Married To The Wrong Brother

Chapter 7

"A proposal,” he began, “I started thinking about it the moment I sat beside Erica's hospital bed." His tone stayed level, almost clinical. "We are going to kill two, three or four birds with one stone. First, I help you get revenge on your father, and also help you regain control. Lastly, I clear Clara's surgical bills. In return, you become Erica's mother.”

"What?" Sabrina frowned deeply. How did he find out about her? "Have you been spying on me?”

"Not entirely. So... be my wife. Two years. That's all."

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"I don't joke about business." He said it plainly, without a trace of humor. "I need a wife. You happen to be the most qualified candidate."

Something in her chest twisted, sharp and humiliating. "This is business to you?"

She felt the spiral begin before she could stop it. She'd never felt more insulted in her life than today. Recently she thought Finn was the worst of his family. Apparently his brother wasn't built any differently.

"This is a setup, isn't it." Her voice dropped, cold and accusing. "You and Finn. You're in on this together."

Something about their proposals on the same day couldn't be a coincidence, could it?

"I can assure you, I haven't spoken to my brother about this."

She stood now, the folder still clutched in her hand. "You and your brother are using my sister's condition to mock me. To use me, exactly the way my father and mother already have. I'd rather work unpaid for the rest of my life than be subjected to this kind of insult."

For a moment, Miller said nothing. He wasn't sure if he was speechless or simply angry that she'd assumed he belonged in the same category as the people who'd already wrung her dry. If anything, he'd rather not be.

But her fierceness only sharpened his interest. He hadn't expected her to agree outright. Her resistance made the whole thing more compelling, not less.

"It's simple enough, if you'll let me walk you through it." Right now, Sabrina was too stunned to form a coherent response, so he continued anyway. "There are a handful of rules. But the benefits, on your end, are considerable. My grandfather gave me thirty days to bring home a wife. The wedding needs to happen within this week, possibly in a few days. That's where you come in."

"Me? You barely even know me.”

Wait... could it also be the reason Finn was desperately trying to get her to the registry and get married to her today?

"You're not a stranger. I know enough to be confident you're the right choice."

"You ran a background check on me?" She shook her head in disbelief. "If you need a wife this badly, I'm sure you can get any girl in this city."

"If there were better options, I wouldn't have spent the time drafting this."

"Why me, specifically? I'm your brother's—"

"Ex?" He asked, something flickering across his face for just a second. "I'm aware. But that isn't why I chose you."

"If Erica needs care, hire a nanny."

"She has four already." His voice didn't waver. "This isn't only about her. It's about you. About us."

"Us?" The word came out incredulous. "There is no us. I barely know you."

"And I know you well enough to choose you anyway."

"This is insane. You and your brother can't just decide to use my financial situation as some kind of game. Is this a bet? Are the two of you toying with me? What exactly are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything. Marry me for two years. After that, we divorce, amicably, and you walk away with everything you need."

"A contractual marriage with an expiration date." She shook her head. "How ridiculous does that sound out loud?” She raised a brow, “You can't just buy people because you happen to have the money."

"I'm not buying you. I'm proposing a mutually beneficial agreement." His voice was rather calm. "Let me lay it out clearly, so there's no confusion later." He waited until her eyes met his again. "The contract runs two years from the date of marriage, with the option to extend if circumstances require it. Cohabiting in the same bedroom. We attend galas, business dinners, family functions, anything that calls for appearances, together. You, me, Erica. You'll need to play the role of wife and mother convincingly, which means physical affection where appropriate. You'd have to prepare to hold my hand, hug, kiss randomly if the situation requires... and the other stuff, if possible.”

"What other matters? You mean s*x?"

"You're not obligated to, if you'd rather not. But there may be moments where the situation calls for it. We'd be married. That's simply what married couples do." He continued without pause. "You won't interfere in my personal life. This marriage is a full-time role, but it won't change how I conduct myself otherwise. You're free to do the same, provided you're discreet about it." He looked up to make sure she was still listening. "And the final rule. You don't fall in love with me."

She stared at him, equal parts furious and exhausted. "Let me make sure I understand this correctly. You want me to play Erica's mother, play your wife, all in exchange for covering Clara's bills and helping me get control?"

"Yes. Also, each year, you get paid 2.5 million extra until the divorce. That's the offer." He slid a card across the table, his number written beneath the document's final line. "Take the time you need to decide. But you have until tonight. Call me whenever you're ready. The moment you accept, your sister's bills are cleared. Immediately."

So many thoughts came through her mind. She wasn't ready to be anybody’s wife real or fake. With the looks of things, both brothers are desperate for a wife as she's desperate to clear her sister's bill. “I don't think I wanna do this.” Her voice came out hollow.

It's not just risky for his family to find out, it's risky especially since she was still legally tied to Finn.

“You don't have to give me an answer right away. Like I said, take your time and think about it. Be controlled by your father and brother for the rest of your life, or control them for the rest of their lives. The choice is yours.” Miller's cold voice sent chills down her spine.

He stood up and walked towards the door.

"But if you accept and sign, we'd marry, and I will introduce you to my grandfather at his birthday dinner." He met her eyes without an ounce of hesitation. "That's in two days."

"Two days?"

"There's no time left to wait. We don't have it. And neither does your sister." His voice softened only slightly, just enough to make it land harder. "Think carefully, Sabrina.”

Then he shut the door, leaving Sabrina to her own thoughts.

She stared at the contract long after Miller was gone. If she took her father's offer, she'd be doomed for life, and if she took Finn's offer, the moment she stepped into that registry with him, he'd find out they were still legally married, tying her to him forever because the desperate and manipulative Finn she had seen lately would never agree to divorce her. It would do her a great deal if he never found out she never submitted the divorce decree.

Finn clearly doesn't want a wife. He needs one, but an obedient appendage. He doesn't care about her. He just wants to win against his brother. With Finn trying to blackmail her, this contract might be her chance to trade one cage for a slightly nicer one.