Thaddeus studied her expression for a beat too long. Then, without so much as a flicker of emotion, he turned his attention back to the window.
"Excellent," he murmured, his voice smooth and distant.
Sabrina frowned, feeling an odd sense of deflation. That was it? No argument, no pushback, no attempt to negotiate the terms?
He didn't even look at her as he spoke, his eyes fixed on the view outside the window. "That's a mall down there. Go to Valmont Atelier & Co. on the third floor. There's a receptionist waiting for you upstairs. She'll get you situated and make the necessary arrangements."
His tone was as indifferent as ever, like he was discussing a business transaction rather than his own wife's wardrobe.
Sabrina arched a brow, shifting her weight. "You mean, like a ring?"
His expression didn't change, but his eyes flickered slightly. "Yes. Among other things."
"Other things?"
His fingers tapped against the window, his gaze still distant. "Clothes. Jewelry. Accessories. That sort of thing."
Sabrina arched a brow, glancing out the window at the sleek, high-end shopping mall below. Valmont Atelier & Co.? That wasn't just any boutique—it was one of the most exclusive fashion houses in the city.
She let out a low whistle. "Well, aren't you generous?" she mused, folding her arms. "Dressing me up so I don't embarrass you, huh? Like I'm one of your society people, too?"
"It's part of the arrangement." His eyes slid toward her, his expression impassive. "Don't worry, you won't be the only one pretending."
She scoffed. "Good to know."
He didn't respond, turning his attention back to the view. His expression was calm, his posture relaxed. But as his gaze lingered on the window, a faint shadow flickered across his face, almost too quick to notice.
"I'll expect a call from you in a few days," he said, his voice smooth and unreadable.
She swallowed, the realization settling heavily. That was it. The deal was done.
The car slowed to a stop in front of the entrance. Thaddeus gave her a long, lingering look, his sharp eyes boring into hers.
"Welcome to the family, Mrs. Gillcrest," he said. "Or at least the closest you'll get."
And with that, the car rolled to a stop, the door unlocking with a soft click.
"Get down," he said flatly, leaving no room for argument.
Sabrina blinked at him. "Wow. Such chivalry," she muttered, but he didn't react.
The door had barely opened before he gestured toward it with a slight tilt of his head, impatient as ever. "Try not to take all day."
Thaddeus didn't bother looking at her as he spoke. Instead, he reached for his phone, already moving on to whatever was more important than this moment.
Rolling her eyes, she grabbed the handle and stepped out onto the pavement. The second her feet touched the ground, the car door slammed shut behind her with a solid thunk—and before she could even turn around, the vehicle pulled away, disappearing into traffic as if she had already been forgotten.
Sabrina barely had time to react as a puff of smoke and dust swirled around her, the rush of air from the departing car making her cough.
She stood there, gripping the marriage papers like a lifeline, staring at the empty stretch of road ahead where he'd been. The whole exchange had felt strangely hollow. Cold. Practical. And yet, somehow, final.
With a sigh, she turned her attention back to the contract in her hands.
Holy shit!
She was married.
And her so-called husband had just left her stranded on the side of the road.
Typical.
"Unbelievable," she muttered, shaking her head. Well, if he was going to be a jerk about it, two could play at that game.
She turned her back to the street and stormed her feet toward the building.
If she had to deal with a husband, it sure as hell wasn't going to be a bad one.
She wasn't quite sure how she ended up here.
Here, of course, being the elegant lobby of a high-end luxury mall, surrounded by designer shops and expensive jewelry stores, while an assistant led her through the polished hallways.
***
Thaddeus had the windows down as the driver sped down the highway, the brisk wind stinging his cheeks. The familiar scent of saltwater filled his lungs, clearing his head.
The drive home had never felt longer, the tension in his shoulders growing tighter by the second.
Married. He was married.
To Sabrina Dinsmore.
He hadn't expected her to sign. Part of him had hoped she would refuse, that his plan would come to a screeching halt before it had even started.
But she hadn't.
And now, he was committed.
Thaddeus smirked, the corners of his lips tugging upward as the realization settled in. It had gone smoothly—perhaps too smoothly. She had signed without hesitation, without any sign of doubt. He had expected some resistance, maybe a moment of second-guessing, but no. Sabrina Dinsmore had taken the bait effortlessly.
The wind whipped through the open window, ruffling his neatly styled hair, but he didn't care. His fingers tapped idly against his knee as he leaned back against the leather seat, raking his brain over the series of events that led him here.
Marriage had never been in his plans. Not now, not in the foreseeable future. Yet here he was, bound to a woman he barely knew, all because his family had decided it was time for him to settle down. Their demands had been suffocating, relentless. Find a wife. Start a family. Prove that he was more than just a work-obsessed billionaire with no personal life.
And he had done just that—on his terms.
Sabrina was a convenient choice. A means to an end. She had her reasons, and he had his. It was a contract, nothing more.
Still, as the city skyline blurred past him, the weight of what he had done lingered in the back of his mind. He had expected relief, but instead, there was something else. Something unfamiliar, something that felt dangerously close to anticipation.
The car slowed to a stop outside his apartment building, the driver opening the door for him with a formal nod. Thaddeus stepped out, barely acknowledging the man, his thoughts still lingering on what happened that day.
As he walked toward the door, his fingers brushed against the small box in his pocket, the one he'd tucked away earlier that morning. It was a small token of appreciation, a gesture that had seemed unnecessary at the time, but now...
Maybe he should have given it to her later.
Shaking his head, he dismissed the thought.
"Don't get attached, Thaddeus," he muttered under his breath, pushing the doors open.
It was a temporary arrangement. That was all.
As the doors slid closed behind him, a sudden buzz in his pocket jolted him from his thoughts. He fished out his phone and glanced at the screen, frowning slightly.
A message from his father. Of course.
"I've been trying to reach you. Are we still on for dinner?"
Thaddeus groaned, his thumb hovering over the keypad. He hadn't even been back for a day, and the pressure was already building.
He didn't bother answering. Instead, he slipped his phone back into his pocket and strode down the hallway.
A year.
That was all he had to survive.
Then he could put this all behind him.
And he would finally be free.
As he made his way toward the elevator, a thought occurred to him, stopping him in his tracks.
Sabrina Dinsmore.
His wife.
Thaddeus shook his head and kept walking.
It sounded absurd, even to him.
And yet, for some reason, he didn't hate it.
Not yet.
The elevator doors opened with a soft ping, and Thaddeus stepped inside. He didn't bother pressing a button. Instead, he pulled out his phone and unlocked the screen.
A small smile tugged at his lips as his gaze fell on the photo from that morning. His fingers hovered over the screen, and, before he could second-guess himself, he tapped the name and pressed the phone to his ear.
Sabrina Dinsmore. No. Sabrina Gillcrest.
He liked the sound of that.
After a few rings, the call connected.
"What do you want, Thaddeus?" a voice snapped.
His smirk widened. "How did it go?"
A sigh. "Fine. Everything is done. They have my measurements, they took photos, the whole nine yards. Your little receptionist gave me a list of instructions and told me to meet her at the mansion next week. Anything else?"
Thaddeus's gaze wandered to the photo, his eyes lingering on the delicate silver band wrapped around her finger. A strange warmth pooled in his stomach, something dangerously close to pride.
"You're going to do just fine," he murmured, the words slipping out before he could think twice.
Sabrina huffed. "I'll be the judge of that. And if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to my actual job. Unlike some people, I actually have work to do."
Thaddeus chuckled. She really was a spitfire, but somehow, that was part of her charm.
"See you soon, Sabrina."
There was a pause. "Yeah, see you."
The call disconnected, and he found himself smirking again, for no good reason.
Thaddeus slipped his phone back into his pocket and stepped out onto the landing, feeling strangely buoyant.
He had always been a practical man, never one for foolish whims. But now, as the prospect of freedom grew closer, he felt something new.