Sentenced to Marriage by MadlainQ

Callan 

The man standing in front of me was my ex–boyfriend, Callan Garrod, He barely changed during those three years I hadn‘t seen him, but at that moment, I finally saw him without his fake mask of modesty, dressed in an expensive dark navy suit and black shirt. Aside from his rich – boy attire, he had the same sleekly combed pale–blond hair and icy–blue eyes that gave a disturbing stare. One corner of his thin lips was curled into a vicious smirk, as his eyes went through my length. “I have to admit that I‘m impressed. You used to swear that you hated money, and now you are here, in the crown of Manhattan‘s richest... Isn‘t that a hypocrisy?” He chuckled, his eyes lustfully measuring my curves. I hated his eyes on me. I felt as if my body was being evaluated by him. I could see he enjoyed the view, while I found the view of him nauseating. 

“I was invited here,” I squeezed through my clenched throat. “Oh, really? Now, that‘s interesting. Care to say who invited you?” Callan‘s amusement grew by the second 

His voice carried a strange command, one I had known from the time we were together. Chills ran down my spine. The love I‘d had for him turned into hatred a long time ago, but even now I could feel the leash he once placed on my neck. 

I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. “I was invited here by Mr. Augustus Winton,” I replied confidently. 

Callan stepped back, looking at me in shock. “That‘s impossible...” he muttered. “I‘m telling the truth,” I said, clenching my fist. “Now, would you excuse me, I need to find 

“You‘re not going anywhere!” Callen forcefully grabbed my wrist. “Tell me, how did you get in here?!” 

“I came here with my fiancé!” I spat. “Now, let go of me, or I won‘t mind causing a big scene at this party.” I glared at him, struggling to release my wrist. 

“Fiancé?!” He burst out into cold laughter before looking me up and down again. “Oh... Now I get it. You sneaked in here to look for a rich husband, one that could take care of your petty financial problems!” 

I stared into his eyes filled with mockery and wondered how I could ever love someone like him. He knew everything about my Grandma and my situation, and yet he dared to call it ” petty financial problems“?! 

“Screw you, Callan!” I hissed, still fighting against his grip on my hand. He leaned over me. “You belong to me, Cora. I don‘t know how you got here, but since you are here, I have a proposition for you: you still look quite fuckable, so entertain me for a month, and if you do well, I will give you the money you wanted for your grandmother‘s treatment.” 

Callan 

His voice felt like a sword piercing my chest. My blood boiled while my eyes filled with tears. The mix of emotions I felt was too hard to contain. He wanted me to sell my body to him as if I was a money–lusting slut. It might have been the lowest move he made, but then this bastard even mentioned my grandmother! That threw me off the edge. I closed my watery eyes, fisted my free hand, and swung it, aiming at Callan‘s face. Just when I was expecting to feel a hard impact, I felt someone‘s palm tightly wrapping my fist. I opened my eyes and saw Aren, blocking me an inch away from Callan‘s jaw. 

“Don‘t hurt yourself, honey,” Aren said firmly, forcing me to lower my hand. 

icy words carried an undeniable threat. Callan clenched his teeth and nonchalantly uncurled his fingers from my wrist. “Hello, Brother,”

it he said?! No... this couldn‘t be right. My ex–boyfriend‘s name was Garrod. Why

my head and praying that he would tell me that this was just

waist before shooting Callan a murderous glare. “You weren‘t supposed to be here, Callan.”

spin. Aren didn‘t deny it. Still, I looked at him, hoping to get some logical explanation while I

I?” Callan replied daringly before forming a wry smile as he looked at Aren‘s hand on my waist. “I told the old man that I would only come

if someone‘s hand was crushing my heart. “Callan is your step ?–brother... and you knew...”

Congratulations, Cora!” Callan sneered, looking at my painful expression. “But I need to warn you... I know that you thought that I was cold

didn‘t even deny his words. I took another step back, clenching my fists as if I was trying to hold onto myself.

again...” I muttered,

reached out his hand to grab

I hissed, taking my hand to my back “There is only one thing I need to know:

his

Callan 

right?” I held my breath, waiting for his

locked his eyes on me. “Yes, I

as I did, tears started flowing from my eyes. “Bastard.” I turned around and started walking towards the

me, his voice mixing

family. I couldn‘t stand another second around any of them. I couldn‘t breathe. I passed the ballroom door and rushed

people still crowding outside the hotel, leading me to a more private side alley. “I was about to tell you, but I wanted to do it later. He was never supposed to show up in here. That was my condition before I accepted my

access to the Wintons‘ mansion first,

lines down my cheeks. “I would never do anything that could make

before, but seriously, I didn‘t think that meeting the guy who dumped you three years ago would

I didn‘t think that was possible, but you might even be worse