Forced To Marry Mr Billionaire Was A Good Idea After All

~Ava~ I stood in front of the mirror, my hands trembling as I fixed my wedding dress. The soft silk felt strange against my skin. I hardly recognized the person staring back at me. I used to dream of finding true love, but now I felt like a stranger in my own skin. My heart was racing, but it wasn't because I was excited. I was scared. Scared of what I was about to do. Outside the window, the storm had picked up, wind howling, rain splashing against the glass. It was like the sky itself was screaming, warning me to run. But I couldn’t. Not anymore. Not with my brother’s life hanging in the balance. I glanced at the clock again. Time was running out. “Where was Ethan?” I had expected him to be late, but this was ridiculous. The guests were waiting, the officiant was getting impatient, and I was starting to feel like a fool. Just as I was about to give up hope, I heard footsteps outside the door. I turned, expecting to see Ethan, but it was Helen, the wedding planner. She looked concerned and frustrated, her eyes darting nervously around the room. "Miss Sinclair, we need to start soon," she said, her voice low and urgent. "The guests are getting restless." I nodded, trying to compose myself. "He'll be here," I said, though the words felt hollow. I couldn't help but wonder why I was clinging to this fantasy that he would suddenly show up and magically make everything feel okay. Helen nodded and left, leaving me alone with my thoughts. The minutes ticked by slowly, each one heavier than the last. Finally, I heard the door creak open again. Ethan walked in, looking tall and powerful in his black tuxedo. He seemed like the perfect billionaire - strong, cold, and distant. He didn't even glance at me as he passed by. It was as if I wasn't there, as if this whole wedding wasn't happening. As if I wasn't about to marry him for a reason that seemed crazier by the minute. An agreement. A promise. A family obligation. I could already feel the anger building up inside me, but I quickly swallowed it down. I had to keep it together. This wasn’t about me anymore. The guests continued to whisper. "Did the groom forget?" "Is this really happening?" "How can someone marry for money?" But I wasn’t the only one. Ethan had his own demons to fight. This marriage? It wasn’t for love. It was for business. I closed my eyes for a moment. I could almost hear the voice of my father in my head; "You have to do this, Ava. Your brother’s life depends on it." But none of that mattered anymore. The world thought Ethan and I were in love, that we were happily getting married, but I knew the truth. This was nothing but a lie. "Shall we get this over with?" Ethan’s voice was low, almost mocking. His eyes didn’t meet mine, he was too busy scanning the crowd as if it was all just a performance for him. I held my breath. Every nerve in my body wanted to scream. I wanted to slap him across the face, tell him how much I hated him for doing this to me, for forcing me into this cold, empty union. But I didn’t. I just nodded. The officiant looked between the two of us, then nodded. "Let’s begin.” And just like that, the ceremony started. Ethan’s voice was distant, robotic, as he recited the vows. No passion. No emotion. Just words he had probably memorized months ago, recited without a care in the world. When it came time for me to speak, my mouth went dry. I’d already signed the papers. I’d already agreed to everything. I had no choice. But somehow, standing there, I felt my throat tighten as I said the words I never thought I’d say: "I do." Ethan barely flinched. He didn’t even look at me as I placed the ring on his finger. It felt like I was tying myself to a ghost, someone who had never truly been there for me. The man standing beside me wasn’t my husband. He wasn’t even a man I knew. The officiant said the words, "You may kiss the bride.” I braced myself, expecting Ethan to at least pretend to be interested. But he didn't move. He just turned away, leaving me standing at the altar, feeling like a fool. The coldness in his eyes sent a shiver down my spine. He walked out of the room without a word, leaving me to face the stunned silence of the guests. I felt the heat rising in my chest, the anger building. This was the moment I had been dreading, and yet, somehow, I had expected it. Before I could even move, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Daniel, Ethan's assistant, standing in the doorway. He looked concerned, his eyes softening as he took in my expression. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice unusually gentle. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words caught in my throat. Was I okay? Was anyone okay in this nightmare of a wedding? "No," I whispered. "No, I’m not okay." Daniel stepped closer. "You don’t have to do this, Ava. You can leave. You don’t have to stay with him." I blinked at him, unsure whether I was hearing him right. "Leave?" I repeated, almost laughing at the absurdity of it all. "I’m already married to him.” I had no choice and immediately I walked out of the ballroom, ignoring the whispers of the guests, trying to make it to the exit before the tears could fall. But the moment I stepped into the hallway, I saw him again. He was standing at the far end of the hall, his back to me. He was talking to someone, but I couldn't see their face because they were too far away and hidden in the shadows. What caught my attention was the tension between them. You could feel the strain in the air. Ethan’s voice was low, urgent. I could barely make out the words. "She’s here. It’s done." I took a step closer, but the floor creaked beneath my foot. Ethan quickly turned around, his eyes meeting mine. For a split second, I saw a flash of emotion in his eyes - was it fear, or guilt? But it was gone before I could process it. He looked at me coldly. "Don’t you have somewhere to be?" he asked, his tone icy. "This wedding was just business. You should’ve known that by now." I bit my lip, swallowing the knot in my throat. "Then why did you marry me?" I demanded, my voice shaking despite my best efforts. He didn’t answer, just turned his back on me and walked away. But as he disappeared into the shadows, the figure he had been speaking to stepped forward. I gasped when I saw who it was. It was Lillian Blackwood. The woman who Ethan had been involved with before me. The woman he had once loved. Lillian’s eyes locked onto mine, a slow, deliberate smile spreading across her face. "You really thought he was going to pick you over me, didn’t you?" she said, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Poor Ava. You’ve been played from the start." I felt the ground beneath me start to spin. I had always known about Lillian, about her role in Ethan’s life. But hearing her say those words, knowing the truth now, it was like a knife to my heart. “Why had Ethan married me if he was still in love with Lillian?” I thought to myself. Lillian's smile seemed to burn itself into my memory as she turned and walked away, leaving me standing alone in the hallway, my heart heavy with the realization that I had made a terrible mistake.