Chapter 3: Forced Contract

Serena POV

 

I was finding it very hard to process what she had just told me. What did she mean by they had signed papers to marry me off to a disabled man who was still unconscious? This surely had to be a cruel trick or maybe I was going mad.

 

“I don’t understand. What exactly are you saying? Why would you sign anything for me without telling me?!” I yelled.

 

“Oh shut the hell up!” My stepmother— Louise snapped.

 

“How do you think we can afford to even pay for your father’s medical bills? Did you think we had hidden money somewhere?” She taunted me. “No! Every single penny we have was taken by that wretched good for nothing man you brought into our lives!” She snapped back.

 

“Don’t ever forget that this is all your fault.” Louise continued, “And all we are telling you to do now is to marry and have children for a harmless disabled man for the good of the family and you’re being selfish.”

 

I couldn’t believe that this was even real. That I was even having such an absurd conversation with my parents.

 

“And how is that supposed to even work?” I argued. “You said the man is in a Coma right now, so how am I supposed to even get pregnant?” I asked incredulously. This was a stupid plan, and it would never even work.

 

“Well…” My stepmother began. “He might be disabled and in a Coma, but the doctor said that other parts of his body are still functioning fine, so that means that you can do it all on your own. He doesn’t even have to be awake for you to carry out your part .” She said and i eyed her in disgust.

 

“You’re saying I should touch him without his consent?! That’s assault! His family would never agree to this. In fact, they would lock me up and throw away the key.” I argued but my stepmother just laughed at me.

 

“On the contrary, it is actually his own mother who came up with the idea.” She revealed and my mouth hung open.

 

“His mother — Luna Crane is an extremely rich woman with a gigantic, and powerful pack under her, but she has only one son to take over everything. If her son dies without an heir, everything goes to her other relations. So in order to keep the wealth within themselves, his desperate mother has agreed to pay five hundred million to find a bride that can give her an heir. It is more than enough to cover all the damages you have caused.” My stepmother said.

 

I know that I said I was ready to do anything to save us, but this was madness!

 

Getting married to a disabled comatose Alpha? Sleeping with him and having his children all by myself? Without his consent? It had to be a crime!

 

I turned to my father with pleading eyes, hoping that he could help my stepmother see sense, but to my utter horror,  he completely agreed with her.

 

“You must take responsibility for your actions Serena.” He grunted. “Your foolishness has caused the downfall of this family and our pack. If you don’t do this for us, you will be forcing us to descend into shame, poverty and suffering. Or is that what you want?” He snapped with annoyance.

 

And it was then that I realized that I was the only one fighting this idea. Everyone else expected me to sacrifice myself to save them since it was my fault that all of this happened. And could I dare say no to them? After destroying their lives?

 

I knew my answer then. I didn’t have any other choice. I was going to marry the disabled comatose man and find a way to have children with him. It was the only way to pay for my mistake and save my family. Right?

 

But then I thought hard about what they were asking me to do and I shook my head. They were asking me to commit a crime that would ruin my life! This wasn’t just sacrificing my life.... This was going to destroy me!

 

I took a step back. No, I couldn’t do it.

 

But my stepmother frowned and snarled at me. “Don’t think you have a choice in this. We never needed your permission for it. Everything has already been decided. You will meet him now whether you like it or not, and you must move into his pack tonight.” She exclaimed in an acidic tone. She was very eager to get rid of me.

 

Her words made me suddenly dizzy with confusion. “What? Meet him now? How?” I asked perplexed.

 

“Oh his body is here, in this hospital. The head nurse will lead you to your husband right now.” My stepmother said as she beckoned a nurse forward who then told me to follow her.

 

I had no choice in this, I had to just accept my fate and hope that I will eventually find a way out of this.

 

My shoulders sagged and I slowly walked behind the nurse as we made our way to my doom. Every part of me kept screaming to turn around and run away, but I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t abandon my family even though they had easily sacrificed me to man they didn’t even know.

 

For all we knew, he could be an old abusive man with a disease that could kill me. Or else, why would his mother go through all this trouble to get him a wife?

 

Did no woman want him at all? Was he ugly? Was he a psychopath or a sadist? These were questions my family should have asked before sending me off into the unknown.

 

But my family probably didn’t even care if I was or if I would be safe or happy. They just wanted to see the millions of dollars in their bank account.

 

My thoughts finally snapped back to reality when the nurse finally stopped in front of the door of a hospital room in the VIP section of the hospital. Then she told me to step in.

 

I took a deep breath, then slowly pushed open the door and walked in.

 

My eyes immediately fell on the unconscious body, lying limp on the bed like a vegetable. My husband.

 

I slowly stepped closer, until I could finally see his face. But then… a gasp of surprise immediately tore out of my throat.

 

No! This wasn’t possible! No, maybe there was a mistake. This man couldn’t possibly be disabled or even in a Coma! Because I had seen this very man with my own eyes just a few hours ago, he was clearly awake, walking on his own two legs and perfectly fine just last night!

 

How was this possible? There was absolutely no way that he was the same Darius Crane that was announced to have been disabled and Comatose, for the past two weeks!

 

Because this was this very same man that I had accidentally bumped into as I ran out of the engagement party just last night.

 

I was sure it was him! I could still recognize that broad chest, full eyebrows and full dark hair. It was him!

 

I frowned in confusion and it felt like the room was beginning to spin around me.

 

If the man I met at the party was him, then who the hell was I looking at right now? Who was I marrying?!