The Billionaire's Contract Bride

Chapter 19

Sarah's POV

“Mrs. Sarah,” Mr. Thomas, the chief security, called, while holding the gate. “I’m afraid I can’t let you leave today.”

I stopped, blinking in confusion. “What? Thomas, When did that one start? Open the gate, please. I need to get out of here.”

He shook his head, avoiding my eyes. “Orders from Mr. Adrian and Mrs. Eleanor, ma’am. You’re not allowed to leave the premises until further notice. I’m sorry.”

The words landed like a slap. I stared at him, my chest tightening. “Orders? I’m not a prisoner. This is my home. Let me through.”

“I can’t, ma’am,” Thomas repeated gently. “They were very clear. If I do, I'll lose my job.”

Humiliation burned through me. I turned on my heel, marching back up the driveway with angry tears stinging my eyes. My steps quickened into something close to a run as I re-entered the house, the door slamming behind me louder than I intended.

I stormed straight into the sitting room. Adrian sat on the leather sofa reviewing papers, while Eleanor lounged in her favorite armchair with a cup of tea, flipping through a magazine as if nothing was wrong. They both looked up the moment I entered.

“What is this?” I demanded, my voice shaking but rising. “The gateman just told me I’m not allowed to leave the house. Is that true?”

Eleanor set her magazine down slowly, her expression cool. “Yes, Sarah. It is true. You have been confined till further notice.”

Adrian nodded mildly, placing his papers aside. “It’s for the best right now.”

The confirmation broke something inside me. All the hurt from the past days. For the first time in months, I raised my voice.

“You can’t do this!” I shouted, tears spilling freely down my cheeks. “I’m not a child or a criminal! You can’t lock me inside like a prisoner. This is insane!”

Eleanor rose from her chair, her eyes flashing with matching fury. “Insane? Watch your tone, Sarah. After everything you’ve put this family through, you’re lucky we’re only restricting your movements. Your secret meeting with your father. Your emotional instability. Your role in Carla withdrawing the contract. We cannot risk more damage. You will stay here where we can monitor you properly.”

“I had nothing to do with Carla withdrawing!” I cried, my voice cracking but loud. “I didn’t contact her! I accepted being removed like you wanted. Why won’t you believe me? Why are you doing this to me? What have I done!!!”

Eleanor stepped closer, her voice rising to match mine. “Because you are an enemy to this family! Sneaking around, meeting people behind our backs, doing anyhow you please. You are a Moretti wife now. Your actions reflect on all of us. Until you prove you can be trusted, you will not leave this property. Every call, every message, every movement is being monitored. For your own good and for the family’s.”

I was shaking now, fists clenched at my sides. “Monitored? Like a prisoner? This is what my life has become? Constant watching, constant judgment, constant correction from you? You treat me worse than the staff. Every word out of your mouth is designed to make me feel small. Sarah, stand straighter. Sarah, don’t embarrass us. Sarah, remember your place. I can’t even breathe in this house!”

Adrian finally spoke. “Sarah, shouting won’t help. Mother is right. The restrictions are temporary. You’ve shown poor judgment recently. And I'm sorry, but we suspect you. We need to protect the family image and the Moretti contracts.”

I whirled on him, tears streaming. “Protect? By locking me inside? Adrian, you always do this. You always act like you care, but you side with her every single time. A few days ago, I tried to tell you how she makes me feel worthless, like I’ll never be enough, and you defended her again. ‘Mother means well.’ Now you’re both treating me like I’m a criminal. I’m your wife! Doesn’t that mean anything?”

Adrian’s expression remained steady. “Of course it means something. That’s why we’re doing this. You need time to reflect and readjust. Leaving the house right now would only create more complications. Stay inside. Focus on your duties here. Mother and I are only trying to guide you.”

“Guide me?” I shouted again, my voice breaking into a sob. “This isn’t guidance. This is control! Mother, you’ve hated me from the beginning. You criticize everything I do. You make me feel like the person who ruined your perfect family by marrying in. And Adrian, you let her. You never fight for me. You just sit there with your calm voice and tell me to accept it.”

Eleanor’s face hardened, her own voice sharp and loud. “How dare you speak to me that way? I have tolerated your immaturity long enough. You came into this marriage with absolutely nothing. We gave you status, security, and a future. And you repay us with chaos and disloyalty. Until you learn your place, you will remain inside this house. No more secret meetings. No more friends. No more pretending you’re helping the family. You might be married to my son, but you're still under me.”

Adrian stood slowly, placing a hand lightly on my shoulder. “Sarah, calm down. Shouting at Mother won’t change anything. This restriction is necessary for now. We’ll revisit it when you’ve shown better judgment. In the meantime, use the time productively. The gardens are lovely this time of year.”

I shrugged his hand off, sobbing openly now. “I hate you. I hate everyone. I hate everything. I hate what I’ve become here. Trapped. Watched. Insulted every day. You two have taken everything from me, my voice, my choice, my freedom. What’s left?”

Eleanor crossed her arms, her tone final. “What’s left is the chance to improve. Prove us wrong, Sarah. Or accept the consequences. The monitoring stays. The restrictions stay. Until we say otherwise.”

Adrian nodded in agreement. “It’s for the best. You’ll see that eventually.”

I stood there, shaking with anger and helplessness, tears pouring down my face as they both returned to their previous activities, Eleanor picking up her magazine, Adrian resuming his documents. My shouts had achieved nothing. They had simply washed over them like rain on stone.

Defeated, I turned and fled upstairs to the bedroom, slamming the door behind me. My heart has been crushed again. And for the first time, I wondered if I would ever have the strength to do anything.”