Sentenced to Marriage by MadlainQ novel Chapter 60

Bait

The throbbing in my head painfully announced my returning consciousness. The ache was strong enough to make me feel sick. I tried opening my eyes, but I saw nothing but black. As I slowly regained my senses, I realized that I was tightly blindfolded with some dark piece of fabric. I was sitting on a hard, uncomfortable chair with my hands tied behind the back of the seat and another rope restraining me at my waist. My bare feet were stiff and painful from touching a smooth, cold floor. My whole body felt sore and numb. I wondered how many hours I had been sitting there. I shivered uncontrollably, but I couldn’t say if it was because of the low temperature in the place I was in or of my body’s exhaustion. My heart pounded, spreading the adrenalin in my veins as the overwhelming fear paralyzed me. Where was I? Was there anyone inside that room, watching me right now? What kind of a sick bastard could have kidnapped me and why? Was it because of Aren?

The squeaking sound of the door opening and then closing with a loud slam made me jump in my seat. My breathing rate quickened as I heard someone’s footsteps. The echo around the steps felt as if I was inside a warehouse or a grand hall. The footsteps were getting closer. “My, my, what a lovely bride.” I heard a man’s mocking voice. “But such a waste of a beautiful dress. It’s all dirty now.” “W-who are you?” I asked with a hoarse voice from dryness in my mouth. The man leaned over me; his hand stroked my cheek, making me flinch. “I’m someone who hates your fiancé very much,” he whispered to my ear.

“Then you are a coward who’s afraid to fight with him and go after his woman instead,” I hissed, tilting my head away from his hand.

He chuckled coldly and moved closer, his breath nauseatingly brushing the skin on my neck.” Oh, don’t worry, gorgeous. I am going to get Aren Lan. I just needed insurance; something that could lure him in, and you turn out to be his only weakness.”

I laughed in panic. “I don’t think you know him too well, do you? I am not his weakness. I am merely convenient. He would never care enough to go and save me.” I tried to sound convincing, but, at the same time, my heart ached at the thought that my words could be true.

He burst out into laughter, which sent chills down my spine. “Ms. Cora Bell, I know everything about you and him. I don’t know all the details, but I know that he needs to get married, and judging by the fact that you’ve known each other for a little more than a month, I’m guessing that it’s a relationship based on a contract.”

“You know shit!” I snapped, which made him laugh even more viciously.

My mind kept calculating what would be better: admitting what he assumed or trying to convince him that our relationship was genuine. Unfortunately, none of those options seemed like the right choice. The contractual girl would be easy to dispose of, but Aren’s true love could be used for some kind of spiteful revenge. Suddenly, I heard a buzzing phone sound; it was that man’s phone.

“Talk,” he said grimly, answering it.

I vaguely heard some sort of male voice talking. I couldn’t understand any words, but it sounded like the person on the other side of the phone was reporting to the man who was with me in an agitated tone.

“All right,” the man standing beside me replied. “Proceed as planned.” I heard a click suggesting he ended the call. My heart pounded wildly. Their “plan” must have been about Aren and me. Would they try to kill us? The man leaned over me again, this time grabbing my chin. “You’re a pretty little thing, aren’t you?” He placed his hand on my thigh. “If you play along, I will let you live a little longer.”