CHAPTER 2
996 Words
ELENA’S POV
Leonard Vaughn’s smirk made my legs get shaky. That look on his face wasn’t amusement, it was the expression of a man who enjoyed playing games.
“A marriage contract?” he replied with a smooth voice that held intrigue. “That is quite the request, Mrs. Sinclair.”
I frowned deeply. “Miss Carter,” I corrected with a sharp tone.
“My bad.” I didn’t know if that was supposed to be an apology, especially since he spoke with the sassiest tone ever.
I clenched my fists at my sides, forcing myself to stand tall. “You want to destroy Noah Sinclair. I want to make him pay for what he did to me. We can help each other.”
Leonard leaned back in his chair, watching me with those piercing, calculating eyes.
“But why do I have to marry you to achieve that?” he finally asked, his tone almost lazy, but I could sense the sharpness in it.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “It will break Noah to know I have something to do with his rival. He cheated on me; it’s fair enough I marry you to square up.”
“Hmm, tactical. But you were just his wife, there is no guarantee that you can offer me tangible information.”
“Don’t say that. I know exactly what Noah’s been doing behind closed doors too. I was the one handling his contracts, cleaning up his messes, making sure his dirty little secrets never saw the light of day.”
Leonard’s fingers drummed against the desk. “And you’re willing to sell him out?”
My stomach twisted, but I forced myself to nod. “He threw me away like I was nothing. I don’t owe him my loyalty.”
He tilted his head, studying me. “And what do you get out of this deal?”
I met his gaze, refusing to let him see how much this conversation terrified me. “Protection. Power. I want to be someone Noah can never touch again.”
His lips curled. “Hmm. So it’s revenge, then.”
I didn’t deny it.
Leonard exhaled slowly, as if weighing his options. Then, to my shock, he reached for a telephone on his desk and made a call. “Prepare a document for me now. I’ll send you the details.”
This man wasn’t the type to play about his business. “Take a seat outside,” he said to me, referring to the big space meant for visitors. I nodded and left.
A few minutes later, I was called in, and he pushed a sleek, leather-bound folder.
A contract.
“It’s all ready,” I murmured.
His smirk deepened. “I always like to be ahead of time.”
He flipped it open and slid it toward me.
“You’ll be my wife in name only,” he stated, his voice cool and composed. “A public marriage to solidify my position and shake up the business world. In return, you’ll have access to my resources and my protection.”
I hesitated, scanning the document. It was all there: terms, conditions, loopholes. A contract as cold and calculated as the man sitting before me.
Leonard leaned forward, his voice dropping an octave. “Noah Sinclair is a cockroach who needs to be crushed. You, my dear, are the perfect weapon to do it.”
A chill ran down my spine.
This wasn’t just a marriage of convenience. This was war.
And I had just aligned myself with the most dangerous man on the battlefield.
I picked up the pen. With one final glance at Leonard Vaughn, I signed my name.
Elena Vaughn.
A name that would change everything.
Leonard took the contract, staring at my signature with his sharp gaze sweeping as if confirming I had truly taken the plunge.
Then, he closed the folder and leaned back in his chair, utterly composed.
“The wedding will happen in two days.”
I stiffened. “Two days?”
He raised a brow, unimpressed by my reaction. “Did you expect a drawn-out engagement with romantic dinners and strolls on the beach?”
I swallowed hard. Of course not. This wasn’t real.
“I just didn’t think it would happen so soon.”
Leonard steepled his fingers. “A delay would give Noah time to react. He won’t take kindly to losing both his wife and his business in one blow. By the time he realizes what’s happening, you’ll already be my wife, and he’ll be nothing more than a bitter ex watching from the sidelines.”
His logic was brutal but flawless.
I exhaled shakily. “Fine. What do I need to do?”
A change of something unreadable passed through Leonard’s eyes before he stood, walking round the desk until he was directly in front of me.
His presence was suffocating. Dominating.
“First,” he said, his voice calm but still firm, “you will move into my house tonight.”
My breath hitched. “Tonight?”
“Yes.” His gaze bore into mine. “I plan to spread the info you will give me tonight, and I don’t trust Noah not to retaliate. You staying anywhere else is a risk I won’t take.”
I opened my mouth to argue but stopped myself. He was right. Noah wouldn’t let me go so easily. And I had nowhere else to go.
“Fine,” I muttered.
Leonard gave a curt nod. “Good. I’ll send my driver to pick you up in an hour. Be ready.”
I turned to leave, but before I reached the door, his voice stopped me.
“Elena.”
I glanced over my shoulder.
He had an unreadable expression, but his next words sent a shiver down my spine.
“You made the right choice.”
I wasn’t sure if he was reassuring me or warning me.
Maybe both.
- Writer
