How can he tell me not to fall in love with him when he's insanely handsome? How can I stop myself from breaking the rules when we live under the same roof? And how can he tell me not to stare when his gaze is always on me? Yes, I know this is just a contract marriage-I'm only here to be his wife and take care of his son. But my heart wants more. Unfortunately, nothing is ever that easy when the father is cold as ice and the son is a little monster himself. Mirabel is a stubborn, troublesome girl who takes on any job to provide for her mother's treatment. But when Adrian enters her life with an offer she can't refuse-a contract marriage in exchange for paying for her mother's surgery-she has no choice but to accept. Becoming his wife and a mother to his five-year-old son should have been simple. But Adrian and his child seem determined to make her life a living hell. Now, she has to find a way to survive them both.
Chapter 1: Trapped in a Contract
Mirabel's POV
The loud, relentless beeping of the alarm yanked me from sleep. Groaning, I reached out to turn it off, but then it hit me-I wasn't in my home anymore.
I sat up, rubbing my sleepy eyes as I looked around. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get used to this place. Everything felt foreign, like I didn't belong. But this was my reality now.
Sighing, I got out of bed and dragged myself to the bathroom to freshen up. Once done, I made my way downstairs to the kitchen, thinking about what to prepare for breakfast.
Pasta. That would do.
I quickly cooked and set the food on the dining table before heading to Grey's room to wake him up. But as soon as I entered, I saw a maid already dressing him.
"My little boy," I whispered, stepping closer.
I squatted in front of him, reaching out to help, but he immediately smacked my hand away.
"Tell her to leave," Grey demanded, his voice firm.
My heart clenched, but I didn't argue. Without a word, I stood up and left the room.
This wasn't the first time.
Holding back my frustration, I made my way to Adrian's room. I pushed the door open without thinking-
Shit!
I forgot to knock.
Before I could turn around to fix my mistake, his cold voice cut through the air.
"You never listen, do you?"
I shivered. Fear gripped me instantly. Yes, I was scared of my own husband. Isn't that amazing?
"I-I was just going to knock," I stammered, taking a step back.
But before I could move, he grabbed me by the waist, pulling me close.
"What are you doing here?" His voice was as cold as ever.
"The food is ready," I managed to say.
"So?"
I blinked. So? What did he mean so? Didn't his brain know what came next after that?
I found myself staring at his lips-sharp, firm, and undeniably tempting.
"Are you done looking?" His deep voice snapped me back to reality.
God, was I drooling?
Embarrassed, I tried to pull away, but he suddenly let go of me. I lost my balance and landed on my butt with a painful thud.
"Ouch," I winced, looking up at him. But he had already walked away like nothing happened.
Seriously?
I dusted myself off and followed him to the dining room.
Grey and Adrian were already seated. I quietly served their food and was about to sit down when I remembered one of Adrian's ridiculous rules-I wasn't allowed to eat with them.
I had to wait until they were done, standing like some maid waiting for orders.
Crazy, right? But those were my husband's rules.
As I stood beside Grey, watching him eat, he suddenly frowned.
"I don't want this!" he snapped, before flinging the hot pasta onto me.
The burning food splattered across my skin. I screamed in pain, my hands instantly turning red from the heat.
Tears pricked my eyes, but I clenched my jaw. If he weren't just a kid... I didn't even want to think about what I would have done.
I looked at him, waiting for an apology. But nothing.
And Adrian? He made it even worse.
"You can't even prepare a simple meal that he likes," he said coldly. "How do you expect to handle him?"
Then, without another word, he stood up and walked away-taking Grey with him.
I stared at my burning hands, blinking back tears.
I finally sat down, letting the pain and frustration sink in.
If not for my mom, what would I be doing here? It has been two years since I got married to him but he never accepted me as his mother.
A Brief Introduction to My Miserable Life
My name is Mirabel Logan. I come from a poor family, and because of that, I've lost so much.
My father died because I couldn't afford his medical treatment.
Now, my mother is battling kidney failure-an inherited condition that runs in my family. The only way to save her is through a transplant, which costs ten million dollars.
I worked multiple jobs, struggling every day, but I barely saved even a fraction of that amount.
Then Adrian Carter came into my life.
He offered me a deal-a contract marriage. In exchange for becoming his wife and acting as a mother to his son, he would pay for my mother's surgery.
I had no choice. I signed the contract.
And now, here I am-trapped in a marriage with a man who doesn't care about me and a son who hates me.
"Welcome to My Life"
I took a deep breath and slowly stood up, ignoring the burning pain on my skin.
"Are you okay?"
I turned to see Lisa standing near me, concern written all over her face. She was one of the maids-probably the only one in this house who treated me with kindness.
"I'm okay, Lisa," I lied, forcing a smile.
But deep down, I wasn't okay. Nothing about my life was okay.
Adrian thought I sold myself for money.
Grey hated me.
And no matter how hard I tried, I was nothing more than a burden in this house.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I turned and made my way upstairs. My hand was throbbing, the red burns on my skin reminding me of what just happened. The pasta had been hot-hot enough to leave a mark.
When I reached my room, I went straight to the bathroom and grabbed the first-aid box. Carefully, I cleaned the burn, wincing as the antiseptic stung my skin. Then, I wrapped my hand in a bandage.
My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn't eaten all day. But I wasn't in the mood to eat.
I walked over to my bed and lay down, staring at the ceiling.
Everything felt heavy-my body, my heart, my life.
How did I end up here?
A wife to a man who despised me. A mother to a child who wanted nothing to do with me. A prisoner in a house where I didn't belong.
I let out a shaky sigh and closed my eyes.
Maybe if I slept, I could escape reality for a little while.
Before I knew it, sleep took over.
How can he tell me not to fall in love with him when he's insanely handsome? How can I stop myself from breaking the rules when we live under the same roof? And how can he tell me not to stare when his gaze is always on me? Yes, I know this is just a contract marriage-I'm only here to be his wife and take care of his son. But my heart wants more. Unfortunately, nothing is ever that easy when the father is cold as ice and the son is a little monster himself. Mirabel is a stubborn, troublesome girl who takes on any job to provide for her mother's treatment. But when Adrian enters her life with an offer she can't refuse-a contract marriage in exchange for paying for her mother's surgery-she has no choice but to accept. Becoming his wife and a mother to his five-year-old son should have been simple. But Adrian and his child seem determined to make her life a living hell. Now, she has to find a way to survive them both.
How can he tell me not to fall in love with him when he's insanely handsome? How can I stop myself from breaking the rules when we live under the same roof? And how can he tell me not to stare when his gaze is always on me? Yes, I know this is just a contract marriage-I'm only here to be his wife and take care of his son. But my heart wants more. Unfortunately, nothing is ever that easy when the father is cold as ice and the son is a little monster himself. Mirabel is a stubborn, troublesome girl who takes on any job to provide for her mother's treatment. But when Adrian enters her life with an offer she can't refuse-a contract marriage in exchange for paying for her mother's surgery-she has no choice but to accept. Becoming his wife and a mother to his five-year-old son should have been simple. But Adrian and his child seem determined to make her life a living hell. Now, she has to find a way to survive them both.
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