Delilah sat on the edge of the bed, her mind whirling as she processed Blake's revelation. She felt like she was suffocating, the walls closing in around her. She needed space, air, time to think.
"Please," she began, her voice trembling. "I need a moment alone. Just leave me for a bit. I need to think."
Blake's eyes held a mix of concern and understanding. He nodded slowly. "Alright, I'll be right outside the door. Take your time. And call me if you need anything," he said softly before heading for the door.
As soon as Blake stepped out, Delilah felt a wave of relief wash over her. She stood up and began pacing the room, her thoughts racing.
How had she ended up in this situation? Married to a man she didn't know, in a hotel room she didn't recognize, with no memory of how she got there.
She needed a plan. She needed to get out of this mess. There was no way she was going to stay tied to a jobless and broke man. Absolutely no way.
Delilah stopped pacing and took a deep breath. She had to face this head-on. Ten minutes later, she walked to the door and opened it, calling Blake back inside.
Blake reentered, his expression unreadable. Delilah took another deep breath, steeling herself for what she had to say.
"Uhm, I made a mistake," she said, her voice firm. "I was drunk, and I wasn't in my right mind. I don't believe in love or marriage, and I have no desire to be tied to any man. And to be honest, you're doing yourself a disfavor by being with me."
Blake's expression softened, but his resolve didn't waver. "I believe in love and marriage, Lila. And I want you."
She shook her head, frustration mounting. "I don't know who you are, and I don't want you. You know what I want? A divorce."
Blake's eyes darkened with determination. "I can't grant you a divorce. I won't."
Delilah's temper flared. "I understand you're broke and need money. If you're doing this because of money, I will pay you a good amount to disappear. I can't, and I won't be married to you!"
Blake laughed, a bitter sound that echoed in the room. "You know yourself so well," he said, shaking his head.
"What do you mean by that?" She asked with a confused frown.
"Despite how wasted you were, you predicted this would be your reaction last night. And that was the reason I kept insisting we wait until you were sober before getting married but you insisted on getting married last night, so you signed an undertaking."
"I did what?" Delilah asked in confusion.
Blake raised a finger, asking her to hold on as he walked over to the nightstand and pulled out another envelope from the drawer.
He took out the written note in the envelope and he handed it to her. "Here. See for yourself," he said and she took it from him.
Delilah's eyes widened in shock when her eyes fell on what was written on the paper.
It was a handwritten note, in her own handwriting and with her signature, stating that if she ever requested a divorce, she would give everything she owned to Blake.
"There's no way I wrote or signed this," she said, her voice barely a whisper. But the handwriting and signature were unmistakably hers.
Blake stepped closer, his tone gentle but firm. "I love you, Lila. I really do. And I'm not doing this because I want any money from you. All I want is you."
Delilah stepped away from him, "Can you quit calling me that? My name is Delilah not Lila. And stop talking about love. I don't love you. I don't want you. God! How did I get myself in this mess?" She asked as she buried her face in her palm.
"Are you being this way because I have no money?" Blake asked, sounding hurt, and Delilah looked up at him.
"I'm being this way because I do not understand what is going on. I don't buy you any of this crap you're selling. I don't trust you…"
"Then why don't you give me a chance to prove myself and my love to you? I'm not asking you to give me a dime. Let's stay married for at least six months. If, at the end of six months, you still think this marriage is a mistake, I'll grant you a divorce and I won't take anything with me when I leave," he said, holding her gaze.
"Six months? I can't stay tied to a stranger for six months…"
"I am your husband, Lila. Whether you believe it or not, I am your husband," Blake insisted, ignoring her request to not call him that.
"And if I say no?"
Blake shrugged, "If you say no, I'm still not going to grant you a divorce, but I'm going to post our wedding pictures all over the internet and make sure I ruin your chances with Hunter Quinn," he said, and her eyes widened in dismay.
"Hunter Quinn?" She asked, wondering how he knew about her interest in Hunter Quinn.
"You told me all about what you do. You told me he was the reason you were at the club…"
"I told you all that?" Delilah asked with a frown.
"Yes, you did. After I told you I have seen Hunter Quinn and knows what he looks like…"
"You do?" She asked again, thinking that maybe he wasn't entirely useless.
"Yes," he said, and Delilah's mind raced as she considered her options.
"Do we have to live together for this six months?" She asked curiously and he nodded.
"Yes."
"Where do you live?" she asked, hoping to find a way out.
"I live with a couple of friends," Blake replied, and she recoiled slightly at the thought.
"I can't live with you and your friends," she said, trying to keep the disdain out of her voice.
Blake nodded, seemingly understanding. "I don't mind moving in with you."
"I don't want a stranger under my roof," she said firmly.
Blake's gaze softened. "I am your husband, Lila."
She sighed, realizing she had no way out. "Fine. You can go get your stuff and move in with me."
Blake studied her for a moment, clearly seeing through her attempt to get him to leave so she could run off. "What's your home address?" he asked.
She hesitated for a moment and reluctantly gave it to him since she didn't want him to make good his threat of posting their pictures all over the internet.
Blake nodded, satisfied. "I will get my stuff and move over tomorrow," he said with a wide smile.
"You don't have to hurry. You can take a week or two," she said, hoping he would never show up.
"Tomorrow. Take care of yourself, Lila. I love you," Blake said before picking up his stuff around the room and heading for the door.