CH.65

The room was thick with tension as Knox's gaze bore into Serena.

Was she okay? A bitter laugh threatened to escape Serena's lips at the absurdity of the question.

She had just discovered that her husband not only had a mistress but was also betrothed to some princess. And all this information came from a maid who had breathed her last in front of her eyes. How could anyone be okay after that?

Serena didn’t utter a word for over a minute.

Her mind raced as she pieced together what the dying maid had probably revealed unintentionally. Someone wanted her dead and all signs pointed towards Knox’s women being involved somehow.

The realization sent a chill down her spine and hardened her resolve.

“I’m far from okay!” Serena finally responded. "I want out. I want a divorce.” She added, lifting her gaze to meet Knox's cold stare.

She could see him stiffen at her words, but she continued undeterred. "I already had one cheating man in my life; I don't need another. I don’t need a second Alex!"

With that, Serena rose from her seat. Her chair scraped against the marble floor in an eerie symphony of discordance.

Knox was livid at her words. He towered over her enraged, gazing down at her with eyes that could kill.

"Come with me!" he commanded tersely before turning on his heel and striding towards the grand staircase leading up to his study.

Serena stood rooted to spot for a moment before shaking herself out of it. Anger radiated off her like waves of heat, filling the room with an uncomfortable energy that silenced everyone present.

Knox paused halfway up the stairs and glanced back at Serena over his shoulder. "I don't repeat myself. The last time I had to, the person didn't live long enough to try that mistake it again." His warning was clear and chilling.

A shiver crept over Serena at his words. She knew he wasn't bluffing; she had just seen him kill a maid in cold blood. And she knew he had done more than just shoot people. She knew from the start this man was dangerous.

"Go with him, sister-in-law," Killian urged her quietly from where he sat.

Serena swallowed hard. She clenched her fists so heard that her nails dug into her delicate palms and gritted her teeth in an effort to subdue her emotions. Finally, she forced herself to move, following Knox up the grand staircase and into his study.

He was already behind his desk by the time she entered, pulling out an envelope from one of the drawers.

"Here!" Knox said tersely, handing her the envelope.

Serena took it from him without a word, her eyes never leaving his face as suspicion gnawed at her insides. It felt heavy in Serena’s hands.

Knox sank into the ladder seat behind his decks, his posture casual and indifferent.

“Open it!” He gestured towards the document in her hands.

With a wary glance at him, Serena retreated a few paces before sinking into the plush leather of the sofa behind her.

She gingerly opened the envelope, her fingers trembling slightly as she pulled out the thick stack of papers.

Her eyes scanned over the bold letter on the first page that read: 'Contract Marriage Agreement.'

A wave of relief washed over Serena; at least it wasn't a death sentence.

She began to leaf through each clause carefully, her eyebrows furrowing as she took in their contents.

The contract was filled with dense legal jargon that made her head spin.

Some of the conditions seemed almost predatory in nature, designed to trap and control rather than protect and provide.

One particular clause caught her attention. It stated that Knox was permitted to have intercourse with another woman only in the event that Serena's life was endangered.

She stared at that paragraph for a long moment, unsure whether to laugh or cry at its absurdity.

Was he so unreasonable that he would sleep with another woman just to save her life? The thought alone was preposterous!

There were some clauses that seemed somewhat favorable to her. For instance: it stated clearly in black and white that she would be entitled to half of everything Knox owned. But then there was another catch - no divorce was permitted between them unless Knox decided otherwise.

"Wait... I can't even bring up divorce?" Serena asked aloud incredulously. "That's breaching the contract?"

Knox merely nodded from across the room, his silence speaking volumes more than any words could.

"And you," Serena pointed at him accusingly, "Party A... You're the one who decides my punishment if I break this contract?"

Again, Knox simply nodded without uttering a word.

After reviewing every clause twice over, Serena turned towards Knox with mixed emotions. "Are you... Are you really engaged?" she asked hesitantly.

Knox remained silent for a long moment before finally nodding his head in affirmation. "It was an arrangement made by my father," he admitted, his voice low and gruff. "But I won't be forced into marrying someone I don't want."

"Then why marry me?" Her voice wavered slightly, making it clear that tears were just one breath away from flooding her eyes.

She felt deceived by him even though she knew she didn't have any right to feel such an emotions considering her own actions. After all, she'd spent the night with a stranger and still bore the physical reminders of that encounter.

"Because you're mine." Knox's response was simple yet chillingly possessive.

A chill coursed through Serena's veins as she picked up on the subtle possessiveness lacing Knox's words.

His voice held a commanding tone that was both unsettling and oddly soothing at the same time. However, the part that he will cheat on her was the only thing that dominated her mind.

“The accident… who was it?”

"Someone who shouldn't have messed with what's mine! You!!" Knox's demeanor seemed casual, but the fire in his eyes suggested otherwise.

Serena hummed. “It was one of them, right? I barely escaped death this time.” Serena paused. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around how you were there.” She looked him in the eyes, seeking any hints that could help solve this mystery.

“Don’t bother yourself with it.” Came Knox’s response.

“Should I-“

“I don’t have all day.” Knox cut her off impatiently. He had said more than he ever did in a year this past couple of minutes they spent talking. And he didn’t have all day for this.

Serena was displeased. Yet she quickly pivoted the conversation, steering clear of the uncharted waters of their budding emotional connection.

"What about your family?" Serena inquired. The mere utterance of 'family' sparked a wildfire of fury within her.

Knox quirked an eyebrow at her question. “You will meet them!” He stared at her for a second. "What are your plans for your family?"

"Family?" Serena scoffed, rolling her eyes dramatically. "I don't have any family." The only person who had ever genuinely been family to her was her father. But now that he was gone, she felt like a ship lost at sea, tossed around by waves of uncertainty and grief.

She paused for a moment before lifting her gaze back up to meet Knox's eyes again with determination burning bright in them. "Can you help me find out what really happened that night? The night my dad supposedly had an accident? I will give you anything you want in return. Anything I can offer you. That includes… my body." Her voice wavered slightly.

She needed answers; she needed to know if there was still hope or if she should start grieving.

Knox looked solemn for a split second before his features morphed into an unreadable mask once again. He seemed to mull over her request for a moment before nodding slowly in agreement. "I'll help you investigate your father's case.” He assured her.

“I don't want anything in return," he added when Serena opened her mouth again. He did not want her to say anything further that would irritate him. "You're my wife now. Whatever I own is rightfully yours too."

Serena heaved a sigh. “Thank—” She started when a buzzing phone rang throughout the room.

Knox reached into his pocket and gracefully pulled out his phone, bringing it to his ear without even looking at the contact.

Serena could not hear what the other person was saying. However, the expression on Knox's face indicated that it was a call from his mistress. It softened into something she hadn't seen him offer her, and it broke her heart into a million pieces.