"Are you sure you're going to be fine?" Charlotte's mother asked.
"Absolutely," Charlotte replied as she headed toward the door.
A black Bentley Bentayga was waiting outside, its sleek body gleaming under the morning sun.
"Good morning, Mrs. Wilkins," the driver greeted with a polite bow.
Mrs. Wilkins…
Charlotte still couldn't believe she had become a Wilkins so quickly. She gave him a small nod before getting into the passenger seat.
The drive to the Wilkins residence was quiet. Charlotte stared out of the window, wondering what kind of man she was about to meet.
When they finally arrived, she stepped out and looked up at the enormous mansion standing before her. Everything about the place screamed wealth, from the perfectly trimmed gardens to the grand entrance.
A maid soon approached her.
"The master is in his study waiting for you," she said with a polite smile.
Charlotte nodded and followed her inside.
They stopped in front of a large wooden door.
The maid knocked before opening it.
"Master, she's here," she announced with a polite bow before leaving.
Charlotte stepped inside.
A man sat in a large leather chair with his back facing her. A cane rested beside him.
"Hi, David. I'm your wife," Charlotte said with a small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Another gold digger?" David muttered without turning around.
Charlotte's brows furrowed.
Gold digger?
"Your wife," she corrected. "Is this how you welcome people?"
"I don't care. You're just another woman my grandfather bought with money. You'll eventually leave after getting whatever you want."
There was something wounded beneath his harsh voice.
Charlotte stared at him for a moment.
She had only agreed to this marriage because of the offer his grandfather had made. If not for that, she wouldn't be wasting her time with a rude and arrogant man like him.
"Point of correction, I wasn't bought."
"I already told you. I don't care. You're no different from the other women who left."
"Oh, so there were other women before me?"
Charlotte shook her head as a low laugh escaped her lips.
"I can't remember saying anything funny."
"And I think your temper is what chased the other women away."
David's expression hardened.
"I don't like you. Leave my room immediately."
"Your grandfather should be the one to dismiss me, not you."
"I'll tell him I'm tired of the 'wives' he keeps bringing here to take care of me. I'm done being pitied. I don't need anyone's sympathy to survive."
Charlotte's temper flared.
What the hell was he talking about? Did he think she had come here to become his personal caretaker?
"And I don't remember telling you I'm your caretaker. I'm your wife," she said through gritted teeth. "Besides, I don't think someone with a temper like yours should be pitied."
David let out a bitter laugh.
"What do you want?"
Charlotte paused.
"Are you sure you're going to give me what I want if I name it?"
"If it isn't money, what else could you possibly want?" he asked with a scoff.
"Unfortunately, David…" Charlotte said dramatically. "I don't want your money. I want the whole Wilkins Company."
She laughed.
"Do you think you can give me that?"
David's attitude changed instantly.
"What's your plan?"
Charlotte scoffed.
The arrogant man from a few seconds ago was suddenly on alert.
"My plan? What do you think?"
She smiled.
"The whole Wilkins Company will soon be mine. Don't worry."
"Who are you?"
"Your wife."
Silence.
Charlotte raised a brow.
"What now? Cat got your tongue, David?"
There was no response, but the tension in the room was obvious.
"You see? You shouldn't be so quick to judge. The other women might have been here because of money, but I'm here for a different purpose. And it's not money. Neither is it the company, so calm down. The company is still yours."
"You…"
"Also, try not to make things difficult for me, okay?"
Silence.
"What now?" Charlotte asked.
"This marriage won't work. And if you said all that to intimidate me, I'm sorry to say this, but it failed."
"Okay."
"I'll pay you for your time. You don't have to get married to me because I would never love you. I would never give you attention, and I won't pretend to like you."
Charlotte listened before letting out a quiet sigh.
"Good, because I also didn't come here looking for love or a husband I have to cater to."
Her response caught David off guard.
"I'm only here for my own benefit, which I can assure you isn't money. I'm willing to endure this marriage for as long as necessary to get what I want."
David remained silent.
He reached for his walking cane and slowly stood from his chair.
Charlotte's eyes widened slightly as he turned toward her.
For the first time, she saw his face.
David Wilkins was devastatingly handsome.
His sharp jawline, straight nose, high cheekbones, and neatly styled dark hair gave him an almost intimidating appearance. His broad shoulders and tall frame made his presence even more commanding.
But his eyes were what caught Charlotte's attention.
They were strikingly beautiful, yet completely unfocused.
Blind.
Still, there was nothing weak about him.
His expression remained cold and unreadable as he reached for a file on the table and tossed it onto the floor.
"Sign it."
Charlotte bent down and picked it up.
The words on the cover immediately caught her attention.
CONTRACT MARRIAGE.
"I have a few personal rules," David said. "During our marriage, you must not interfere in my business. There's also no need to pretend we're in love when we're alone. In public, we're to act like a married couple. But once we're alone, we keep our distance."
Charlotte glanced at the contract.
"Fine. I also have a few personal rules. You must not interfere in my business, and you must not treat me like your servant."
David's jaw tightened.
"We'll see how long that confidence lasts," he muttered.
Charlotte heard him but said nothing.
She picked up the pen and signed the contract.
The moment her signature touched the paper, the contract marriage officially began.