CHAPTER TWO: THE PRICE

Signing the contract with Rex Patterson was supposed to be a way to get what I wanted—to survive. But as the ink dries on the page, I realize I’ve signed my soul away, and the consequences might be more than I can handle. I’m about to learn just how far Rex will go to make me his—again.

*********

I wake up in a bed that doesn’t feel like mine. The sheets are too soft, the scent of expensive perfume lingering in the air, and for a moment, I forget where I am. Then it all rushes back. The contract. The marriage. The deal with Rex Patterson.

I sit up quickly, panic rising in my chest, only to be greeted by a sharp ache in my head. I must’ve slept through the night, but I have no idea how. Last night feels like a blur, a haze of emotions and decisions made in the heat of the moment. I signed the contract. I agreed to marry him.

What the hell was I thinking?

My eyes dart around the lavish bedroom. The walls are lined with dark wood, the furniture sleek and modern, a far cry from the small apartment I’ve been scraping by in for the past few years. This isn’t my world. It never was, and it never will be.

I climb out of bed and head for the bathroom, hoping the cold water will shock me back into some semblance of clarity. As I wash my face, I hear the faintest sound—footsteps approaching. My stomach drops.

He’s here.

I know it’s him before I see him. Rex Patterson doesn’t need to announce his presence. He fills the room with his power, his presence overwhelming everything around him.

“Good morning,” he says, his deep voice smooth like silk but laced with something harder underneath. I turn to face him, surprised at how effortlessly he’s entered without knocking. But I’m not surprised, not really. He’s always been like this—dominant, arrogant, and used to getting what he wants.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. “You didn’t have to come in here, Rex. I’m perfectly capable of—”

“Of what?” He smirks, his eyes narrowing as he looks me up and down. I can feel the heat of his gaze, and for a moment, I wonder if he’s seeing me the way he did all those years ago. “Getting dressed? It’s already done. Your clothes are in the wardrobe. I’ve already taken care of everything.”

Everything. His voice carries a cold finality, as if my life now belongs to him—body and soul.

I turn away from him, determined to regain some semblance of control. “I didn’t agree to this for the clothes, Rex. I signed the contract because I need your help. Not because I want to live in your world.”

He laughs softly, the sound low and dangerous. “And yet, here you are, Vanya. You’ve made your choice.”

I want to scream at him, to tell him that this is all a mistake, but the words die in my throat. I made this choice. No one forced me. But I never imagined what it would feel like to wake up in his world, to realize how much he still controls everything around me, how much he could destroy me if he wanted to.

“You’ll get used to it,” he says, his voice softer now, almost… comforting? I try to shake the thought away. Rex Patterson doesn’t comfort anyone. “But for now, we have a lot of work to do. You’ll be attending your first event as my wife tonight. I hope you’re ready.”

I freeze. “What do you mean, my first event?”

“The gala. You didn’t think I was going to let you hide away in here, did you?” He steps closer, his body filling the doorway, making it impossible for me to escape. His presence is suffocating, but there’s an edge of something else—something dangerous and electrifying. “We need to make a statement, Vanya. You’re not just my wife on paper. You’re going to be my partner. And that means showing the world exactly what you’re capable of.”

I swallow hard. “I don’t care about your statement, Rex. I’m only here because I need your help.”

His eyes narrow, a flash of something darker crossing his face. “You think I’m doing this for you?” His voice lowers, and the chill in it sends a shiver down my spine. “You’re here because I want you here. This isn’t about help. It’s about control.”

I know he’s right, but I won’t give him the satisfaction of knowing it. “I’m not your possession, Rex.”

His lips curl into a smile, but there’s nothing warm about it. “No, you’re not. But you will be my wife. And don’t forget that.”

I turn away from him, trying to collect myself. “I need time to think about all of this. This is moving too fast.”

“It’s already been decided.” His voice is firm, final. “You’ll be at the gala, Vanya. I’ll see you there.”

I want to argue, to tell him that I’m not ready for whatever game he’s playing. But before I can speak, he’s already gone, leaving me standing there, alone in his cold, pristine mansion.

The gala is in full swing by the time I arrive, the bright lights and extravagant decorations almost too much to take in. Rex had insisted I wear the most expensive dress in his wardrobe—an off-the-shoulder black gown that feels like it was made for someone else. The crowd is buzzing with excitement, but all I feel is the weight of expectation pressing down on me.

I’m not here because I want to be. I’m here because I have no choice.

I spot Rex immediately—he stands out in any crowd, his tall, commanding figure a stark contrast to the delicate elegance of the other guests. His eyes scan the room, but when they land on me, his gaze sharpens, a slow smirk spreading across his face.

“Vanya,” he says, his voice smooth as silk. “You look... breathtaking.”

I force a smile, trying to mask the unease that swells inside me. “I’m glad you approve.”

“You will learn to fit in, Vanya,” he says, stepping closer, his hand brushing mine in a casual touch that sends a jolt of electricity through me. “I didn’t bring you here just to look pretty. You’re going to prove to them—to us—that you belong.”

I look up at him, his dark eyes burning with something unspoken, something that makes my heart race and my stomach twist. I want to believe him. I want to believe that this arrangement, this marriage, is just a formality. That nothing will change between us.

But the way he looks at me—like I’m something he’s claiming, something he’s controlling—tells me this is just the beginning. Rex Patterson isn’t interested in a simple, cold contract. He’s interested in making me his again. And I don’t know if I can survive that.

“Vanya,” he murmurs, his voice low and dangerously intimate, “tonight, we make a statement. Are you ready to show them who you really are?”

I nod, even though my heart is racing, because there’s no turning back now.

And somewhere deep inside, I know that the hardest part of this marriage won’t be living with him—it will be falling in love with him all over again.