Three

LENA POV

The next day, I was sitting and lost in thoughts in my office, when the door suddenly burst open to reveal my secretary Samantha.

I jolted with eyes wide.“What is it?”

“There’s someone here for you, ma’am.” Samantha gestured nervously. He says it’s urgent.”

After that I started to hear footsteps. I held my breath. Was it the stranger again? Nathan? In a matter of seconds, a tall man entered, with head slightly bowed.

As he lifted it up, disappointment or relief rather, settled on my face. It wasn’t the Nathan guy, though something about this other one’s polished attitude appeared similar.

He placed a hand on his chest to say, “I’m Ishmael Ross, Mr. Hayle’s personal assistant.”

The mention of that name Hayle made me tense. Samantha shifted awkwardly behind me while the Ishmael fellow started to extend a black phone toward me.

“Mr. Hayle would like a word with you.”

I eyed it suspiciously. “I don’t take orders from anyone.”

The man’s expression didn’t change. His arm remained outstretched. He must have learnt that calm certainty from his boss. That skill of preying on the desperation of their victims.

Frustrated, I snatched the phone. Taking a deep breath as I pressed it to my ear. “What the hell do you want?”

There was a pause at the other end.

Then, Nathan’s voice, smooth and commanding as always, declared calmly. “Be my wife tonight.”

“I would rather die!" I gripped the phone so hard in my hands. “Do you hear me, Nathan Hale? I am not your wife. I don’t want to be your wife. Hell, I don’t even want to be in the same airspace as you.”

“Now, that’s just hurtful,” he mused. “We’ve barely even begun.”

“We?” My voice shot up. “There is no ‘we,’ you lunatic! Whatever contract you have means nothing to me. I don’t know what kind of con you’re trying to pull, but I am not playing along. If I ever did sign anything, it was under duress, or maybe you even drugged me!”

Nathan chuckled again, that deep and infuriating sound. “Now, now, let’s not get dramatic. You signed willingly.”

“I would rather believe aliens invaded my brain and forced me to do it.”

“That’s creative,” he admitted. “But no. Just you, me, and your very clear request that I marry you.”

“Oh, go to hell!” I snapped as I paced my office. “And take your stupid contract with you. Do you think you can just waltz into my life, throw a piece of paper in my face and expect me to play the doting wife? You’re insane. ABSOLUTELY UNHINGED!”

Nathan Hale laughed again. He actually laughed like this was some kind of joke. “I was wondering when the insults would start.”

“You want insults? Fine. You are an egotistical, manipulative, overgrown toddler with a god complex. A complete and utter—”

“Do you kiss your fiancé with that mouth?” he interrupted.

I gasped. "I am NOT your fiancé!”

“No,” Nathan agreed. “You’re my wife.”

I could practically hear the smirk in his voice. “Listen to me, you—”

Click.

I stared at the phone in disbelief. Did he just hang up on me?

I turned to the personal assistant still standing there, the very one who had handed me the phone in the first place. He watched me with hands clasped in front of him like this was just another normal day for him.

“Here.” I shoved the phone back into his hands. “Take this back to your boss and tell him...tell him...” I growled. “You know what? Don’t tell him anything. He’s not worth my breath.”

"Whatever you say, Miss Carter."Ishmael gave me a small, polite bow.

I crossed my arms. “What kind of man laughs when a woman curses him out and tells him to drop dead?”

The assistant merely adjusted his tie. “Mr. Hale is the kind of man who doesn’t take no for an answer.”

I narrowed my eyes. “That’s not reassuring.”

He nodded, like I had just confirmed something he already knew. “I’d urge you to attend the gala tonight, Miss Carter. At the very least, hear him out.”

“That is not happening.”

The man didn’t argue. He simply turned on his heel and walked away, leaving me standing in the middle of my office and looking like a mad woman.

I needed air.

Grabbing my bag, I marched out of the office and headed straight to one of my apartments closer to my office. I got into my car and drove off. I was on my way when my phone rang. I glanced at the screen, sighing in relief when I saw Grace’s name.

“Hey,” I answered, putting the call on speaker.

“Lena!” Grace shrieked. “Oh my God, are you seriously getting engaged to that man? I thought it was a joke until I saw the tabloids this afternoon!"

I groaned, gripping the wheel tighter. “Grace, I’m not getting engaged. I don’t remember agreeing to something like that.”

There was silence on her end. Then, “Wait. What?”

“I don’t remember agreeing to any of this. I don’t remember signing any damn contract. But my lawyer says I did, and that it’s legally binding.”

Grace sucked in a sharp breath. “Lena… that’s insane. Do you think someone forged your signature?”

“I thought that too, but my lawyer swears that I signed it myself. That I wasn’t drugged or coerced, and that it’s legit.”

Grace let out a low whistle. “Okay, okay. Let’s think this through. You need to go to that gala and tell Nathan you’re not marrying him. Simple. He should listen to you, right? After all, he cannot force you to the altar.”

I laughed humourlessly. “You think he’ll just say ‘Okay’ and let me go?”

“There has to be some legal loophole,” Grace insisted. “No way you’re stuck with this for three years.”

I groaned and threw my head back against the seat. “My lawyer already checked and there isn’t any loophole that can save me. Since I signed the contract willingly, I’m bound. And since I signed it two or three days ago, I can’t dissolve the marriage just yet. I have to stay married to him for at least three months before I can even attempt to get out.”

“Three months?!” Grace shrieked. “Lena, this is crazy! What are you going to do about David?”

David!

My heart ached at the mention of his name. The man I loved. The man I had spent years building a future with. How was I supposed to explain this to him? How could I throw everything away just like that?

“I’ll try to call him,” I muttered in response to my friend. “That's if he’ll even listen to me. My engagement is public news now.”

Grace sighed. “Lena, you know I’d burn down the world for you, right?”

I laughed. “I know, babe.”

“Good. Call me if you need anything, okay? Even if we need to beat Nathan Hale's ass, I'll do it with you.”

“Thanks, Grace.” I ended the call and immediately dialed David’s number. The call went straight to voicemail. In shock, I listened to the automated message.

"Leave a message, and I'll call back later...."

Bullshit. I tried again, and it went to voicemail yet again.

A sick feeling settled in my stomach as I pulled into my apartment building’s parking lot.

I stepped out of the car, still trying his number. He wasn’t answering. Was he ignoring me?

I reached the elevator, my finger hovering over the button when a voice called out to me.

“Miss Carter.”

I turned to see the front desk man watching me with a polite expression. “Yes?”

“A dispatch rider came earlier. He left a package for you from a Mr. Nathan Hale.”

I let out a loud, frustrated groan. “Can I go ten minutes without hearing that name?”

The man chuckled and gestured toward the desk. “Would you like to see it?”

I dragged my feet toward him as he brought out a large box and placed it in my hands. It was heavier than I expected. My stomach went tight with anxiety.

“What’s inside?” I muttered to myself, turning the box slightly. There was no indication, no label, just a plain black box with some fancy insignia and my name on it.

I sighed, thanking the man before stepping into the elevator, clutching the box against me.

What are you up to, Nathan Hale?