B
I didn’t care why Sebastian Ford wanted to marry me.
My life was already full of lies and betrayals. At this point, anyone in the world was safer than the people I once called my family.
Besides, in all of Linton City, only Sebastian Ford had the power to stand against the Parkers.
This wasn’t love–it was a transaction. We both had something to gain.
The next few days passed quickly as I recovered at Sebastian’s house. Once I was well enough to move around, the first thing we did was visit City Hall to sign the marriage certificate.
The process was cold and mechanical, more like a business deal than a wedding.
Sebastian didn’t even stay afterward–he left for the airport as soon as we were done. I didn’t mind.
In this arrangement, I was clearly the one benefiting the most. Sebastian had given me a lifeline when I was at rock bottom, and for that, I was grateful.
After seeing him off, I decided it was time to return to the Hayes estate,
This time, I arrived with two bodyguards Sebastian had assigned to me. Their presence was impossible to ignore–they moved with purpose, their mere steps exuding authority.
12:09 PM
<
The moment I walked through the front door, my father hurled a cane straight at me.
I barely had time to react, but one of the bodyguards stepped forward, catching the cane mid–air and positioning himself protectively in front
of me.
“You’ve got some nerve coming back here, you little brat!” my father shouted, his face red with fury. “What, you think hiring bodyguards makes you untouchable? Did you bring them here to beat up your own father?”
I didn’t flinch, meeting his glare with cold indifference.
It was almost surreal. Before the engagement party, I had been the cherished daughter of the Hayes family. Now, in the blink of an eye, I was thrown into hell, surrounded by people who had once smiled at me but now revealed their true, monstrous faces.
All because of Mia.
All because of her, my so–called family had turned on me, baring their fangs like wild animals.
“I came back to tell you something,” I said evenly, my voice devoid of emotion. “I got married.”
My father froze, his anger giving way to confusion.
For a moment, his face was a mess of conflicting emotions. He looked like he wanted to laugh, but the awkwardness of the situation left him struggling to control his expression.
“Married? Well, that’s… good, I suppose. Good.”
My mother appeared at the top of the stairs, her face covered in a sheet mask. She descended gracefully, acting as though nothing had happened. Her voice was warm and affectionate as she reached for me.
“Lila, darling, why are you still upset with your mother? Come here. Let’s go shopping–I’ll buy you some new jewelry.”
I stepped back, avoiding her outstretched hand.
“There’s no need,” I said coldly.
One of the bodyguards handed me a check, which I placed neatly on the coffee table.
“This check is for fifty million,” I said, my voice steady. “I’ve calculated the cost of everything you’ve ever spent on me over the last twenty years. This amount should cover it, and then some.”
Both of my parents froze, staring at me in stunned silence.
“What… what are you saying?” my father stammered.
I shrugged, stepping away.
“Consider this the price of my freedom. From now on, I’m no longer your daughter. We’re done.”
My father’s face turned red with rage as he snatched the check off the table.
“You ungrateful little–who put you up to this? Was it Cole? Is this his way of getting back at me because of Mia?”
I almost laughed at his desperation. He still thought this was about Cole.
“Look at the name on the check,” I said calmly.
Confused, he handed the check to my mother, who glanced at it before her eyes widened in shock.
“Lila,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Why does this check have Sebastian Ford’s name on it?”
I smiled faintly, my tone light but distant.
12:09
<
“Because that’s who I married.”
