HIS PROPERTY, HIS CHOICE

Kimberley

I sat in the car, staring at the city lights flickering outside the window, my mind numb.

The meeting was over. The contract was signed.

And just like that, my fate was sealed.

I was engaged to a man I didn't know, didn't love, and would never escape from.

Margaret had barely been able to contain her smug expression as we left the building. My father had exchanged firm handshakes with Alexander's legal team, while I sat frozen, unable to process what had just happened.

Now, the weight of reality settled over me like a suffocating blanket.

"Fix your face," Margaret's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "You look like a child who just lost her favorite toy."

I gritted my teeth, keeping my gaze locked on the window. If I spoke, I would say something I'd regret.

"Honestly, Kimberley," she sighed. "You should be grateful. Do you know how many girls would kill to marry a man like Alexander Silver?"

I turned sharply to her. "Then why didn't you force Emily to do it?"

Margaret's lips thinned, but she didn't look surprised by my outburst. "Because Emily is difficult. Stubborn. Alexander doesn't have the patience for that." She tilted her head. "But you? You'll behave. Won't you, dear?"

The condescension in her tone made my skin crawl.

I clenched my fists. "What if I don't want this?"

Margaret chuckled, as if I had just told the funniest joke in the world. "What you want doesn't matter, darling. You belong to the Laurent family. And now, you belong to Alexander."

The words cut through me like a blade.

I belonged to no one.

But as I sat in silence, feeling the weight of my stepmother's gaze, I knew that my protests meant nothing.

This was my life now.

And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

The Next Evening 

 The Dinner Meeting

When I arrived at the Silver estate, I realized I had truly entered another world.

It was nothing like the cold, lifeless Laurent mansion.

This was grander. Dark, gothic architecture. Large iron gates. A looming estate that stood against the night sky like something out of a nightmare.

The chauffeur opened my door, and I stepped out, my heels clicking against the pavement. My dress that was handpicked by Margaret, was tight, suffocating, and designed to make me look perfect.

I didn't feel perfect. I felt like a lamb being led to slaughter.

A butler greeted me with a stiff nod. "Miss Laurent, this way."

I followed him inside, my heart hammering against my ribs.

The interior was immaculate. High ceilings, dark marble floors, dim chandeliers casting golden light across the long corridors. There was no warmth. No life.

Only silence.

Until I reached the dining hall.

Alexander sat at the head of the table, his fingers lazily tapping against his wine glass. His presence was as overwhelming as it had been yesterday, commanding, unreadable.

He glanced at me as I entered, those stormy eyes flickering with amusement. "You're late."

I swallowed. "I wasn't given a time."

His lips curved slightly. "And yet, you're still late."

I stiffened, but I said nothing.

A servant pulled out my chair, and I reluctantly sat down. The table was absurdly long, yet I was seated directly across from him, forced to meet his unwavering stare.

He watched me for a moment before lifting his wine glass. "You're quiet."

"I don't have anything to say."

"Or perhaps you're afraid."

I looked up sharply, meeting his gaze. His smirk deepened, as if my reaction entertained him.

"I'm not afraid of you," I said, forcing the words out.

Alexander tilted his head. "That's a lie."

My fingers curled against the fabric of my dress. I refused to let him see how much he affected me.

The dinner was served exquisite dishes I had no appetite for. Alexander ate with slow, deliberate movements, completely at ease, while I sat stiffly, my throat too tight to swallow.

The silence stretched between us until he finally spoke again.

"You didn't expect to be here, did you?"

I looked up. "No."

"Your father made the decision for you."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

I hesitated before nodding. "Yes."

Alexander hummed, as if he had expected that answer. He set his wine glass down and leaned forward slightly. "I don't like surprises, Kimberley. And I don't like people wasting my time. Your sister would have been a problem."

I exhaled shakily. "And what am I?"

His eyes darkened. "A solution."

The words sent a chill down my spine.

"I don't expect love," he continued. "I don't expect devotion. But I do expect obedience."

I gritted my teeth. "And if I refuse?"

Alexander smirked, amusement flickering in his gaze. "You won't."

My stomach twisted.

I hated this.

I hated that he was right.

I hated that I had no choice.

But as I stared at the man who now owned my future, I realized something else.

He wasn't just a monster.

He was the devil himself.

And I had just sold my soul to him.

Later That Night 

After dinner, I was led to his office. The room was dimly lit, lined with shelves of books, the scent of whiskey lingering in the air.

Alexander sat behind his desk, watching me as I stepped inside.

"Sit," he ordered.

I hesitated but obeyed, lowering myself into the chair across from him.

He studied me for a long moment, his gaze sharp and dissecting.

"Tell me, Kimberley," he said. "Do you resent me?"

I swallowed hard. "Yes."

His lips curved, but there was no humor in his expression. "Good. I prefer honesty."

I stayed silent, my heart pounding.

Then, suddenly, he stood, rounding the desk until he was standing beside me.

My breath caught as he leaned down, his hand brushing against the armrest of my chair. His presence was overwhelming, suffocating.

"I am not a kind man," he murmured. "And I don't have the patience for defiance."

I forced myself to meet his gaze. "Then what do you want from me?"

His smirk deepened. "Loyalty. Submission." His fingers traced the armrest, slow and deliberate. "And if you can't give me that…"

The air between us grew heavy.

"…I will take it."

My stomach clenched, fear twisting inside me.

I wanted to run.

But I knew there was no escape.

Because Alexander Silver wasn't just my husband.

He was my captor.

And I had just walked into his cage.