Capítulo 1: The bride's tension
Isabella Quinn is ready to get married today, but still can't believe she has to marry because it's not her plan, and she doesn't even know what her future husband looks like.
The girl stood in front of the mirror nervously, admiring her beauty in a white dress that highlighted her beautiful and slender body, showing her smooth and clean shoulders, with a mole on the top of her breast that made her more attractive.
"Why am I so nervous? This is just a marriage on paper, nothing will happen except the pretense of being a wife... Yes..." She smiled faintly. "I will just be a disguised wife... And it won't be long... Of course, I don't want to keep Joe waiting too long."
"My beautiful sister!"
A loud voice suddenly filled the quiet, white-themed room from the door, and Isabella turned to find her younger brother, Loraine, approaching with a smile, looking dignified in a black tuxedo.
"I thought you wouldn't come," she said flatly.
"My sister is getting married, of course, I'll come because you're all I have," Loraine replied, stopping in front of Isabella and putting his hands in the pockets of his pants. "I've seen the groom, with his wheelchair..."
Isabella furrowed her brow, suddenly nervous again, imagining what her future husband might be like.
"He's not bad," Loraine said, glancing around. "I thought he'd be crippled and look frail. But not at all... He's strong, stronger than Joe, and handsome too... Sharp jaw... I didn't see any flaws in him if he wasn't in a wheelchair," he continued, looking back at his sister.
Isabella took a deep breath and turned back to the mirror, thinking of Joe whom she loved dearly, who had to let her marry because he couldn't help her overcome her family's debts because he was a simple man who worked as a gym instructor. The girl bore a heavy financial burden after her father died two months ago, while her mother had remarried years ago after divorcing her father, and no longer cared about them.
She couldn't handle this difficult situation just by relying on her job as a bridal dress designer, so she accepted Juliana Brown's offer to marry her son, Hunter William Brown.
"I have a plan," Loraine said, hands on hips. "I think you should make him love you or help him recover, then his family will be grateful and let you remain his wife..."
"What do you mean?" Isabella asked before Loraine finished speaking. She stared at him sharply.
Loraine shrugged.
"It's just a sudden idea that came to my mind when I saw Hunter... I think it would be great if..."
"Stop your nonsense!" Isabella cut in with a glare. "It's already decided that we'll only be married for three months, and I'll go back to Joe!"
Loraine smirked instead.
"There's always a chance to annul a contract marriage by creating love and trust. But you won't try just because you want to go back to Joe?" He shook his head, his gaze seeming pitying towards his sister. "You've been dating for 6 years... Now you're 27, it's time to get married. But what's the reality? He still hasn't given you a ring... He can't even help us when we're in trouble, so he'll let you marry another man, a contract marriage...
A man who truly loves his girlfriend would never let her do that!" he continued firmly but softly, looking at his sister's green eyes.
"And maybe I don't need to do this if you can be a useful man, being a brother who can protect his sister!" Isabella replied by tightening her teeth, until suddenly her eyes caught the door where She saw a middle-aged woman dressed in white glamor yellow, entered the room.
"Mrs. Brown," she whispered.
Loraine immediately turned around, greeting the woman.
"Mrs. Juliana Brown," he said with an awkward smile.
Juliana remained silent, focusing on looking Isabella up and down, and then back up again.
"You look pretty, not too embarrassing to be with my son," she said arrogantly.
Isabella gave a thin smile while feeling uneasy. 'I don't know if this is a compliment or an insult,' she thought.
"The groom's envoy will come here soon to fetch you. And I just want to inform you that you will receive one hundred thousand dollars once you officially become my son's wife, and then another one hundred thousand dollars in the second month, until the contract ends. But if you cause trouble or violate the contract before it ends, you must return all the money I have given you!" Juliana explained firmly, making Isabella shiver and lower her head.
Loraine leaned closer to Isabella. "I think you should take my advice and leave Joe... He will be trouble for you," he whispered.
Isabella ignored Loraine's whisper, focusing on Juliana.
"Your terms are terrible for me," she said.
"Why?" Juliana crossed her arms. "Are you objecting because you plan to cause trouble or behave as you please?"
"No, I never thought of that..."
"Then don't object to my terms!"
"But what if there's a slander that makes me look problematic or cause trouble... I won't be able to return the money you gave me because I will use it immediately to pay off my late father's debts... And I also can't work because I have to serve as your daughter-in-law for 3 months. It's very strange if you ask me to return the money while you know my situation," Isabella said angrily.
Juliana was silent as if contemplating Isabella's words.
"I don't think this is something to worry about," Loraine said, then hugged Isabella from the side. "I'm sure my sister won't cause trouble and won't have to return the money... You won't regret helping us," he continued with a convincing smile.
"Yeah... Then don't ever cause trouble, and everything will be safe," Juliana replied with a sinister look. "I might make a sudden decision if your sister causes trouble... And no one knows what I'm thinking," she added before walking toward the door.
Isabella clenched her fists, watching Juliana slowly disappear from her view. Her breath quickened, and her jaw tensed with anger.
"She is like a selfish sugar mama," Loraine muttered, releasing her embrace on Isabella.
"Now you know why I don't want to stay as her daughter-in-law," Isabella replied curtly.
Loraine laughed instead.
"Now you're saying that because you're angry, but maybe the situation will change once you truly become part of the Brown family," he said casually, approaching the vanity table. "You haven't even seen how handsome your groom is... He is so charming," he continued, picking up a comb and starting to brush his blonde hair.
Isabella was silent, suddenly very curious about what her groom looked like today. The girl sat on the edge of the bed covered with plain white sheets, with no decorations because it was not a bridal room but a regular one, and she had to do her makeup. Luckily, she was good at applying makeup.
A few minutes later, the groom's envoy arrived to instruct Isabella to proceed to the altar, and of course, Loraine would escort her.
The girl walked slowly, slightly lowering her head, crossing a white carpet while on both sides were rows of cream-colored chairs where guests or relatives sat to witness the wedding. The accompaniment of classical music made the atmosphere even more solemn, making her feel strange about that day, like it wasn't just a game, making her feel guilty if the marriage only ended as stipulated as if she had played with God.
'Oh God, I hope you forgive me... I'm doing this to be free from burdens... I truly apologize, but this is all I can do.'
"Look ahead, he's standing with a cane," Loraine whispered, breaking Isabella's daydream.
Isabella immediately lifted her head, her eyes looking straight ahead, finding a handsome man with black hair and a thin beard, standing with two crutches supporting his armpit.
She instantly slowed her steps, seemingly surprised by the groom now about 5 meters away from her.
His eyes were so cold, and his appearance was so authoritative, it made her scared and feel like she was dreaming about being a part of this man's life for the next 3 months.
'I never dreamed of living with a man who looks like that,' she thought, remembering Joe who always dressed simply, perhaps not even having a collection of formal clothes in his closet.
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