My Ex's Enemy Became My Husband

The Contract

Chapter 4: The Contract

Sophia's POV

Four days later, I received a call from Damien.

He was on his way to pick me up and take me to the law office.

I stood in front of the mirror, staring at my reflection.

I had chosen a decent black dress from Chloe's wardrobe. It was simple, but it was enough for what I needed.

I took a deep breath.

This is it, Sophia.

I stared at myself for a few more seconds. My face looked paler than usual, and the dark circles beneath my eyes made it obvious that I had barely slept over the past few nights.

I had promised myself I would not cry over Ryan anymore. But the decision I had made kept bringing him back to my mind. The betrayal. His face. Emma lying in his bed. The way my parents had stood there and watched everything happen without saying a word.

My eyes stung.

Before the tears could fall, I quickly blinked them away.

No. I was done crying. At least, that was what I kept telling myself.

My phone rang, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I picked it up.

"Are you ready?"

Damien's deep voice came through the phone.

I took another shaky breath. "Yes. I'll be down in a minute."

The call ended. No goodbye. No unnecessary words. Typical Damien.

I grabbed my bag and left the apartment.

When I reached the parking lot, I immediately spotted a black luxury car waiting nearby. I did not need anyone to tell me it belonged to Damien.

He was leaning against the trunk, his phone pressed to his ear. The moment his eyes landed on me, he ended the call and walked toward the back door.

"Get in."

He opened the door before getting inside.

That was when I noticed the driver sitting in the front.

I walked around to the other side, opened the door, and slid into the back seat.

The familiar scent of Damien's cologne filled the space.

I glanced around the car before my eyes settled on him. His elbow rested against the door while he stared out the window, his expression unreadable.

For a moment, I found myself studying his face.

He looked different from Ryan. Colder. More intimidating. There was something about him that made it difficult to tell what he was thinking.

The sound of the engine brought me back to reality.

The car pulled away.

Silence stretched between us. Neither of us spoke.

I turned toward the window, watching the city pass by. It had been days since I had properly gone outside. I had spent most of my time at Chloe's apartment, sleeping, staring at the ceiling, and trying not to think about the life I had lost in a single afternoon.

I didn't know what I was expecting from this marriage.

Maybe I wasn't expecting anything at all.

The car eventually slowed to a stop.

Damien opened the door and stepped out.

I followed him, lifting my head to look at the large law office in front of us.

When I turned, he was already walking toward the entrance. I hurried after him.

The moment we stepped through the glass doors, the receptionist immediately stood.

"Good morning, Mr. Laurent."

Damien gave her a slight nod. "We'll use the conference room."

"Of course. I'll let Ms. Margaret know you're here."

I followed Damien into the conference room. He walked straight to the table and took a seat as though he had done this countless times before.

I sat a few seats away from him.

A minute later, a woman walked into the room. She was elegant and composed, with an air of confidence that made me think she had never lost an argument in her life.

"Mr. Laurent."

"Margaret."

Her attention shifted toward me. "You must be Miss Bennett."

"Sophia is fine," I replied with a polite smile.

"It's nice to meet you, Sophia."

She placed a thick document on the table. "I've prepared the agreement exactly as requested."

My eyes immediately moved toward Damien. He remained calm. Too calm.

Margaret pushed the document toward me. "I strongly recommend that you read every page before signing."

"I intend to." She nodded.

I pulled the papers closer and began reading.

The room fell quiet.

The agreement was exactly what Damien had promised.

A five-month marriage. Public appearances together. Confidentiality. Separate bedrooms. Financial compensation. Either party could terminate the agreement after four months without legal complications.

I continued reading until my eyes stopped on one particular clause.

No development of romantic feelings.

My eyebrows drew together. I read it again.

"...Any romantic involvement between the parties will result in the immediate termination of the agreement."

I slowly lifted my eyes. Damien was already looking at me.

"That's an interesting clause."

His expression remained flat. "It's necessary."

"Necessary?"

"Neither of us is looking for a real marriage."

I stared at him for a moment. He was right. This was a business arrangement. Still, seeing it written so plainly felt strange.

I looked back down at the contract.

There were no hidden conditions. No unreasonable demands. No clause forcing me to stay with him beyond the agreed period.

Everything seemed straightforward.

But one question remained.

"Why me?" I turned to him.

Damien's gaze remained on mine. "You want the truth?"

"Yes."

He leaned back slightly. "Because you're the last person my family would expect me to marry."

I frowned. "That doesn't answer my question."

"It answers enough for now."

I stared at him, trying to understand what was going through his mind. There was something he wasn't telling me. I could feel it.

But I had my own reasons for keeping quiet.

Maybe we both had secrets.

Margaret cleared her throat gently, drawing my attention back to the papers. "You can take as much time as you need."

I looked down at the signature line. My name was waiting at the bottom of the page.

Sophia Bennett.

If I signed, there would be no turning back.

Every instinct in my body screamed at me to stop.

But then I remembered my parents. The way my mother had looked at Me. The way my father had refused to even meet my eyes.

Then Ryan. Standing beside my sister.

I swallowed hard.

Maybe I had already lost everything.

Maybe this was simply my chance to start taking something back.

I took in a deep breath then picked up the pen. My hand trembled slightly.

I hesitated for another second before finally lowering the pen to the paper.

Sophia Bennett.

I signed.

The moment I finished, I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

Damien picked up the pen and signed immediately after me.

Margaret gathered the documents. "I'll have everything filed within the hour." She smiled politely. "Congratulations in advance."

Congratulations.

The word felt strange. It sounded like something meant for people who naturally fell in love. Not two strangers who had just signed a contract.

I stood and gathered my bag. Damien did the same.

We walked out of the building without saying another word.

I slid into the back seat of the car, and Damien followed.

The engine came to life, and the driver pulled away.

I rested my head against the window.

For some reason, I felt strangely empty. I had just agreed to marry a man I barely knew. A man who happened to be Ryan's cousin. A man who had appeared in my life at the exact moment everything else had fallen apart.

And yet, instead of feeling relieved, I felt terrified.

I glanced at Damien. He was looking out the opposite window, completely unreadable.

I wondered what I had just gotten myself into.

The car eventually stopped in front of Chloe's apartment.

I reached for the door.

"I'll see you in four days," Damien said.

I turned to him.

He looked at me calmly. "I'll have everything arranged by then."

I nodded slowly. "Okay."

I stepped out of the car and closed the door behind me.

I took a few steps toward the gate before the car window lowered.

"Sophia."

I turned.

"Four days," he repeated. "I'll be picking you up in four days."

There was something strangely final about his words.

I nodded.

Then the window rolled back up. The car drove away, leaving me standing in front of Chloe's apartment.

I watched it disappear down the street. Four days.

In four days, I would leave the only place that had given me shelter after my world fell apart.

And I would become Damien Laurent's wife.

Even if it was only for five months.