All Chapters of A Bargain Of Hearts : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Sienna's POVA perceptible wave of tension and anxiety hung in the atmosphere, tainting the air with an iridiscent chill, the kind that mirrored the turmoil in my mind. I leaned on the headrest and peered out the window, letting the breeze from the wheezing cars on the road dry up the sweat on my face as heat coursed through my veins.My body had an unusual way of reacting to anxiety. I would have numerous stomach aches, and since the anti nausea pills hadn't done their job, I sat straight in the backseat, and placed my hand on my stomach, an attempt to contend with the ache rippling through it."Gavin," I called out to my driver. "How long till we arrive at the court?""We're almost there ma'am," he answered slowly. "We'll be at the building in two hours."My stomach rumbled again, my intestines twisting into knots as a patch of goosebumps suddenly broke out of my skin, covering me from head to toe.Oh heavens. This was it. I said to myself as bile rushed to my throat. I placed my h

The next chain of events felt like a scene from a dystopian drama, and I stood there, dumbfounded and weak until two policemen nudged my shoulder and took me away. Edwina had finally won and the two people I called my parents gloated at me as though I was a common stranger. My heart sank down my stomach and I felt the weight of the words crashing on my shoulder. Ethan had betrayed me, and in the worst way possible. His last words rang in my ears, the English feeling weird for my analyzing ears until the flashing of camera lights jolted me back to life. The policemen were leading me through the crowd and the angry jeers erupting from them was something that would keep me up at nights. My acting career had been totally destroyed. I would have to pay numerous fines, my properties had been repossessed and all the money in my bank account was flagged as illegal. I can't believe Ethan did this to me, I can't believe I trusted him. The man I married had suddenly turned to a monster

“You’re serious about this,” I said, staring at the stack of papers Max had placed on the table between us. “You want me to marry you?”Max leaned back in his chair, his expression calm but unwavering. “I don’t play games, Sienna. This is a business arrangement. You sign the papers, follow the terms, and we both get what we want.”“And if I refuse?”He smirked. “Then you’ll find yourself back in that cockroach-infested apartment with no money and a child on the way.”I bristled at his tone but kept my voice steady. “Fine. I’ll do it. But I won’t stay in the same house as you.”“That’s non-negotiable.” Max’s reply was immediate. “You’ll live with me. If we’re going to convince the world this marriage is real, you have to be in my home. End of discussion.”I folded my arms. “You think you can control every part of my life, don’t you?”“No, Sienna. I know I can.”Before I could argue further, Max’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, then gestured to the butler standing by the door.

Sienna's POVI stood there, my hand in Max’s iron grip, as he delivered his glowing speech to the crowd. Every word felt like a knife twisting deeper into my chest.Love? Forgiveness? Redemption? What a load of crap.I forced a smile for the cameras, but inside, I was seething. This wasn’t a celebration—it was a circus, and I was the main attraction. Max had turned my life into a spectacle for his own amusement. I glanced at him, standing tall and confident, soaking up the gasps and murmurs from the crowd. He was enjoying this.“Smile, darling,” he whispered, his voice low and mocking.I bit my tongue, resisting the urge to yank my hand away and storm off. Instead, I tilted my head slightly, the smile plastered on my face so fake it hurt.The rest of the ceremony passed in a blur of forced grins and polite applause. As soon as we were out of the spotlight, I pulled my hand free and stepped away from Max.“Where are you going?” he asked, his tone calm but

Max’s POVIt’s not like I had not expected the reporters will snoop. I mean, that was the reason they were here in the first place. The plan was to get them all around her and then, just as I had done, I would be the Prince Charming to swing in and rescue her. Every now and then, to maintain balance, things like this needed to happen to remind her she badly needed me.“Harry,” I called as we reached one of the quieter rooms in the house.“Yes, sir?” my butler appeared almost instantly; his hands clasped behind his back.“Stay outside this door,” I instructed, gesturing to the room I’d just led Sienna into. “Make sure no one gets in unless I say so. And get her whatever she needs.”Harry nodded. “Understood, sir.”Sienna, standing by the window with her arms crossed, glanced at me suspiciously. “I don’t need a babysitter, Max.”“It’s not about what you need,” I said, keeping my tone even. “It’s about keeping people out. The last thing we need is anoth