Sabrina took a deep breath, gripping the phone tightly. "His name is Thaddeus Gillcrest. He's—" She hesitated, still wrapping her head around the absurdity of it all. "He's my husband now."
There was a sharp inhale. "Husband? Wait. I'm not following. Did you get married?"
"Well, we signed the contract. We exchanged vows."
"You had a ceremony?"
"Sort of," Sabrina admitted sheepishly. "It was just the two of us in front of an official at City Hall. No guests, no celebration. Just paperwork and a few words."
Silence stretched on the other end before Elbert finally spoke. "You agreed to marry a man you barely know?"
Sabrina sighed, rubbing her temple. "I didn't have much of a choice, did I? He showed up at my restaurant, practically dangling it over my head like a prize. Either I played along, or I lost everything." She let out a humorless chuckle. "And to be honest, I thought he was the suitor you sent for my candidate husband. How was I supposed to know he had nothing to do with you?"
Elbert exhaled sharply, clearly displeased. "Miss Baelleigh, if I had sent a candidate, you would have been the first to know. I don't operate in shadows. This—" He paused, as if choosing his words carefully. "This is reckless. Do you even know what kind of man you just tied yourself to?"
Sabrina let out a dry laugh, rubbing her temple. "Oh, believe me, I know. Arrogant, insufferable, and impossible to read. But also wealthy, powerful, and, most importantly, someone who can keep me off my enemies' radar for a while."
Elbert exhaled sharply. "Miss, I have heard about him, and it's not so good to hear. Thaddeus Gillcrest isn't the kind of man you want to be entangled with. Are you absolutely sure about this?"
Sabrina pressed her lips together, her grip tightening on the phone. "I know what I'm doing, Mr. D'Angelo. Don't worry, we have our terms. I agreed to a contract marriage—just to play the role of his wife for a year. That's all there is to it." She paused before adding, "Besides, it's already done."
Another long pause. Then, Mr. D'Angelo's voice dropped, almost wary. "And you trust him?"
Sabrina scoffed. "Of course not."
"Then you've just walked into a very dangerous game, Miss Baelleigh," he said gravely. "And I hope you're prepared for the consequences."
Sabrina exhaled sharply, her jaw tightening. "I've been playing this game my whole life. I know the risks." She glanced at the marriage papers on the table, her fingers drumming against the edge. "But this time, I'm the one making the moves."
She took a deep breath as she added, "You're the only one I trust now. I must reclaim what's lost and belongs to me—the Baelleighs. And I won't let anyone stand in my way."
"Miss Baelleigh, reclaiming what's yours is one thing, but aligning yourself with a man like Thaddeus Gillcrest… that's playing with fire." He paused for a moment before continuing in a low voice. "If you're set on this path, then I won't stop you. But be careful. Power like his doesn't come without a price."
"But I already signed the contract. It's done. I don't really have a choice now." She let out a shaky breath, nerves twisting in her stomach, but she forced some determination into her voice. "I've spent too long watching my enemies walk all over me. If playing this role for a year gets me closer to reclaiming the Baelleigh name, then so be it." Her voice softened slightly. "You're the only one I trust now. Just… be there when I need you."
"Miss Baelleigh, I've always been here when you needed me. That won't change." There was a brief pause before he added, "But be careful. Thaddeus Gillcrest is not a man to be taken lightly. If he has his own agenda—and he most certainly does—you need to be ready for whatever comes next."
Sabrina exhaled slowly, pressing her fingers against her temple. "I know what I'm doing," she said, though the slight waver in her voice betrayed her uncertainty.
Did she, though?
Elbert's words weighed heavily on her, but backing out wasn't an option. The contract was signed, and the vows were exchanged. She was officially Sabrina Gillcrest—at least on paper.
She rose from the edge of the bed, pacing across the room. "I'll be careful," she assured him. "I've come too far to back down now."
A sigh crackled through the phone. "I truly hope you understand what you're up against."
Sabrina swallowed. "Thank you. But I have to. I don't have another choice."
They exchanged a few more pleasantries before hanging up. When the call ended, Sabrina collapsed onto the edge of her bed, releasing a heavy breath.
So Thaddeus Gillcrest wasn't the candidate. What the hell am I doing?
She shook her head, a dry chuckle escaping her lips. It had all happened so fast.
One moment, she was standing in the middle of the restaurant, trying to keep her anger from boiling over. And the next, she married that man. That arrogant, smug jerk. Or maybe asshole was more fitting—yeah, that felt right.
"What the hell was I thinking?" she muttered under her breath, burying her face in her hands. "Marrying that insufferable asshole just to keep my restaurant? Seriously, Sabrina?"
Everything had gone from bad to worse in a matter of hours.
She exhaled sharply, pushing the hair back from her forehead. Her gaze fell on the contract lying innocently on the nightstand, the bold, black ink still taunting her.
"Damn it!" she hissed under her breath. "This is a disaster!"
She stopped in front of the window, staring out at the city lights that blinked in the distance. The weight of everything came crashing down on her—her rushed decision, the contract, the unreadable man she had just tied herself to.
"What am I getting myself into?" she muttered, pressing her palms against her face.
This wasn't just about her anymore. It wasn't just about reclaiming her place in the Baelleigh family. She had legally bound herself to Thaddeus Gillcrest, a man with his own hidden motives, and she had no idea what that would mean for her future.
Her stomach twisted. She had thought she was making a calculated move, but now... now it felt like she had stepped into a dangerous game where she didn't even know the rules.
And yet, there was no turning back.
Not now.
If Thaddeus had his own agenda, then so did she. She wasn't going just to roll over and let him control her.