THE AGREEMENT

As Scarlett's eyes flicked between the contract and his hard, merciless eyes, Tucker's office seemed dense, stifling. She had previously known a guy before her, but now she could not exactly identify him. He was no more the lad she had adored. No longer the man pledging her a future. Still, these were here; they were a transaction. Her hand hung over the paper, the pen weighing more with every second. That was the one alternative still available. She was helpless. The only thing standing between Tucker and losing everything was her offer. However, at what expense? As he watched her sign the paperwork, his eyes gleamed with twisted gratification. He intended not to let this pass. This went beyond only preserving her house. This concerned punishing her for five years of past behavior.

Of course, Tucker murmured, his voice almost too calm and silky. You don't have to sign. But this is the price you will pay if you wish for for the money. Looking at the words on the notepad, Scar felt as though each one was weight bearing down on her chest. The marriage is the policies, the fines for transgression of them. One year of her life, living at this estate with him. Her skin crawled just from the thinking. The other choice was worse, though. She swallowed, bitterness of regret and betrayal rising in her throat.

She couldn't, however, afford to let it stop her now. Her fingers trembled as she grabbed the pen; her hand felt nearly suffocating weight from it. "Mrs. Beaumont, one year," Tucker said, his voice low and his lips curling into a smile. "One year to demonstrate you can obey me."Getting Ready for a Wedding White and airy, the bridal dress hung in the room's corner like it were taunting her. Under the strong room lighting, the fabric shimmered, each inch of which represented her imprisonment. Her stomach turned over just thinking about walking down the aisle in it. She was not having her wedding here. Her life was different from this. Nevertheless, it was occurring. Already the preparations were under way. Not even had she been asked. Tucker had seized authority over all.

From the dress to the venue, the date was set. Tomorrow. Her gaze moved over the gown again, the soft lace and silk blending together, forming a perfect cage, ready to lock her in. There was no escaping this. Not now. “You don’t seem thrilled,” a voice cut through her thoughts. Scarlet turned to find Bernard standing in the doorway, his expression sweet but troubled. He had been a constant in her life, the one guy who had always had her back. But even he could see how hopeless things had become. “It’s not what I imagined,” she murmured slowly, her voice nearly a whisper. “This isn’t the life I want.

It’s not what I planned.” Bernard went into the room, his eyes moving to the outfit before focusing back on her face. "I never considered you would wind up here. Still, you are acting as you should. You are battling for your house. And you will get through this. You possess strength. She tried to smile, but it fell short of her eyes. "I don't feel strong," she said. Then let me gently remind you of your strength, Bernard said. "I'll be here as needed." Though he said otherwise, Scar couldn't get rid of the sense she was losing who she was in the process.

The mansion felt oppressive as she walked down the long hallway toward the dining room. The grand chandelier overhead cast shadows that seemed to follow her every move. She didn’t belong here. The dinner table was set in the extravagant dining room, where the finest china and crystal gleamed under the soft candlelight. It all felt so… artificial. It felt like a world she could never truly inhabit. Tucker, seated at the head of the table, had the perfect posture of a palace king. He looked up at her as she entered, his eyes scanning her with an almost predatory intensity.

“Join us,” he said, his voice smooth, yet filled with an unspoken command. Scarlet hesitated, but there was no choice. She sat down across from him, the space between them suddenly feeling vast, like an ocean of years and regret that they could never cross. The conversation flowed easily around her, Tucker’s family, his colleagues, and his associates. They treated her like a stranger, like an outsider who didn’t belong in their world.

But none were as blunt as his father, Wyatt Beaumont, who didn’t waste any time in making his feelings clear.

“You must be thrilled, Scarlet,” Wyatt said, his tone dripping with disdain. "You're marrying my son." I never imagined you would return after all these years. Her stomach twisted at his words, but she kept her face neutral. She wouldn’t let him see how much it hurt. She wouldn’t let any of them see it. “I didn’t come back for him,” Scarlet replied, her voice even. “I came back because I had no choice.”

“Choice?” Wyatt’s lips curled into a smile that was anything but friendly. “You always had choices, but you made the wrong one, didn’t you?” Scarlet’s hands clenched in her lap, but she said nothing. She wouldn’t let him provoke her.

She wouldn’t let them see her break. Across the table, Gabrielle Richards, Tucker’s cousin, gave Scarlet a cold stare, her eyes narrowing. “You’re brave, Scarlet. I’ll give you that. But you won’t survive here. Not in this family.” Her words stung, but Scarlet refused to show it. She couldn’t show them the cracks forming beneath her surface. The evening dragged on, the food tasting like ash in her mouth, each word from Wyatt and Gabrielle a sharp reminder of what she had signed up for. And then, just as the dinner began to wind down, Wyatt leaned forward, his cold eyes locking onto hers. “You’ll never belong here, Scarlet,” he said, his voice a low growl. “No matter what you do, you’ll always be outside.” Scarlet’s breath hitched, her heart racing. She wanted to scream, to defend herself, but something in his gaze told her that fighting back would be useless. This was their world. She was just a temporary fixture in it.