Chapter TwoI sit alone in the dimly lit room inside the hall, clutching my phone tight. The screen lights up to yet another call from him, my boyfriend. I peer at his name, feeling my heart twist, but I don't answer. How could I explain any of this, the lie I'm about to live, the promise I'm about to make to another man? I feel the weight of the betrayal, yet I cannot bring my fingers to touch "answer.""Miss Rachel?" A soft voice pulls me out of my thoughts, and I look up to see an assistant standing at the door. Her face is blank and professional, as though this were just another task on her list."Yes?" I say, barely above a whisper."They're ready for you," she says politely, but I catch the hint of pity in her eyes. I nod slowly and rise to my feet, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on me.As I step into the main room, my stomach churns. Barely a couple of family and close associates seem to pay any attention to my presence. At the front, Mr. Noah waits, looking coo
Chapter Three: The First NightI sit alone in this big, cold bedroom. It is supposed to be my wedding night, but the silence wraps around me like a tight blanket. The bed is perfectly made, untouched, as if it’s waiting for someone who may never come. I glance at the clock on the wall; the emptiness of this room seems to swallow me up.Why am I alone on my wedding night? At least I could have expected some conversation, some acknowledgment that we were now married, though that marriage was not born out of love but rather out of force. But there is complete silence. And then it dawns on me—the cold reality of what Noah had said before. This is a business arrangement, period. I am his wife on paper, and that’s just it.I glance around, feeling the weight of this decision pressing down on me. My father is safe; his hospital bills are paid. Debt against my family’s name is a thing of the past. And maybe—maybe I could make this marriage work and pull my family out of poverty, securing a fu
Chapter Four : Rachel's Accidental Meeting with Elvis at the Charity Ball The air is filled with the chimes of laughter and music as I step into the grand ballroom. The hall is decorated with shiny lights and expensive pieces of art. In my simple dress, I am like a fish out of water among all these fancy whirling gowns. I look up at Noah, who seems deep in discussion with his business partners. Guilt reeks from his disposition as he looks very serious. He does not even notice me standing next to him. I know I was only here to play the part of his wife. As Noah walks away, the loneliness sets in. I look around, wondering what will amuse me, but it seems everyone has something to do, and they are all important. I take a deep breath and decide to wander a bit, hopeful to stumble upon a friendly face or maybe even a snack. I drift away from the main crowd, past beautiful decorations to a quiet corner of the room. Just when I think that maybe I'll escape this pressure, I hear that fami
Chapter Five: The Risk of Meeting ElvisThe night I see him again, everything changes. Just one glance at Elvis, and it's like all the feelings I've tried to bury rush to the surface, flooding me with memories of love and laughter, of dreams we once shared. I barely make it through the evening, forced to stand by Noah's side, pretending to be his devoted wife. But my heart begins to race, my mind now filled with thoughts of Elvis. Then later, in the quiet of my room, my phone buzzes with a message.From Elvis."Can we meet tomorrow? I know it's risky, but I have to see you."I fixate on his words, a mix of excitement and fear. He's asking me to meet him, to take a chance despite everything that could go wrong. And, of course, I do know what I risk. Noah had made it clear from the beginning that this was a marriage about appearances, about control. The breaking of unspoken rules he wouldn't tolerate, most of all with someone from my past.But my heart is racing, and I refuse to fight t
Chapter Six: An Unexpected GuestIt's a quiet Saturday afternoon, and the soft light filters through the curtains in the living room. I'm sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn on my lap, staring blankly at the TV. Noah sits next to me, his gaze fixed intently on the screen. The show is nothing more than background noise. I can feel the space between us filled with things unsaid.I glance at Noah, who looks relaxed, but his expression gives away that he's not fully here with me. I wish I could understand what's going through his mind. It’s strange because the closer you are to someone—and we are—the more removed you can sometimes feel.I nibble on a piece of popcorn, trying to focus on the show, but my mind eventually wanders. I find myself speculating about Noah's past. I really don’t know anything about him; what’s between us is just boss and worker before all these contracts.Suddenly, the front door bursts open, and my head jerks up in surprise. A woman walks in, catching my
Chapter Seven: A Message from the PastI suppose sit in the living room with Noah, the silence between us close to tangible. The TV is on, but I hardly register what's playing. Noah seems engrossed—scrolling through his phone with a calm expression, oblivious to the storm inside me. My mind is a million miles away, thinking about Elvis, our meeting, and the promise he made to set me free. I know I should not be holding onto his words, but I just can't help it—after all, I am in a marriage where I am nothing more than a placeholder.Noah’s phone pings. He opens the message and reads aloud in a cold, even voice. The words slice through the quiet, razoring into my chest."How do you feel living with a woman you do not love? How do you feel going in a contract marriage because she needs your help? Release her now!"My heart drops, and the room seems to close in around me. I instantly know who sent the message. There’s only one person who could know the truth, only one brave—or stupid—enou
Chapter Seven: A Message from the PastI suppose sit in the living room with Noah, the silence between us close to tangible. The TV is on, but I hardly register what's playing. Noah seems engrossed—scrolling through his phone with a calm expression, oblivious to the storm inside me. My mind is a million miles away, thinking about Elvis, our meeting, and the promise he made to set me free. I know I should not be holding onto his words, but I just can't help it—after all, I am in a marriage where I am nothing more than a placeholder.Noah’s phone pings. He opens the message and reads aloud in a cold, even voice. The words slice through the quiet, razoring into my chest."How do you feel living with a woman you do not love? How do you feel going in a contract marriage because she needs your help? Release her now!"My heart drops, and the room seems to close in around me. I instantly know who sent the message. There’s only one person who could know the truth, only one brave—or stupid—enou
Chapter Six: An Unexpected GuestIt's a quiet Saturday afternoon, and the soft light filters through the curtains in the living room. I'm sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn on my lap, staring blankly at the TV. Noah sits next to me, his gaze fixed intently on the screen. The show is nothing more than background noise. I can feel the space between us filled with things unsaid.I glance at Noah, who looks relaxed, but his expression gives away that he's not fully here with me. I wish I could understand what's going through his mind. It’s strange because the closer you are to someone—and we are—the more removed you can sometimes feel.I nibble on a piece of popcorn, trying to focus on the show, but my mind eventually wanders. I find myself speculating about Noah's past. I really don’t know anything about him; what’s between us is just boss and worker before all these contracts.Suddenly, the front door bursts open, and my head jerks up in surprise. A woman walks in, catching my
Chapter Five: The Risk of Meeting ElvisThe night I see him again, everything changes. Just one glance at Elvis, and it's like all the feelings I've tried to bury rush to the surface, flooding me with memories of love and laughter, of dreams we once shared. I barely make it through the evening, forced to stand by Noah's side, pretending to be his devoted wife. But my heart begins to race, my mind now filled with thoughts of Elvis. Then later, in the quiet of my room, my phone buzzes with a message.From Elvis."Can we meet tomorrow? I know it's risky, but I have to see you."I fixate on his words, a mix of excitement and fear. He's asking me to meet him, to take a chance despite everything that could go wrong. And, of course, I do know what I risk. Noah had made it clear from the beginning that this was a marriage about appearances, about control. The breaking of unspoken rules he wouldn't tolerate, most of all with someone from my past.But my heart is racing, and I refuse to fight t
Chapter Four : Rachel's Accidental Meeting with Elvis at the Charity Ball The air is filled with the chimes of laughter and music as I step into the grand ballroom. The hall is decorated with shiny lights and expensive pieces of art. In my simple dress, I am like a fish out of water among all these fancy whirling gowns. I look up at Noah, who seems deep in discussion with his business partners. Guilt reeks from his disposition as he looks very serious. He does not even notice me standing next to him. I know I was only here to play the part of his wife. As Noah walks away, the loneliness sets in. I look around, wondering what will amuse me, but it seems everyone has something to do, and they are all important. I take a deep breath and decide to wander a bit, hopeful to stumble upon a friendly face or maybe even a snack. I drift away from the main crowd, past beautiful decorations to a quiet corner of the room. Just when I think that maybe I'll escape this pressure, I hear that fami
Chapter Three: The First NightI sit alone in this big, cold bedroom. It is supposed to be my wedding night, but the silence wraps around me like a tight blanket. The bed is perfectly made, untouched, as if it’s waiting for someone who may never come. I glance at the clock on the wall; the emptiness of this room seems to swallow me up.Why am I alone on my wedding night? At least I could have expected some conversation, some acknowledgment that we were now married, though that marriage was not born out of love but rather out of force. But there is complete silence. And then it dawns on me—the cold reality of what Noah had said before. This is a business arrangement, period. I am his wife on paper, and that’s just it.I glance around, feeling the weight of this decision pressing down on me. My father is safe; his hospital bills are paid. Debt against my family’s name is a thing of the past. And maybe—maybe I could make this marriage work and pull my family out of poverty, securing a fu
Chapter TwoI sit alone in the dimly lit room inside the hall, clutching my phone tight. The screen lights up to yet another call from him, my boyfriend. I peer at his name, feeling my heart twist, but I don't answer. How could I explain any of this, the lie I'm about to live, the promise I'm about to make to another man? I feel the weight of the betrayal, yet I cannot bring my fingers to touch "answer.""Miss Rachel?" A soft voice pulls me out of my thoughts, and I look up to see an assistant standing at the door. Her face is blank and professional, as though this were just another task on her list."Yes?" I say, barely above a whisper."They're ready for you," she says politely, but I catch the hint of pity in her eyes. I nod slowly and rise to my feet, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on me.As I step into the main room, my stomach churns. Barely a couple of family and close associates seem to pay any attention to my presence. At the front, Mr. Noah waits, looking coo
Chapter OneI stand outside Mr. Noah's office, my hands clutching my bag, my knuckles white with tension. My heart seems to be pounding in my throat as I take a shaky breath, trying to calm myself. I know I have no business being here, no business asking him for this favor. But with my father lying in the hospital, his condition deteriorating with each passing day, I have no other choice. The thought sends shivers down my spine.I lift my hand and knock, barely able to hold it steady.“Enter.” Mr. Noah's voice is composed, almost bored, coming from the other side of the door.I step inside, feeling the nerves twist in my stomach. Mr. Noah is sitting at his large, polished desk surrounded by neat stacks of paperwork. He doesn’t glance up right away, merely looks in my direction, almost as if I’m an interruption to his day.“Mr. Noah,” I begin, my voice far quieter than it should be. I clear my throat, hoping to try again with a bit more bravado. “I need a minute of your time.”He doesn