The Rule Of The Marriage

Elliot stared at the contract in front of him long after he had signed it.

His signature looked strangely unfamiliar on the expensive paper.

Elliot Hayes.

He had just agreed to marry Lucian Cross.

A forty-year-old billionaire he barely knew.

For one year.

Five million dollars.

It sounded like the kind of deal that only happened in movies.

Yet here he was, sitting in Lucian’s private office, wondering whether he had just made the biggest mistake of his life.

Lucian picked up the contract and calmly examined the signature.

“Good.”

Elliot frowned.

“That’s all you have to say?”

Lucian looked up.

“What did you expect?”

“I don’t know. Maybe congratulations?”

“This isn’t a real marriage.”

The words shouldn’t have bothered Elliot.

But somehow, they did.

He looked away.

“I know.”

Lucian placed the contract inside a black folder.

“The wedding will take place next Saturday.”

Elliot’s eyes widened.

“Next Saturday?”

“Yes.”

“That’s only seven days.”

“I don’t have time to waste.”

Elliot gave a nervous laugh.

“You really are used to getting everything you want, aren’t you?”

Lucian’s expression remained unreadable.

“Yes.”

Elliot shook his head.

“Of course you are.”

Lucian stood and walked toward a small cabinet.

“There are rules.”

Elliot immediately became serious.

“What rules?”

Lucian turned around.

“First, nobody can know this marriage is contractual.”

Elliot nodded.

“Fine.”

“Second, you will move into my penthouse tomorrow.”

Elliot nearly jumped out of his chair.

“Tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“I have an apartment.”

“You also have three months of unpaid rent.”

Elliot froze.

“How do you know that?”

Lucian’s eyes remained fixed on him.

“I told you. I did my research.”

Elliot felt embarrassed.

“That’s none of your business.”

“It becomes my business when you’re going to be my husband.”

The word made Elliot uncomfortable.

Husband.

He still couldn’t believe it.

Lucian continued.

“Third, there will be no romantic relationships outside this marriage.”

Elliot raised an eyebrow.

“I wasn’t planning on dating anyone.”

“Good.”

“And what about you?”

Lucian paused.

“What about me?”

“You’re not allowed to date anyone either.”

For the first time, a faint smile touched Lucian’s lips.

“Are you jealous already?”

Elliot’s face immediately heated.

“What? No!”

Lucian’s smile disappeared as quickly as it came.

“Good.”

Elliot folded his arms.

“You’re really annoying.”

Lucian simply stared at him.

No one spoke to him like that.

Yet instead of being angry, he found himself strangely amused.

“Fourth,” Lucian said, “you don’t enter my private study without permission.”

“Fine.”

“Fifth, you don’t discuss our agreement with anyone.”

“Fine.”

“And finally…”

Lucian walked closer.

Elliot looked up at him.

“The moment you decide you don’t want this anymore, tell me.”

Elliot studied his face.

“And you’ll let me go?”

“Yes.”

Something about the certainty in Lucian’s voice surprised him.

Elliot slowly nodded.

“Okay.”

Lucian extended his hand.

“Then we have a deal.”

Elliot stared at his hand before taking it.

The moment their hands touched, something strange happened.

Lucian’s fingers tightened slightly around his.

Elliot looked up.

Their eyes met.

For a second, the room seemed unusually quiet.

Lucian released him first.

“Someone will pick you up tomorrow morning.”

⸻

The next morning, Elliot stood outside his tiny apartment with two suitcases.

He looked at the place one last time.

It wasn’t beautiful.

The walls were cracked, the furniture was old, and the kitchen sink leaked whenever he used it.

But it had been home.

At least for a while.

A black car stopped in front of the building.

Elliot stared at it.

I’m really doing this.

He placed his bags inside and got into the car.

Twenty minutes later, the vehicle stopped in front of an enormous glass building.

Elliot stepped out.

He looked up.

The penthouse occupied the top three floors.

“Are you serious?” he whispered.

A member of Lucian’s staff approached him.

“Mr. Hayes, welcome.”

“Please just call me Elliot.”

The woman smiled politely.

“This way, sir.”

Elliot followed her inside.

The moment the elevator doors opened, he forgot how to breathe.

The penthouse was enormous.

Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the entire city. Expensive furniture filled the living room, while massive paintings decorated the walls.

Elliot looked around.

“I could fit my entire apartment in this living room.”

The staff member smiled.

“Mr. Cross asked us to prepare the bedroom.”

“Bedroom?”

“Yes.”

Elliot stopped.

“Whose bedroom?”

“Yours and Mr. Cross’s.”

Elliot’s eyes widened.

“Wait. We’re sleeping in the same room?”

Before the woman could answer, a deep voice came from behind him.

“Yes.”

Elliot slowly turned.

Lucian stood there.

He was wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing strong forearms. His dark hair was slightly messy, making him look less like the intimidating billionaire Elliot had met yesterday.

And somehow, that made him even more dangerous.

Elliot swallowed.

“You never said we’d share a room.”

“You never asked.”

“That wasn’t part of the deal!”

Lucian walked toward him.

“If we’re going to convince everyone we’re married, separate bedrooms would raise questions.”

Elliot opened his mouth.

Then closed it.

Unfortunately, Lucian had a point.

“I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because this is your home now.”

Lucian walked past him.

“The bed is large enough for two people.”

Elliot stared at his back.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Lucian stopped.

Without turning around, he said calmly,

“Don’t worry, Elliot. I won’t touch you.”

Elliot’s cheeks warmed.

“I wasn’t worried about that.”

Lucian finally looked back at him.

“Then why are you blushing?”

“I am not!”

A faint smile appeared on Lucian’s face.

Elliot immediately looked away.

He had a terrible feeling that living with Lucian Cross for one year was going to be much harder than he had imagined.

And he was right.

Because that evening, while Elliot was unpacking his clothes, Lucian received a phone call.

His expression changed immediately.

“Who told you?”

A pause.

Lucian’s jaw tightened.

“I don’t care what my grandfather wrote in his will.”

Another pause.

His eyes shifted toward Elliot.

“And nobody is going to find out that my husband is part of a contract.”

Elliot froze.

He hadn’t meant to listen.

But he heard every word.

And suddenly, he realized something.

Lucian hadn’t told him the whole truth.

There was something much bigger behind this marriage.

And Elliot was already trapped in the middle of it.

To Be continued

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