The Billionaire's Contract Bride

Chapter 18

Sarah's POV

“Sarah,” Eleanor’s voice cracked like a whip. “What have you done?”

I froze, my hands tightening around the book I had been reading to distract myself. “What do you mean?”

Eleanor stormed closer, her pearls swinging with each sharp step. “Carla Ruiz has withdrawn from Canvas Renewal entirely. She’s handed the entire pilot project to Richard Langford, that smug rival businessman who’s been circling our deals for months. The contract is gone. Our opportunity, Adrian’s cultural investment arm, is now funding someone else’s vision. And you… I know you had a hand in this!”

My stomach dropped. I shook my head quickly, voice soft and trembling. “I didn’t… I swear I didn’t do anything. I haven’t spoken to Carla since the last meeting. I have been on my own since then…”

“Lies!” Eleanor’s voice rose sharply, echoing off the high ceilings. She was shouting now, something she rarely did. Her voice was so loud that it sent shivers down my spine. “Don’t you dare stand there and pretend innocence. You met with your father in secret. You’ve been gallivanting everywhere with male friends, looking for a way to bring us down. Carla didn’t just wake up and decide to give this to Langford. You pulled strings. You sabotaged it because you couldn’t stand being removed. You are an ungrateful b***h!”

Tears sprang to my eyes instantly. I stepped back, voice small. “I didn’t pull any strings. I accepted the decision. I’ve been trying to support…”

“Support?” Eleanor laughed bitterly, her face twisted with rage. “You’ve done nothing but cause damage since you entered this house. Your gala speech. Your secret meetings. Your constant emotional displays. And now this? The Moretti contracts are already under pressure, all thanks to you. I warned you what would happen if you kept testing boundaries.”

She continued, voice dropping into a venomous hiss. “If I find out you contacted Carla behind our backs, I will terminate every agreement we have with your family. The Sinclairs will refund every penny, and the Moretti contracts will collapse. You will be responsible for destroying them. Do you understand me, Sarah? I will make sure you have nothing left, no husband, no home, and I'll make sure you'll never be able to do anything in this country.”

I felt the color drain from my face. My knees weakened. “Mother, please... I didn’t do this. I would never…”

Adrian finally spoke. His voice was low, with cold anger that cut deeper than shouting ever could. He didn’t raise his voice.

“Sarah,” he said, setting the documents down with deliberate calm. “This is deeply disappointing. I trusted you to represent us properly. I defended your involvement initially because I believed you could be an asset. Now we’ve lost a significant strategic advantage to Langford, a man who’s been trying to undermine me for years. All because you couldn’t accept the fact that you could no longer join us. Why did you do this?”

I turned to him desperately, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Adrian, I swear I had nothing to do with this. I haven’t contacted Carla. I accepted being removed. Trust me, I would never do something like this…”

He shook his head, his gaze steady and unyielding. “I’m sorry… but I don't trust you. Your private meeting with your father raised red flags. Your emotional instability two days ago about Mother’s guidance, it all adds up. You’ve created chaos. Carla clearly sensed division in our house and chose to take her proposal elsewhere. Your restlessness has consequences.”

“I didn’t create division!” I pleaded, my voice breaking as I stepped closer to him. “You all are accusing me wrongly. I was sad, yes. But I'll never do something this bad. Please, believe me…”

Eleanor cut in again, her shouting resuming. “Believe you? After everything? Do you take us for a fool? You are a liability. If this project fails to reflect well on us because of your interference, I will personally ensure your family suffers. The Sinclairs will lose everything. And you, you will learn what it truly means to have nothing.”

Adrian continued. “You’ve put me in a difficult position. Langford now has the advantage. Investors will question our stability. All because you couldn’t let go of your need to be the center of attention. I expected better from my wife.”

I tried again, sobbing openly now. Tears were flowing freely from my eyes. “I’m telling the truth. I defended the project when my father asked me to shift it. I kept quiet after being removed. I’ve done everything you asked. Why won’t either of you listen to me?”

Neither of them responded to my defense. Eleanor paced, still fuming. “I should have seen this coming. The moment you never said anything about it. I knew you were trouble. And now you’ve cost us dearly.”

I stood there, trembling, tears flowing freely as they continued discussing next steps as if I weren’t even in the room. My defenses, my pleas, my explanations, all ignored. I was invisible again. I became the problem, like I've always been.”

Eleanor finally turned to me one last time, her voice icy. “Fix your face before dinner. And pray that this doesn’t affect the Moretti contracts further. Because if it does, Sarah... there will be no coming back from it. I will make sure I turn you to a living dead. I will make life in the house hot for you to endure. So just pray… pray… because if anything happens to the contract, you will be in hot soup. I promise you.”

Adrian gave me one last disappointed look before leaving the room to make calls. Eleanor followed shortly after, leaving me alone in the sitting room, shaking and unheard.