“The necessary arrangements have been made,” he added, his eyes locked on mine. “You’re going to be my wife in a few days.”
Silence.
For the next few seconds, I couldn’t find my voice; I just stared at him with raised eyebrows. I was hoping this was some sort of sick prank, that he was only pulling my leg. But with each passing second, I realized this man wasn’t kidding.
“You’re serious?” I sprang to my feet, heatwaves crashing against me.
“Is there anything about me that says otherwise?” he asked, his voice cold and terrifying.
“I—I—I…don’t…I don’t understand,” I stammered, looking confused, with wide eyes and a racing heart.
“You’re getting married,” he said. “What’s there to understand?” And with that, he walked away, leaving me all alone with a myriad of unanswered questions.
Speechless, I watched him stroll out of my room with casual strides and a hand in his pocket. The moment he closed the door behind him, my hands flew to my head, fingers combing through my hair.
My heart was hammering in my chest, and the realization that this was happening for real made the air around me choke tight. I already knew this man was unpredictable—that he had the power to decide my fate and my future. However, I neverexpected this from him. I didn’t see it coming, and to me, this was his worst strike yet.
Why force me to marry him when he knew how much I hated him? Was this marriage also a part of the punishment for my father’s sins? What the hell was really going on here?
For starters, I wasn’t there when he had a falling out with my father. And until now, I still had no idea what his beef with Mercer was all about. Yet, I was the sacrificial lamb, the one chosen to atone for sins I knew nothing about.
How was that fair?
I paced back and forth, my heart shattering into a million tiny pieces as I tried to make sense of what was happening. However, my mind was blank, and I couldn’t process anything at the time.
What did this marriage mean for me? Would I be better off as his wife than as his prisoner? Did he have an ulterior motive for this? A thousand such questions tugged at my mind all at once, threatening to rip it to shreds.
Yeah. I’m doomed. I’m fucking doomed.
Chapter 14 – Roman
The day of the wedding came in a flash, and not even Scarlett’s defiance could stand in the way of it. She’d tried to resist on several occasions—refused to try on her bridal gown and fought against the seamstresses.
She even ripped one of the dresses to shreds in a fit of rage. I hadn’t seen her that upset since she arrived at the mansion. But instead of feeling offended by her outburst, I was intrigued by it.
That rage, anger, and stubbornness of hers pulled me in like a fuckin’ moth to a flame. It was proof she wasn’t the type to be easily pushed around or told what to do. Scarlett had a mind of her own—a mind that refused to break without a fight.
The more she tried to resist, the more I wanted to make her mine. I still reveled in the rage I saw in her eyes when I confronted her about her defiance. The news was that my bride-to-be had become too wild and unbearable to work with.
I had to step in and take matters into my own hands since she’d decided to become so problematic.
The door creaked open, and I walked in quietly, my shoes scuffing against the floor. She was seated on her bed, her head bowed, her face buried in her palms.
The maids, Natasha and Nikki, were beside her, whispering comforting words in her ears.
“It’s okay,” Nikki said, rubbing her palm over Scarlett’s back. “It’s not all that bad, you know.”
“I can’t do it,” she answered, her voice cracking as she spoke. “I just can’t do it.”
Natasha was about to respond when she spotted me approaching the bed. Instantly, she froze, her breath hitched in her throat. Her eyes were wide with shock and fear, and her throat bobbed after she swallowed hard.
Nikki rose to her feet as well the moment she saw me. Both maids lowered their heads in an attempt to avoid my gaze, their hands clasped in front of them.
Scarlett, noticing something was off, finally raised her head. She looked up at the frozen girls before turning to face me. A glint of fear flashed across her features, but she was quick to mask it with anger.
“Leave us,” I said, my voice flat and laced with finality.
The maids gave a curt nod and hurried out of the room.
