THREE

ELVIRA

"Why did you bring me here?" I manage to ask, wriggling my butt uncomfortably on the seat.

"Good question," Demetrius says, nodding.

"Okay?" I raise a brow, waiting for him to speak up, but it seems like he's in some kind of trance.

I furrow my brows in confusion as I glance over at Hendrix, who is smiling sheepishly at the other side of the table.

Although Hendrix seems just as cold as Demetrius, he still has a friendly aura that makes me feel a little bit relaxed.

"Damien, don't keep the little woman waiting," Hendrix says as a jovial smile appears on his face.

Looking up at him, Demetrius casts a chilling glare before averting his gaze towards me. "Remember I told you it was never my intention to marry you, right?" he asks.

I roll my eyes and furrow my brow, a frown forming on my face. Demetrius' blunt honesty can be quite annoying at times. "Yes, how could I forget the sweet words of my lovely husband?" I say, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

As the words leave my mouth, a slight frown creases Demetrius' face, but he quickly regains his usual unemotional expression. His cool demeanor only serves to irk me further.

"Without wasting much time, I will tell you why we are here," he says icily. "We are going to enter into a contract marriage."

I furrow my brows in confusion, what does he mean by those words?

"Excuse me?" I say, raising a brow.

"You heard me correctly," he says, snorting as he turns to face Hendrix. "Get me the documents."

Hendrix seems to hesitate for a moment, and Demetrius' irritation begins to grow. "Have you suddenly become daft?" Demetrius snaps.

"No, no, of course not!" Hendrix stammers, reaching under the table to retrieve the documents. I, who have been watching the discussion in confusion, arch an eyebrow at Hendrix as he hands the papers to Demetrius.

"Damien, you still have not changed," Hendrix jokes as he leans into his chair.

Demetrius glares at Hendrix coldly before focusing on the document that was handed to him.

"Damien," I repeat inaudibly but am heard by Hendrix.

"Oh yes, Damien," Hendrix says. "That is Demetrius' second name."

"You don't have to tell her everything," Demetrius' deep voice rings out, interrupting our conversation.

"Why would I not tell her? She is your wife," I say with a laugh. "And do you want to know something else?"

I smile, feeling a little bit more relaxed and finding Hendrix not as scary anymore.

"Of course," I nod, curious to hear more.

"This cold, emotionless devil right here is my brother," he reveals, making me gasp in surprise.

Subconsciously, I glance over at Demetrius who still has his head buried in the document, and then at Hendrix who has a broad smile across his face.

Now that I think about it, they do have a striking resemblance. Their pointy noses, angular jawlines, high cheekbones, intimidating appearances, and crazy height. The only difference is that Hendrix seems friendlier than Demetrius.

Demetrius remains engrossed in the document, giving me the opportunity to scan the office. It looks very classy and beautiful, exuding the same energy as its master. I notice some awards and pictures on the wall and suddenly it strikes me – Hendrix is a very famous lawyer in the country, known for never losing a case.

A wave of gratefulness washes over me as I sit in his presence. Having seen him on television and social media, he never seemed like someone who smiled. Even from the screen, he appeared very cold. So it's quite a surprise to see that he is jovial and friendly, unlike his brother Demetrius, whom I am unfortunately married to.

After what feels like hours, Demetrius finally speaks up.

"Go through this document," he says, gently placing it in front of me. "If you don't understand anything, let me know."

I take a glance at the document in front of me and then shift it back to Demetrius. "I don't understand a word this thing says," I admit, shaking my head.

Demetrius raises a brow, looking at me. He can't help but feel like he's entering into a contract with a stubborn woman, and he dislikes stubborn women. "It's easy," he says, sounding a tad annoyed.

"If it's easy, then explain it because I'm afraid I don't understand legal jargon," I respond.

"Alright," he nods, seemingly relenting. "It's not a secret that in a short time, my mother is going to die," he starts, but he's suddenly interrupted by Hendrix.

"Hey, hold it there, brother!" Hendrix exclaims. "Who is dying?"

Demetrius shoots him a stern stare before ignoring him. "You are going to be my wife. There is a 'but' there..." he pauses, allowing me to process the information.

After a few seconds, he continues, "Our marriage is going to be based on a contract, a five-year contract."

"What the..." I start, my face scrunching up with annoyance. Today, I went to the clerk's office to officially marry a complete stranger, and now he's even more insane and deranged than I could have imagined.

"And why would I go into a contract marriage with you?" I ask, my frustration evident in my tone.

"Do you prefer divorce?" he asks bluntly, raising an eyebrow without bothering to sugarcoat his words.

"Go on," I respond, wanting to hear the full explanation before making any judgments.

"Within the next five years, you are going to bear me a child who will continue my legacy," he repeats, his voice matter-of-fact.

"And what's in it for me?" I inquire, feeling my annoyance intensify.

"That's a good question," he replies, pulling out a blank check from his pocket. "Here's a check," he explains, placing it on the table in front of me.

I look down at the blank check before me. Is this some kind of joke? I give Demetrius a skeptical look, struggling to believe what he's telling me.

"Okay... but it's empty," I manage to say, my skepticism apparent in my voice.

"I know," he states, his tone as cold as ice. "You can write any amount you want on this check, and I'll give it to you. Think of it as a kind of... compensation." He slides a pen across the table to me.

I can't believe it. This has to be some sort of trick or trap. But the seriousness on Demetrius' face makes it clear that he's not joking.