BOUND BY LIES :A BILLIONAIRE CONTRACT BRIDE

Ariel's POV

The weight of the thick white shroud gave the air an oppressive quality. Under it, my breath accelerated. Though I could hardly see the gathering, I could sense their sharp, penetrating, critical looks. I concentrated on the steadiness of my quivering hands.

My mind kept returning the words of my father. "You have the responsibility to guard your sister. One must sacrifice something. Giving something up. My job was always the pawn; never the queen.

"Ready?" The chilly voice of my father helped me to return to reality. His hand nearly hurt and grabbed mine. I nodded, and as we started our slow, agonizing trek down the aisle, he plastered on a smile.

Every stride was like negotiating glass fragments. The thunderous cheers of the audience mocked what this day actually was. And there Alan Walker was seated at the end of the aisle. The "husband" I have. Even in a wheelchair, he made a striking impression with dark hair framing a chiseled jaw and eyes as icy as nightfall in winter. He failed to grin. He avoided paying attention to me. Like I had always been to my family, I was nothing to him.

"Walk right, Ariel," my father growled, his hold tightening. Heart racing, I pushed myself to maintain time until we at last arrived at the altar.

The priest's voice droned on while my pulse screamed in my ears. Until Alan's sharp, impatient "Yes, I do." I hardly heard the words through the mist. His dark eyes shot at me, challenging me to stumble.

I started to swallow hard. Indeed, I murmured, my voice shaking just enough for him to hear. His eyes closed, and for a moment I felt as though I could see something flickering-pity. Contempt: before his frigid mask slid back in position.

You could be kissing the bride right now.

I fell into a panic. Was he really meant to be? Alan stayed still, though. He hardly looked at me either. Rather, he focused on his attendant. "Take me back to the villa," he replied, his voice free of feeling. Warred in me relief and humiliation.

The next minutes mixed together-a few muttered orders, a sign from the Louis family patriarch, and then we were being driven away from the altar. My feet moved automatically as my head whirled. It was this. Give up pretending. Now I was Mrs. Alan Walker, for much, much worse, or better, most likely.

I glimpsed my sister Maria's arrogant smirk as we left the vast hall. The sight set up a deep-seated explosion of wrath. She prevailed. Once more here. I vowed to myself, nevertheless, that this time I would not be so easily broken.

The way to get to the villa was quiet. Alan looked at me hardly once. His sharp-eyed, austere servant continued staring at us from across. He seemed nervous. The villa loomed ahead-a large, remote estate encircled by high iron gates. It reminded me of a jail.

Alan lost no time once he was inside. "Leave us," he gave the directive. The attendant bowed and disappeared. Alan wheeled himself to face me, his eyes hard. "Take off the veil."

I hesitated. "Now," he demanded, the icy authority in his voice leaving no room for argument.

With trembling hands, I lifted the veil. For the first time, I saw him clearly-handsome, yes, but his expression was carved from stone. He studied me with cold detachment, as if weighing every flaw and imperfection.

"So, you're the replacement," he said, his tone dripping with disdain. "You must feel proud."

The words cut deeper than I expected. "I had no choice."

He laughed-a harsh, bitter sound. "No one ever does in these families."

His voice was soft, but the threat was unmistakable. He rolled closer, stopping inches away. "Curiosity can be dangerous, Ariel."

The air crackled with tension. I felt trapped, but I refused to back down. "Maybe if you trusted me, I wouldn't have to be curious."

For a moment, something flickered in his eyes-surprise, perhaps. But then his mask slipped back into place. "Trust?" He laughed, a dark, humorless sound. "In this house? Trust is a luxury we can't afford."

He turned away, leaving me standing alone in the dim hallway. But as he wheeled himself away, I caught a glimpse of something-a shadow moving behind him, just for a second. And then it was gone.

A chill ran down my spine. There was more to this place than I realized, and more to Alan than he let on. I needed to know what secrets he was hiding before they consumed us both.

"Didn't I tell you to stay out of my way?" Alan's voice was like ice, his eyes narrowing as he wheeled closer. The dim light of the hallway cast shadows across his sharp features, making him look even more menacing.

"I wasn't-" I swallowed hard, trying to mask my fear. "I wasn't spying."

He leaned in, his face mere inches from mine. "Curiosity, Ariel, can be deadly."

"I don't scare easily," I whispered, despite the pounding of my heart. I met his gaze, refusing to look away.

Alan's lips curled into a cold smile. "Is that so?" He paused, the silence stretching heavy and oppressive. "You think you understand what's at stake here? You don't know half of it."

A flicker of movement behind him caught my attention-a shadow shifting in the corner. My eyes widened. Was someone listening?

Alan noticed my reaction, and his expression hardened. "Go to your room. Now."

I hesitated, torn between obeying and warning him. "Alan, there's-"

"Now!" His voice was a whip crack, echoing through the empty hall.

I backed away, my pulse racing. But before I could turn, the shadow moved again-faster this time, a blur of motion. Alan's eyes darkened, his hand slipping to something concealed beneath his jacket.

"Run," he ordered, his tone deadly calm.

I stumbled back, feet refusing to move as adrenaline surged through me. "What's happening?" I managed to choke out.

"Run!" Alan snapped, drawing a blade from beneath his coat. The glint of steel caught the light just as a figure lunged from the darkness.

I spun around, heart hammering, and ran, the sound of metal clashing and Alan's furious shout echoing behind me.

The journey to my new "home" felt like it would never end. Every second in the car stretched out like an eternity; the air was stifling. Alan sat next to me, his long, elegant fingers furiously tapping the keys while fixed on his laptop. Out of the corner of my eye, I studied him and saw the golden-brown flecks in his eyes and the way his jaw tightened with every keystroke. Even seated in that wheelchair, there was a force about him that bothered me.

He glanced up, so I had to have been staring too long. Our eyes locked, then I turned away quickly-heat rising to my cheeks. I corrected myself in my mind. Sort it, Ariel.

"Take a photo. It will endure longer, he said, his voice silky yet slanted with contempt.

"I wasn't-" I stammered while my hands twisted on my lap. "I was simply..."

"Curious?" His lips curled into a cold smile. "About your new husband?"

I bit my lip, afraid to give him the satisfaction of an answer. Silence fell over us again, thick with tension. I focused on the road ahead, wishing this nightmare would end.

But it appeared my nightmare was just beginning. The car suddenly swerved, pushing me against the seatbelt. Panic raced through me. What's happening?

Alan looked from his laptop not once. "Nothing you need to worry about," he remarked, his voice remote. Then he grabbed me against him without warning across the distance between us. His hold was tight, uncompromising. "Stay still."

Before I could resist, blackness enveloped us.