Chapter 2 Marriage Unlocked
Chapter 2 Marriage Unlocked
The Davis Group was practically drowning in debt. Financial troubles had created a massive hole in the company accounts, and if things continued this way, bankruptcy was inevitable.
At this critical moment, Harold Wilson from the Wilson Corporation appeared with an offer—he'd help fill the financial gap if Richard Davis would agree to marry his daughter to him.
Madison was raised by Richard since childhood, and naturally, he couldn't bear to part with her. But I was already engaged to Nathan Anderson.
Eventually, Richard came up with a compromise—make Nathan break our engagement to marry Madison, while I would be married off to Harold.
I clenched my fists, never imagining Richard would be so heartless, completely disregarding our father-daughter relationship and treating me like a business transaction.
"Absolutely not!" I said harshly. I'd been raised by my grandfather, and this so-called father hadn't spent a minute of effort on me. If it weren't for Grandpa's serious illness requiring Richard's money, I would never have moved into the Davis household!
Seeing my refusal, Richard gave a cold laugh. "Amanda, don't forget that your grandfather is still in the hospital, and he needs my money for treatment!"
Though he didn't spell it out clearly, the threat in Richard's words was unmistakable.
I stared at him in disbelief. Richard was actually using this to threaten me. "Richard, my grandfather is also your biological father. Using him to threaten me—don't you feel like a monster?"
Richard was extremely vain, pretending to be righteous in public while being more selfish than anyone behind closed doors.
His face immediately turned red with anger. "Amanda, is that how you speak to your own father?"
Richard turned away. He didn't want to argue pointlessly with me anymore. "Today, you'll stay in your room. Tomorrow Mr. Wilson will visit, so make yourself presentable and prepare to marry him willingly. The Wilson family is wealthy—marrying into it isn't exactly a hardship."
What a self-righteous excuse! I almost laughed from frustration. This father who never cared for me was now, for his own selfish interests, finding me a forty-something-year-old man for a fiancé!
How ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!
But Grandpa was in his hands now. I couldn't openly rebel, or Richard might actually harm Grandpa.
I calmed myself down, said nothing, and turned back to my room.
Shortly after returning to my room, my phone suddenly rang. Looking down, I noticed it was an unknown number. Curious, I answered anyway.
"If something's wrong at home, you can tell me." As soon as the call connected, a deep, magnetic male voice came through.
I recognized it immediately—it was Ethan Blackwood, my convenient husband.
Though I had no idea how Ethan had gotten my number, a bitter smile crept across my lips. "It's nothing..."
"You don't sound like nothing's wrong," Ethan remarked slowly, his voice smooth and questioning.
The Davis family's situation was complicated, with too many twists and turns. The Wilson Group also had considerable influence in LA. Even if Ethan wanted to help, there wasn't much he could do.
"You're just a male model. What help could you possibly offer? Worry about yourself first," I said. My head was throbbing now. I'd married someone random, and that random person turned out to be a male model.
"Male model?" Ethan's voice rose slightly, sounding amused. "You think I'm a male model?"
I mumbled a vague affirmation. "What else? With your looks, hanging around in a bar—what else would you be? Though with your face and body, you must be a top model."
Hearing me label him a male model, Ethan's amusement seemed to deepen. He chuckled softly and replied leisurely, "Fair enough. But even if I am a model, we're husband and wife now. If you're having troubles, you can tell me."
I shook my head even though he couldn't see me. "No need. Just take care of yourself. My family issues are complicated—I'll handle them myself."
Our coming together was purely accidental. There was no need to burden Ethan with the Davis family's problems.
After saying this, I hung up the phone.
I stared at the ceiling, wondering how my life had spiraled so out of control.
Grandfather Michael was the only person who truly cared for me, and now Richard was using his illness as leverage.
To make matters worse, I'd drunkenly married a stranger who thought he could somehow help with my family's deep financial troubles.
At this time, Madison barged into my room with her head held high. She crossed her arms over her chest and snorted disdainfully at me. "Amanda, did you get yourself a sugar daddy last night?"
I could see the jealousy eating at her. Despite growing up in the countryside, ever since I returned to the Davis family, everyone compared Madison to me—and she came up short in every comparison.
She had finally managed to snag Nathan, and she couldn't bear the thought of me finding someone with even more power and wealth.
I flinched instinctively when she moved closer—a habit formed from three years with Nathan. Behind his charming public facade, he'd shown me a different side when we were alone.
The subtle pushing, the tight grip on my arm that left bruises, the way he'd back me into corners when I disagreed with him. Nothing that would show publicly, nothing too obvious—just enough to keep me constantly walking on eggshells.
I didn't want to deal with Madison and tried to walk past her to leave.
Madison grabbed my arm roughly in the same spot where Nathan had left a bruise just last week. I winced, and she noticed, a cruel smile spreading across her face.
"Did he hurt you too?" she asked, digging her nails deeper. "You're so pathetic. Nathan told me everything—how you'd cry over the smallest things, how you'd beg him not to leave."
She pushed me hard against the wall, reminding me so much of Nathan that my breathing quickened. "Amanda! People who can afford cars like that in LA are usually old men! You have no shame, crawling into their beds! Good thing Nathan broke up with you already—he'd be disgusted if he knew what you're doing!"