CONTRACT MARRIAGE WITH THE COLD BILLIONAIRE HAIRESS

Earl Valerio carried the pizza box carefully, its warmth seeping through the thin cardboard into his hands. Though he was tired after a long day, still with a smile he handed it. “Good evening, sir. Here’s your order,” he said, forcing a polite smile. His voice was calm, but his mind was elsewhere, back in their small apartment with Kennah. She was still recovering, still weak. The doctor said she needed rest, and Earl had taken that to heart. Every delivery, every step he took tonight, was for her. “Hey! We’re playing here!” one man snapped from the poolside. “Just put it down and leave. Don’t try anything funny.” Earl hesitated, fingers tightening slightly around the box. “Sir… you haven’t paid yet,” he said softly. The man stood abruptly, walked over, and slapped the cash into Earl’s hand. The sting shot through his palm, but Earl didn’t react. He couldn’t, but he felt it. His jaw clenched slightly. Enough not to be noticed, and forcibly smiled at them, even if the pain was unbearable. Pride had no place tonight, not when his wife needed him. He swallowed the humiliation and nodded. “Thank you, sir.” He placed the pizza down carefully and turned away. Behind him, laughter resumed as if he had never been there. The walk back felt longer than usual. The streetlights blurred as his thoughts drifted to Kennah, her laughter before the accident, her strength, her warmth. Now she lay fragile, dependent on him. The money in his pocket felt heavier than it should, like it carried more than just survival. It carried her comfort, her recovery, her tomorrow. Then a voice cut through the noise. “Enough... You’re ruining the evening…” Earl stopped. His breath caught. That voice… it was too familiar. When he heard the voice, he paused and his breath hitched. but he told himself he was hearing things...he must be missing her terribly. He told himself but one more step forward and it came again this time closer than the last. Earl wasn't stupid, but love was a feeling that made people do the stupidest things. "Trust… I trust her," he didn't know why he was suddenly talking to himself and building courage like one preparing for a board meeting but then here he was and from the moment not only did the familiar voice did not stop, but the little giggle the one she only made for him…the one he was certain no ear has heard. No… that wasn’t possible. He had seen Kennah that morning, pale and resting. She couldn’t be here. And yet… His gaze dropped to her arm. The bracelet. A simple silver chain with a star charm, the one he had given her. His chest tightened. Earl stepped forward, cautious, almost afraid of what he might confirm. The world around him faded. The laughter, the music, the careless voices. All that remained was her. Could it really be Kennah? Or just someone who looked like her? He moved closer, heart pounding, each step heavier than the last. Confusion twisted with something else. He stopped a few steps away, unable to speak. What could he say? How could he explain that she was supposed to be home, resting, safe? The bracelet caught the pool light again, glinting softly. It was real. She was real. Earl clenched the money in his pocket, his knuckles whitening. None of it mattered now. Not the deliveries, not the insults, but only this moment. He wanted to run to her, to hold her, to make sure she was truly there. But something held him back. The people around her, the setting,it all felt wrong. Still, he couldn’t stop himself. He took another step closer. His throat tightened, words refusing to come out. All he could do was look at her, hoping,praying, that she would recognize him too. The night pressed in around him, heavy and uncertain. And then, "Ke–Kennah?" he burst out. Voice very low and fragile, as if couldn't even bring himself to be near her. Finally, he saw it clearly. Kennah Muller was smiling, leaning close to another man. Her hand rested gently on his arm, and she had just handed him a watch. a watch that must have cost at least a million. Earl’s stomach dropped. He felt the air leave his lungs. His mind froze for a moment, unwilling to fully accept what he was seeing. She was there, alive, well, and lavishly spending money, while he had been working eight hours a day just to pay for her medical bills. “So you’re not injured, are you? After all, you’ve got all this money to buy that man an expensive watch while I was working eight hours a day just to pay your medical bills!” he shouted, each word cutting through the night like a knife. His anger and hurt were impossible to hide. “E-Earl…” Kennah stammered, stepping toward him. Her voice shook with a mix of fear and urgency. “Listen… let’s not do this here, okay? Let’s talk somewhere private. It’s not what you think it is.” But Earl could not hear her. His chest heaved with betrayal. “Enough of this nonsense, Kennah! I already saw everything!” he yelled. In a surge of frustration, he grabbed the pizza he had delivered earlier and threw it onto the table with enough force to make Kennah step back, startled. The box landed with a loud crash, the toppings sliding slightly, and the party around them froze for a moment, shocked at his sudden outburst. “Stop it!” a voice shouted from the crowd. “You’re scaring the boss! You’re scaring the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in the city: the Muller Family!” Earl couldn’t believe what he was hearing. His mind reeled. Everything was too much to handle at once. The betrayal, the wealth flaunted so casually, the disregard for his hard work and sacrifices. “No…” he whispered to himself, unable to fully process it. His hands shook, and he felt a cold emptiness spread through his chest. He could not accept it. “And so, what are you doing with this guy, Kennah? Why are you still hanging out with him?” the man she had gifted the watch asked, his tone both amused and accusing. “I thought all of this, your so-called relationship with him, was just a game. A test to see if the valedictorian from college was really not materialistic.” Earl let out a heavy, bitter sigh. “So all this time… I spent five years in this relationship… only to be played and toyed with…” His voice cracked, and for a moment he felt like collapsing. His dreams, his sacrifices, every late night working to pay her bills, all of it seemed meaningless now. He turned to walk away, his heart heavy, his steps slow and deliberate, when Kennah spoke again, her voice loud enough to stop him in his tracks. “Aren’t you happy that I’m not injured? That finally you could live the life you’ve imagined? Being wealthy, buying everything you like, the food you crave, and giving our daughter a chance to live a luxurious life!” Earl froze, his jaw tightening. Rage and heartbreak battled inside him. His voice came out harsh and determined. “I’m filing for divorce! But my daughter stays with me!” Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and dialed his daughter’s number. A familiar, small voice answered on the other end. “Where are you, Bella?” Earl asked, trying to keep his voice calm but firm. “I’m near the pool, playing with my toys,” the little girl replied cheerfully, oblivious to the tension around her. “Pool?” Earl’s heart sank as he looked around. He finally spotted her, small and innocent, sitting by the edge, playing with floating toys in the water. His eyes softened despite the anger and betrayal boiling inside him. He moved toward her quickly, reaching out with open hands, trying to convince her to come with him. “No! You’re bad! I saw you hurting mom!” Bella cried, looking up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. Her little fists pounded against the water as if to push him away. “Come on, Bella. Let’s get out of here,” Earl said gently, his voice low but urgent, full of love and concern. “No! You’re bad! You poor dad!” Bella shouted again, her voice filled with frustration and confusion. She pulled back slightly, standing firm in the shallow water, her small body trembling. Earl knelt beside her, trying to meet her eyes. His hands reached for hers, steady and reassuring. “Bella… it’s okay. I’m not bad. I just… I want to take you somewhere safe. Let’s go home together, alright? Please.” Bella shook her head, tears streaming freely down her cheeks. Her tiny face was a mix of anger, hurt, and disbelief. “No! You hurt mom! You’re bad!” she cried, clutching her toys close to her chest as if they were a shield against the world. Earl felt his own chest tighten. He wanted to explain, to justify, to beg her to understand, but he couldn’t force her feelings. All he could do was stay close, offer her comfort, and show her that he loved her despite what she had seen. The noise from the poolside party continued around them, laughter and music filling the air, but it felt distant and hollow. Earl’s world narrowed down to just the small figure of his daughter, to the betrayal and shock from Kennah, and to the overwhelming sense that everything he thought he knew about his life had shifted in an instant. He held out his hand again, waiting patiently, hoping Bella would trust him enough to take it. Every heartbeat was heavy with worry and regret, every breath filled with longing for the family he had worked so hard to protect. “Bella… it’s okay. I’m here now. Nothing will hurt you. I promise.” The child’s small body shook, and for a moment, Earl thought she might come to him. Her fingers twitched, hesitating in the space between them. Hope flickered faintly in his chest. But then her expression hardened. She looked past him toward Kennah, toward the people behind her, toward the world that seemed bigger and brighter than the one Earl could offer. Something in her changed. Earl saw it. And it broke him. He reached out again, more desperate this time, gently trying to pull her closer. “Bella… please…” For a split second, her hand touched his. And then… She yanked it away. Earl’s breath caught. His heart dropped as if something inside him had been torn loose. Bella’s small face twisted, no longer just confused, but defiant. One last time he grabs her daughter and is about to pull her when Bella shouts again. "Leave me alone!" She grinned. "Leave me alone, you poor dad!" she said it again, then pushed him away. Poor dad. Seven years of hospital routines, night feeding diapers changing, and it all boiled down to two words. Poor dad. And it sucks. Life sucks.