder.

"We've narrowed down the options."

"Options for what?"

"Everything."

She began flipping through pages.

"The venue, flowers, invitations, catering, photography..."

"Wait."

She stopped.

"Yes?"

"I thought this was supposed to be a small wedding."

"It is."

I stared at the photographs.

One of the venues had a staircase that looked bigger than my apartment.

"This is small?"

Victoria smiled.

"For the Blackwood family, yes."

I looked at Damien.

He seemed completely unfazed.

"Do you actually want all of this?"

He looked at me.

"No."

"Then why are we doing it?"

"Because the wedding has to look convincing."

I sighed.

Of course.

Everything had to look convincing.

The engagement.

The wedding.

The photographs.

The smiles.

The entire relationship.

Except the feelings.

Those weren't part of the contract.

"Can I choose the dress?"

"Yes," Damien said.

"Completely?"

"Completely."

"Good."

Victoria smiled.

"Then let's begin."

For the next two hours, I tried on dresses.

Some were beautiful.

Some were ridiculous.

One had so much fabric that I nearly tripped walking out of the dressing room.

Damien tried very hard not to laugh.

I pointed at him.

"Don't."

"I'm not laughing."

"You are."

"I'm not."

"Your face is."

He looked away.

I narrowed my eyes.

Finally, Victoria brought out a simple dress.

It was elegant.

Nothing dramatic.

No mountains of lace.

Just clean lines and delicate details.

I stared at it.

"This one."

Victoria smiled.

"I thought you might like it."

I looked at Damien.

He was watching me.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Why are you staring?"

"I'm not."

"You are."

He looked away.

"Get the dress."

Victoria smiled.

"Excellent choice."

---

Later that afternoon, we stopped at a jewelry store.

I knew we were looking at rings.

I just hadn't expected the store to be completely empty.

"Why is nobody here?"

"They're closed."

I looked at Damien.

"You closed an entire jewelry store?"

"They made an exception."

"That's not an exception."

He shrugged.

I shook my head.

A saleswoman approached with several trays.

"Mr. Blackwood."

She opened the first one.

Diamonds.

Everywhere.

I stared.

"Those are real?"

The woman smiled.

"Yes."

I leaned closer.

"How much is that one?"

Damien looked at me.

"Don't ask."

"Why?"

"Because you'll refuse it."

"I might."

"You will."

I looked at the rings.

Then I saw one.

It was smaller than the others.

Simple.

A single diamond surrounded by a thin band.

I pointed.

"That one."

The saleswoman picked it up.

Damien looked at it.

"Good choice."

I took it.

The diamond caught the light.

For a second, I forgot what it represented.

Then reality returned.

This wasn't a romantic gesture.

It was part of the contract.

A prop.

An expensive one.

Still a prop.

"Try it."

I looked at Damien.

"Why?"

"Because it's yours."

I slipped it onto my finger.

It fit perfectly.

I stared at my hand.

Something tightened in my chest.

Damien noticed.

"You don't like it?"

"No."

I shook my head.

"I love it."

His eyes remained on mine.

"Then keep it."

I looked away.

"Thank you."

The saleswoman smiled.

"Congratulations."

I almost laughed.

Instead, I looked at my ring again.

Congratulations.

For what?

Getting married?

Getting paid?

Pretending?

I wasn't sure anymore.

---

That evening, Damien drove me home.

Neither of us spoke for several minutes.

I kept looking at the ring.

Finally, he noticed.

"You've been staring at it for ten minutes."

"I know."

"Regretting it?"

I looked at him.

"No."

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

He waited.

I sighed.

"It's just strange."

"What is?"

"Seeing this."

I lifted my hand.

"I'm actually getting married."

"Yes."

"To you."

"Unfortunately."

I laughed.

"You could at least pretend to be offended."

"I thought you liked my honesty."

"I do."

I looked out the window.

"Are you nervous?"

He was quiet.

Then he answered.

"Yes."

I turned toward him.

"You are?"

"Of course."

"Why?"

He kept his eyes on the road.

"Because this affects more than just me."

I studied his face.

"Your family."

"My family. My company. My inheritance."

He paused.

"And you."

I didn't expect that.

"Me?"

"You're becoming part of my life, whether either of us likes it or not."

I looked down.

"That's terrifying."

"It is."

For once, we agreed.

The car stopped outside my house.

Before I opened the door, Damien spoke.

"Aria."

I looked at him.

"Yes?"

"If you ever want to stop this, tell me."

I frowned.

"What?"

"Before the wedding. After the wedding. Anytime."

"But the contract..."

"I'll handle the contract."

I stared at him.

"You'd let me walk away?"

"Yes."

"Even after everything you've spent?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

He looked at me.

"Because I asked you to marry me."

His voice was quiet.

"That doesn't mean I own you."

I didn't know what to say.

So I simply nodded.

"Goodnight, Damien."

"Goodnight."

I stepped out of the car.

Halfway to the door, I looked back.

He was still watching me.

I raised my hand.

The ring caught the light.

He smiled.

Just slightly.

Then the car drove away.

I stood there until it disappeared.

Six days ago, I didn't know Damien Blackwood.

Now I was wearing his ring.

And somehow, the strangest part wasn't that I was going to marry him.

It was that I was starting to wonder what would happen if the year ended and neither of us wanted the contract to end.

I immediately shook the thought away.

That wasn't part of the deal.

And I wasn't going to make it part of mine.