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Contract Marriage to Everlasting Love is a heartwarming and emotional slow-burn romance that follows the unlikely journey of Kate and Richard, two strangers bound by a contract but destined for something deeper. When free-spirited Kate is forced into a marriage of convenience to save her family, she finds herself living with Richard, a cold and calculated businessman guarding a painful past. What begins as a loveless arrangement quickly turns into something far more complicated as hidden emotions surface, past wounds are revealed, and hearts begin to change.
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Contract Marriage to Everlasting Love
By
Jagdish Krishanlal Arora
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
CONTRACT MARRIAGE TO EVERLASTING LOVE
First edition. April 29, 2025.
Copyright © 2025 Jagdish Krishanlal Arora.
Written by Jagdish Krishanlal Arora.
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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A Watery Mystery
Romantic Conflicts
Thieves of Palestine
Love in Chicago
WordPress Design and Development
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Travellers Guide to Mount Kailash
Become a Better Writer With Creative Writing
Emerging Trends in Carbon Emission Reduction
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Copyright, Patents, Trademarks and Trade Secret Laws
Decoding CHATGPT and Artificial Intelligence
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How to Lose Weight Quickly
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The Attic's Secrets
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Children of the Magic Realm
The Code of Hammurabi
Large Language Models - LLMs
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Romantic Noveels Collection
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Manusmriti
Planet Earth
Space, Time and Matter
Ukraine vs Russia
King's Love
Married to A Disabled Billionaire CEO
THE Ukraine Ceasefire Agreement and History
The New York Archives
World War IV: Russia Vs United States
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Contract Marriage to Everlasting Love
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Also By Jagdish Krishanlal Arora
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Also By Jagdish Krishanlal Arora
About the Author
CHAPTER ONE
TWO STRANGERS ARE FORCED into marriage due to family circumstances. Neither believes in love... until they slowly, painfully fall for each other.
The rain drizzled softly against the large glass windows of the café, casting a melancholy shadow over everything inside. Kate wrapped her fingers tighter around the warm mug of coffee, her mind racing despite the peaceful hum of chatter around her.
She never liked surprises. Especially not ones involving family.
Across from her sat her mother, her usually stern face softened with an unusual gentleness. It was that gentleness that worried Kate more than anything.
“Kate,” her mother began carefully, “we need to talk about something important.”
Those words had never led to anything good.
“I’ve been thinking...” Her mother hesitated, fingers nervously twisting the gold ring on her hand. “It’s about your future.”
Kate’s heart dropped. “Mom, if this is about marriage again”
“It’s already been arranged.”
Silence. The kind that settles heavy in the air and suffocates.
Kate blinked, her throat tightening as she stared at her mother, searching for any sign of a joke. But the older woman’s eyes held no humoronly quiet determination and guilt.
“Arranged?” Kate echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.
Her mother nodded slowly. “He’s a good man. Comes from a respectable family. This... this will secure our future, Kate.”
Our future.
The words stung more than she thought they would.
“But... I don’t even know him.” Kate’s voice cracked with disbelief. “You can’t just decide something like this without me.”
Her mother looked away, guilt flickering across her features. “Sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the people we love.”
Kate’s world seemed to tilt, the steady ground beneath her feet suddenly fragile. Marriage had always been something distant in her mind something that would happen when she was ready, when she chose it.
Not like this.
“Who is he?” Kate forced the question out, her hands trembling.
Her mother took a deep breath. “His name is Richard.”
Kate stared blankly at the name her mother had just spoken.
Richard.
The name meant nothing to her. A stranger. A man she was expected to marry.
"When?" she asked, the word sharp, cutting through the thick fog of her thoughts.
"Two weeks," her mother said quietly, flinching a little under Kate’s stunned gaze. "Everything is already being prepared."
Two weeks.
Fourteen days to meet, marry, and promise forever to someone she had never even seen.
Kate felt her chest tighten, the panic crawling up her throat. This wasn’t just unfair it was insane.
"I want to meet him," she said suddenly, the decision rising from some stubborn place inside her.
Her mother hesitated, then nodded. "Tonight. Dinner."
Later that evening, Kate found herself sitting stiffly in an expensive restaurant she could hardly afford. She fiddled nervously with her bracelet, her mind spinning with questions. What would he look like? What if he was cruel? Or worse what if he was indifferent?
Just as she considered slipping out the back door, a deep voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Are you Kate?"
She looked up and froze.
Standing before her was a tall man in a black tailored suit, his dark hair slightly messy in a way that looked effortlessly good. His sharp jawline, cool grey eyes, and calm, unreadable expression made him look like he had stepped straight out of a magazine.
Kate found her voice, somehow. "Yes."
"I’m Richard."
He slid into the seat across from her without ceremony, offering a small, polite smile. No excitement. No passion. Just... obligation.
Just like her.
The dinner passed in awkward, careful conversation. Small talk about work, family, favourite foods. Kate tried to find something anything to hold onto, but it was like talking to a wall. A very handsome, very cold wall.
Finally, at the end of the meal, Richard reached into his coat pocket and placed a small velvet box on the table.
Inside it was a simple gold ring.
No grand proposal. No sweet words.
Just a cold, practical question:
"Will you marry me?"
Kate stared at the ring, her heart shattering into a thousand pieces she couldn’t gather up.
This wasn’t the proposal she had dreamt of as a little girl.
But somehow, with trembling fingers, she reached for the ring.
And said yes.
The days blurred together after that dinner. Kate went through the motions, her world shrinking to the confines of her mother’s plans, Richard’s distant presence, and the overwhelming weight of the commitment she had just made.
She tried to tell herself it was temporary just a formality. A short period of discomfort before she could return to her own life, her own choices. But the reality of it sank in more with every passing moment.
The engagement was real.
And soon, the wedding would be too.
She avoided her mother’s eyes, but that didn’t stop her from pushing her relentlessly talking about dresses, venues, family guests, and all the details Kate had never even thought about. Her mother’s excitement, for all its intensity, felt like a betrayal to her. The woman she had always loved and looked up to was now the architect of her misery.
Kate sat at her desk the next morning, pretending to focus on her work. But all she could think of was the ring on her finger, the cold, indifferent look in Richard’s eyes, and the walls of her own heart slowly building around her.
Her phone buzzed, a message from her mother:
“Please call me when you get a moment, darling. We need to talk about the rehearsal dinner.”
Kate closed her eyes for a moment, holding back the tears that threatened to spill. It wasn’t just the wedding that had her breaking apart it was the realization that no one in her life truly saw her anymore. They only saw what they wanted her to be.
"Why am I doing this?" she whispered to herself, the question echoing in her mind.
That night, Kate walked home under the dim streetlights, her thoughts heavy. She reached her apartment, the same quiet space that had once felt like a refuge but now seemed like a cage.
As she opened the door, she heard a soft sounda noise that felt out of place. Her heart jumped in her chest. She turned to the living room and froze.
Richard stood there, leaning against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets, an unreadable expression on his face.
"I thought I’d find you here."
Kate blinked. "Why are you here?"
He didn’t answer immediately. He just watched her, his cool grey eyes studying her, perhaps noticing the exhaustion on her face, the ache in her posture. But there was still no warmth, no spark.
"I don’t want this either," Richard said suddenly, his voice almost a whisper, though it carried the weight of a secret.
Kate's breath caught in her throat. "What?"
He sighed, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I didn’t ask for this marriage any more than you did. But sometimes, we don’t get a choice."
Kate stared at him, feeling an unexpected rush of something anger, confusion, relief? "Then why are we doing it?"
Richard looked up at her, his eyes softening just slightly. "Because our families won’t let us walk away. And neither of us has the courage to be the first to break it."
The day of the wedding rehearsal arrived far too quickly, and Kate’s heart had never been heavier. Her mother had taken over every aspect of the preparation, turning even the smallest details into a grand spectacle. From the floral arrangements to the seating chart, everything had been planned to perfection. But Kate couldn’t bring herself to care about any of it.
She stood in front of the full-length mirror in her wedding dress, her stomach twisted in knots. The white fabric felt foreign on her skin, as though it belonged to someone else. Someone who wanted this, who chose this.
A knock at the door made her jump. She turned, surprised to find Richard standing there, wearing a sharp black suit, his expression as unreadable as ever.
“Ready?” he asked, though his voice had none of the usual enthusiasm associated with a groom-to-be.
Kate didn’t know how to respond. “I don’t think I can do this,” she whispered, more to herself than to him.
Richard didn’t flinch. He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. “You don’t have to pretend you’re okay with it.”
Kate’s eyes flickered up to meet his. “You don’t get it. This is my life. I’m not just following someone else’s script.”
“I never said you were,” he replied quietly. “But we both know how this works. It’s already decided. You can’t back out now.”
His words stung. She had never been one to back down, never been someone who let others make her choices. But everything had changed. The weight of her mother’s expectations, the pressure from her family, the helplessness she felthow could she escape?
“Maybe we can get through this,” Richard continued, his tone softer now. “Maybe, after the wedding, we can figure out a way to make this work. For both of us.”
Kate’s heart twisted. She wasn’t sure if she could believe him. His sincerity felt genuine, but how could she trust a man she barely knew, let alone marry him?
A long silence stretched between them before Richard stepped closer. His gaze softened ever so slightly as he looked at her, something flickering in his eyes. He held out his hand.
“Shall we?”
The rehearsal was a blur. The guests arrived, the music played, the vows were spoken in hollow voices. Every smile felt forced, every laugh distant. Kate walked down the aisle with a tight smile, glancing at Richard’s stone-cold face as they exchanged vows that didn’t feel like vows at all.
The night ended with their families congratulating them, their eyes full of pride. Kate’s chest ached as she gave a polite smile and exchanged pleasantries with relatives she barely knew. They were all so happy for her, so proud of this “perfect” union, and yet, she felt emptier than she had ever felt in her life.
When the rehearsal finally ended, Kate slipped away to the balcony of the venue, needing a moment of quiet away from the chaos. She leaned against the railing, staring at the night sky, hoping for some kind of sign, some kind of answer.
But the only thing that came was Richard, stepping into view beside her.
“You didn’t have to follow me,” she said quietly, her voice hoarse with emotion.
“I know,” he replied, his voice as soft as the evening air. “But I did anyway.”
They stood there for a long moment in silence, the city lights twinkling far below. Richard’s presence was oddly comforting, though it did little to ease the confusion swirling in Kate’s chest.
“Do you ever wonder,” Kate began slowly, “how we ended up here? How we became part of a story that isn’t our own?”
Richard’s gaze shifted to the city lights as well. “Every day.”
There was something in the way he said it, something that told Kate he understood her better than anyone else. He wasn’t just the stranger she was about to marry he was a person, someone who, like her, had his own hopes, fears, and dreams. And maybe, just maybe, he wasn’t the enemy she had painted him out to be.
CHAPTER TWO
THEY DIDN’T SPEAK AGAIN that night, but the silence between them felt less like a wall and more like a fragile understanding.
The wedding was a blur of faces, speeches, and laughter that Kate felt too distant from to truly enjoy. She stood beside Richard, smiling politely, nodding along as friends and family congratulated them. It all felt like a performance, a play where she was an unwilling actor, reciting lines she hadn’t written.
When the night finally wound down, and the guests began to leave the reception hall, Kate found herself standing in front of a giant glass door leading to the balcony. The night air was cool against her flushed skin. She needed a moment of solitude, a break from the pretence.
Before she could step outside, Richard appeared beside her. He, too, seemed drained by the festivities, his usual aloofness replaced by an unfamiliar weariness. His eyes met hers for a moment silent acknowledgment of their shared exhaustion.
"Want to get away for a bit?" he asked quietly, his voice low enough that no one else would hear.
Kate nodded, grateful for the chance to escape the spotlight. Without a word, they both stepped out onto the balcony. The view of the city was breathtaking, the lights flickering in the distance like stars scattered across the night sky.
It felt like a breath of fresh air in an otherwise suffocating evening. But then, reality hit Kate again. They were married now. This wasn’t a romantic escape this was real. She couldn’t escape the fact that she had just married a man she barely knew, a man whose life was now intertwined with hers.
Richard leaned against the balcony railing, staring into the distance, lost in thought.
"This wasn’t how I imagined my wedding day," Kate said suddenly, her voice breaking the silence. The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Richard glanced at her, and for the first time since meeting him, Kate saw something more than indifference in his eyes. There was something... vulnerable. Something human.
"I didn’t imagine mine this way either," he said quietly, almost to himself.
Kate turned to face him, her heart thudding in her chest. "Do you regret it?"
He looked at her, his gaze steady. "I don’t know what I feel yet. But I know I didn’t want to do this alone. And I don’t want you to feel alone in this either."
The sincerity in his voice took her by surprise. She had expected him to be cold, to hide behind his usual distant persona. But this was different. This wasn’t the man she had met at dinner. This was a man, someone just as lost as she was, trying to navigate a situation neither of them had chosen.
Before she could respond, a voice from inside the venue broke the moment. "Kate, Richard! It’s time for the first dance!"
They shared a fleeting glance, and then Richard sighed, pushing himself away from the railing. "I guess we should get back inside."
Kate nodded, her mind swirling with questions. She wasn’t sure what was happening between them was this some kind of connection forming? Or was it just the exhaustion and stress of the night? She didn’t know.
The moment they entered the reception hall, the crowd’s attention immediately shifted to them. The music changed to something softer, slower, and a spotlight shone on the newlyweds. Everyone was waiting for their first dance.
Kate’s heart hammered in her chest as Richard reached out to take her hand. The distance between them seemed impossible, but he gently guided her to the centre of the dance floor, his hand resting on the small of her back. She could feel the warmth of his palm through the delicate fabric of her dress.
For a moment, neither of them spoke, simply swaying to the music. The awkwardness of the situation was palpable, but there was something else a quiet understanding, a silent truce between two people thrown into a marriage neither of them wanted.
Richard’s hand on her back felt like a tether, grounding her in the moment. Kate’s breath caught as she realized she was no longer just going through the motions. She was feeling something real, something she hadn’t expected to feel.
"I don’t want to do this with a stranger," she whispered, the vulnerability in her voice surprising even herself.
Richard looked down at her, his expression unreadable at first, but then his lips curled into a small, almost imperceptible smile. "I don’t want to do it alone either."
The music faded into the background, and for a brief moment, it was just the two of them no expectations, no pressures, just two people connected by an unexpected bond.
The days following the wedding were a blur of chaos. Kate and Richard had settled into their new reality, a life that felt both foreign and suffocating. Their families continued to shower them with congratulations and expectations, and everyone around them seemed convinced that the marriage was already a success. But Kate couldn’t shake the feeling that they were both just pretending to be in love, pretending to be happy.
The truth was, they didn’t know each other at all. They had been thrown into this marriage because their families decided it was for the best. No courtship. No shared moments of connection. Just... an arrangement. And it felt like a cage.
One afternoon, a week after the wedding, Kate found herself sitting at the kitchen table, staring at the stack of bills and paperwork that had accumulated in front of her. The mundane details of life things she had always taken care of on her own now felt like a constant reminder of how little she had control over her own future.
Richard entered the room, looking as aloof as ever. His eyes flicked to the paperwork, then back to her.
"How are you holding up?" he asked, his tone surprisingly soft. It was the first time he had ever asked about her well-being directly.
Kate didn’t meet his gaze immediately. "I’m fine," she replied quickly, brushing it off. "Just... overwhelmed with all of this."
Richard leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. "I get it," he said. "I didn’t ask for any of this either. But we need to make some ground rules."
Kate looked up at him, surprised. "Ground rules?"
"Yeah," he said, his expression serious. "If we’re going to be in this for the long haul, we can’t keep pretending like it’s all normal. I don’t know what kind of marriage you had in mind, but this one isn’t going to be about keeping up appearances. We need some boundaries, some understanding."
Kate’s brow furrowed. "What are you saying?"
Richard sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I’m saying that if we’re going to make this work, even for the sake of our families, we need to be clear on where we stand. We can’t just keep acting like this is some fairytale."
Kate’s chest tightened as she processed his words. She had never expected him to say something so... honest. It was a conversation she had been avoiding, but now that it was happening, it felt oddly freeing.
"What are you suggesting?" she asked, her voice quieter than usual.
"Let’s agree on some rules," he said. "We don’t lie to each other. We don’t pretend. We’ll share responsibilities, but we don’t need to fake a relationship. We can live separate lives within this marriage. And if anything gets too much, we talk about it openly."
Kate stared at him for a long moment. She didn’t know what to feel. She had never expected him to be so... reasonable. So willing to acknowledge the reality of their situation.
"Okay," she said finally, her voice small but resolute. "I think that’s fair."
Richard gave her a small nod, as if relieved by her agreement. "Good. We’ll figure this out, one step at a time. No pretending, no expectations. Just... real."
For the first time in their short marriage, Kate felt like they were on the same page. There was still a long way to go, but maybe just maybe they could find a way to make this work, even if it wasn’t how either of them had imagined it.
As Richard turned to leave the room, Kate watched him, her heart racing. She wasn’t sure where this was going. She wasn’t sure what they were even supposed to be. But for the first time, she felt like she had a partner. Someone who, despite everything, was willing to walk beside her through this unexpected journey.
The days passed, each one blending into the next. Kate and Richard had agreed to their "rules," but even with those boundaries in place, there was an unspoken tension between the man awareness that neither of them could ignore. They lived in the same house, shared meals, and worked through daily routines like two strangers forced to coexist. Yet, in moments of silence, there was something more, something neither of them was ready to acknowledge.
One evening, Kate was curled up on the couch, a book in her lap, trying to focus on the words in front of her. But her mind kept drifting. She could hear Richard in the kitchen, his footsteps as soft as always, his presence like a shadow just outside of her line of vision. Every so often, she would catch glimpses of him, and in those fleeting moments, she would see something an unreadable expression, a vulnerability in his eyes. It was like watching someone who was trying to mask their own inner turmoil.
A few minutes later, Richard entered the living room, a glass of wine in hand. "You still up?" he asked casually.
Kate glanced up, startled. She hadn’t even realized how late it had gotten. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep."
He nodded, taking a seat at the other end of the couch. The silence stretched between them before he spoke again.
"Are you... okay with this?" he asked, his voice quieter than usual.
Kate’s heart skipped a beat. She’d been expecting him to avoid the topic, to pretend everything was fine. But instead, here he was, opening up in a way she hadn't anticipated.
"With what?" she replied, her voice unsure.
"With us. With everything," Richard said, his eyes meeting hers for the first time that evening. "You know, I think we’ve both been pretending to be okay, but I need to know are you really okay?"
Kate stared at him for a long moment, her fingers tightening around the edge of her book. There was no hiding now. He was waiting for an answer, for something real. And, despite all her fears, she realized that she had to be honest.
"I don’t know," she whispered. "I don’t know if I’m okay. I don’t know how I’m supposed to be okay with all of this."
Richard sighed, his gaze softening. "Neither do I."
The words hung in the air, raw and unfiltered. There was something about the vulnerability between them something that felt like a silent agreement, a truce of sorts. They weren’t pretending anymore.
"I just... I didn’t expect this," Kate continued, her voice trembling slightly. "I didn’t expect to be married to a stranger. I didn’t expect to feel so lost."
Richard’s lips twisted into a small, wry smile. "Yeah, me neither. But here we are."
For a moment, neither of them said anything. They just sat there, the quiet of the room settling around them like a blanket. It wasn’t the kind of silence that felt uncomfortable, though. It was the kind of silence where, for the first time, they weren’t hiding behind masks.
"I didn’t think I would like you," Kate admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I do. I don’t know what that means, but it’s... it’s confusing."
Richard looked at her, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. "I didn’t expect to like you either," he replied honestly. "But here we are. I don’t know what to do with it either."
The air between them shifted, no longer thick with awkwardness or pretence. It was as if they had both let go of the façade and were seeing each other for the first time not as strangers bound by obligation, but as two people who were beginning to understand the complexity of their situation.
"I don’t know what this marriage is supposed to be," Kate said softly. "But I don’t want it to feel like a cage. I don’t want to just go through the motions."
Richard nodded slowly. "Neither do I."
For the first time in weeks, there was a sense of relief between them. It wasn’t an answer, but it was a step forward. They didn’t have to have all the answers. They just had to keep moving forward together.
As the night wore on, they spoke more about their childhoods, their pasts, their fears for the future. It was a conversation that, despite the heaviness of their circumstances, felt strangely freeing. They weren’t pretending to be something they weren’t. They were just... two people, talking.
Eventually, the conversation faded, and Kate found herself yawning, the exhaustion from the emotional weight of the day catching up with her. She stood, stretching slightly.
"I think I should get some sleep," she said, offering Richard a small smile.
He smiled back, a genuine warmth in his eyes that caught her off guard. "Yeah, me too."
They both stood in the dimly lit living room for a moment, neither of them sure how to end the night. Finally, Richard broke the silence.
"Goodnight," he said, his voice almost hesitant, like he wasn’t sure if they should be formal or not.
"Goodnight," Kate replied.
As she walked to her room, her mind was swirling with the strange new connection that had formed between them. She wasn’t sure where this would go, but for the first time, she didn’t feel so alone in the marriage. And that at least for now was enough.
The next few weeks passed in a quiet sort of rhythm. Kate and Richard didn’t talk about their marriage every day, but there was an unspoken understanding between them now a silent acknowledgment that they weren’t simply going through the motions. They were beginning to truly see each other, flaws and all.
Kate found herself looking at him differently. He wasn’t the distant, aloof man she had first met at the dinner table. He was still guarded, still unsure of his place in this marriage, but there were moments small moments when she saw a glimmer of something more. A tenderness in his eyes, a quiet thoughtfulness in his gestures.
It was late one evening, and Kate had just finished a long day of work when she came home to find Richard sitting at the kitchen table, his laptop open in front of him. The sight of him in his usual spot felt almost... comforting. He didn’t notice her at first, so Kate took a moment to watch him. He looked so focused, so intent on whatever was in front of him. There was something vulnerable about him in that moment, something that made her feel a surge of sympathy.
She cleared her throat, and he looked up, blinking as though pulled out of a trance.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she said with a small smile.
Richard shook his head, pushing the laptop aside. “No, it’s fine. I was just thinking.”
“About what?” Kate asked, her curiosity piqued.
Richard hesitated, as if unsure whether he should share. Finally, he shrugged, his usual guardedness creeping back in. “About us. This whole thing. About what comes next.”
Kate leaned against the counter, her heart racing slightly. She wasn’t sure how to respond. "What do you mean?"
Richard sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don’t know. I guess... it’s just strange, you know? We were thrown into this, no choice, no say. And I feel like we’re still figuring out where we stand. I don’t know if we’re supposed to pretend this is something it’s not, or if we should just... be honest. It’s hard to tell."
Kate’s breath caught in her throat. It wasn’t the first time they’d discussed their situation, but it felt like this was the first time they were really talking about itthe rawness, the vulnerability, the uncertainty.
“I don’t know either,” she said softly. “I don’t know if I want to pretend, but I don’t know what else to do. I don’t want to live a lie, but I also don’t know if I’m ready to face whatever this is.”
Richard’s gaze softened. "I know. Me neither."
They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their shared uncertainty pressing down on them. There was no clear solution, no easy answer. But in that silence, there was something else a sense of understanding, of two people who had been thrust together by circumstance, but who were slowly finding their way to each other.
"You know," Richard said after a long pause, "I didn’t think I could actually talk to you about this. I thought... I thought you’d just want to keep everything surface-level, like everyone else."
Kate’s chest tightened, the honesty in his words catching her off guard. "Why would I do that?"
He shrugged. "Because it’s easier. Because it’s safer. People do that all the time pretend they’re fine when they’re not. But I’m starting to think that maybe we don’t have to do that. Maybe we can... be real with each other."
Her heart skipped a beat. It was an offer an unspoken invitation. He was extending a hand, asking her to step out of the comfort zone of pretending, and into something uncertain, but real.
"I don’t know what this means," Kate said quietly, her voice almost a whisper. "I don’t know what we’re supposed to be."
Richard looked at her, his eyes full of sincerity. "I don’t know either. But I don’t want to be stuck in this marriage like we’re strangers. I want to at least try to understand who you are."
Kate felt something stir within here a connection, fragile but real. She had been so afraid of this, so terrified of the vulnerability that came with allowing someone else into her life. But now, with Richard sitting there, looking at her with open eyes, she realized that maybe she had been wrong. Maybe it was worth the risk.
"Okay," she said, her voice steady. "Let’s try."
A few days later, they had their first real conversation about their pasts, about their childhoods, their dreams, their regrets. It was a slow unravelling, a process of peeling back the layers they had built around themselves over the years.
Kate learned that Richard’s parents had always been distant, never really showing him affection or teaching him how to express his emotions. It was part of the reason he had been so guarded, so unwilling to open up. And she shared that her own parents, despite their love, had always placed unrealistic expectations on her, pushing her into roles she didn’t want to play.
They both carried burdens they hadn’t known how to put down. But in each other’s company, it felt like those burdens were a little lighter.
The night ended with a quiet promise.
"I’m not going to rush this," Richard said as they sat on the couch, both a little too tired to keep talking. "We don’t need to have all the answers right away. We just need to keep trying."
Kate nodded, feeling a sense of peace settle over her for the first time in weeks. Maybe there wasn’t a perfect solution to their situation. But maybe, just maybe, they could create something real between them. Something built on understanding, not obligation.
For the first time, Kate felt like she was truly seeing him. And maybe, in some small way, he was starting to see her, too.
Days turned into weeks, and with each passing moment, Kate and Richard’s understanding of each other deepened. The rules they’d set for their marriage had created a fragile sense of balance, but underneath that balance, there were still tensions, things unsaid, things they both knew but weren’t ready to face.
It was a Saturday afternoon when the tension reached a breaking point. Kate was cleaning up after lunch, putting away the last of the dishes when she noticed Richard, deep in thought, staring out the window from his usual spot at the kitchen table. The sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a golden glow on his face, making him look distant, almost otherworldly.
Kate felt her pulse quicken. There was something in the air today something unspoken, something heavy. She set the dish down and walked over to him, her footsteps tentative.
“What’s on your mind?” she asked quietly, unsure of how to approach him.
Richard looked up, his eyes momentarily flicking to hers, before his gaze dropped again. He looked almost... lost. “I’ve been thinking,” he started slowly, the words seeming to weigh him down. “About us. About this marriage.”
Kate took a deep breath, not sure where this conversation was headed. "We’ve talked about this before, Richard. We don’t have to figure it all out right now."
“No,” he said, shaking his head. "I don’t mean the practical side of things. I mean... us. You and me."
The way he said it made her heart skip a beat. She felt her stomach twist with nervous anticipation. “What about us?”
Richard stood up, walking over to the window, his back to her now. "I don’t know," he murmured. "But there are moments, Kate. Moments when I feel like we could be something more. When I think maybe... maybe this could be more than just a marriage of convenience."
The air seemed to still around them, the words hanging between them like an unspoken challenge.
Kate’s breath caught in her throat. “Richard...” she whispered. She wanted to say something, anything, but the words didn’t come. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to face whatever it was he was implying.
He turned to face her, his expression conflicted. “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just sometimes, I feel like there’s something here between us. But then I pull back, and I wonder if I’m just imagining it. If I’m reading too much into things.”
Kate felt her chest tighten. She hadn’t been ready for this. For the idea that maybe just maybe there was something between them that wasn’t entirely a façade. She had spent so much time keeping her distance, convincing herself that this marriage was only about fulfilling obligations. But now... now, the idea of something more was so tempting, so terrifying.
“I don’t know what to say,” she admitted softly. "I don’t know what this is, or what it could be."
Richard’s eyes softened, the tension in his posture easing slightly. "You don’t have to say anything. I just needed to say it. I needed you to know that I’m not pretending either. I’m not just going along with this because it’s easier. I want to understand this. Whatever this is between us."
The honesty in his voice left her breathless. She hadn’t realized how much she had been holding back, how much she had been avoiding the truth, even from herself.
She swallowed hard, stepping closer to him. “Richard,” she whispered, her voice shaking slightly. “I don’t know if I’m ready for this. I don’t know if I’m ready to... feel anything for you.”
He reached out, his hand gently brushing against hers. It was a tentative touch, one that didn’t demand anything, but still spoke volumes. “I don’t expect anything from you, Kate. I’m just asking you to consider the possibility. The possibility that there could be something here.”
Kate stood there for a moment, her mind racing. She had spent so much time focusing on the rules of their arrangement, on keeping her distance, on not letting herself feel. But now, in the quiet of their home, with Richard standing in front of her, it felt impossible to deny that there was something shifting between them.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said finally, her voice steady despite the uncertainty. “But I’m willing to try. I’m willing to see where this goes.”
Richard gave a small nod, his expression softening. “That’s all I’m asking for.”
They stood in silence for a moment, both feeling the weight of what had just been said. The tension between them was still there, but now it felt different. It was no longer a barrier. It was a bridge, one they had started to build together, one tentative step at a time.
Later that evening, they found themselves sitting on the couch again, this time with no agenda, no expectations just two people, simply existing in the same space. Kate had always been a woman who kept her heart locked away, terrified of the consequences of opening up. But tonight, something had shifted. She wasn’t sure where this new chapter of their relationship would take them, but she knew one thing for sure: she couldn’t keep pretending anymore.
Richard leaned back, glancing at her with a slight smile. “So... what do you want to do now?”
Kate smiled back, feeling lighter than she had in a long time. “I don’t know. But maybe for once, we don’t have to have it all figured out.”
Richard’s smile widened; his eyes gleaming with something that resembled hope. “I think that sounds perfect.”
And for the first time in weeks, Kate felt like she could breathe. She wasn’t sure what would come next, but she knew that, for now, she didn’t have to face it alone.
was prepared for whatever it was he was about to say. “Okay,” she replied, her eyes meeting his, giving him the space to speak.
Richard took a deep breath, his eyes searching the room as though the words were difficult to find. Finally, he spoke.
“I think it’s time we talk about the past,” he said softly, the weight of his words settling between them. “About... everything I’ve been carrying.”
Kate frowned slightly, unsure where this conversation was going. “What do you mean?”
He met her gaze, his eyes intense but guarded. “About my family. About the things I’ve never talked about. I’ve always kept it to myself, always told myself it wasn’t worth mentioning, but I don’t think I can keep pretending anymore. Not with you.”
Kate felt a pang of empathy in her chest. She had known Richard’s family was complicated, but she hadn’t realized just how much it weighed on him. She set her book aside, focusing entirely on him.
“What happened?” she asked softly, her voice gentle, encouraging him to open up.
Richard ran a hand through his hair, clearly wrestling with his emotions. “My parents... they were never really there for me. I don’t mean that in the typical way. They were physically present, but emotionally? I might as well have been invisible. My father never showed me affection. He always expected more, always pushed me harder. And my mother... she was distant, caught up in her own world, never quite knowing how to connect with me.”
Kate’s heart tightened at the vulnerability in his voice. She could hear the pain behind his words, the years of silence and loneliness.
“I grew up thinking that if I could just be perfect enough, do everything right, maybe they would love me the way I wanted them to. But it never happened. And over time, I built up walls that I never knew how to break down.”
Kate felt her breath catch. She had always seen Richard as a man of strength, someone who seemed almost unshakeable, but now, hearing the cracks in his voice, she realized just how much he had buried inside. How much he had hidden from the world.
“I never really understood how to open up to people after that,” Richard continued, his voice low and strained. “I thought if I could keep everything locked inside, I wouldn’t get hurt. But then... I got married. And everything was different.”
Kate’s heart skipped. She realized he was talking about her, about their marriage. “Richard...”
“I thought this would be just like everything else. I thought I could keep my distance, keep my emotions locked away and do what was expected of me. But now...” He looked up at her, his eyes searching hers. “Now I’m starting to feel things, things I don’t know how to deal with. And it scares me.”
The words hung in the air like a confession, raw and unfiltered. Kate felt a swell of emotion, her heart aching for him, for the years he had spent in silence.
“You don’t have to be afraid with me,” she said quietly, her voice filled with understanding. “You can let those walls down, Richard. I won’t judge you. I’m here.”
Richard looked at her for a long moment, as though weighing her words, unsure whether he could truly believe them. But after a moment, he seemed to soften, just slightly. “I don’t know how to be anything but this person, the person I’ve always been. But maybe... maybe I can try.”
Kate reached out, placing a hand on his. It was a small gesture, but to Richard, it was everything. He had spent his life carrying his burden alone, and now, in this quiet, vulnerable moment, he was starting to realize that he didn’t have to.
“You don’t have to try to be perfect,” she said softly. “You don’t have to be anyone but who you are. And I’ll be here, no matter what.”
Richard looked at her, his expression softening, his eyes filled with something that resembled relief. “Thank you,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
For the first time in a long time, Kate felt like they had made a real connection. Not just the kind of connection built on obligations or expectations, but something deeper something that came from mutual understanding, from opening about the parts of themselves that had been hidden for so long.
As they sat there in silence, their hands still resting together on the table, Kate realized that this was what it meant to be truly married. To be seen. To be heard. To share the unspoken things.
And for the first time, she wasn’t afraid of what came next.
The following days felt like a subtle shift, as though the air itself had changed between them. Kate and Richard had shared their vulnerabilities, but there was still much left unsaid, much to unpack. Despite the rawness of their conversation, the walls between them had not completely come down. They had taken a step forward, but now it was time for them to walk through the open door and face what lay behind it.
Kate had always prided herself on being in control, on keeping her emotions tucked away where no one could see them. But lately, there was a restlessness inside her, an awareness of things she had never allowed herself to truly consider. It wasn’t just about Richard anymore; it was about herself.
That evening, as they sat in the living room, Richard’s gaze lingered on her. She was curled up on the couch, reading a book, the soft light from the lamps casting a warm glow across the room. He had been watching her for a while, noticing the way her brow furrowed as she concentrated, the way her fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of the page.
She glanced up and met his eyes, her lips curving into a small, knowing smile. “What?”
He shook his head, as if shaking off a thought. “Nothing. Just... you’re different lately.”
Kate raised an eyebrow, setting her book aside. “Different how?”
Richard took a moment before answering, his voice quieter than usual. “You’re letting me in. In ways that I didn’t think would happen. You’re letting yourself feel things, too.”
Kate felt her pulse quicken. She wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or an accusation, but the weight of his words settled in her chest. “I’m not sure what you mean,” she said, her voice steady despite the stirrings of uncertainty inside her.
Richard looked at her with a softness in his eyes, as though he could see right through her. “I’ve always known you were guarded. But now... now, it’s like you’re allowing yourself to be real. To let go of the walls, just a little bit.”
Kate swallowed, her thoughts racing. She had spent years building those walls years of keeping herself closed off, convinced that if she opened up, she’d be vulnerable to hurt. But now, in the safety of their quiet home, with Richard watching her with that gentle, almost tender gaze, the idea of letting go didn’t seem so terrifying.
“I’m trying,” she said softly, her voice almost a whisper. “It’s not easy for me.”
Richard nodded slowly, understanding in his expression. “I get it. I’m not expecting you to change overnight. But I think... I think we both need to let go of the things that hold us back. Otherwise, we’ll never really know what we could be together.”
Her heart fluttered at his words, the sincerity in his voice making her feel both exposed and seen at the same time. She wanted to argue, to retreat into her comfort zone, but something about his quiet plea made her pause.
“I’m scared,” she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. “I’m scared of what might happen if I let go. If I let myself feel too much.”
Richard reached out, his hand resting gently on hers. It was a simple gesture, but it sent a shock of warmth through her.
“You don’t have to be scared with me,” he said quietly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
His words, so simple yet so powerful, lingered in the air, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Kate let herself believe them. She wasn’t sure where this would lead, but she knew that Richard wasn’t asking for perfection from her. He was asking for honesty, for vulnerability a chance to build something real.
“I want to try,” she said, her voice steady now, filled with a newfound resolve. “I want to see where this goes, even if it’s scary.”
Richard smiled, a small but genuine smile that reached his eyes. “Then let’s try together. One step at a time.”
Later that night, after dinner, they found themselves sitting on the balcony, the cool night air wrapping around them. The city lights twinkled in the distance, casting a soft glow across the horizon. They sat in comfortable silence, neither one feeling the need to fill the quiet with words. It was as though they were content simply to be in each other’s presence, to exist in the same space without expectations.
Kate leaned back in her chair, looking up at the stars. “Do you ever wonder if we’re meant for something more?” she asked softly, her eyes tracing the constellations above.
Richard didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he took a long breath, his gaze still fixed on the night sky. “Sometimes,” he said, his voice low, thoughtful. “But I think it’s not about whether we’re meant for something more. It’s about whether we’re willing to make something more of what we have.”
Kate turned to look at him, her heart swelling with something she couldn’t quite name. He was right. She had spent so much of her life waiting for the perfect moment, for fate to dictate her path, but the truth was, she had to make her own choices. She had to choose to take the risks, to open herself up, to let herself feel again.
“You’re right,” she said, her voice steady now. “Maybe it’s not about fate. Maybe it’s about us.”
Richard looked at her, a smile tugging at his lips. “Maybe it is.”
They sat in silence for a moment longer, the weight of their words lingering between them. Kate realized that the fear she had carried for so long was starting to ease, replaced by something else something that felt like hope. Maybe it wasn’t perfect, but it was real. And that was enough.
As the night wore on, Kate leaned her head against the back of the chair, her eyes closing as the cool breeze caressed her face. For the first time in a long time, she felt at peace. Maybe this wasn’t the life she had planned, but it was the life she had now. And for the first time, she was ready to embrace into matter where it led.
CHAPTER THREE
THE WEEKS AFTER THEIR quiet conversation on the balcony had been a delicate balancing act. Kate and Richard had started to peel back the layers of their lives, allowing themselves to see each other more clearly. But with each new discovery, each new level of vulnerability, came a new set of challenges neither of them had anticipated.
Kate was beginning to understand the complexities of her own heart. She had spent so long locking herself away from the possibility of love that even the idea of it now felt overwhelming. But with Richard, the weight of her past was slowly being lifted, and she couldn’t help but wonder if this was what she had been searching for all along.
Richard, too, had made significant strides. The walls he had spent years building up had started to crumble, brick by brick, as he opened up to Kate in ways he never thought possible. But even though they had shared so much of themselves, there were still things left unspoken. The shadows of their pasts still lingered, hovering just out of reach.
It was a quiet Saturday morning when the first real test of their progress came. Kate had spent the morning at the local market, picking up fresh produce and flowers. She enjoyed these small moments of normalcy, the simplicity of walking through the crowded stalls and feeling a connection to the world around her. When she returned to the apartment, arms full of bags, she noticed Richard was nowhere to be found.
A quick glance around revealed that he was in his study, the door slightly ajar. Kate felt a sudden pang of unease, but she dismissed it. He had been working long hours lately, often spending late nights in front of his laptop. Maybe today, he was just catching up on some work.
She set the bags down on the kitchen counter and went to check on him. When she knocked softly on the door, Richard didn’t respond immediately. She pushed the door open slightly and peeked inside.
Richard was sitting at his desk, his face tight with concentration. He didn’t notice her right away, but Kate noticed something on the screen in front of himan email, open and half-read. Her heart sank as she caught the name in the subject line: “Important Family Matter: Urgent.”
The words on the screen seemed to scream at her. There was something in his posture, the way his shoulders were hunched, the slight tension in his jaw. It wasn’t just work. It was personal.
Kate hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. She had promised herself that she would trust Richard, that she would give him the space to share things with her when he was ready. But now, something in the air felt different, charged with a tension she couldn’t ignore.
“Is everything okay?” Kate asked quietly, stepping into the room.
Richard stiffened, and for a moment, there was an awkward pause before he turned toward her. His expression was unreadable, his usual calm demeanour now replaced with something more guarded.
“It’s nothing,” Richard said, closing the laptop with a quick motion, as though he were trying to shut away whatever it was that had been bothering him.
Kate’s gaze lingered on him, sensing that there was more to the situation than he was letting on. “Richard... what’s going on? You know you can talk to me.”
Richard’s eyes flickered to hers, but there was something in his gaze that made Kate’s chest tighten. It wasn’t anger, but it was something else a quiet resistance.
“I just...” Richard hesitated, his voice trailing off as he searched for the right words. “It’s complicated.”
Kate felt a surge of frustration. She had come so far in letting her guard down, and now, it felt like Richard was pulling away again. Was this how it was always going to be? Every time they got close, he would retreat.
“You don’t have to do this alone,” Kate said, her voice firm but soft. “We’re in this together, remember?”
Richard’s expression softened, but there was still a hesitance there, something he wasn’t ready to share. “I know,” he said quietly. “But this is my family, Kate. It’s... complicated. I don’t want to drag you into it.”
Kate’s heart raced. She understood the need for privacy, but there was something about the way he said it something that told her this wasn’t just about protecting her. This was about protecting himself. And she wasn’t sure how long she could keep pretending that everything was fine when it clearly wasn’t.
“Richard, I can’t help you if you won’t let me in,” she said, her voice cracking slightly. “You can’t keep shutting me out every time things get hard. That’s not what this marriage is about.”
Richard looked at her, and for a moment, their gazes locked in a silent battle. He was fighting something inside him that he wasn’t ready to face.
“I’m sorry,” he said after a long pause, his voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t know how to let go of everything. I don’t know how to trust someone with all of this.”
