CHAPTER 12
The next day, Kate woke up to the buzzing of her phone vibrating on the bedside. She reached for it, her eyes is still groggy from sleep, and she saw the message flashing on the screen.
It was from her cousin, Sarah. The text was normal, a reminder of how everyone saw her in this twisted marriage.
"William treats you like a project, Kate. He's Not treating you as a wife and not a person. He Just think you are a thing to fix."
Kate's heart sank. She stared at the message, her fingers shook as she held the phone.
She tried to convince herself that it wasn't true, that William's coldness was part of the deal, that this marriage was a business arrangement. But seeing Sarah's message made everything feel real.
She placed the phone back on the table and stood up, she pushed the blankets away. She got down.
Her mind was racing. She had been silent for so long, enduring his harsh words, his distance. But now, she couldn't hold it in anymore.
Kate walked in to the bathroom, her reflection in the mirror stare back at her. Her eyes were red from lack of sleep, her hair was messy.
She didn't look like the woman who had walked into this marriage, feeling naïve and hopeful. She had changed, and not in a way she liked.
As the cold water splashed on her face, she tried to bring her thoughts together. She couldn't keep living like this, pretending like it didn't matter. She was tired of being a game in his world.
When she walked back into the bedroom, she saw William already sitting up in bed, his eyes fixed on the newspaper. He looked like the same cold man she had married—a stranger she didn't even know.
"Good morning," he said, without even looking up from the paper.
Kate stood at the foot of the bed, staring at him. The words she had been holding back for so long were ready to be spilled out, and she couldn't stop herself.
"You think I'm just a project, don't you?" she said, her voice sharp.
William finally lowered the paper and looked at her. His expression was unreadable, but there was a glint of annoyance in his eyes.
"What are you talking about?"
"You treat me like I'm something to be fixed, like I'm not a person at all," Kate continued, her chest tightening. "You've never once looked at me as your wife. You don't care about me."
William's expression darkened. "You think I don't care about you? You're here because this marriage serves as a purpose. If you don't get that by now, then you're more naïve than I thought."
Kate felt the piercing of his words. She had known this was coming, but hearing it hurt. "I'm not just some thing for you to control. I'm a person, William. I have feelings. I'm not some toy you can just manipulate."
William's eyes narrowed, and he stood up, his tall figure covering her. "You wanted this life, didn't you? You wanted to keep the company, to hold onto your family's legacy. Well, you got it. But you didn't expect it to come with consequences, did you?"
"I never asked for this," Kate spat, her anger bubbling up. "You think I wanted to marry you? You think I wanted to be part of this cold, emotionless world? This wasn't my choice. You and your family made that choice for me."
William stepped closer, his voice laced with coldness. "And what do you expect me to do about it? You're here now. You're married to me. You wanted my protection, my business. Well, now you're getting it, whether you like it or not."
Kate's folded her fist at her sides. "You think I'm some helpless little girl who needs your protection? You're wrong, William. I don't need you. I can do this on my own."
A bitter laugh escaped his lips. "Do you really think you can handle this world without me? You're nothing but a pawn in this game, Kate. You don't even know the first thing about running a business, about protecting what's yours."
"Maybe I don't," Kate shot back, "but at least I have enough pride not to let someone like you treat me like a project… and I'm also learning how to control a business."
William stepped back, his gaze dark and piercing. "You're lucky I'm even giving you this chance. Do you think the world outside is any better? You think your family would've taken care of you if I hadn't stepped in? You'd be left with nothing."
"I don't need your pity," Kate hissed, tears swelled up in her eyes. "I don't need you at all."
William's eyes softened for a moment, but he quickly masked it off with a cold expression.
"You're too naive, Kate. You think you can survive in this world without power, without control? You have no idea how lucky you are to be in this position. I didn't have to marry you. I didn't have to protect you. But I did."
"Then why are you treating me like this?" Kate's voice cracked. "Why do you act like I'm nothing to you? Why can't you just—"
"Because this marriage isn't about you and me, Kate," William interrupted, his voice hard. "It's about business. It's about power. And you should've understood that from the beginning. You think this is some fairy tale? This isn't love. This is survival."
Kate's head spins , the weight of his words pressing down on her. She wanted to scream, but she knew it wouldn't change anything. She wasn't in control and wasn't the one calling the shots.
"You're right," she said quietly, her voice trembling with a mixture of anger and frustration. "This isn't a fairy tale. But I won't let you destroy me. I'll find a way to get what's mine, even if it means fighting you every step of the way you take."
William stared at her, his expression unreadable. "We'll see about that, Kate. We'll see."
With those final words, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Kate standing there, with her heart racing.
She felt the mixed emotions inside her—it was anger, betrayal, hurt—but there was something else too. A small light of determination.
She wasn't going to be a pawn anymore. She wasn't going to let him control her life.
The door slammed shut behind him, and Kate stood in the silence, her mind racing. She had no idea how she was going to fight back, but one thing was clear.
This marriage wasn't going to break her. No matter what William Dray thought, she would find a way to win. And when that day came, she would make him regret , for underestimating her.