TOO LATE TO LOVE ME

The magnificent Montclair mansion glittered beneath the evening lights, its crystal chandeliers illuminating the marble floors and expensive decorations. Every corner of the estate screamed wealth, power, and prestige, yet Nerissa Valcourt felt as though she had walked into a prison disguised as a palace. Tonight was supposed to be the beginning of her new life. Instead, she stood alone at the top of the grand staircase, wearing an elegant ivory wedding gown, wondering whether the man she had just married would ever look at her with love. Her fingers tightened around the bouquet of white roses as she stared at the wedding ring on her finger. It was beautiful, expensive, and meaningless. "Mrs. Montclair, everyone is waiting for you downstairs," a maid announced gently. Nerissa forced a smile onto her face. "Thank you. I'll be there in a moment," she said. The maid bowed and disappeared down the corridor, leaving Nerissa alone with her thoughts. She took a deep breath before walking toward the staircase. Earlier that afternoon, she had stood beside Zayden Montclair before hundreds of guests, promising to love, honor, and cherish him until death separated them. She had spoken those words sincerely, even though the groom beside her had barely looked at her. Zayden had worn a perfectly tailored black suit, his dark hair styled neatly, and an expression so cold that it could have frozen the entire wedding hall. He had not smiled once. Not when she walked toward him. Not when the priest declared them husband and wife. And certainly not when he slipped the wedding ring onto her finger. She had tried to convince herself that he was simply nervous, that perhaps he needed time to adjust to the arrangement. But deep down, she knew the truth. Zayden Montclair had never wanted her. And he had made that painfully clear. When Nerissa reached the living room, she found her husband standing near the floor-to-ceiling windows with a glass of whiskey in his hand. His black suit fitted his broad shoulders perfectly, and his expensive watch gleamed beneath the chandelier. He looked like the kind of man who owned everything he desired. Unfortunately, she was the one thing he had been forced to accept. His gaze shifted toward her, briefly examining her wedding dress before returning to his drink. "You're late," he said. Nerissa glanced at the clock on the wall. "I'm only five minutes late," she replied. "I didn't ask for an explanation." His dismissive tone stung, but she refused to let him see it. "Then perhaps you shouldn't complain when you don't want to hear one," she said. Zayden slowly turned toward her. For the first time that evening, he looked at her properly. His dark eyes narrowed slightly, as though he had not expected his new wife to answer him. "Is that how you intend to behave in my house?" he asked. Nerissa lifted her chin. "Our house, Zayden. We are married now." A humorless smile touched his lips. "Don't misunderstand the situation, Nerissa. A wedding ceremony doesn't automatically make us a real couple." Her heart sank, but her expression remained composed. "What exactly does that mean?" she asked. "It means you should understand why this marriage happened in the first place." She already knew. His grandfather's will had changed everything. The late Alexander Montclair had built the Montclair Empire from nothing, turning a modest family business into one of the most powerful corporate empires in the country. Before his death, he had amended his will, placing strict conditions on Zayden's inheritance and his complete control of the company. Zayden had to marry and maintain the marriage for the period specified in the will before he could secure his full inheritance. His family had supported the arrangement, and Nerissa's family had accepted it for reasons of their own. But while everyone else had discussed the marriage as a practical agreement, Nerissa had secretly hoped it might become something more. She had admired Zayden long before the wedding arrangements began. He was intelligent, ambitious, and undeniably handsome, but what had drawn her to him was the rare glimpse of kindness she had once witnessed beneath his intimidating exterior. She had foolishly believed that the man she admired might eventually learn to love her. Now, standing before him, she wondered whether she had mistaken his silence for depth and his occasional kindness for affection. "This marriage might have started because of your grandfather's will," she said carefully, "but that doesn't mean we have to treat each other like strangers." "That's exactly what we are," Zayden replied. The words landed harder than she expected. He placed his glass on the nearby table and walked toward her, stopping close enough for her to catch the faint scent of his cologne. "Let me make a few things clear," he said. "You will have everything you need. A house, money, security, and whatever luxuries you desire. You will carry my name, attend family functions, and behave appropriately in public." Nerissa stared at him. "And what will you give me as my husband?" she asked. His expression hardened. "Don't ask me for something I never promised." For several seconds, neither of them spoke. Nerissa could feel the tears threatening to gather in her eyes, but she refused to cry in front of him. She would not give him the satisfaction of watching his words break her. "What about love?" she asked quietly. Zayden's jaw tightened. "Love isn't part of this arrangement." "And if I fall in love with you?" "Then that's your problem." Silence filled the room. Nerissa looked at the man she had just married and felt something inside her shift. She had known he was cold, but she had never imagined he would be so cruel. Still, she refused to beg. "Don't worry, Mr. Montclair," she said, forcing a small smile onto her face. "I won't force you to love me." "Good." "However, I expect you to treat me with respect. I may have married you because of circumstances, but I am still a human being with feelings." Zayden studied her for a moment. "Respect is earned, Nerissa." "Then perhaps you should try earning mine too," she replied. His eyebrows lifted slightly. Before he could respond, footsteps sounded in the corridor. A beautiful woman entered the living room, wearing a fitted burgundy dress that accentuated her figure. Her long brunette hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders, and her dark red lips curved into a smile when she saw Zayden. But the smile disappeared when her gaze landed on Nerissa's wedding dress. For a brief moment, the woman's expression revealed something unmistakable. Jealousy. Then she recovered and walked toward Zayden as though she belonged beside him. "Zayden," she whispered. His entire demeanor changed. The coldness in his eyes softened, and he immediately stepped toward her. Nerissa watched in disbelief. She had spent the last several minutes trying to get her husband to look at her with even a fraction of warmth. This woman had achieved it with a single word. "Serena," Zayden said, his voice noticeably gentler. Serena's eyes glistened as she looked at him. "I didn't think you would actually go through with it," she whispered. Zayden glanced briefly at Nerissa before returning his attention to Serena. "We've discussed this." "I know, but seeing you married to someone else..." Serena paused, lowering her gaze. "I don't know how I'm supposed to feel." Nerissa's fingers tightened around her bouquet. Someone else? The woman was speaking as though she were the victim of the marriage. And Zayden was looking at her as though he owed her an apology. "You're the last person I want to hurt," Zayden told her. Nerissa almost laughed. His wife was standing a few feet away in a wedding gown, and he was comforting another woman about how painful his marriage must be for her. It was unbelievable. Serena finally turned toward Nerissa. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said, although her expression suggested otherwise. "You must be Nerissa." "I am," Nerissa replied. Serena offered her a delicate smile. "Congratulations on your marriage." "Thank you." "I hope you understand that Zayden and I have known each other for a very long time. We share a complicated history." Nerissa held her gaze. "Then perhaps you should discuss that history with my husband rather than me." Serena blinked, apparently surprised by the response. Zayden's expression darkened. "That's enough, Nerissa." She slowly turned toward him. "Enough of what?" she asked. "I answered her politely." "Don't make this difficult." A bitter smile touched Nerissa's lips. "Interesting. I've been married to you for less than a day, and somehow I'm already the one making things difficult." "You're twisting my words." "No, Zayden. I'm simply listening to them." Serena stepped between them, gently touching Zayden's arm. "Please don't argue because of me," she said softly. "I should probably leave." Zayden immediately turned toward her. "You don't have to leave." Nerissa stared at him. He had barely acknowledged her existence since the ceremony, yet he was desperate to keep another woman from walking out of his house. Serena hesitated before looking at Nerissa again. "I hope we can get along," she said. Nerissa smiled without warmth. "That depends on whether you understand boundaries." Serena's smile faltered. Zayden took a step toward Nerissa. "Apologize." Nerissa looked at him as though he had spoken a foreign language. "Excuse me?" "You heard me." "Your former lover walks into our home, announces that she is devastated by our marriage, and I'm the one who owes an apology?" "Serena isn't my former lover." The words silenced her. Nerissa felt the room grow unbearably cold. Serena lowered her eyes, but Nerissa caught the faintest flicker of satisfaction on her face. "Then what is she?" Nerissa asked. Zayden's expression became unreadable. "Someone who matters to me." The answer was simple. It was also devastating. Nerissa slowly nodded. "I see." For a moment, she thought about asking whether Serena was the woman Zayden had loved all these years. She wanted to ask whether he had ever considered giving Nerissa a chance, or whether their marriage had been nothing more than a transaction from the very beginning. But she already knew the answers. She straightened her shoulders and placed her bouquet on a nearby table. "Enjoy your evening," she said calmly. Then she turned and walked toward the staircase. "Nerissa," Zayden called. She stopped but did not turn around. "What?" "Don't misunderstand my relationship with Serena." Nerissa closed her eyes briefly. When she finally looked back at him, her expression was composed, but her eyes had lost their earlier warmth. "Don't worry, Zayden. I won't misunderstand anything again." She continued upstairs without another word. Behind her, Serena leaned closer to Zayden. "She's going to make this marriage difficult for you," she murmured. Zayden watched the staircase for several seconds before looking away. "She'll learn to understand how things work eventually," he replied. He had no idea that Nerissa had heard every word. Nor did he realize that something important had changed inside his new wife. She had entered the marriage hoping to be loved. Now, for the first time, she was beginning to wonder whether loving Zayden Montclair would become the greatest mistake of her life. --- Later that night, Nerissa sat alone in the master bedroom, still wearing her wedding dress. The room was enormous, decorated in shades of black, cream, and gold. A king-sized bed stood in the center, surrounded by expensive furniture and carefully arranged flowers. Everything was beautiful. Everything was perfect. Everything except the marriage. She removed her wedding ring and held it in her palm. For several minutes, she stared at the diamond, remembering the moment Zayden had slipped it onto her finger. He had looked at the priest rather than at her. She should have recognized the warning. A knock sounded at the door. Nerissa quickly slipped the ring back onto her finger. "Come in," she said. Zayden entered, having removed his suit jacket. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, and his expression was as cold as ever. "We need to discuss the sleeping arrangements," he announced. Nerissa rose from the edge of the bed. "All right." "You'll use this bedroom. I'll stay in the guest suite." She stared at him. "You're not sleeping here?" "No." "Because of Serena?" His expression hardened. "This has nothing to do with Serena." "Then why are you avoiding your own wife?" "I'm not avoiding you. I simply don't intend to pretend that we're a real couple." Nerissa swallowed the ache in her throat. "Understood." Zayden seemed almost surprised by how quickly she had agreed. "You won't question my movements, interfere with my personal affairs, or expect me to report where I go," he continued. "In return, I'll make sure you're comfortable." Nerissa folded her arms. "And what happens when I want to go somewhere?" "Use the car and driver provided for you." "What happens when I want to work?" "Do whatever you want, provided you don't create problems for my family or damage the Montclair name." She let out a quiet breath. "Anything else?" Zayden paused before answering. "Don't fall in love with me, Nerissa. It will only make this situation harder for you." For several seconds, she could not speak. Then she smiled. It was a small, painful smile, but it was still a smile. "You don't have to worry about that, Zayden." He studied her face. "Good." He turned toward the door. "Zayden," she called. He stopped. She wanted to tell him that she had not asked to be treated like an unwanted burden. She wanted to tell him that she had dreams of her own, that she had a heart, and that she deserved more than expensive gifts and an empty title. Instead, she asked the only question that mattered to her now. "Did you ever want to marry me?" Zayden remained silent for a moment. Then he answered. "No." The door closed behind him. Nerissa stood motionless, staring at the empty space where her husband had been. A tear slipped down her cheek. She wiped it away immediately. She had promised herself that she would never beg a man for love, and she intended to keep that promise. If Zayden Montclair wanted a wife who would remain quietly in the background, he would get a woman who understood her responsibilities. But he would never get to see her beg. Nerissa walked to the dressing table and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her makeup was still flawless, her wedding dress still beautiful, and her diamond ring still glittered beneath the light. Yet she felt as though she had lost something she had never truly possessed. Her heart. She took a deep breath and lifted her chin. "Enjoy your freedom, Zayden Montclair," she whispered to her reflection. "Because one day, you'll understand what it means to lose something you never appreciated." She had no idea how much those words would eventually come to mean