The Contract Bride

Chapter 6 – The Lady in Red

The drive to the Knight estate was painfully quiet.

Clara sat beside the car window with the contract folder resting on her lap, her fingers tightening around its edges every few minutes as if letting go would somehow make everything more real. Across from her, Ethan looked equally tense, while Richard Bennett remained unusually silent beside the driver.

Nobody knew what to say anymore.

The closer they got to Alexander’s world, the heavier the reality of the situation became.

Clara kept replaying the contract in her mind, especially the part about moving into the Knight estate. Until now, some part of her had still treated the arrangement like a temporary nightmare that would disappear if she ignored it long enough. But seeing everything written formally on paper changed that.

This was happening.

And in less than two weeks, she would officially become Alexander Knight’s wife.

The thought made her stomach tighten again.

When the car finally passed through the enormous black gates of the Knight estate, Clara instinctively sat up straighter. The property looked less like a home and more like a private luxury resort hidden away from the rest of the world. Tall trees lined the long driveway, while fountains glittered beneath the afternoon sunlight. The mansion itself stood proudly in the distance, its massive stone walls and floor-to-ceiling windows giving it a cold elegance that immediately reminded Clara of Alexander.

Beautiful. But intimidating.

“Rich people are actually insane,” Ethan muttered under his breath as he stared outside.

Despite her anxiety, Clara almost laughed, almost.

A few house staff members waited near the entrance as the car stopped. Before Clara could fully process her surroundings, the front doors opened and Alexander himself stepped outside.

He wasn’t wearing a suit today. Instead, he wore a fitted black shirt with dark trousers, the sleeves rolled slightly above his wrists. Somehow, the more casual appearance made him look even more attractive, which only irritated Clara further.

Because no man should look that calm after turning someone’s life upside down.

Alexander’s eyes settled on Clara immediately as she stepped out of the car.

“You’re late,” he said calmly. Clara stared at him in disbelief.

“We arrived three minutes after the time your assistant gave us.” “Exactly,” he replied.

Ethan scoffed loudly beside her.“I already hate this place.”

Alexander ignored him completely before gesturing toward the mansion entrance.

“Come inside.”

The interior of the estate was even more overwhelming than Clara expected. Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceilings while expensive artwork decorated the walls. Everything looked spotless and carefully arranged, yet strangely lifeless.

It didn’t feel like a home,It felt like a museum where nobody was allowed to touch anything.

As they walked through the grand hallway, Clara noticed how quiet the mansion was. Even the staff moved carefully, almost nervously, whenever Alexander passed by.

It was obvious everyone feared him.That realization unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.

A woman suddenly appeared at the far end of the hallway carrying a tray of flowers. She looked to be in her early twenties, with soft brown curls tied neatly behind her head and warm hazel eyes that immediately landed on Ethan.

Unfortunately, Ethan noticed too,the tray tilted slightly in her hands as their eyes met for the briefest second.

“Oh—sorry,” she said quickly, steadying the flowers before lowering her head respectfully. “I didn’t realize you had guests, Mr. Knight.”

Alexander nodded once saying “It’s fine, Lily.”

Clara noticed Ethan subtly glance back at the young woman even after she hurried away.

Interesting.Very interesting.

A tiny smile almost formed on Clara’s lips for the first time all day, but her attention quickly shifted back to Alexander when he spoke again.

“Your room has already been prepared.”

Clara froze mid-step,“my room?” Yes.

Her eyebrows pulled together. “You already prepared a room before I even agreed to anything?”

Alexander looked at her calmly.“I was confident you would.”

That answer irritated her immediately,“you seem confident about a lot of things.”

“I prefer certainty.”Clara opened her mouth to respond, but another voice interrupted before she could.

“Well… this explains the rumors.”Everyone turned toward the staircase.

A woman stood there wearing a stunning red dress that hugged her figure perfectly, her dark hair falling elegantly over one shoulder. Her makeup was flawless, and the confident smile on her lips carried the kind of beauty that demanded attention the moment she entered a room.

But it was the way Alexander’s expression changed slightly that made Clara’s stomach tighten.

Not softer,Just… different and more guarded.

The woman descended the stairs slowly before stopping beside Alexander.Her gaze moved toward Clara with open curiosity.

“So this is her,” Clara frowned faintly.And you are?

The woman smiled politely, though it didn’t reach her eyes.“Olivia Hayes.”

Something in the way she said her name made the atmosphere shift instantly.Even Ethan looked uncomfortable.

Then Olivia casually slipped her arm through Alexander’s.Clara’s chest tightened unexpectedly at the sight.

“I wasn’t aware you had company staying over,” Olivia said smoothly while looking directly at Alexander.

“They’re guests,” he replied shortly.

Olivia’s eyes moved back to Clara again, this time more carefully, as though silently examining her.

Then she smiled.“She’s younger than I expected.”Clara instantly disliked her.

Alexander gently removed Olivia’s hand from his arm before stepping away slightly.

“You weren’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow.”Olivia shrugged lightly,“my meeting ended earlier than expected, so I decided to surprise you.”

The familiarity between them was impossible to miss.Clara suddenly remembered Ethan mentioning Alexander’s former fiancée weeks ago.

Her stomach sank,oh no so this was her.

Olivia’s gaze flickered briefly toward the contract folder still in Clara’s hands before amusement crossed her face.

“Oh,” she said softly, finally understanding.The smile she gave Clara afterward felt sharper than before.

“This should be interesting.”Clara folded her arms tightly.“What exactly is that supposed to mean?”

Olivia stepped closer, her expensive perfume filling the air between them.

“It means,” she said smoothly, “you should be careful before believing everything Alexander tells you.”

Alexander’s jaw tightened slightly.

“Olivia.” But Olivia ignored the warning in his tone as she continued looking directly at Clara.

“After all,” she added quietly, “you’re not the first woman he’s made promises to.”

The hallway fell silent,Clara looked instinctively towa

rd Alexander, waiting for him to deny it.

But he said nothing.

And somehow that silence said far more than words ever could.