The taxi ride to Lucien Blackwood's mansion was quiet. The city lights blurred past my window as if they too were aware of the storm brewing in my life. I had signed the contract. Officially. I was Mrs. Blackwood now—at least on paper. But that title felt like a noose tightening around my throat, suffocating me with each passing mile.
I tried to calm my racing heart, focusing on my breathing. Inhale… exhale… inhale… exhale…
It doesn't matter, I reminded myself. You're doing this for your family. For the baby. Survival isn't glamorous, Amara. It's necessary.
The mansion loomed ahead like a fortress, tall gates glinting under the dim streetlights. I didn't want to look, yet my eyes couldn't avert. This wasn't a home. It was a palace built for power, not love. And I was stepping inside as a pawn.
The driver opened the door, and I stepped out, my heels clicking against the marble driveway. Each step echoed like a countdown to the life I was leaving behind—or surrendering to. Lucien walked beside me, his presence dominating every corner of the driveway. He didn't touch me, didn't offer a word of comfort, yet I could feel him like a shadow at my side—constant, inescapable.
"Follow me," he said, voice low and commanding.
I obeyed. I had no choice.
The doors opened to a space that felt more like a museum than a home. Polished marble floors reflected the chandeliers above, and the walls were adorned with art I didn't understand but felt the weight of.
"This is your new home," Lucien said. His tone carried no warmth, yet somehow, every word held authority. "You will stay here until further notice."
I swallowed hard. My pulse quickened as I took in the grandeur—the velvet drapes, the massive staircase, the scent of expensive wood and leather. It all screamed wealth, control, and isolation.
"Where will I sleep?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.
He tilted his head slightly. "Your room is prepared upstairs. I suggest you unpack lightly. You'll need freedom of movement."
The last part made my stomach knot.
The door to my room opened with a soft click, revealing a space that could have belonged to a queen. Pale cream walls, dark wood furniture, silk sheets… everything was perfect, sterile, and cold. I dropped my bag on the bed, the sound loud in the silence. My eyes roamed the room, trying to memorize it. Every detail, every shadow, every corner could be a clue to the life I was now trapped in.
I will survive this, I whispered to myself. I have to.
That night alone, every creak of the old mansion sounded like a whisper meant to mock me. I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, heart hammering, stomach tight. Lucien is out there. Watching. Waiting. The thought made me shiver.
A soft knock echoed through the room.
I froze.
"I assume you've unpacked?" Lucien's voice was calm, almost casual, yet each word carried an unspoken weight.
"I… haven't," I replied, sitting up. "I—"
"You will need rest. Tomorrow is the beginning," he said, stepping inside without waiting for permission.
I held my breath as he moved closer. His presence filled the room, heavy and commanding. He didn't sit, didn't relax. He just watched. And I realized that was worse than any words he could say.
"What do you want?" I whispered.
"To ensure compliance," he said simply. "You agreed to the contract. I expect adherence."
Compliance, I thought bitterly. As if I am a prisoner and not a person.
He circled the room slowly, eyes scanning the furniture, the bed, the curtains. I felt every step like a judgment.
"You will follow the rules," he continued. "Not because I am cruel, but because I will not allow chaos in my house. Disobedience is not tolerated."
I swallowed hard. "And if I refuse?"
Lucien stopped, turning to face me fully. His expression was unreadable, yet the cold intensity in his eyes cut through me like a blade.
"Refusal is not an option," he said. "Your family's fate depends on you. And your child's safety, if you care to consider it, is mine to oversee."
My chest tightened. My stomach churned. I wanted to run, scream, disappear. But the reality was that I couldn't. Not without losing everything.
He moved closer, close enough that I could feel his breath, controlled, calm, but undeniably powerful.
"You may find my methods harsh," he said quietly. "You may even hate me. That is acceptable. What is not acceptable is defiance that endangers anyone under my protection."
I swallowed. My hands twisted in my lap. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because it must be done," he said simply. "And because you have no other choice."
I wanted to hate him. I wanted to scream. I wanted to throw myself at the door and run. But the weight of the signed contract, the unborn child, my family's ruin… held me in place.
Something inside me snapped.
"You think you've won," I said, standing abruptly. "You think you own me already."
Lucien didn't move. "Do I?"
I slammed the folder shut. "No. But you're close."
For the first time, something flickered in his eyes—interest.
"Sign," he said quietly. "And I will protect everything you love."
I hesitated. My mind screamed run. My heart whispered survive. Slowly, painfully, I reached for the pen. The moment the ink touched the paper, my hands shook violently.
Amara Hayes.
Lucien took the contract, scanning it once before nodding. "It's done," he said.
The weight hit me instantly. I was no longer free.
Lucien straightened his cuffs. "You'll move into my residence tomorrow. Your engagement will be announced as mutually ended. Our marriage will be announced within the week."
I stared at him in disbelief. "That fast?"
"The world doesn't wait for broken hearts," he replied.
He paused at the door, glancing back at me. "Get some rest. You'll need it."
The door closed behind him. I sank onto the couch, staring at the signed contract in my hands. A sob escaped my chest.
"I'm sorry," I whispered to the life growing inside me. "I don't know how to protect you."
My phone buzzed. Unknown Number: Congratulations, Mrs. Blackwood.
I dropped the phone.
Mrs. Blackwood.
The words echoed in my mind like a curse. I was no longer Amara Hayes. I belonged to him now—in every way that mattered.
And I realized then that this marriage was only the beginning of something far more dangerous.