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Sebastian stared at her, his expression shifting from disbelief to cold fury. His piercing blue eyes locked onto hers, scrutinizing her like she was some kind of con artist. Chloe shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, but her indignation flared hotter than her discomfort.
"What kind of scam are you running?" he asked, his voice low but laced with venom.
Chloe's jaw dropped. "Excuse me? Scam?"
Sebastian took a step closer, his towering presence looming over her. "You don't accidentally marry someone. This is a calculated move, and I don't have the patience to play along with whatever ridiculous game you're trying to pull."
"Oh, get over yourself, Mr. Billionaire," Chloe snapped, her anger boiling over. "I don't even know who you are—"
His sardonic laugh cut her off. "You're joking."
"Do I look like I'm joking?" she shot back, glaring up at him. "I'm not some scheming gold-digger, okay? I was here to drop off some papers for my friend."
Sebastian's expression darkened. "Your 'friend'? Convenient excuse. What's next? A sob story about your financial troubles?"
"Wow," Chloe said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Not only are you arrogant, but you're also paranoid. Newsflash: Not everyone is out to get your money. Some of us are just trying to survive without tripping over your overinflated ego."
For a moment, the room was dead silent. Even the men in suits, who had been watching the exchange like spectators at a tennis match, looked like they wanted to disappear into the walls.
Sebastian's jaw tightened. "Let me make one thing clear," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone. "I don't care if this was an accident or a setup. You're not walking out of here with my name attached to yours."
"Gladly!" Chloe shot back, throwing her hands in the air. "I didn't ask to be Mrs. Kane, okay? Just tell me where to sign to undo this mess."
One of the suited men, likely Sebastian's lawyer, cleared his throat nervously. "Sir, it's not that simple. The marriage is legally binding. An annulment will require a court process, and, um… given your public profile, this situation might attract unwanted attention."
Sebastian pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath. Chloe folded her arms, still fuming. "Great. So now I'm stuck with you, too. This just keeps getting better."
Sebastian dropped his hand and gave her a cold, calculating look. "Fine. If we're stuck, then here's how this is going to work. You're going to stay out of my way, follow my instructions, and keep your mouth shut until this mess is cleaned up."
Chloe bristled. "Follow your instructions? Who do you think you are—oh, right, Mr. Big Shot Billionaire." She gave him a mock bow. "Sorry, but I don't take orders. Especially not from a control freak like you."
Sebastian took a deliberate step closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "You don't have a choice, sweetheart. You stepped into my world, and in my world, I call the shots."
Chloe met his glare head-on, refusing to back down. "Well, in my world, I'm not afraid to stand up to overbearing jerks. So if you think I'm going to roll over and play the obedient little wife, think again."
Sebastian's lips twitched, almost as if he were fighting a smirk. For a split second, Chloe thought she saw something flicker in his eyes—amusement? Admiration? Whatever it was, it vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual icy demeanor.
"Suit yourself," he said coolly. "But don't forget: you're in this mess because of your own carelessness. I'm cleaning it up, and you're going to cooperate, whether you like it or not."
"Whatever you say, dear husband," Chloe said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
As the tension crackled between them, one thing became painfully clear to Chloe: this accidental marriage was going to be a battle of wills. And she wasn't about to lose.
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