Chapter 2 A Contract

The sports car zoomed along the road, its loud engine echoing around them.

Declan Mason was driving, offering Carly advice with an unusual amount of patience.

"After the accident, my cousin Kristian changed a lot. He's unpredictable and gets moody. Basically, you'll want to avoid upsetting him, just like you would with my grandpa. He's someone you don't want to mess with in my family!"

Carly, sitting next to him, seemed lost in thought and didn't reply.

Noticing her silence, Declan looked over, puzzled. "Hey Carly, are you paying attention?"

Carly quickly replied, "Yeah, I got it."

Declan let out a half-hearted chuckle, satisfied for the moment. He mumbled to himself, "I just hope his coming back won't stir up trouble for the family..."

Curiosity got the better of Carly as she began to wonder about this man. What was it about him that even Declan, the family rebel, seemed wary of?

She remembered her grandfather mentioning once that this cousin of Declan was talented and had a lot of potential.

Declan couldn't help but say, "Don't worry, you're going to meet him very soon!"

He was on his way to take her to his family estate, ready to welcome Kristian home.

Suddenly, Declan's phone rang. It was his sister Katrina Mason on the line, telling him that the family gathering was off, saying that Kristian was out of touch and guessing that he was probably still getting over jet lag.

After the call, Declan looked at Carly. "Looks like the family gathering's canceled. Need a ride home?"

Carly thought for a moment. "Could you take me to the hospital instead? I need to see how my mom's doing."

"Which hospital?"

"Harmony Hospital," Carly replied, her voice steady and free of any annoyance.

Her upcoming marriage to Declan was nothing more than a contract.

Two years back, her mom found out her dad was cheating and tried to take her own life with pills. She survived, but it left her with mental health issues.

This shock caused Carly's maternal grandfather to have a heart attack, putting his life at risk.

Her grandpa had made plans for such a situation, naming Carly as the heiress in his will. However, by that time, her dad had taken over as president of the Sullivan Group, with the board's blessing.

Fearing her dad would seize control of the Sullivan Group, her grandpa, in his final moments, arranged a marriage contract between the two families through his friend Brody Mason.

The Mason family, known for their ruthless tactics, would protect Carly.

In return, Carly's grandpa promised a share of the company to his future grandson-in-law.

Brody had three grandsons: one was married, another was overseas receiving medical treatment, which left Declan as the lucky man in this arranged marriage.

Declan and Carly had agreed early on to keep out of each other's personal lives, only coming together when necessary.

So, Carly wasn't bothered by Declan's cold shoulder or the other women around him.

What she really couldn't stomach was his affair with Rosalyn Norris, her father's illegitimate daughter.

Rosalyn had deliberately gotten close to him, trying to mess up the arranged marriage between their families for her dad's gain.

It was shocking that Declan couldn't see through Rosalyn's scheme, thinking he was just that irresistible.

Carly's train of thought was interrupted by the constant buzzing of a phone.

Declan checked his messages, then abruptly stopped the car on the side of the road.

"Something urgent has come up at work. I have to head out now. You can grab a taxi to the hospital," he explained.

Carly looked at him for a moment and kept quiet.

She knew he wasn't being truthful.

He was only a nominal manager at one of the Mason Group's subsidiaries, usually ignoring his responsibilities to enjoy himself.

Carly didn't feel the need to call him out. She simply opened the door and stepped out of the car.

The moment the car door shut, Declan sped off, eager to be somewhere else.

Carly sneered at his haste, guessing he was rushing to see Rosalyn.

With the sun beating down on her, she quickly went into a nearby convenience store and grabbed a chilled bottle of water.

Right after she launched the ride-hailing app, a clap of thunder sounded.

What was a clear sky now turned dark with gathering clouds.

Lightning flashed, followed by a downpour.

Carly sighed as she requested a ride, irritated by the wait time. Looking to pass the time, she noticed Rosalyn had just shared a new post.

In the picture, Rosalyn was sitting in a sports car, the very same one Carly had exited moments ago.

Curious about the location, Carly opened a monitoring app.

It wasn't long before she spotted Declan embracing Rosalyn on the camera feed.

The moment they got inside, they started taking off each other's clothes and fell onto the sofa...