Scandalous Marriage

Chapter 4

I couldn’t believe this was happening.

Less than 24 hours ago, I agreed to marry Jordan Hart. The second richest man in the country. the CEO of Storm Corp. A man whose cold demeanor had made it clear I was nothing more than a pawn in his game.

Now, I stood in front of a mirror, dressed in a simple yet beautiful white dress, the kind a bride would wear for a real wedding. But this wasn’t real. None of this was.

My hands trembled as I adjusted the fabric, my mind racing. Was this the right decision? Was there any “right” decision anymore? I had no choice but to go through with it—this charade, this marriage that was meant to save my career, my reputation. But deep down, I knew that agreeing to this had cost me more than I was willing to admit.

I heard a sharp knock at the door.

I snapped out of my thoughts and walked to the door.

I opened it, and there he was, as flawless as always. Impossibly handsome, wearing a perfectly tailored black tuxedo, his hair neatly combed back. He was every bit the billionaire CEO, as cold and composed as ever.

“You ready?” His voice cut through the silence, flat, detached. There was no sign of emotion, no softness in his tone.

I swallowed hard, forcing my nerves to settle. “I don’t know what am going to do.”

He barely looked at me. His eyes were fixed on his phone. “You don’t have to do anything. Just stand next to me and look like my wife. I’ll handle the rest.”

His words felt like a slap to my face. The lack of warmth, the cold precision—it was clear that this was just another transaction to him. He didn’t care about me. He didn’t care about us. We were nothing more than a temporary fix for a much bigger problem.

I nodded weakly, still struggling to breathe through the tightness in my chest.

**********

The chapel was filled with people—board members, investors, reporters, everyone who mattered in the corporate world. It felt suffocating. The whispers behind me were hard to ignore.

“Is she really marrying him?” a woman whispered to her companion.

“Poor girl. And she looks so innocent”.

“She's just his latest toy. What happens when he gets bored?”

I could feel their eyes on me, judging, scrutinizing. I tried not to let it get to me, but it was impossible. I wasn’t supposed to be here. This wasn’t supposed to be my life.

Jordan’s grip on my arm tightened as we walked down the aisle, his presence a constant reminder of the world I was now trapped in. He moved like he owned everything, and in a way, he did.

I kept my gaze on the floor, avoiding his eyes, avoiding the flashes from the cameras. I didn’t want to look at him. Not when he felt so far from me. Not when everything he had planned was falling into place so perfectly—his empire being saved, my life completely changing.

The officiant’s voice broke through the noise in my head.

“Do you, Serena Anthony, take Jordan Hart to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

I almost froze. Of course I had always dreamt of hearing those words, but I had expected a different person on the side, someone that would love me like his life depended on it. A lump formed in my throat. This wasn’t real. This wasn’t a wedding. It was a corporate move. But I had no choice. I couldn’t back out now.

I forced myself to speak, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I do.”

Jordan’s gaze was cold and his eyes were unreadable when he looked at me. His lips barely moved as he responded “I do.”

I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or to the room. His attention was elsewhere, already thinking about the next steps, the next game to play. He didn’t care about me. He didn’t care about “us” I wasn’t even sure there was an “us”.

The kiss was quick. A formality. His lips barely brushed against mine for a brief second before he pulled away.

The crowd erupted into applause, the sound ringing in my ears like a distant echo. I stood there, numb. I was married but it sure as hell didn’t feel like it. It felt like a trap. A way to protect his company, not a declaration of love.

Jordan led me down the aisle, the weight of his presence suffocating. He didn’t say a word, didn’t even glance at me, I felt like I was marrying a robot not a human being.

I tried to wave it aside but deep down I was hurt by his actions. He acted as if nothing special had happened between us that night and it drove me crazy.

There was no honeymoon so we drove back quietly back to the penthouse.

***********

As we arrived he headed straight upstairs while I sat down in the couch. I was exhausted and tired but I didn’t dare go in the bedroom. I hadn’t been here since that night and sitting there brought back those memories.

He came down shorty already in his shorts, I avoided looking at his toned chest.

“We need to start acting like a couple,” Jordan said, his tone as emotionless as ever. “Public appearances, statements. The press is already waiting for us to release something.”

I nodded, my stomach churning. “What do you mean, act like a couple?”

He stopped pacing, eyes locking onto mine. “It’s simple, Serena. You’re my wife now. We play the role. We show them that we’re united. That this is real. They need to believe it.”

I swallowed hard and. “And what if I don’t want to play this part? What if I don’t want to be part of your game?”

Jordan’s jaw tightened. “There’s no choice. Not for either of us.”

His words hit me had. It was a reminder that I had no choice. I was stuck. Stuck in this arrangement, stuck in this marriage that wasn’t mine, that would never be mine. I had never felt so small.

I wanted to scream. To tell him how much this hurt, how much it broke me. But there was no point. He wouldn’t listen.

Instead, I just nodded. “What do I have to do?”

Jordan’s eyes softened just a little. “Follow my lead. Don’t embarrass me. Don’t mess this up.”

“Okay,” I said quietly, my voice trembling. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

He didn’t smile. There was no relief in his eyes. He stood up to leave, turned and walked toward the door, his back at me.

“We start tomorrow. Be ready.”

“Wait!” I yelled, calling him back.

“Where would I sleep please? I need to change out of this dress.”

He nodded.

“I asked the housekeeper to prepare the guest room for you. It’s the third room upstairs.”

“If you need anything press the inter com.” He said, walking away.

As the door shut behind him, I sank into the couch, feeling the weight of my decision pressing down on me. I had just married the most coldest man I had ever met, and I had no idea how I would survive this.

But one thing was clear: I wasn’t just his wife. I was his weapon. And he would use me until I was no longer useful.

I took the long climb up the stairs, I didn’t want to bother the housekeeper.. Even in the state I was, I had to admit that the house was really beautiful. The floor was marble and the walls had huge beautiful paintings on them. I guess he must be an art lover. That was probably the only thing we had in common with each other. I walked to the third room and the door was unlocked so I walked in.

The room was beautifully furnished and small red balloons had been tied around the bed stand, probably as a way of welcoming me in.

I walked up to the dressing mirror and stood there, staring at my reflection. I looked miserable and pathetic. I always said that I’d marry once and marry right. Now here I am, married to someone that didn’t even want to look at me. I collapsed on the floor and hugged my knees, the weight of my ‘sins’ causing my shoulders to shake.