On the wedding day, Lila stood in the church's dressing room, staring at herself in the mirror.
The white wedding dress had been a last-minute pick—simple, elegant, yet utterly soulless. There was no sweet anticipation a bride should feel, only a near-absurd sense of unreality: was she really about to marry a man she barely knew, all because of a decades-old promise between two elderly men?
"Are you okay?" the makeup artist asked gently, still holding a powder brush.
Lila forced a smile. "I'm fine, thank you."
She took a deep breath, her fingertips brushing lightly over the skirt. Her parents should have been here. Her mother would have helped adjust her veil, and her father would have choked up, saying, "My daughter looks so beautiful." But now, she was all alone.
Footsteps sounded outside the door, followed by Grandpa Carter's hearty laughter: "Lila, ready? It's time."
She stood up and opened the door, only to find Grandpa Hale there too, his eyes slightly red but smiling bravely at her.
"Grandpa…" her voice trembled.
Grandpa Hale took her hand, his rough palm warm and steady. "Sweetheart, I know this is sudden, but Jim's grandson is a good man. He'll take care of you."
Lila wanted to say something, but her throat felt tight. She could only nod.
The wedding march began. She looped her arm through Grandpa Hale's and walked slowly toward the end of the aisle. The guests were few, mostly Carter family relatives, and beside her, there was an empty ache.
Ethan stood next to the pastor, in a perfectly tailored black suit, his expression calm, giving away no emotion. His gaze fell on her, polite yet distant, as if assessing whether a contract was worth signing.
He didn't even spare her a smile.
The Real Beginning Comes After "I Do"
At the reception after the ceremony, Lila sat beside Ethan, Grudgingly forcing a smile through the guests' blessings. She sipped champagne in small sips, trying to look less stiff.
"How did you two meet?" an elderly lady asked, beaming.
Lila's fingers tightened slightly. They hadn't even rehearsed this.
"An art exhibition," Ethan suddenly spoke up, his voice deep and assured. "She works at a gallery. We met by chance."
Lila glanced at him, surprised by how smoothly he spun the story.
"Oh! That must have been so romantic!" the lady sighed.
"Yes," Ethan replied Chilly, his eyes drifting elsewhere, as if the conversation wasn't worth his attention.
Lila's chest felt heavy. Was he even bothering to finish the act?
Back at Ethan's apartment—or rather, her nominal "home" now—Lila stood in the center of the living room, looking around. Minimalist decor, cool-toned furniture, even the paintings were abstract black-and-white lines.
This place was just like him: perfect yet cold.
"Your room's at the end of the hallway," Ethan said, taking off his suit jacket and loosening his tie. "Mine's at the other end. We won't disturb each other."
Lila pressed her lips together. "So this is our 'marriage'?"
He looked up at her. "It's all clearly stated in the contract."
"Contract?" she scoffed. "So in your eyes, this is just a business deal?"
"What else would it be?" he Rhetorical question, his tone calm to the point of coldness. "Did you think it was love?"
Lila felt a stab in her chest, but she lifted her chin. "Of course not. I just didn't expect you to lack even basic human warmth."
Ethan's eyes darkened slightly, but quickly returned to normal. "Warmth doesn't make things simpler."
"Then what does?" she pressed. "Money? Your lawyer's prenup even specified how much I can spend each month, didn't they?"
"It's to protect both sides."
"No, it's to control," she met his gaze. "I'm not your employee, Ethan. I won't live by your rules."
The air froze for a moment.
Ethan was silent for a while, then suddenly walked to the study. When he returned, he held a document.
"Since you care so much about 'rules'," he said coldly, "let's renegotiate the terms."
He slapped the file on the table—Revised Marriage Terms.
Lila opened it, her pupils shrinking.
Clause 1: Neither party shall interfere in the other's private life during the marriage.
Clause 2: Lila Carter (nee Hale) shall play the role of the perfect wife in public to maintain the Carter family's image.
...
Clause 5: If either party violates the terms, the other shall have the right to terminate the marriage immediately.
She slammed the document shut, looked up at him, her voice trembling. "You prepared this in advance?"
"In business negotiations, you always prepare in advance," he said flatly.
Lila's fingers clenched, crumpling the paper in her palm.
"Fine," she sneered. "Then I'll add one more."
She grabbed a pen and wrote firmly at the bottom—
"Clause 6: Ethan Carter shall not interfere in any way with Lila Carter's career choices or personal freedom."
After writing, she pushed the document back, her eyes sharp. "Sign it."
Ethan stared at her, his gaze deep. After a few seconds, he picked up the pen and signed his name.
"Satisfied?" he asked.
Lila pulled at the corner of her mouth. "Very."
She turned toward her room, but paused at the door, not looking back.
"By the way, your acting is terrible. Next time someone asks how we met, at least make up a better story."
The door closed with a soft "click."
Ethan stood there, staring at the door. After a long moment, the corners of his lips lifted almost imperceptibly.
"Interesting."
Late at night, Lila lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. She pulled out her phone, hesitated for a moment, then dialed a number.
"Hello?" A lazy female voice came from the other end.
"Emma, it's me," Lila whispered. "I need you to look into something for me."
"Again? Last time you had me check your fiancé, and it turned out he's a workaholic with enough assets to buy a small country—"
"It's not him," Lila bit her lip. "It's… my grandpa's medical records."
Silence hung on the line for a few seconds.
"Lila, are you sure?"
"I'm sure," her voice was firm. "I need to know the truth."
After hanging up, she looked out the window. The city lights blurred in the rain.
If this marriage started with a lie… she'd never let herself be manipulated.