THE CEO'S SECRET BRIDE

I woke up in a bed that was too soft, in a room too big, too perfect. For a few seconds, I forgot where I was. Then suddenly it hit me that I had gotten married and I'm no longer in my own house.

I sat up quickly, my heart pounding. My hand held onto the bed sheets like it was going to save me.

The large mirrors, the expensive perfumes, the huge wardrobe filled with clothes that weren’t mine, none of this belonged to me. Nothing here was mine, not even my own life and very soon I'll be his.

A sharp knock at the door made me jump.

"Miss Annabel," a voice called from outside. "It’s time to get ready."

I swallowed hard. Get ready? For what? I was already married. I had already walked down that aisle, said the words they forced me to say, and signed my name on a paper that sold my freedom away.

But deep inside, something felt wrong.

I turned to the nightstand beside me. My wedding ring sat there, shining under the dim light. I stared at it, and I felt like a heavy weight in my heart. I wanted to take it and throw it across the room, but what good would that do?

Carson Clair owned me now, though it was hard to believe but was true.

I rubbed my hands over my face. My body felt weak,and my mind was tired. I wanted to believe this was just a bad dream. That I would wake up in my tiny old bedroom, free to make my own choices.

I turned back to the door as the person outside had knocked again, this time softer.

"Miss Annabel, are you awake?"

I didn’t answer. My eyes moved to the large mirror across the room. I looked at the girl sitting on the bed, I saw a stranger who resembled me .

My reflection showed someone lost, someone trapped and frustrated. I looked like a bride, but I didn’t feel like one.

And then, out of nowhere, a voice echoed in my head.

"Run."

Where did that come from? It wasn’t my own thought, but it felt real.

Run? Run where?

I shook my head. There was nowhere to go.

I was already in Carson Clair’s world. A world where no one left unless he let them.

Before I could think too much, the door slowly opened.

I turned sharply, and saw a woman standing there. She was dressed in black with a serious expression. I had never seen her before.

She stepped inside, her voice barely above a whisper.

"If you want to leave, this is your last chance."

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice shaky.

She glanced at the door behind her, then back at me. "I can help you escape. But you have to decide now."

My heart pounded so loud I could hear it in my ears. Escape? Could I really leave?

I thought about my father. The reason I had agreed to this marriage. If I run now, what would happen to him?

The woman stepped closer. "You don’t belong here. He will never love you. He will only control you."

I swallowed hard. My fingers trembled. Every part of me wanted to run. To say yes. To leave before it was too late.

But what if it was already too late?

From somewhere deep in the house, a door slammed.

The woman’s eyes widened. "He’s coming."

Carson Clair.

“What was I going to do?”I asked myself.

********

The woman in black looked at me, her eyes urgent. "Decide now," she whispered. "If you stay, there’s no turning back."

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. My head was spinning with thoughts.

Can I really escape? Can I leave everything behind?

Before I could answer, the bedroom door swung open.

And there he was.

The almighty Carson Clair.

He stood by the door, and his sharp blue eyes were scanning the room. He didn’t look surprised to see the woman, but his gaze landed on me, and for a second, I couldn’t breathe

His face didn’t show anything I could understand. He wasn’t angry, and he didn’t look worried. There was no smile, no frown, nothing to tell me what he was thinking. He just stood there, calm, like he was always in control of everything around him.

"Leave us," he said, his voice calm but firm.

The woman hesitated. She looked at me one last time, then turned and walked out without another word.

The door shut behind her.

"You wanted to run away," he said, his voice calm but firm. It wasn’t a question, He was telling me what I had already thought of, like he knew my mind better than I did.

I wanted to lie or say something to prove him wrong but nothing of such was happening, I just stood there blank and so short of what to say.

He walked closer, staring at me closely. "I don’t blame you," he said, his voice softer now. "Most people fear what they don’t understand."

I swallowed hard. "And what am I supposed to understand?"I asked.

He smiled. "That you are mine now."

He reached for the table near the mirror where I kept my ring, picked up my wedding ring, and held it up. "This means you belong to me, Annabel. There is no escape."

ICarson placed the ring in my hand and leaned in slightly. His voice was low, almost gentle. "Get dressed, you have a role to play."

Then, just like that, he turned and walked out, leaving me frozen and dumbfounded.

I stared at the ring in my palm, with my heart pounding very fast. He said there is no escape and he means it.

The words kept echoing in my head as I got dressed.

But deep inside, something whispered back.

We’ll see about that.

I have no hope but let's see.