"I'd rather sell myself than marry you!"
Celine snapped, her chest heaving as she struggled to contain her boiling rage. Her beautiful face was flushed with a mixture of anger and desperation.
Leo, standing before her, let out a soft chuckle. His voice was low and sharp. He leaned down, bringing his face level with hers. "And just what is your price, Celine?" His eyes pinned her with a piercing stare.
Leo's hand clamped roughly around Celine's chin, forcing her head up.
"You are beautiful," he continued, his gaze cutting through her. "But who would pay a premium for the body of a murderer? Are you going to collect spare change and wait for your mother to die in the meantime?"
The mockery stung Celine's ears, making her blood run hot. Her eyes began to glaze over and her chest tightened, yet she fought to keep her grief from breaking through.
"You're a bastard, Leo!"
SLAP!
Without thinking, Celine swung her hand.
But Leo was too fast. He intercepted her wrist with a steady, practiced motion and gripped it tight. In the next heartbeat, he yanked her body against his. His other arm wound possessively around her waist, trapping her completely.
Celine felt the warmth of his breath near her ear. She immediately turned her face away, trying desperately to avoid his intimidating gaze.
"I am indeed going to build a new hell for you if you become my wife," Leo whispered. His voice was heavy and dangerous as he leaned in until his breath brushed her cheek. "But at least you can save your mother's life."
"Let me go!" Celine revolted, putting every ounce of her strength into a desperate shove.
"Do you still not understand your place in this world?" Leo whispered coldly. "Everyone will reject you. The world has already rejected you, Celine. MURDERER!"
Leo spat the last word with an emphasis dripping with loathing.
"Oh. It seems there is a new title that fits you even better, Celine." Leo paused, letting the tension hang in the air. "WHORE."
Celine's face went pale. Her eyes burned, but she exerted every bit of will to keep from breaking into sobs in front of this vile man. She squeezed her eyes shut, took a long breath, and let the cold air burn her lungs.
"Fine." The decision tasted like ash on her tongue. "I'll play your game. When do we marry? I need that money right now."
"Now," Leo replied curtly.
"Now? Do you think a marriage is just—"
"I've already booked a registrar and scheduled the filing at the Civil Registry Office. My lawyer has all the documents ready, because I knew you would agree, Celine," Leo interrupted, a triumphant smile spreading across his lips.
"You devious snake! You absolute bastard!"
Leo abruptly released his grip. Because she had been pulling away, Celine stumbled backward. She glared at him, their eyes meeting in a fierce battle of wills.
"Follow me. We're going to the Registry Office now."
Leo turned without waiting for an answer and strode out of the room, leaving Celine in a state of ruin and deep dilemma, standing alone in a room that felt like the center of hell.
***
At the Civil Registry Office.
The sound of the final stamp echoed. Celine felt the cold weight of the Marriage Certificate in her hand. In the eyes of the state, they were now a legally wedded husband and wife. In their hearts, they were enemies who had just signed a declaration of war.
Leo capped his pen with a loud click, his face showing absolute satisfaction. They stepped out of the lobby and into the city's sweltering heat. Behind them, Axel and Martin followed closely.
"Transfer the rest of the money, now!" Celine barked, her voice sharp and trembling. She did not want to waste a single second in her new role as "wife."
Leo laughed softly. He stepped closer, his right hand circling her waist in a casual attempt to create an illusion of intimacy. "My wife, don't you want to go on a honeymoon first?"
"Transfer it!" Celine snapped. She moved quickly to grab Leo's wrist, wrenching his hand away from her hip.
"Relax," Leo countered, completely unfazed.
Leo raised his hand, signaling Martin to approach. Martin understood his master's intent immediately. He pulled out a phone and showed it briefly to Celine.
"My secretary has already paid your mother's surgical fees in full. As of this moment, she has been moved to a VIP suite. If you don't believe me, let's go to the hospital and check," Leo said.
Leo reached for Celine's hand, trying to lead her as if pulling the leash of a pet.
"I can go by myself," Celine cut in coldly, breaking his grip with a powerful jerk. She glared at Leo, then her expression softened for a fleeting moment at the mention of one name.
"One thing, I'm begging you," Celine said, lowering her voice. "Don't let anyone know we're married. I don't want to break my mother's heart."
Leo smirked, his eyes projecting a frozen vendetta. "Did you really think I'd want the world to know I married my mother's MURDERER?" The insult came out like venom.
Leo stepped in, leaning over her until Celine was forced to look up. "I married you only to build a new prison for you, Celine."
Celine swallowed hard, enduring the pain. She didn't answer, letting the hatred fill her lungs. She turned and walked away from him.
"Hey, Celine!" Leo called out, his voice chasing after her retreating back. "I'll come for you later. From this day forward, you're moving into the new prison I've prepared for you!"
***
At the Hospital.
Celine went straight to the administration counter, her breath still ragged from her rush from the car. In a voice she kept carefully controlled to avoid sounding panicked, she asked for her mother's new VIP room number. Once she had the information, Celine hurried through the hospital corridors, her heart a mess of relief and anxiety.
She reached the door. Celine's hand trembled as she reached for the knob and pushed it open slowly.
Celine's eyes focused immediately on the bed in the center of the room. Her mother looked better, leaning comfortably against thick white pillows. However, what made Celine stop in her tracks was the figure of a young man sitting by the bed.
"Kevin?" Celine murmured in disbelief, stepping inside.
Her mother smiled weakly, her voice soft but sounding stronger than before. "Celine, Kevin has been waiting for you for a while now."
At the mention of his name, Kevin stood up immediately. He was a man Celine knew well, an old friend from her high school days.
Kevin stepped forward and took Celine's hand, greeting her with a grip that was perhaps a little too firm.
"Hi, Celine," Kevin said, his tone cautious.
"Hi, Kevin. How have you been?" Celine replied with a hesitant bow. The awkwardness of her situation made her feel clumsy and unworthy.
Kevin's expression turned somber, his eyes reflecting guilt. "I'm okay. I'm sorry, I didn't know you'd been released, Celine."
Celine took a breath, trying to mask the tension in the air. "It's fine. My release was moved up by two months, so it makes sense you wouldn't know."
Kevin. If only you had shown up sooner, Celine thought to herself, a sharp pang of regret piercing her heart. You would have helped me, and I wouldn't have had to marry Leo.
Night had fallen, and the hospital parking lot was bathed in the dim, amber glow of the streetlights.
Celine walked Kevin to his car. Along the way, they talked lightly, sharing small, genuine laughs. Their tone was relaxed, as if the ten years of suffering had never happened. In Kevin's presence, Celine could briefly forget her status as a "wife" and a "murderer," and just be herself again, an old friend.
They stopped beside Kevin's car door.
"Thank you for coming, Kevin," Celine said, a faint smile still on her lips.
"Of course I came, Celine. I'm always on your side," Kevin replied, his gaze warm.
The sense of peace and familiarity was palpable.
However, that peace had a witness watching from the shadows.
Not far away, hidden inside the darkness of a luxury car, Leo sat in the back seat. He didn't move. His sharp eyes were fixed on Celine and Kevin, glaring with pure rage.
Leo's grip on the tablet he was holding tightened until his knuckles turned white and his jaw set hard. Martin, sitting beside him, shuddered at the sight of his master's fury.