FORCED MARRIAGE WITH A BILLIONAIRE

s point

n't s

single

eeper into a pit I couldn't escape from. I stared at the ceiling of my childhood bedroom, where posters from high sc

numb. But I'd

yself. Ne

oulders and call me his little "comet." The one who messed up

e tower of glass where everything had gone wrong. My heart beat steadi

ebastian's office, h

g, dressed in another one of his ink-black sui

," I said,

hen slowly, deliberately, he met my eyes. His f

inical no

oss the desk to me again. This time, a pen sat neatl

it again,though I knew the wor

ct unless agreed upon. Required public appearances. Full coha

was signing

e room. One signature. Then another. And with the final loop o

contra

extended a hand. "We

. I stood instea

no flowers, no vows exchanged in love. Just a team of stylists, assistants

rything in my closet combined. It was beautiful, technically, with soft ivory silk and

ike a sa

of the stylists said. "It gives you

etic. Prett

bile in my thr

stripped to its bones,no guests, no cake, no exchange of anything resembling love. Ju

didn't tou

arefully written press release about a "private, strategic union betwee

remember

remembe

courthouse steps l

self, her heels clicking loudly as she approached

I was a lost puppy she couldn't wait to kick. "Didn't

Sebastian said flatl

w what she's walking into. Or is that part of the gam

stomach coiling. "Wh

ar. "Because, sweetheart... I was you. An

e walke

stopp

idn't care whose hearts it crushed. It was the kind of place you'd see in a magazine,glass walls, minimalis

. No books or family portraits

ng, and walked me down a hallwa

automated. There's a private gym. You'll be expected to appear

oo heavy, my limbs too stiff. "Tha

his isn't home, Camill

as emotionl

e a printed

s office witho

ed social m

rriage with anyone o

happy i

nt in p

ist. "You know thi

dn't

and closed the door behind him.

alls, the hem of my dress tr

d that didn't smell like anything. Not in th

myself standing outs

ff-limits. I al

urned withou

k sat by the window, cluttered with files. A tall bookshelf lined one wall, filled with old har

esk,facedown

ked i

ix, grinning widely with a tooth missing. Beside him,

k on the bottom cor

uddenly too soft for my chest. Wh

was that

chill. Befo

oise sta

cre

and coming from

the phot

eam echoed from behind it,lower this time, broken

cked

ans

asti

l no

d the d

d around him, sweat soaking his shirt. His

don't go-" he m

, unsure what to

s snapp

Wide.

me like he couldn't tell the dif

ickly, he turned

t o

I

T O

like a whip, cutti

shut behind me, but the echo of his scream linge

e truth burned brighte

ood was hiding m

haunted