Chapter 4 The Contract
Judy’s POV
The moment the word “marry” left his lips, the atmosphere in the hotel room changed completely.
The air became thick.
Heavy.
My heart started pounding wildly against my chest, and my fingers tightened around the wine glass I was holding. I gripped it so hard that my knuckles slowly turned white.
Marriage?
To this man?
To my ex’s sworn enemy?
“And…” Mr David continued calmly, as if he had just offered me a business deal and not a life-changing decision, “this contract has rules.”
He walked away from me slowly and stood by the tall glass window, looking down at the beautiful city below like a king watching his kingdom.
“After one year,” he said without looking back, “of our loveless marriage, we divorce and go our separate ways.”
My throat went dry.
“No emotions attached,” he continued. “No feelings. No unnecessary drama.”
I swallowed hard.
“No sex,” he added coldly. “Unless we both want it.”
My heart skipped violently at those words.
The silence that followed was suffocating.
I stared at his back, my mind spinning wildly. Everything felt unreal. A few hours ago, my life was already in pieces. Now it felt like it was being completely rewritten by a stranger.
“Why?” I finally asked, breaking the silence. “Why do you want to marry me?”
He went quiet.
Too quiet.
Slowly, he turned to face me.
And that was when I saw it.
The calm expression on his face disappeared. His jaw tightened. His eyes darkened with anger, pain, and something far deeper.
“Well… well,” he said slowly, a wicked smile spreading across his lips. “How sweet would it be to marry my enemy’s ex-girlfriend?”
My heart dropped to my stomach.
“So yes,” he continued coldly, “I want revenge. I want Clark to feel what betrayal tastes like.”
The way he said Clark’s name made my skin crawl.
“And when will you pay my mother’s hospital bills?” I asked immediately, my voice shaking slightly.
“As soon as you sign the marriage contract and we get married,” he replied without hesitation. “Every cent will be paid.”
My breath caught.
“But,” he added sharply, “this marriage must look real. Very real. You will attend events with me. You will smile beside me. You will act like my wife.”
He stepped closer.
“And you will never disgrace me in public,” he said firmly.
I nodded slowly.
Inside my head, everything was chaos.
How did my life end up like this?
My mother’s weak voice echoed in my mind.
Judy, please get married soon.
I want to see my grandchildren.
My heart clenched painfully.
How would I explain this marriage to her?
How would I tell her that Clark—the man she loved and trusted—had betrayed me and married another woman?
The thought alone made me sick.
But then another memory flashed in my mind.
Clark at the altar.
Kissing Isabella.
Smiling like I never existed.
My chest burned with anger.
The love I shared with Clark was real. Or at least, I believed it was. He protected me. He defended me from his family’s criticism. He made promises.
But his betrayal was also real.
He dumped me without looking back.
He chose money and status over love.
And suddenly, I was tired of crying.
Tired of being weak.
Tired of being the victim.
I lifted my head slowly and looked straight into Mr David’s eyes.
“I will marry you,” I said firmly.
He paused.
“I will marry you, Mr David Jones,” I repeated clearly.
The words shocked even me.
“At least,” I continued bitterly, “I will finally get my revenge on that good-for-nothing bastard.”
The room fell silent.
Mr David stared at me like he was seeing me for the first time.
Then slowly… a smile appeared on his lips.
A dark, satisfied smile.
“I love what I see,” he said quietly. “Fire. Boldness. Anger.”
He nodded approvingly. “Good. We both get what we want.”
He turned away casually and waved his hand.
“You can go now.”
The way he dismissed me made my chest tighten, but I said nothing.
I stood up quietly.
Before I reached the door, he spoke again.
“Your dress.”
I looked down and remembered the stain.
“You can’t leave like that,” he said calmly.
He walked to the wardrobe and took out a neatly folded shirt.
“Wear this.”
I hesitated. “I—”
“Don’t argue,” he interrupted. “Take it.”
Reluctantly, I accepted the shirt.
It smelled expensive.
Masculine.
Powerful.
I changed quickly and left the room without looking back.
---
When I got home, Sophia was already waiting.
She was sitting on the couch, legs crossed, eyes glued to the door like she had been waiting for hours.
“Hey girl!” she shouted immediately. “What took you so long?”
Her eyes dropped to the shirt I was wearing.
She paused.
Then pretended to cough loudly.
“Looks like something sweet happened,” she teased.
“You’re really crazy, Sophia,” I said quickly. “Nothing happened.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure?”
“Yes!”
“Did he kiss you?” she asked bluntly.
“What?!” I almost shouted. “Sophia, stop your madness!”
She laughed loudly. “Relax. You know I love gossip.”
I sighed deeply.
“You won’t believe who the man is,” I said quietly.
She leaned closer. “Who?”
“Mr David Jones.”
Her eyes widened.
“What the hell?!” she screamed. “The CEO of Pegasus Holdings? The man your useless ex betrayed years ago?”
“Yes,” I nodded.
She jumped up. “So what does he want from you?”
My heart skipped.
I couldn’t tell her.
Not yet.
“He offered to help with my mother’s hospital bills,” I said carefully.
She clapped her hands excitedly. “Awwn! Girl, you’re lucky. Every woman would die to be in your shoes.”
I forced a smile.
Who helps without conditions these days?
Still… I couldn’t deny it.
Mr David Jones was dangerously handsome.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
Sharp jawline.
Cold eyes that could destroy a man and ruin a woman.
We were still talking when my phone buzzed.
A message popped up.
“I got you a ring for the wedding.”
“Get ready to sign the contract soon.”
My heart jumped violently.
A ring?
Wedding?
Contract?
This was really happening.
