Chapter 1: The Contract
Sora stood in the grand, austere ballroom, feeling every inch the outsider. Her family's wealth had bought her an extravagant gown, but no amount of gold could erase the bitter taste in her mouth. The air was thick with the hum of mingling guests, but her thoughts were a million miles away. Today was the day her life would change forever.
Liam Carter was late. That, she thought, was the first sign of trouble. He had made it clear, even through their families' lawyers and representatives, that he didn't want this union any more than she did. The arrangements had been made, but the marriage itself was something neither of them had a say in.
The door swung open, and Sora's gaze lifted, her heart racing. There he was—tall, imposing, with cold eyes that seemed to see right through her. Liam Carter. His gaze swept over the room briefly before settling on her. He didn't smile.
"Miss Wilson," he greeted her with formal indifference, his voice cool. There was no warmth, no attempt at politeness. Only an icy acknowledgement of the woman he was being forced to marry. And the mockery he showed when saying that made Sora upset, even if he didn't like her, he could have just said her name, or said it with a casual or fun tone, that would have helped make things better for the both of them!
Sora stiffened, fighting back the surge of anger and humiliation that threatened to overwhelm her. She wasn't a piece of property, she wasn't an obligation, and she certainly wasn't some prize to be claimed. But standing before Liam, she felt exactly like all those things. His eyes moved down her body with such a clinical detachment that it made her skin crawl.
"I see we're both here under duress," she snapped, her voice sharp. "How very charming."
Liam raised an eyebrow, clearly unbothered by her words. "If you think I'm the one to blame for this, you're mistaken. I'd rather be anywhere but here, with you."
Her breath caught in her throat. The rawness of his words stung more than she anticipated. But she refused to let him see how deeply they affected her.
"You don't have to pretend you're doing me a favor, Mr. Carter," she said, her chin lifting in defiance. "We both know this is a business transaction. Nothing more."
The tension between them thickened like a dark cloud. His jaw clenched as if struggling to control the impulse to lash out. "If it weren't for your family's financial status, I wouldn't be here," he said, his tone laced with contempt. "So let's not pretend we're anything more than what we are. Partners in a failed negotiation."
Sora took a step back, anger flashing in her chest, but then her eyes caught her family's gaze—her mother, standing in the corner, watching with the calculating eyes of someone who knew the score. She swallowed her pride and forced a smile.
"I'm sure we'll make the best of it," she said, the words tasting like ash. "After all, what's a marriage without a little animosity?"
Liam's lips twitched into something resembling a smile, but it was cold and cruel. "Precisely. And it will remain just that—business. Nothing more."
"Well then, let's start the marriage anyway. Let's get this over with!"
Sora said, raising her voice and clapping her hands. Her father stood just a few feet away from them, and whispered to Liam's parents, Joseph and Marianna Carter in a gentle tone, "I see that they are getting along well. I hope this marriage will last."
Hearing her husband talking so calmly with these people, whom she really disliked, Laura quickly chimed in, "But may I remind you, you guys are leaning on us, so behave yourselves, especially your son, who is depending on our background status and our mood. Even if our daughter is a bit arrogant, that's just how she deals with lower-class people like you. And also, we expect your son's business to rise to the top in 6 months, if not, be ready to pay the debt."
Carl, although not very approving of his wife's comment, agreed slightly, "True. After all, Sora is my little gem, I couldn't risk seeing her in pain. And to be accurate Laura, they are our class, just that currently their business is going down." Laura, not pleased at all, tried to keep a calm and elegant face.
"Is that so? Well then, let's not waste our time. Focus on the marriage now."
Sora's eyes flicked toward her parents, her heart sinking as she heard her mother's harsh words. Laura's voice was smooth but venomous, cutting through the room like a blade. She barely noticed the way her father, Carl, responded, his words a half-hearted attempt to diffuse the situation, but the damage was already done.
Liam's fingers clenched into fists at his sides, his throat tight with the weight of the humiliation. He had never been so mortified in his life. "Lower-class?". The words stung worse than anything Sora could have said. Liam's face remained stoic, though there was a flicker of something dark in his eyes as he listened to her mother's demands. He might have been used to this kind of posturing from his own family, but that didn't make it any easier to stomach. His lips twitched ever so slightly, his jaw tightening.
Sora swallowed, forcing herself to maintain composure despite the anger boiling beneath the surface. This marriage—this nightmare—was about nothing more than power, money, and status. To them, she was just a bargaining chip, a means to an end. She felt like a puppet on strings, her life pulled in directions she never chose.
She didn't even want to look at Liam, but he was there, standing so close, his presence a constant reminder of the trap she had been caught in. His coldness was suffocating, but the bitterness in her chest made her feel just as distant.
When Laura finished speaking, there was a long silence. Sora could feel her pulse thudding in her ears and could sense the palpable animosity that hung between the two families. But her gaze hardened, and she finally forced her lips to move.
"You think I'm arrogant?" she said, her voice laced with venom. "You haven't seen anything yet. I'll be everything you want me to be, as long as it's nothing more than a facade."
Liam's expression didn't shift. He wasn't angry, but his eyes darkened with something she couldn't quite place—perhaps amusement at her defiance or a weariness that mirrored her own. His voice was low and almost mocking when he replied, "A facade sounds like the only thing we can afford here, doesn't it?"
Sora's breath caught. Liam didn't even try to hide the disdain. But what really hurt was the realization that he wasn't wrong. This marriage was nothing but a performance for the sake of their families, and their futures.
Just then, her father's voice broke through the tension.
"We're not here to talk about our daughter's behavior," Carl said, his tone matter-of-fact. "It's about the future of this union. You will both adhere to the terms, and the business will succeed."
Liam's parents, Joseph and Marianna, exchanged glances before nodding in reluctant agreement. But the weight of what was being demanded—both from them and from Sora and Liam—hung in the air like a storm waiting to break.
Sora's eyes narrowed. Six months. They had six months to prove their marriage was more than just a business transaction, more than just a way to keep their families afloat.
But as she looked back at Liam, she felt a deep sense of foreboding. This was going to be far worse than she imagined.
Back to Liam and Sora, to them, this was like a nightmare! Oh, come on. Getting married to someone who you barely knew and even disliked - for Liam was like torture! And as a matter of fact, Liam was engaged to Vivian Morgan before this! This just increased his hatred towards Sora. And Sora was secretly dating Harry Brown, a wealthy but infamous guy. Her mother knew about it so she arranged this marriage to get rid of that peasant for her, without thinking about her feelings at all! Well, now they had to put these memories aside and finish the marriage, especially the Carters who had to endure the humiliation just now.
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