Chapter 2: The Vows I Never Meant
The wedding was over in fifteen minutes.
No music. No guests. Just a cold signature in a courthouse and a ring that felt heavier than chains.
"Congratulations," the clerk mumbled.
I didn't respond. Leonard didn't even blink.
He turned to me after we stepped outside, his voice clipped. "You'll move into my penthouse tonight."
My jaw tightened. "No honeymoon?"
His eyes swept over me, unreadable. "This isn't love, Ella. It's logistics."
He walked away, not even checking if I followed. I did.
Because I had no choice.
The penthouse screamed power. Clean lines, marble floors, and a view of the city that stretched like a throne room in the sky.
I stood at the doorway like an outsider. "Where am I sleeping?"
Leonard didn't glance back. "The guest room. To the right."
Of course. I wasn't his wife. I was just a placeholder.
Still, something inside me twisted when I saw only one toothbrush in his bathroom. No photos. No signs of warmth.
Was he always this… empty?
I stared at my reflection. What had I just done?
Then I heard his voice, low and firm. "From tomorrow on, you'll attend every event with me. No excuses. You play the role, or the deal's off."
I turned. "You think I can't act?"
His expression darkened, stepping closer. "I think if you slip, people will ask questions. And I don't like questions."
Our eyes locked.
His coldness was suffocating.
But I was no fragile bride.
"I won't mess up," I said. "Just don't expect me to smile for real."
He smirked faintly. "Wouldn't dream of it."