Meadow’s POV:


    ric’s house–or rather, mansion–was tucked away behind tall iron gates and hedges. The drive up to it alone was long enough for me to have separate panic attacks and still have time to rehearse my <b>‘</b><b>I’ve </b>made a very huge mistake‘ speech.


    But when the SUV stopped and the door opened, I stepped out like I belonged. Like I wasn’t about to sign my life away to a man I barely knew.


    ‘You live where I live. Because you’re my wife.‘


    That wasn’t supposed to sound hot, but it did.


    ric already considered me his wife, but until I made the decision to sign the contract<b>, </b>I was his guest. His guest who was wearing his insanely expensive diamond ring.


    The driver, West–I’d asked him his name in the car–bowed slightly<b>, </b>gesturing toward the front door, where a woman already stood, a soft, kind grin on her face as I approached her.


    This had to be Mel. She was older, probably in herte forties or early fifties, wearing a crisp navy blouse <b>and </b>cks that screamed efficiency<b>. </b>


    “Wee home, Mrs. Ashford<i>,</i><i>” </i>she greeted warmly.


    My cheek heated as I fumbled for words. “Oh…um…I’m not-<b>” </b>


    “I know.” She chuckled softly, leading me into the house. “But it’s only a matter of time, Miss. Russell.”


    “He-“I stopped short<b>, </b>my mouth dropping open the moment I stepped inside the house.


    This house hadn’t just been designed. It had been curated.


    Floor–to–ceiling windows, a beautiful spiral staircase, high, vaulted ceilings… Everything was white, ck or grey, and way <i>too </i>clean to touch.


    Mel led me up the stairs, and I trudged behind her, my heart pounding hard against my ribcage. This felt


    too unreal.


    <b>It </b>felt… surreal.


    The guest suite was breathtakingly huge. Three times bigger than the apartment I shated with Tyler, so big, it was intimidating.


    Hell<b>, </b>the entire mansion was intimidating


    And somehow, I was married to the owner?


    Mel’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. “The suite has been prepared to Mr. Ashford’s instructions. <b>You’ll </b>find fresh towels in the bathroom in case you need to freshen up, and your closet’s been stocked


    with <b>a </b><b>few </b>essentials.”


    “Closet?<b>” </b>I echoed.


    To be honest, up until this point, I hadn’t given a thought to what I was going to wear. Everything belonging to me was still in the apartment I shared with Tyler, andst night, when I stormed out of the hotel room, I didn’t take my clothes with me.


    Which was… stupid. I know.


    I blinked as I stepped toward the side door Mel gestured to. The closet lights flicked on the moment I


    stepped in.


    And I froze.


    “Oh my god.”


    Racks of clothing lined the walls–beautiful, absurdly expensive–looking clothes. Silk dresses… a lot of dresses, actually, blouses, jeans, shoes that looked like they belonged on runways.


    Lingerie… oh my gosh.


    Everything was arranged by color, and then style.


    And the worst part? Every single piece was my size. I let out an airyugh, running my hand over a ck


    “Was he expecting me?” <b>I </b>asked quietly, turning to face Mel.


    Because that was what <b>it </b>seemed like. First, ric told me the ring was customized. And now the guest room had been prepared with clothes that were exactly in my size<b>. </b>


    We definitely had a lot to talk about.


    Mel smiled gently. <b>“</b><b>Mr. </b>Ashford doesn’t do anything unnned, Miss Russell.”


    “Right,” I muttered. Of course, he didn’t. Because he was a stalker. He had to be.


    “Well, dear. If you need anything else, <b>I’ll </b>be downstairs in the kitchen.”


    “Thank you,” I mumbled as she stepped out of the closet.


    The moment Mel left the room, I hurried toward the bed, copsing onto it and stating at the ceiling like


    it had all the answers.


    What the hell was I doing?


    <i>2/4 </i>


    I closed my eyes, tried to breathe. Tried not to rey the look on ric’s face when he said I was his responsibility. Like I was a thing.


    A possession.


    But the worst part was–a part of me didn’t hate it.


    I didn’t know when I fell asleep, or how long I was asleep for, but I was awoken by the sound of something vibrating. I sat up in bed, disoriented, turning to look out the window to see that it was already dark


    outside.


    Reaching for my phone on the bedside table, I red at the bright screen, expecting <i>to </i><i>see </i>a call from my best friend, Nova. But my brows pulled together when I saw the name shing on the screen.


    Tyler.


    A surge of anger racked my entire body and my jaw clenched. Why the hell was he calling me?


    I could’ve just ignored the call, saved myself the pain of hearing his voice, but for some reason, I didn’t.


    I answered.


    “What do <b>you </b>want, Tyler?<b>” </b>


    “Hey<b>, </b>sis.”


    I froze, my blood running cold at the sound of my sister’s voice. <b>“</b>Juniper?<b>” </b>


    Her smug littleugh was my answer. “Wow. You answered. I thought I’d have to leave a voicemail, but I guess you’re still so desperate for Tyler’s love.”


    My fingers tightened around the phone. “What do you want?<b>” </b>


    “Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” she purred. “Just thought I’d let you know that your things are taking up space. I boxed them up for you. You can swing by and get them. Or not. I don’t care.”


    Juniper knew what she was doing. She definitely didn’t care about my clothes, but she was daring me to


    <b>It </b>was an invitation.


    “You called me for that?”


    <b>“</b>Mm, not really. I wanted to see if you’d actually pick up. I figured you’d be busy licking your wounds or whatever it is you do when you run away like a coward”


    I bit the inside of my cheek, tasting blood.


    I fucking hated the sound of Juniper’s voice.


    Which was ironic, because we sounded the exact same way.


    “God, you’re predictable,” sheughed. “Always so dramatic. You left in the middle of the night like a damn soap opera character. You could’ve joined us, you know? I’m sure Ty wouldn’t have minded.”


    “I’ll send someone to get my stuff, “I gritted out, feeling my throat clog up.


    She let out another sharpugh. “No, you won’t. <b>If </b>you want your sad little clothes, <b>your </b>shoes, books, whatever junk you left behind? Come get it yourself. Don’t send a mover. Don’t even send your bitch, Nova. You want it? You walk through the door like a big girl.”


    I stayed silent, keeping my jaw locked.


    <b>“</b><b>You </be tonight or you forget about it.”


    Click.


    Juniper ended the call.


    I stared at the screen, my breath shaky<b>. </b>


    I could’ve ignored it. Hell, I had nothing too personal that I couldn’t let go of.


    But as I stormed toward the closet, my mind was already made. I wasn’t going for the clothes.


    <b>I </b>was going for myself.


    <i>4/4 </i>