Chapter 3
James's hand froze in midair.
He looked at me, his eyes unreadable, emotions flickering beneath the surface.
"Because you happened to be there," he said.
He said it so offhand, like he'd picked someone at random.
I felt a weird ache in my chest.
It made sense.
Seriously, what other reason could he have for picking me?
We were mortal enemies, after all.
Over the past eight years, we never went a day without fighting.
I took a deep breath, reached for his hand, and let him help me out of the car.
Every light in the villa was on, making the whole place glow.
In the living room, Tanya was sitting on the sofa, with two servants standing nearby.
When she saw us come in, she stood up.
"James, take Kylie upstairs. The master bedroom's all set," she said.
She glanced at me, hesitated, and then added, "Kylie, I know today must've been a lot for you. If you ever feel out of place or need anything, come talk to me."
I nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Carter."
"You can call her Tanya," James said.
I froze.
Tanya was stunned too.
James looked at me, his gaze unwavering. "We're married now. No need to make it so official."
I opened my mouth, hesitated for a second, and finally said, "Tanya."
Tanya's eyes were a little teary. She gave a small nod and quietly went upstairs.
James kept hold of my hand as we headed upstairs together.
The master bedroom was on the third floor. It was huge with a clean and modern look.
A massive king-sized bed dominated the center of the room.
I stood in the doorway, suddenly feeling a little nervous.
James let go of my hand and walked over to the closet, opening the door.
"This is your closet. Someone will come by tomorrow to take your measurements and have clothes tailored for you," he said.
He said it so calmly, like he was briefing me on a project.
I sensed something was off.
"Wait," I said.
I walked over and looked at the empty closet.
"This room was originally prepared for her, wasn't it?" I asked.
James paused.
He turned to face me and replied, "Yes."
He admitted it without a hint of hesitation.
"But now, it's yours," he added.
I let out a cold laugh. "So I'm the stand-in, huh?"
James suddenly called out, "Kylie."
He fixed his gaze on me, the tone in his voice so low that it sent a chill down my spine.
"Now that you've agreed, don't regret it," James warned.
"I don't regret it," I said.
I looked him straight in the eye. "But I don't want to be the stand-in."
I walked over to the bed and pulled my phone out of my bag.
"Let's make a deal," I said.
James frowned, "What kind of deal?"
"A marriage contract," I replied.
I opened up my phone's notes app and started typing.
I said, "First, this is a marriage of convenience. We both get what we want. You need me to keep up appearances, and I want the wedding gifts you promised.
"Second, after we're married, we keep our finances separate. We manage our own money, no interference.
"Third, we sleep apart. You take the bed, and I'll crash on the couch."
I spelled them out one by one.
James stood there, his eyes getting darker by the second.
"Fourth, if your runaway bride ever shows up again, I can walk away whenever I want. " But you'll owe me a breakup fee."
I lifted my chin and met his eyes, daring him to argue.
"Pretty fair, right?" I asked.
James stared at me for what felt like forever.
It was so long that I thought he was about to blow up.
But then, out of nowhere, he laughed, "Fine."
He walked over and took the phone from my hand.
"But I've got some conditions too," he said.
He bent over and started typing a few more rules into the notes app.
He said while typing, "Fifth, whenever we're around other people, you have to act like we're a couple in love.
"Sixth, you need to be by my side at every Carter family dinner or event.
"Seventh, you don't get to meddle in my personal life, but no getting cozy with other guys either."
He handed the phone back to me.
"And here's the final rule," he said.
He leaned in close. "This marriage ends when I say it does."
I stared at the screen, my heart started racing for reasons I couldn't explain.
"This isn't fair," I retorted.
"Fair or not, you don't have a choice anymore," James said.
He straightened up and started unbuttoning his suit jacket.
"Go take a shower. Your pajamas are in the bathroom," he said.
He said it so offhand, like he really meant it.
I clutched my phone and headed into the bathroom.
After I closed the door, I noticed my palms were sweaty.
The bathroom was huge, with a jacuzzi, a separate shower, and a massive mirror.
On the vanity, there was every kind of skincare product I could think of, all from luxury brands.
There was also a brand-new silk pajama set, smooth to the touch.
I took a shower and slipped into the brand-new silk pajamas.
Catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I noticed my cheeks were slightly flushed, and my wet hair clung to my shoulders.
I took a deep breath and pushed the door open.
James was already in his loungewear, sitting on the couch and going through some files.
He looked up when he heard me come in.
His gaze lingered on me for a few seconds before he looked away.
"You can have the bed," James said.
I froze. "Didn't we say I sleep on the couch?"
"I've changed my mind," he replied.
He stood up and set the files down on the coffee table.
He said, "It's not really proper for a girl to sleep on the couch."
After saying that, he grabbed a blanket and sprawled out on the couch.
I stood there, suddenly feeling a bit uneasy for some reason.
"Uh... why don't you take the bed? I really don't mind the..." I offered.
"Go to sleep," James interrupted.
He cut me off and closed his eyes. "We have work tomorrow."
I bit my lip, feeling a little conflicted, but in the end, I climbed into bed.
The comforter was soft, and the pillow felt amazing.
Lying there in the dark, I couldn't get myself to fall asleep.
Everything that happened today felt unreal, like I was living in a dream.
This morning, I was still planning to tease James about his wedding.
And now, by nightfall, I was his wife.
I rolled onto my side, looking over at the couch.
In the darkness, I could see his outline.
He was lying there, straight as a board, not moving a muscle.
Suddenly, I asked, "James, why didn't you choose someone else?"
James's voice drifted from the darkness. "Because you're the only one my mom trusts."
I froze.
What was that supposed to mean?
He rolled over before I could say anything.
He said, "Go to sleep."
I stared up at the ceiling, my thoughts all over the place.
No idea how long it took, but eventually I dozed off, barely aware of it.
The next morning, I was woken up by a knock at the door.
When I opened my eyes, James was already gone.
The blanket on the couch was neatly folded.
I got out of bed and went to open the door.
Standing outside was a maid in her forties.
"Mrs. Carter, breakfast is ready. Mr. Carter sent me to get you," she said.
It took me a second to realize she was talking to me.
"Okay, I'll be right down," I said.
After I freshened up and put on the same clothes as yesterday, I headed downstairs.
James was already sitting at the dining table, with breakfast laid out in front of him.
When he saw me, he gestured to the seat across from him. "Take a seat."
I walked over and sat down.
The table was piled high with all kinds of food.
"Help yourself," James said, sounding casual.
I picked up a pie and took a bite.
It tasted amazing.
James glanced at me, and I could've sworn his lips twitched into a smile.
"I'll drive you to the office in a bit," James said.
I looked up. "No, I can just..."
"We're married now," James interrupted. "We have to keep up appearances."
With the pie in my mouth, I stayed silent.
Once we finished breakfast, James gave me a ride to work.
When we pulled up in front of the office building, the car instantly caused a stir.
James got out, came around to my side, and opened the door for me.
James said, "Get out."
I could feel all eyes on me, and my face burned with embarrassment.
He was totally doing this on purpose.
I braced myself and got out of the car.
James suddenly grabbed my hand and pressed a kiss to my forehead.
"I'll come get you for lunch," he said.
A wave of gasps rippled through the crowd.
My cheeks flushed instantly.
"No... it's really not necessary..." I mumbled.
"Just listen to me," James said.
He let go of my hand and slipped back into the car.
The car drove off, but I was still standing there in shock.
Behind me, people started whispering.
"Oh my god, are they really married?"
"Didn't the bride run away yesterday?"
"Kylie is so lucky!"
I took a deep breath and walked into the office.
As soon as I sat down at my desk, my phone buzzed.
It was a bank notification. I'd receoved 30 million dollars.
I stared at all those zeros, completely stunned.
Then, a message from James popped up. [Here's ten times the wedding gift. Keep it.]
I stared at my phone and couldn't help but laugh.
That jerk actually kept his words.