Chapter 004

The wedding was simple—a few documents to sign, the priest to preside, and a lawyer as a witness. Andrey insisted on taking photos, his enthusiasm for capturing the moment clear.

And the wedding was over. I was now married to a man I barely knew. Three years, Mr. Carter had said, and I could walk away.

It was a strange arrangement, but I couldn’t help feeling a sense of empathy for this mysterious man. His mask, his accident, his desire to protect his image…it all tugged at my heartstrings, and I found myself wanting to help him, despite my own confusion and uncertainty.

After the ceremony, Edna served me a plate of cookies, claiming they were “special,” though I didn’t quite understand what she meant. But the cookies were delicious, and I savored each bite, letting the sweetness calm my nerves.

As the bedroom door swung open, my head snapped up. I wasn’t expecting anyone to enter, but there stood Andrei, still wearing the mask and still sitting in his wheelchair.

His Dark brown hair styled perfectly, with a slight wave and a subtle sheen. A neatly trimmed beard emphasized his strong, angular features, and his athletic build was apparent even while seated in the wheelchair.

Edna beamed at me, her eyes full of affection and warmth, before turning to Andrei. “I’ll leave you two now,” she said, placing a small kiss on his chin. “I’ll see you later.” With a tender smile, she left the room, closing the door behind her.

Silence descended, and I found myself alone in the room with my new husband, not knowing what to say.

The silence stretched on until I finally mustered the courage to break it. “You must be hungry,” I said, glancing at the plate of cookies.

As Andrei’s gaze lingered on me, a sliver of surprise flickered in his cold, hard eyes. “Aren’t you afraid of me?”

I paused, considering his question. Was I afraid? “I don’t know. I guess not."

“The plastic surgeons here can’t fix my scars. So I wear this mask to protect Cinderella’s like you from my disfigurement. And who knows, maybe I actually do eat people—you’ll have to stick around to find out.”

My eyes followed from Andrei's legs, seated in a wheelchair, up to his face where a subtle smile remained.

I knew from my research that the media had painted Andrei as a monster, questioning his sanity after the tragedy, and it was hurting his business. But I sensed there was more to him than that.

“I suppose we’ll have to wait until Mr. Carter can stand up again before we know for sure.” I replied.

"Well, if I can stand up, does that mean I get to eat you?”

"Mr. Carter. You saved my life yesterday, after all. You don’t save someone just to eat them for breakfast—or do you?”

Andrei’s eyes glinted with amusement beneath his mask, their hazel depths seeming to twinkle in the sunlight streaming through the window. 

Even though his face was obscured, his eyes were… captivating. "The wedding went so smoothly,” he said, his lips twitching into a small, almost imperceptible smile.

 “Well, what did you expect? Me running off in the middle of the ceremony? Or maybe you thought I’d try to strangle the priest?”

Andrei chuckled. “You never know with the women I choose. It pays to be cautious.”

“You’ve saved me from a lifetime of ‘what ifs’, I was drunk, out of it. I could’ve been kidnapped, or worse. Thank you, Mr. Carter. I owe you one.”

Andrei gave a single, curt nod in agreement, “I also brought you a gift. Your phone. I figured you might’ve forgotten that you have a best friend named Ivy, and a mom and a dad who would be worried sick about you.”

“Oh shit!” I exclaimed, grabbing my phone back from his hand. “Sorry,” I stammered, biting my lip nervously. “I should call my mom. She’s probably freaking out right now.”

How do I even begin to explain this? A man saves me from being kidnapped, possibly killed, and I end up married to him. The whole thing sounds completely nuts.

I guess I could start with ‘I’m okay’, but I know they’re going to have a million questions. I need to find a way to tell this story without sounding like I’ve completely lost my mind.

I checked my phone—fourteen missed calls from Ivy and four voice messages. I knew it wasn’t good, so I called her back. She picked up on the first ring.

“Where in the world are you, Brielle? Why weren’t you picking up your phone? The fuck’s wrong with you!?”

“I’m sorry, Ivy. I… got caught up in a little situation,” I replied, my eyes darting to Andrei who was still seated in his chair, a small smile playing on his lips.

I wandered to the window, my mind racing as I tried to figure out how to explain the situation to Ivy. And even if I did, there was still my parents to consider.

"Brielle, please,” Ivy pleaded, and my brow furrowed, “You have to trust me. There’s something going on, and I can’t explain it over the phone. You need to get out of there and come to my place.”

“What’s the issue?” 

“Remember Liam, the guy I was partying with last night? I… I knocked him out with a bottle. He’s been unconscious since last night_”