Chapter 4 A CONTRACT MARRIAGE
Dandelion
"Wake up, Miss Williams. I don't appreciate corpses in my guest room."
A sharp, cold voice dragged me out of unconsciousness.
My eyes fluttered open to a ceiling I didn't recognize.
White, Clean, Expensive.
This wasn't my room.
The sheets beneath me weren't mine either.
I sat up slowly, my entire body aching like I'd been hit by a truck.
My lungs burned. My throat felt raw.
Then I remembered.
The River.
I tried to die, but I didn't because Someone saved me.
I turned my head toward the voice.
There he stood.
The man from the river.
Tall, Composed, Sharp jawline. Impossibly green eyes that assessed me like I was a disappointing investment.
Beside him stood an older man, he looked calm, professional, wearing a crisp black suit.
"Where... where am I?" My voice came out hoarse, broken.
"Unfortunately," the cold one said, "you're in my penthouse."
My heart lurched. His penthouse?
"Why did you bring me here?"
He raised one eyebrow.
"I wasn't eager to. But you decided to drown yourself in my lake. And the cops can be very annoying. So I had to deal with you."
I stiffened at his bluntness.
"You're unbelievable."
"So I've been told."
I shivered, not from cold, but from the way his eyes bored into me.
Dangerous and calculating yet... something about him made it impossible to look away.
The older man stepped forward gently.
"Miss Williams, please don't strain yourself. You were unconscious for hours."
I looked at him, confused.
"I'm Walter Johnson," he said kindly. "Personal assistant to Mr. Alexander Graham here."
My stomach dropped.
Alexander Graham?.
Everyone in Greenville knew that name.
The youngest billionaire in the country. CEO of ECO Oils. Heir to Graham Corp.
Cold as ice. Untouchable.
And I'd just tried to die on his property.
Perfect.
"I'm grateful," I said stiffly, trying to maintain whatever dignity I had left. "But I didn't ask to be saved."
He scoffed.
"I didn't save you for charity. I saved you for convenience."
My gaze shot up.
"Excuse me?"
Walter cleared his throat.
"Miss Williams, we'd like to present... an opportunity. A solution to your predicament."
Predicament. I felt slightly offended.
I looked down at my hands, biting my lip to keep me from crying.
Alexander moved closer, hands in his pockets.
"I have a deal for you." I looked up.
"What kind of deal?"
"A marriage."
My heart stopped.
"A what?"
"A contract marriage," he repeated, like it was the most normal thing in the world. "You need someone to help you regain your dignity. And take revenge on the ones who ruined you."
I stared at him in disbelief.
Revenge. The word hit me like a matchstick to gasoline.
Yes. I wanted revenge.
Every fiber of my being screamed to destroy Chase and everyone who mocked me.
But I don't have any means, Chase is a top movie producer, he had connections to make or mar anyone he wanted, could I really trust this man to help me?
He continued, "You'll get a second chance to reclaim your dignity and destroy the one responsible for your downfall, while in return I need a temporary wife to appease my grandmother, who won't accept treatment and threatens to die if I don't marry before she turns seventy."
"We'll stay married on paper. Pretend in front of her. Otherwise, we stay out of each other's way." He said coldly.
I laughed, in a bitter sound.
"This is insane."
"Probably," he agreed. "But I'm also your only option."
He leaned forward.
"The public hates you. Your family abandoned you, they're probably planning to disinherit you. You have no support. No platform."
Tears burned behind my eyes, he didn't have to say it out loud.
"But," he added, "I'm willing to help you if you want."
My lips trembled, "Why me?"
He sighed, almost bored.
"Because you have nothing left to lose. And people with nothing make the most obedient partners."
The words cut straight through me.
Fresh tears rolled down my cheeks.
This wasn't help, this was a cage.
I laughed bitterly.
"You dragged me out of a peaceful death, to offer me some... some ridiculous marriage scheme, and expect me to just agree?"
His eyes narrowed, as he stepped closer, his voice dropping dangerously low.
"If you won't accept the contract, then I'll order for you to be taken back to another river. You're not allowed to die on my property," he said coldly, his green eyes cutting through me.
"Then you should have let me drown in the first place!" I snapped.
"It's not too late for that," he retorted with a glare.
"....." This....this frickin demon!!. I was completely speechless.
Walter looked uncomfortable.
How could someone be this heartless?
I stood up from the bed on shaking legs.
"I'm leaving."
I stormed toward the door, brushing past Walter.
"Sir, should I stop her?" Walter asked.
"No," he said
calmly. "Let her go, she'll be back."
My fist clenched as his voice carried down the hall confidently.
That devil.
"I won't come back," I whispered to myself firmly. "Never."