Four
1517 Words
I felt like the ground shifted under me.
“That’s not possible,” I said immediately. “My mom...”
“Your mother,” she interrupted, her lips curved slightly, “was the mistress.”
The word echoed in my head.
The mistress?
“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “No, that’s not true.”
“It is,” she said simply. “I made sure.”
I shook my head again. “You’re lying.”
“Why would I lie about something like that?” she asked, almost bored. “It’s not like it benefits me.”
I couldn’t breathe for a second and then my eyes flickered back to the scar.
She noticed.
“Ah,” she said, her hand brushing lightly over her shoulder. “You saw that.”
I refrained from asking her how she got it.
“That,” she continued, her voice dropped slightly, “is from my fiancé.”
My head snapped back to her. “What?”
“He has quite the temper during s*x but Wilson is different,” she added, like she was talking about the weather.
My stomach churned at the memory of Wilson f*****g her.
“And you’re just… saying that like it’s normal?”
She gave a small, humorless laugh. “Normal? No, but common? Unfortunately.”
I swallowed the lump at the back of my throat.
“I don’t care,” I said quickly. “I don’t care about your life, your fiancé, or any of this. I don’t even need your help.”
That last part felt like a lie even as I said it but I couldn’t stay.
I walked past her.
“Gwen, wait.”
I stopped.
“I’ll give you a hundred million.”
My heart skipped as I turned back. “What…?”
“A hundred million,” she repeated, watching me closely. “Enough to pay your mother’s hospital bills, enough to cover that little incident with your boss, even enough to fix your entire life.”
But it sounded like she wanted something in return.
“…Why?”
Her lips curved again.
“It’s simple,” she said. “You take my place.”
I frowned. “What does that mean?”
“You have to marry my fiancé.”
Her words didn’t make sense. "What?”
“You heard me,” she said, crossing her arms. “You have to marry him in my place.”
I stared at her. “You’re insane.”
“Am I?” she asked calmly.
“He abuses you!” I snapped. “You just said that!”
“And?” she looked unfazed.
“And you want me to walk into that?”
She tilted her head slightly. “You’re already suffering, aren’t you?”
My lips parted, but no words came out.
“So what’s one more burden?” she added lightly. “At least this one comes with a reward.”
I felt sick.
“Is that why you contacted me?” I asked, my voice trembled. “After all these years? Just for this?”
She smirked.
“Don’t make it sound so dramatic,” she said. “I needed a solution and you just fit.”
“I’m not a replacement,” my voice broke.
“No,” she agreed. “But what choice do you have? You’re perfectly convenient.”
I bit my lip in embarrassment.
“You’re unbelievable,” I whispered.
“And you’re desperate,” she shot back. “Let’s not pretend otherwise.”
Tears burned at the back of my eyes.
“I would never...”
A loud sound from a microphone cut through my words.
The room beyond us suddenly grew quieter.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” a voice echoed through the hall, smooth and commanding, “please welcome our exclusive guest… the most powerful man in the city.. Mr Dawson Cage!”
Morgana didn’t look away from me.
“Perfect timing,” she murmured.
Applause erupted as I turned my attention toward the main hall and saw him...
The man from the factory with the white suit.
The same one who stopped my mother’s treatment like it meant nothing.
“Oh God…” I whispered.
“That’s my fiancé,” she added softly.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“And the man you’ll be marrying in my place.”
No.
“I’m not doing this,” I muttered under my breath.
“You don’t get to decide that anymore,” she cut in.
Then I saw him approach us deliberately, flanked by his bodyguards.
People moved out of his way without being told to, conversations died mid-sentence, and even the air felt harder to breathe.
I slouched.
“Stand straight!” Morgana hissed under her breath.
She was also scared.
That realization sent a fresh wave of dread through me.
If she was this scared of him, then what chance did I have?
“Don’t look down,” she added quickly.
But it was too late.
My gaze had already dropped to my feet because I couldn’t look at him.
What if he recognizes me?
I clenched my fists.
“Lift your head.” he said when he was closer.
I froze.
“I said, lift your head.”
But I couldn’t move.
“Wow,” Morgana said lightly, though I could hear the tension underneath. “She’s even more timid than I expected.”
My fingers trembling at my sides.
“Morgana…” I whispered weakly.
“Oh, don’t start now,” she cut in with a mocking tone. Then she turned slightly toward him. “Darling, this is Gwen. My beloved sister.”
Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
“She’ll be taking my place,” Morgana continued smoothly. “As per our agreement.”
Their agreement?
My head snapped slightly in her direction as confusion cut through my fear for a second.
What agreement?
But before I could speak, his hand gripped my chin as he forced my face upward to look at him.
I trembled, it was really the man from the factory.
The one I owed for his damn suit!
Dawson Cage.
He frowned. “It’s you.”
That was all it took for me to realize that he remembered my face.
Behind me, Morgana let out a soft amused sound in pretense. “Oh? You’ve met already?”
“Interesting.” she said.
“Be quiet.” he told her coldly.
Morgana froze and for the first time since I met her, she went silent.
His gaze never left mine.
Suddenly, he straightened himself.
“This event is over.” he said quietly.
A ripple of confusion spread instantly.
“Sir...” a man who looked clearly uneasy stepped forward quickly. “This event is critical. We have both foreign and domestic clients present—”
“I said it’s over.” His tone didn't even rise to portray his point.
The man hesitated. “But sir, the implications..."
“I don’t care,” Dawson said flatly.
“I’m about to be engaged to my new wife,” he said dismissively. “That matters more than a room full of people waiting to leech off me.”
His words sent a chill down my spine.
“…Understood, sir,” he said finally, stepping back.
This wasn’t normal.
And just like that, my breathing became uneven.
“Take her.”
Dawson's command came out of nowhere. I wasn't even able to process it before I felt strong hands on me.
My body reacted before my mind caught up.
“Wait!” I gasped, trying to pull back. “No, no, let go of me!”
The bodyguards didn’t even flinch as panic exploded in my chest.
“Stop!” I cried, struggling harder. “Please, I didn’t agree to this! Let me go!”
But no one moved.
I turned desperately toward him.
“Please!” My voice broke. “If you want something.. anything but please just—just let the hospital continue my mother’s treatment!”
My words came out rushed, messy, and desperate.
“I’ll go with them,” I added quickly. “I’ll go. I won’t fight it but please, just call them! Please let them treat her!”
For a split second, I thought maybe he would listen but then his expression darkened and I instantly knew it'd be the opposite.
“No one negotiates with me,” he said coldly.
What?
I shook my head immediately.
“No, please—” I tried again. “She’ll die...”
“Take her home...” He commanded.
“Wait!”
“And chain her to my bed.”
My eyes widened.
Chain…?
My body went cold.
But I protested with tears in my eyes.
Morgana approached me with her arms crossed.
She looked satisfied.
“Good luck,” her voice dripped with mockery. “I hope you enjoy your new life.”
“You’re a monster!” I choked out.
She shrugged. “Consider it a family gift, little sister.”
And then I was dragged away.
- Writer
