Chapter 20

“Congratulations,” one of the actresses under my management says.

Jessica, I think her name is.

“When I got the invitation, I assumed it would be something like this, but for some reason, I thought it’d be you and Hannah. I always thought there was secretly something going on between you two, but now it all makes sense. You were just looking out for your sister-in-law.”

My heart clenches painfully at the thought of Hannah being my sister-in-law, yet that’s exactly what she is now.

I force a smile onto my face, and Raven tenses beside me.

“The Du Ponts and the Windsors have always been close,” I tell her, unsure what else to say.

Jessica glances at Raven and grins.

“I guess this explains why there haven’t been any rumors about you two for so long. You were secretly dating Ares.”

I tighten my grip on Raven’s waist and pull her closer.

“Yes,” Raven says smoothly. “Ares and I are both very private people, so we’ve tried our best to stay out of the spotlight, and we’ll continue to do so.”

I nod and press a soft kiss to her temple, exhausted by this whole fucking charade.

It’s been an endless barrage of questions neither of us has answers to, and I’m exhausted.

I’m sure Raven is too.

She slumps against me once Jessica walks away, and I pull her even closer, keeping a huge fake smile plastered across my face.

“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” I mutter.

She grins at me so brightly that even I’m fooled for a moment.

“Gladly,” she replies, smiling cheerfully.

I chuckle despite myself.

“This is fucking ridiculous, but let’s give them our final performance of the night,” I tell her before bending down and lifting her into my arms.

Cheers erupt around us as I carry her away, both of us smiling exactly the way everyone expects us to.

A limousine waits outside, and I carefully set Raven down in front of it.

The relieved sigh that escapes her lips grates on me.

I guess a small part of me wishes she didn’t hate every second of today.

Of marrying me.

I hold the door open for her, and she freezes for a moment before climbing inside.

It isn’t until I get in after her that I understand her reaction.

Grandma is sitting inside the car, her arms crossed and a deceptively serene smile on her face.

“Raven Windsor,” she says. “Welcome to the family.”

Raven tenses and nods.

She’s smiling the same way she did throughout the day, but I notice the tremble in her hands.

“Why are you here, Grandma?” I ask tiredly.

Today has been a complete mess, and I don’t know how much more I can take.

“Everything went exactly as I expected today,” she replies calmly. “But I understand that both of you are confused and uncertain about your future, so I wanted to ensure that you fully understand the rules you’ll need to follow during the first three years of your marriage.”

She looks at me.

“You may already know some of them, but Raven does not.”

“I can—”

“No,” she interrupts. “It’s best if I explain everything myself, and it’s important that both of you go into this fully aware of what will be expected of you.”

I sigh and glance at Raven, my heart aching.

I can’t imagine how difficult today must be for her, and the last thing I want is for her to feel even more overwhelmed by restrictions and obligations.

“Raven,” Grandma says, her voice soft and gentle, “in order for Ares to inherit his shares and for you to inherit your parents’ stake in the company we’ll be merging, there are a few rules you’ll need to follow.”

She smiles faintly.

“I’m not entirely sure how much you already know, so I’ll explain everything, alright?”

Raven nods hesitantly.

“First. You and Ares may not spend more than three consecutive nights apart.”

Raven immediately stiffens and wraps her arms around herself, visibly uncomfortable.

I hadn’t thought much beyond today, and the idea of us sharing a room seems… strange.

I can’t even imagine what that would be like.

As much as I care about her, we’ve never spent more than a few hours together at a time, and rarely ever completely alone.

“Second. When you are together, you must share the same bed. You cannot live separate lives, nor can you maintain separate bedrooms.”

I notice Raven tense again, and I wonder if she’s already trying to think of loopholes around Grandma’s rules.

She’s about to learn the hard way that Anne Windsor is not someone you outmaneuver.

“Third. You must remain married for three years. If, after that time, you genuinely decide you are not compatible, you may divorce without penalty.”

She smiles calmly.

“However, there has never been a divorce in the Windsor family, and I have full faith that your marriage will not become the exception.”

Raven glances at me, her expression unreadable.

I always said I’d never get divorced.

But that was when I imagined my future with Hannah.

With Raven?

I’m not so sure anymore.

Maybe divorce really is the solution to all our problems.

“Fourth. You must remain faithful to one another. If either of you cheats, both of you lose everything.”

Her gaze sharpens.

“You will lose your parents’ company, and Ares will lose his inheritance.”

She pauses briefly.

“Family is at the core of everything we are. Everything we’ve built.”

Then she looks directly at both of us.

“And now your family begins with each other.”

Raven nods slowly, though reluctance is still obvious in her expression.

Surely she didn’t think I’d tolerate her sleeping around while carrying my name.

I clench my jaw and look away.

Everything about this marriage is a complete clusterfuck.

“The fifth and final rule,” Grandma continues, “is that you must give this marriage a genuine chance. Allow yourselves to believe this could work.”

She looks between the two of us with that same sweet smile on her face.

It’s strange how genuinely kind she appears while keeping both our lives trapped in an iron grip.

“Don’t cling to the lives you had before marriage. Give each other an honest chance.”

She continues:

“In three years, I’ll sign the paperwork officially declaring the company jointly yours, making the two of you the owners of the largest media company in the country.”

Then she looks at me.

“And you’ll receive your inheritance as well, Ares.”

She pauses before continuing.

“I know all of this happened very suddenly, so for the next four weeks, I’m releasing both of you from all family obligations. You won’t need to attend family dinners or charity events.”

Her smile softens.

“All I want is for you to focus on your marriage. Spend time together. Get to know each other on a deeper level.”

She tilts her head slightly.

“Soon the entire world will find out about the two of you, and all that pressure will place additional strain on your relationship. Enjoy this time together before that happens.”

Raven and I both nod, though neither of us seems convinced.

I can’t stop wondering what she’s thinking.

I have no idea what a marriage between us is supposed to look like.

I don’t know what she wants.

What she expects.

I don’t even know where I stand with Hannah anymore.

Everything is a fucking mess.

And Raven is trapped right in the middle of it.

“Carry your bride the proper way,” Grandma orders when the limousine stops in front of my house.

I nod obediently and step out of the car, my eyes immediately locking with Raven’s as I bend down to pick her up.

She looks scared.

Reluctant.

And I hate knowing I’m the reason that expression exists in her eyes.

I hate knowing she was forced into all of this.

I wrap one arm around her waist and the other beneath her knees before lifting her into my arms.

Raven gasps softly, her arms instinctively sliding around my neck.

“Ares.”

She looks at me, and the expression in her beautiful hazel eyes nearly stops me in my tracks.

“You don’t have to do this.”

She sounds hurt.

Broken.

Today may be difficult for me, but it’s just as cruel for her.

We both lost a lot today.

“You heard Grandma,” I tell her softly.

“Besides, the staff will be watching.”

As if summoned by my words, Donna, my housekeeper, appears in the doorway.

Her gaze remains fixed politely on the floor, but her curiosity is impossible to miss.

Everyone in the household had been expecting Hannah.

I know none of them will say a word, but the entire situation still feels unsettling.

I carry Raven into the house, my chest tightening as I walk toward the living room with her in my arms.

I can feel her eyes on me, but I can’t bring myself to look at her.

She has no idea how many times I imagined carrying her sister across this threshold instead…

But if I truly want to do right by Raven, I need to make sure she’s never reminded of that.