101.

101.
ARTEMIS

Three days.

That was all I had to save my brother’s life. The kidnapper had cruelly backed me into a corner where there was no other escape except their chosen route, which was filled with thorns.

I stood outside Kieran’s office, my hands raised to knock and my heart hammering hard.

I had barely slept in the last two days since I got the call. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Are’s terrified and battered face. How could I sleep when my baby brother was going through hell?

Every time my phone buzzed, I would flinch with fear because I thought it was another call from them to threaten me or show me how much more they had hurt him to remind me of the deadline.

I couldn’t wait any longer. The kidnapper had been clear that I had forty-eight hours. Time was running out, and I still didn’t have the money, which meant I had to do this now whether I liked it or not.

I closed my eyes and let out a shaky breath before I knocked.

“Come in." Kieran’s aloof voice reached me through the door. I opened it softly and found him seated behind his desk.

“Do you have the files?” he asked, without looking up.

I took that small moment of distraction to look at him. I wanted to look, enough until I couldn’t anymore.

“What…” Kieran froze as he lifted his head and saw that it was me and not who he was expecting.

"Baby," he was already out of his chair, a big smile on his face as he walked towards me with his arms outstretched. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I would have asked someone to pick you up."

I stepped to the side, avoiding his hug, and his smile dropped. “What’s wrong?”

“I need to talk to you," I told him, avoiding his gaze.

Kieran caught my jaw and forced me to look at him. “Is everything okay? Did I do something wrong?”

I closed my eyes before the tears could form. I couldn’t cry. If I did, he wouldn’t believe me.

I stepped back so I could no longer smell his intoxicating cologne. “I need to talk to you about the contract."

Kieran’s eyes narrowed, and something unreadable passed over his face. “What about it?”

I forced myself to meet his eyes because I had to make him believe I meant every lie I was about to spew.

“I want to end it."

“Now?” he asked, stunned.

“Yes. Now," I wrapped my arms around myself, “I’m tired of pretending, Kieran. I thought I could do this and try to be happy with you. I thought with time, I would fall for you, but I couldn't, and every moment I spend with you suffocates me."

“You are lying," Kieran said with certainty, his gaze hardening.

My heart skipped a beat. “I am not."

“You are," he insisted, moving closer as his eyes searched my face. “I know you, Artemis. I know when you are lying."

I forced myself not to show how terrified and devastated I felt. “Believe what you want, Kieran, but I’m done. I don’t love you. "I never will," I snapped.

Kieran’s jaw clenched. “Then what have we been doing? The nights we shared? The promises we made to each other? Was that all a lie as well?”

“You paid me to act as your wife. I was just playing the role I was hired for," I said with a nonchalant shrug, but the lie was slicing me into pieces. “I played my part and you played yours."

Kieran gripped my arm. “Artemis, tell me what’s wrong, and I promise to fix it.” He urged desperately.

I wanted to fall apart and throw myself into his arms. I wanted to vomit the words that were choking me, but I couldn’t.

They could be watching me. I didn’t want to risk Ares' life.

“There is nothing to fix." I shrugged his hands off. “This has always been business, Kieran. I fulfilled my part of the contract. Now, I want what you promised me."

“What about the surprise I had planned out for tonight? At least wait until then."

Pain sliced through me. I knew what that surprise was. I had already noticed the way he looked at me and the excitement he felt these days, and I also know that I didn’t deserve it.

“I don’t want any surprises," I said coldly. “I just want what I was promised at the end of the one year. Just give me the money so I can go. I don’t want to spend another moment with you."

Kieran stared at me for a long moment, and I watched something shift in his eyes. Hurt. Betrayal. Anger.

All of it flashed across his face before his expression turned cold. Back to the man I knew him as from magazine stories.

My heart clenched painfully because I knew this was all because of me.

“Fine,” he said icily. “If that’s what you want."

He turned away from me and walked to his desk. He pulled out his phone and made a call.

I watched, frozen, as he arranged the transfer of twenty million dollars to my account.

“It’s done," he said after what felt like an eternity. His back was turned to me, and my heart was breaking.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“You don’t need to thank me. It’s payment for a job done as stated in the contract," he said coldly.

I deserved it. I turned towards the door, each step dragging.

"Artemis," he called, and my hand stopped on the doorknob.

“I don’t know what’s happening, but you don’t have to face it alone.”

A sob caught in my throat, but I forced it down. “Goodbye, Kieran."

I walked out of his office, closing the door behind me. The tears finally fell when I was alone in the hallway.

I had done it. I had gotten the money. I could save Ares, but I destroyed the only man I had ever loved in the process.