Chapter 2 Married on Paper

Cassandra’s POV

I couldn’t hide my shock as I looked around my house—a house that my mother always cleaned every morning, now filled with chaos and dirt at every step.

I remembered that just last night, my mother had asked me to fix the main light in our house, which had been left dead for more than a week. But now, the chandelier was lying on the floor, and its crystal pieces shattered across the room.

I stepped forward with trembling legs. My breath caught in my throat, and I could feel tears welling up, blurring my vision. My fear worsened as I realized there was no sound at all—the house seemed like an abandoned building that had been left empty for years.

“Mom?” My voice trembled, and I nearly screamed in frustration when there was no response.

I knew something terrible had happened in this house while I was outside. But I had to know just how bad the situation was. What had happened that made our home so dark and chaotic like this?

“Mom?”

“Finally, you’re home after making me wait for hours!”

I stopped and turned when I heard a voice I knew all too well, even though I hadn’t heard it for at least the last six months.

“What have you been doing out there? Have you started selling yourself now, so you coming home at midnight?”

“Leave her alone, Andreas!” The house lights came on along with my mother’s weak voice—it was clear she had just been crying.

“Shut up, or I’ll do worse than what you’re seeing,” Andreas Floyd—my father—walked calmly and sat down on the sofa, which was littered with shattered chandelier crystals. He pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and exhaled the smoke into the chaos of our home.

From a distance, I could see many wounds on my father’s body. Fresh blood still trickled from the corner of his mouth and his temple, indicating that the injuries were recent.

“Do whatever you want to me! Just don’t touch Cassie!” Daisy Floyd, my mother quickly interjected.

I turned my head and hurried over to my mother, gripping her hand and checking if she had any injuries like during Andreas’s last visit to our home.

“Mom,”

“I’m fine. Calm down.” My mother gave me a look full of anger—something I had rarely seen from her. “Leave the house. Stay at Franco’s apartment or with another friend. Just don’t stay here right now.”

“If you step out of this house, you know I’ll do something terrible, right, Cassie?” My father responded calmly. He leaned back on the sofa and exhaled his cigarette as if the chaos around him didn’t bother him at all.

I swallowed hard.

I hated this situation as much as I hated Andreas.

“Can you, for once, stop taking out your anger on us and solve your own problems? How long are you going to stay like this, Dad?” I looked around and once again realized just how bad my house was this time.

“Until you stop being the source of my problems and stop wasting my money!” My father glared at me. “The choice is yours. You want to follow what I say and solve my problems, or live as a bitch with your dying mother?”

I didn’t know how someone could live with a heart as hard as a stone their whole life. But if there was anything I could do to stop being the source of this man’s problems, I would gladly do it. Unfortunately, I still couldn’t stand on my own two feet and take responsibility for everything. I... reluctantly had to admit that I still needed his money to pay for my mother’s medical bills.

“So tell me, how can I solve your problems? I still need your money, so what can I do to take care of the rest?”

“Cassie!” My mother walked quickly, not caring that her feet might get hurt by the broken chandelier. “I told you to leave this place!”

“You want to fix my problems?” My father smiled slyly. “This is exactly what I’ve been waiting for from you, Cassie. You’ve always been an understanding child, always knowing my problems.”

I exhaled slowly. “So, tell me what I have to do.”

“Go to bed and wake up early. Tomorrow, you’re getting married. Do that to pay off my debts, and I’ll cover your mother’s medical bills.”

I felt as if a massive stone had fallen on me, crushing me completely, as if the sky was mocking me and every dream I had ever had.

Oh God, of all the terrible things my father had done to me, why did he have to do something even worse now? Why did he have to sell me? Why didn’t my father try to protect me but push me towards destruction instead?

***

The hustle and bustle of New York City always greeted everyone’s morning rush. Even though the city never sleeps at midnight, it’s undeniable that the chaos in the morning is far crazier than at any other time.

Usually, I would start my day with a cup of coffee, preparing to find work and attend some interviews. But this morning, I hadn’t started my day with coffee, even though my eyes felt heavy from lack of sleep. My vision was blurry, perhaps because I had cried too much, making my head spin. My skin was paler than usual, and I had no idea what was causing it.

Instead of taking the bus to attend an interview this morning, I stood in front of a luxurious hotel I had never been to, even though I had lived in New York my whole life.

The building’s pillars looked grand and sturdy, surrounded by elegant marble. The lobby floor reflected her image with every step, showing that it was always kept spotless to maintain its beauty.

I… was getting married.

And I would only meet my groom after stepping inside the hotel and meeting him in a pre-arranged room.

Was I aware I was doing something crazy? Of course, I was. But would I turn back and cancel all my decisions? No. I couldn’t do that when I knew it was the only way to ensure my mother got the treatment she needed.

So, I chose to keep walking, even though my legs trembled as I opened the glass door that led to the room where I would meet my fate.

I glanced around—finding two men in black suits sitting at the end of the table while another man pulled out a chair for me as if to show me where I was supposed to sit.

The room was like a cookie jar made of glass.

Glass. The room’s walls were transparent, allowing me to see outside, but anyone standing outside couldn’t see what was happening inside.

In my 23 years of life, this was the first time I had entered such a place like that. And I must admit I cursed every step that brought me there.

Was one of them was him?

“You can still change your mind now, Cassie. I will always support you. We can get through this together,” my mother murmured, gripping my hand tightly.

“I won’t change my mind.” My words were full of doubt. I could hear that doubt clearly, but I knew that nothing would change my mind.

“This won’t stop anything. You’re just throwing your life into ruin.”

I closed my eyes. “It’s my decision, Mom,” I whispered softly.

“Miss Floyd, could you please take your seat so we can start the agreement?”

The agreement?

Well, what was happening here? Was I making an agreement or attending my own wedding?

“Come on, Mom. Let’s just get this over with.”

My mother. The only person I had in my life was her mother. Even when my father had trapped me and pushed me into great destruction, only my mother was willing to walk beside me, while my father had disappeared without a trace. He had pushed me out of the car in front of the hotel lobby and left me as if my sacrifice meant nothing to him.

“Good morning, Miss Floyd. I’m Dixon Andrean, and I’ll be handling the entire agreement regarding your marriage to Mr. Alexavier. The prenuptial agreement document is in front of you, which you can read now. You can ask about any points you don’t understand, and I’ll explain them to you. If anything bothers or concerns you, I’ll represent Mr. Alexavier to make revisions that benefit both parties. It’s quite simple, isn’t it?”

I reached out to take the document in front of me. “What… does all this mean?” I muttered softly, but I was sure Dixon could hear me clearly.

“Mr. Alexavier isn’t in the United States this morning due to urgent business he needs to attend to. However, according to the agreement with Mr. Floyd, this marriage must take place today. So, I will—”

“He’s not here?” I cut him off quickly.

“Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it at this time.”

Although I hadn’t seen any expression on Dixon’s face since I first entered this room, I could now tell that he was showing a look of pity for me.

Great. Now, I looked pitiful enough that someone was feeling sorry for me.

“Are you playing with me?” I furrowed my brows. “I was forced to come here in a white dress, only to find out that the man I’m supposed to marry isn’t even in the country. I don’t even know him, and I’m being asked to read a marriage agreement. What’s the point of all this?” I couldn’t hide my anger, of course.

No, I wasn’t angry because my groom hadn’t shown up. I don’t give a shit about the man and whatever he is doing. What made me furious was the fact that this marriage didn’t matter to either of them. If it wasn’t important to him, why should they get married? Why destroy the life of someone he didn’t even know? Was this man even human? Where was his heart?

“Hasn’t Mr. Floyd explained the reason behind this marriage?”

“He owes your boss money, right? How much did he give him? If he’s the one in debt, why am I the one being sold to you?”

“Of course, Mr. Floyd didn’t sell you. This is an agreement—”

“What’s the difference, damn it?!”

“Miss Floyd, could you please remain calm? We didn’t force you to come here. You don’t need to sign anything if you don’t want to go through with this marriage. It’s a very simple decision.”

The man sitting next to Dixon gave me a sharp look, showing his irritation with my previous remark.

“Please don’t cause a scene. I fully understand that you’re unhappy with what’s happening to you. However, Mr. Floyd has a debt and offered you as part of the settlement. If you disagree with anything, you can take it up directly with Mr. Floyd,” Dixon responded calmly.

Who were these people?

Why can someone live without a heart and compassion?

“Or maybe you’d like to read the agreement,” he added, “there are a few important points that might make you reconsider. One of them is permission to continue living with your family during your marriage.”

Crazy. This whole situation was insane.

“You can read it and think it over. I’ll give you one hour.” After saying that, Dixon stood up and walked out of the room with the other man who had been sitting next to him.

One hour. I had only one hour to decide on a choice that would bring a big change to my life and lead me to a different path.

I didn’t believe in love, not after seeing how much my mother suffered because of my father. I knew that life was too long to spend being the wife of some jerk, which is why I had never thought I’d get married. But if I ever had to marry, I wanted a family that was at least better than what I had now. At the very least, there shouldn’t be the sound of breaking glass during every argument or blood flowing from every punch.

So… what had happened to my life now?

***

As of today, Cassandra Ansley Floyd is officially married. I am a married woman, and I can’t believe that.

My status had changed from when I stepped into the hotel to when I walked out of it.

Now, I was the wife of someone… someone I had never met or even known by name.

Sure, I had heard his last name mentioned a few times, but who cared about the bastard who didn’t even bother to show up on his wedding day?

Lots of people had that last name. I hoped I wouldn’t spend my life cursing every person who has that name.

“Did you already call a taxi?” My mother walked beside me, gripping my hand tightly as if to show that I could always run to my mother no matter what happened.

“Yes, we just have to wait a few more minutes.” I clutched the agreement documents tightly. Aside from the marriage certificate, those papers were the most important thing I had to hold onto, filled with dozens of clauses I had agreed to with… my husband’s representative. One clause that gave me a little relief was allowing me to continue my life under my own name without taking my husband’s. No one would know about this marriage, and I was free to do whatever I wanted as long as it didn’t violate our marriage agreement.

Well, that meant I wasn’t allowed to have a boyfriend or marry anyone else while still legally bound by the marriage. But that wasn’t a big deal because, as I had said before, I had no plans to marry anyone.

“I’m sorry you had to go through this,” my mother sighed deeply.

I turned to her and nodded. “Don’t worry, Mom. Nothing about my life will change, even if I’m married to that jerk. I’ve read through all the points, and… it seems like he won’t even come to me to claim his rights as my husband. So, my life will go on as before.”

I could feel the weight on my shoulders when I spoke calmly to my mother.

My life hadn’t changed drastically, but of course, I was aware that there would be many new limitations.

“You know, Cassie? My life may not be long, even though you’re doing everything you can to get me treatment. But your life is still very long, and you could have a much better path. That’s why I don’t agree with what you’re doing now.”

“My life may still be long, but I need you by my side, Mom. So stay alive for me.” I gave my mother a smile filled with sadness.

Yes, I got married today.

My mother’s white dress was still on my body. I wore simple makeup that made me look a little different from my usual self. My hair was left down, and my lips were adorned with pink lipstick.

I didn’t look like a bride with my current appearance. Yet I had just signed a marriage certificate and the papers for my ‘Paper Marriage.’

Damn it. In my one and only life, why did I have to go through this?

My phone rang—it must be my Uber driver calling. I quickly answered the call from the unknown number. "Hello, is my Uber here? I'm waiting in front of the main lobby."

"Uber?" A man’s voice came from the other end of the call. "Should I be seeing my wife using an Uber?"

I felt as if a stone had fallen into my heart, leaving me frozen, unable to hear the noise around me.

"Who are you?" My voice trembled, and I truly hoped I wouldn’t hear an answer that might rob my strength to stand.

"Your husband," the man replied with a calmness that contrasted with my clenched fists and tight grip on the phone. "How was our wedding? Did you enjoy the surprise I arranged?"

"You didn’t come. Is that what you call a surprise?"

"Did you want me to come?"

For all that existed in the world, I hoped I would never meet this man for the rest of my life.

"I wish you were dead."

"Then I’ll die after making love to you. Where can I meet you, my wife? Should I come to your house, or would you prefer to meet and fuck me in my hotel room?"