Bella's POV
As the car moved through the massive iron gates, I could feel my stomach turning as I approached the Knight residence. The mansion loomed ahead, huge like something from a movie. I felt like I was entering the lion's den as I approached the imposing stone walls that seemed to be staring down at me. It had been years since I had visited, not since Lucas and I were children. It had felt different then, cozier, more welcoming. Like Lucas now, it was nothing more than a frigid stronghold that would not budge.
A blast of wind whistled through the expansive courtyard as I got out of the vehicle, sending shivers down my spine. The entry doors were made of a hefty, black wood that was ornately carved to imply old money and authority. I inhaled deeply, attempting to calm my nervousness. This encounter would determine how the rest of my life would proceed, so it was more than just a formality.
I rang the doorbell as I went up the marble steps, my footsteps booming louder than the last. The door creaked open a few moments later to reveal a butler in a smart black suit. With an ambiguous expression, he motioned for me to come in.
"Miss Rodriguez, Mr. Knight is waiting for you in the drawing room" he added in a subdued yet formal tone.
I nodded as a knot in my chest started to tighten. The butler took me down a lengthy hallway with pricey artwork and floors that gleamed and mirrored each step. The air in the house smelled polished wood and leather, and it was unnaturally silent. My heart was thumping in my ears.
I forced a breath as we approached the drawing room door. I had to remain composed at all costs. I couldn't let Lucas know how anxious I was, even though I knew this meeting would be difficult.
I went inside after the butler had unlocked the door. The space was spacious, with deep, rich burgundy and mahogany tones and lofty ceilings. Thick velvet curtains by the windows threw a gloomy light over the space. The faint crackling of a fireplace in the corner did nothing to defuse the tension in the room.
There he stood, Lucas Knight. With his back to me, he stood at the window and gazed out at the gardens beyond. His broad shoulders were stiff with effort, his dark suit finely made. I could sense the coldness emanating from him even from behind.
His voice was rapid and low, and he didn't look back as he talked. "You're late."
I tightly balled my hands at my sides, stifling a pointed rebuke. There was no need for a fight just now. "I arrived as quickly as possible."
At last, Lucas turned to look at me, and my breath caught at his appearance. I felt the weight of his gaze as his ice-blue eyes fastened into mine. He looked just like I recalled, if a little harder, colder, and more distant. The boy I knew so long ago had vanished.
His jaw tensed as he observed me for a brief while. "Let's get this over with."
I was shivering from the cold in his tone, but I forced myself to straighten up. I refused to allow him to scare me.
Lucas moved over to sit in one of the cozy leather seats near the fireplace and folded his arms across his chest. I took a seat in the chair across from him despite his lack of invitation, attempting to quiet the growing tumult inside of me.
I said, trying not to stutter, "So, I guess you understand why we are here."
Lucas leaned back in his chair and gave a snort. "Yes, Bella, I understand exactly why we are here. to prevent the collapse of your family. Is that correct?"
My face heated up as a result of his sharp words. I tried to explain myself, but Lucas cut me off before I could say anything.
"You believe I'm unaware of what's going on?" He went on, his tone brimming with disdain. "Your family is in dire need. The only thing keeping you from going bankrupt is your marriage."
Even though the reality of what he said made my heart race, I corrected him, saying, "That's not true. Neither did I ask for this."
Lucas arched an eyebrow and narrowed his icy eyes. "Did you not? It's difficult for me to believe you were unaware that your father would try to trick me into doing this."
The accusation angered me, and I balled my hands into fists in my lap. "I was unaware," I said, sounding harsher than I intended. "Until a few days ago, I was completely unaware of the marriage."
Lucas laughed sourly, his eyes becoming stern. "And you think I'll believe that?"
I shot back, meeting his gaze squarely, "Yes. Lucas, this wasn't what I wanted either. I guess I'm in the same situation as you are."
Something unreadable was in his eyes for a moment, but the mask went back to being icy. "Bella, stop being the victim. This mess belongs to your family. I now have the responsibility of tidying it up."
His cutting remarks made me wince, but I didn't give up. "I'm not requesting that you tidy anything. I have no control over this any more than you do."
For a while, we merely stared at each other, our tension heavy. The fire crackling was the only sound in the room, and that didn't help much with the cold.
Lucas leaned forward and fixed his intense gaze on mine. "Bella, this isn't a marriage. This is just a business transaction, nothing more. Don't get over your head."
I managed to contain my gaze as I swallowed the lump that was growing in my throat. "I am aware of that."
"Well," he remarked, leaning back once more. "Because I want nothing to do with you outside of what's necessary. We do this, we play the part, and then we go our different ways. Understand?"
I nodded, even if his words weighed a lot on my chest. Even though I knew this would be difficult, hearing him put it so plainly made it seem even more genuine.
"Okay," I mutely said. "I understand."
Lucas remained silent for a minute as he observed me. Then, just as I felt that the meeting was finally coming to a close, he revealed something else unexpected.
He spoke in a hushed tone, "There's something else you should know."
Unsure of where this was headed, I scowled. "What?"
"As stated in the contract," Lucas went on, maintaining eye contact with me the entire time. "Half of the estate goes to the other family if either of us dissolves the marriage within the first year."
My heart skipped a beat as I fixed my gaze on him. "What?"
Lucas continued, his voice aloof and remote, "You heard me. If you attempted to leave, half of whatever you and your family had would belong to me. Likewise, the same goes for me."
It seemed as though the room was spinning. The half of the estate? Such a thing had never occurred to me. Why would someone put that kind of thing in a marriage contract?
"Why?" I asked, my voice scarcely audible above a whisper.
Lucas's eyes went black. "Because your dad ensured it. He has no faith in you, nor does he in me. He therefore prevented us both from leaving this marriage. Not unless I lose everything."
I was having trouble breathing. My thoughts were racing, attempting to make sense of what Lucas was saying. This was a trap, not just a business transaction. A trap from which neither of us could escape without taking the lives of our families.
Lucas got up and moved in the direction of the door while I sat there, startled into silence.
Coldly, without bothering to look back at me, he continued, "I'll see you at the engagement party. Don't be late."
And just like that, he was gone, leaving me by myself in the drawing room's oppressive silence, my head reeling from what I had just discovered.
The weight of Lucas's remarks weighed heavily on me as I sat there. A sentence that kept us bound together and offered no escape. Why, though, would my father consent to this? And why has Lucas not said anything up until now? I got a dreadful sensation that this was just the beginning of what I didn't know, and that something was seriously wrong.