My Contract Husband is my Enemy, Mummy! Daddy wants you back

You are looking nice, my love."

In the dark room, a man's hoarse voice whispered into Chloe's ear. Her hands were cuffed to the bed, and her eyes were covered with a black cloth.

She couldn't understand or see anything. She moved her body into a small ball, shrinking her form to endure the pain inflicted on her body.

In the complete darkness, she could feel the man raping her.

"Good girl. Now, let's go into another position, okay?"

Chloe opened her eyes wide, breathing heavily. It had been five years, yet it felt like it had just happened recently. She could never sleep without dreaming about it.

She stood up from the bed and walked toward the bathroom to wash her face. As she splashed water on her face, she felt some relief.

Not long after, she heard some noise coming from downstairs. She walked out to check what was going on and found her father and her stepsister arguing.

"I can never marry into that family. I don't want to marry him, Father. Never!" Valentina shouted.

It had become a habit, so Chloe didn't care much about their conversation. She wanted to turn back and go to her room, but the next words she heard made her stop in her tracks.

"Chloe should be the one to marry that man, not me, Father. After all, she is not your biological daughter."

"So, why must I suffer?" Valentina said.

"She is right, Lucas! It's time she paid us after all these years," Sharon, Valentina's mother, said.

"She is also your daughter, Sharon!" Mr. Lucas replied.

"She is my daughter, but not biologically. I didn't give birth to her, and it's time she paid us back for raising her and giving her the best life."

"It's not like she can find anyone to marry her after what happened to her. This is the best opportunity to send her away," Sharon said.

"Mom is right, Dad! Otherwise, she'll keep living here, and people will start pointing fingers at you. Besides, she's familiar with kids, so she's the best person for this, not me," Valentina added.

"No! I don't want to! I don't want men. Men are monsters; they are going to hurt me!" Chloe said, repeating the word "monsters." The incident that happened five years ago still traumatized her.

Mr. Lucas immediately stood up when he heard her voice. Chloe placed her head in her hands, repeating, "Men are monsters."

Mr. Lucas quickly held her shoulders.

"Snap out of it, Chloe! No one is hurting you. You need to stop this now," he said.

"Stop this, Chloe," Mr. Lucas said. Chloe fell unconscious.

Mr. Lucas carried her to her room and came out looking worried.

"Let's get her married to him. He didn't choose anyone between your two daughters. He said either one of them should pay your debt and save the company."

"And Chloe is the best option to send to him," Sharon said.

"I know you really hate her because she's not your biological daughter, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't care about her," Mr. Lucas said.

"Do you want her to get married in this condition? After what happened to her, you know she hasn't been herself since. And you know the Knight family isn't someone you can deceive. You know the consequences. Do you still want me to get her married to him?"

"Yes! You don't expect me to send my own daughter there. How can you like her more than your own daughter? She isn't even your daughter!" Sharon shouted.

"I don't want Chloe to marry into the Declan family. You know how dangerous they are. They're only after power, and you also know he has two kids already. I can't send her into that scary family," Mr. Lucas said.

"You know they are scary, right? And you know it takes them no time to send someone to jail. You better choose wisely. Send her there, or we all rot in jail, and they'll take the company from us as well."

"I will get married to him," Chloe said before Mr. Lucas could say anything.

Mr. Lucas turned and saw Chloe resting against the wall.

"You're awake?" Mr. Lucas said.

"I will get married to him, just like she said I should repay you for raising me. After all, what's my use here? My life has been ruined, so it's okay."

"I will get married to him," Chloe said in a final tone.

She walked out before Mr. Lucas could say anything. Sharon and Valentina quickly ran after her.

"You made a good choice, my dear," Sharon said as she started packing her things, with Valentina helping.

After they helped her pack her things, they carried her bags.

"Chloe!" Mr. Lucas called, trying to convince her.

"I'm okay! This is the least I can do," she said.

The door flew open, and two men in black suits walked in.

Mr. Lucas knew they were from the Knight family.

"This is the agreement," one of the men said, handing him the paper to sign.

Chloe took the paper from Mr. Lucas and signed it.

"I, Chloe, agree to marry into the Knight family to settle my family's debt."

The two men helped her with her luggage after she signed the paper.

Chloe never thought she would start living with someone apart from her family, and not just anyone-a man, her worst nightmare.

She entered the car, and they drove off in silence.

Chloe's mind was troubled. She never imagined her life would turn out like this, but now everything was falling apart in front of her eyes.

Chloe didn't care about who she was getting married to. After all, her life had already been ruined a long time ago.

The car stopped in front of a big mansion. Chloe got out and was escorted to the back of the mansion, where there was another building.

A maid walked out and helped her inside.

"You will be staying here until the young master comes back," the maid said, showing her to the room.

Chloe nodded, and the maid left her alone. She sat on the bed, resting her head.

When the door opened, Chloe thought it was the man. But when she looked, she saw two children standing at the entrance-a boy and a girl.

Chloe stared at them. The look they gave her wasn't just a look; it meant something.

"What happened?" Chloe asked.

The girl walked closer to Chloe, took the glass of drink from the table, and poured it on Chloe's dress.

Chloe gasped.

"Leave this place! You can never be my mom! Never!" the girl shouted, then turned and ran out.

★★★★★

The study room was quiet and spotless.

The only sound came from the soft flipping of papers as the man worked, his focus unbroken-until a knock on the door interrupted him. He paused, raising his head slightly.

The valet entered, bowing his head respectfully.

"Mrs. Knight is here, sir," the valet announced.

The man's cold, sharp eyes lifted briefly. His presence alone could make anyone freeze in place.

"Have you given her the contract and the rules? Make sure she knows why she's here," he asked his eyes back to the document.

"She... looks different, sir," the valet hesitated.

The man's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"She looks young and innocent-different from the previous wives," the valet replied cautiously.

The man leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "Looks don't matter. They're all the same. They pretend to be innocent and gentle to get what they want."

He stood, his movements deliberate and precise. "I'll deal with her myself. She needs to understand the contract and the rules of this house."

The valet stepped aside to open the door for him, bowing as the man strode out. His presence radiated authority, every step echoing power.

The staff who crossed his path immediately dropped to their knees, bowing in greeting. He didn't acknowledge them, his focus unbroken. They were used to his indifference.

Meanwhile, in the pavilion where Chloe waited, she felt uneasy.

She hadn't yet met Mr. Knight, and until he summoned her, she wasn't allowed to step foot inside the main mansion. No one dared to break the rules here unless they wanted to face the severe consequences.

Chloe sat in silence, lost in thought. She was still shaken from her earlier encounter with the children, especially the girl's harsh words: "You can never be my mom!"

She had signed up for this, but she hadn't expected it to be this hard. Whispers about the Knight family swirled in her mind-rumors of cruelty, maltreatment, and wives who mysteriously disappeared every seven days.

Was any of it true?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

Her body tensed. Who is it now? she wondered, her heart pounding as she raised her head, waiting for the door to open.

The door creaked open, and a man stepped in.

He was dressed in a sharp black suit, his features strikingly handsome. No, handsome was an understatement-he looked almost otherworldly, like a fallen angel. But his eyes... his eyes held something dark. Hatred. A hatred she couldn't understand.

He shut the door behind him, the soft click making Chloe's unease grow.

As he began walking toward her, Chloe instinctively stepped back. Each step he took forward, she took one backward.

She couldn't explain why she was so afraid of him. Though she knows she is afraid of men but his face alone sent shivers down her spine.

He stopped a few feet away, staring at her in silence. The tension in the room was suffocating.

"You know why you're here, don't you?" he finally asked, his voice low and commanding.

Chloe nodded quickly.

"Words," he demanded. His tone was sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.

Chloe hesitated, confused.

"Don't nod when I ask a question. Speak. I want words," he said, his cold eyes locking onto hers.

Chloe stared at the man before her, her mind racing. Could this really be Mr. Knight? He didn't look anything like the monster the rumors had painted him to be-but the way he looked at her made her blood run cold.

Chloe's lips trembled as she finally found her voice. "Y-yes, I know why I'm here, I have signed a contract to marry into Knight's family to settle my family debt., she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

That's not the contract," the man said coldly, making Chloe lift her head slightly. She dared not meet his piercing gaze.

"This one you signed," he continued, holding up the document, "is merely an agreement to settle your family's debts. That's only the first part of the arrangement. The second reason you're here is to be my wife-fulfilling my needs and taking care of my children without complaints."

Chloe's fists clenched tightly at her sides, anger bubbling beneath the surface. She had never imagined things would take such a humiliating turn.

The man extended a new set of documents toward her. "Sign this," he demanded, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Chloe hesitated but finally reached out to take the papers. Her hands trembled as she skimmed the text, her stomach twisting with dread. The words blurred in her teary vision, but she knew there was no escaping this.

She glanced at the pen he offered her, then back at the document. Her heart sank as she realized she had no choice. With a deep breath, she took the pen, her hand shaking as she scrawled her name on the line.

The man watched her intently, his expression unreadable. Once she finished, he took the papers from her, his lips curling into a faint smirk.

The man took another step forward, his cold gaze pinning her in place. "Good," he said, his tone devoid of warmth. "Then you must also understand the rules you've agreed to follow."

Chloe swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she clasped them together. "I... I read the contract," she said softly.

"Reading it and abiding by it are two different things," he replied sharply, his eyes narrowing. "You are here to fulfill an agreement, nothing more. Do you understand what that means?"

Chloe nodded instinctively, then froze when she remembered his earlier command. She quickly corrected herself, her voice shaking. "Yes... I understand."

He tilted his head slightly, studying her. "I doubt that you do. So let me make it very clear."

He took another deliberate step closer, and Chloe felt her back press against the wall. There was nowhere left to go.

"You are not here to play house, nor are you here to seek sympathy," he continued, his voice low but firm. "Your role is simple: you will stay out of my way, you will follow every rule without question, behave like a perfect wife in front of other and you will not embarrass this family. If you fail..."

He let the sentence hang in the air, the weight of his words suffocating.

Chloe's chest rose and fell rapidly as she struggled to keep her composure. "I won't fail," she whispered, though even she didn't believe the words.

The man's expression didn't soften. If anything, it hardened. "We'll see," he said, his tone laced with doubt.

For a moment, silence filled the room. Chloe's heart pounded in her chest, the sound deafening in her ears.

"Tomorrow, you will meet the rest of the family," he said finally. "They will not make this easy for you. Don't expect kindness."

Chloe nodded-then quickly corrected herself again. "I... I understand."

"Good," he said curtly. He turned to leave, his footsteps echoing against the floor.

Just as he reached the door, he paused and glanced back at her. "One last thing," he said. "You will address me as 'Mr. Knight' or 'sir.' Nothing else. Understood?"

"Yes... sir," Chloe said, her voice trembling.

Without another word, he opened the door and left, leaving Chloe alone in the suffocating silence of the room.

As the door clicked shut, Chloe let out a shaky breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. She sank to the floor, her hands gripping the fabric of her dress.

Her mind raced. She had entered this arrangement thinking she could handle it, thinking she could endure whatever came her way. But after meeting Mr. Knight for the first time, she wasn't so sure anymore.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered to herself, "What have I gotten myself into?"

★★★★★

The next morning, Chloe was woken up by a knock on the door.

Groggy and still half-asleep, she got up and opened the door. Standing there were two maids, their faces polite and professional.

"Good morning, Mrs. Knight," one of them said with a warm smile. "Young Master has asked us to help you get ready and escort you to the mansion."

Chloe hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay," she said softly, stepping aside to let them in.

The maids quickly got to work, preparing a bath for her. Once they were done, Chloe entered the bathroom, feeling a little overwhelmed. By the time she came out, she was surprised to see her dress laid out perfectly and everything else neatly prepared.

Though Chloe's family was also rich but is nothing compared to Knight's family, she had never been treated like this-like royalty.

The maids guided her to a dressing mirror and began drying and combing her hair. They helped her into her dress, ensuring every detail was flawless.

Chloe caught her reflection in the mirror. She barely recognized herself and allowed a faint smile to creep across her lips.

"I will take my leave now, Mrs. Knight," one maid said, bowing slightly. "Lisa will stay to explain some things you need to know about the Knight family." With that, she left, leaving Chloe alone with the other maid.

Chloe turned to her. " you are Lisa? Chloe asked the maids standing infront of her.

"Yes," the maid replied politely.

"That's a nice name," Chloe said, offering a small, genuine smile.

"Thank you, ma'am," Lisa said. "Mr. Knight asked me to tell you a little about the family-just the basics you'll need to know."

Chloe nodded and sat down, preparing herself to listen.

Lisa brought out six pictures and began introducing the family members. "This is Mrs. Catherine," she said, pointing to a photo of a stern-looking woman. "She's Young Master's stepmother. She doesn't like him, and you'll understand why later.

"This is Mr. Knight, the Young Master's father. And here," she said, pointing to another picture, "is Aaron, the first son of Mrs. Catherine. He's... ruthless. He'll do anything to get what he wants. He's also a womanizer, so you should be careful around him. His wife, Laine, is the opposite-kind and respectful. They don't have any children yet.

Lisa moved to the next picture. "This is Danis, the second son of Mrs. Catherine. He's gentle, but very hard to read. You'll never know what he's truly thinking or planning. His wife, Verona, is the complete opposite of him. They have a daughter, Nora.

Chloe listened intently, feeling the weight of what she was learning.

"What about my husband's mother?" Chloe asked cautiously. "And why does everyone go by 'Mr. and Mrs. Knight'? Why can't we take our husband's last name?"

"That's one of the rules in this family," Lisa said. "No one is allowed to bear their husband's name unless the head of the family, Mr. Knight, permits it. As for Young Master's mother, I'm sorry, ma'am-I can't say much about her. She isn't here."

Chloe frowned slightly. "What's my husband's name?"

Lisa hesitated. "I'm not supposed to share much about the Young Master," she said carefully. "The only thing I can tell you is that he's the youngest son of Mr. Knight."

"Please," Chloe pressed. "I at least need to know his name."

After a pause, Lisa sighed. "His name is Nicholas. His children's names are Daniel and Daniella."

Chloe repeated the names in her mind. Nicholas, Daniel, and Daniella. So the girl is Daniella, with the way the girl had welcomed her she knew she can't be expecting any kindness from them. And one thing was clear-this family was far more complicated than she had imagined.

It's time for you to meet the family," Lisa said gently.

Chloe stood frozen for a moment, nervousness swirling in her chest. She nodded, and together they walked out of her pavilion, Lisa guiding her with calm steps.

As they approached the mansion, Chloe noticed a few other pavilions scattered across the grounds. She hadn't paid attention to them when she first arrived, her mind too preoccupied. Now, each step toward the grand structure made her stomach twist tighter.

When they reached the mansion, two guards opened the large double doors, their movements precise and silent. Lisa glanced at Chloe, offering a small, encouraging smile before motioning her forward.

Taking a deep breath, Chloe stepped inside.

The dining room was already filled. Everyone turned their heads to look at her as she entered, their eyes scanning her with a mix of curiosity, indifference, and something she couldn't quite place.

Why does everyone in this family feel so strange? Chloe thought, her heart racing as she walked closer to the long dining table.

At the head of the table sat Mr. Knight, the family patriarch. Beside him was Mrs. Catherine, her expression cold and calculating.

"Good morning," Chloe said, trying to sound composed as she greeted them.

Mr. Knight gave her a warm smile, his demeanor surprisingly welcoming. Mrs. Catherine, on the other hand, simply nodded, her face unreadable.

Chloe turned to Aaron and Laine next.

"Welcome to the Knight family," Aaron said, his lips curling into a dangerous smirk that made her uneasy.

"You're beautiful," Laine said kindly, her smile genuine.

"Thank you," Chloe replied, her voice soft.

She greeted Danis and Verona next. Danis answered casually, barely glancing at her, while Verona's tone was laced with malice.

"I wonder how many days you'll last," Verona said with a mocking smile.

Before Chloe could respond, a familiar voice interrupted.

"Show some respect to my wife, sister-in-law," Nicholas said, his tone firm as he walked into the dining room.

Chloe's eyes widened as he approached the table. He pulled out a chair for her and gestured for her to sit before taking his own seat.

"I didn't say anything wrong," Verona said, her voice sharp. "After all, she is your seventh wife."

Nicholas's eyes narrowed, his presence commanding. "I won't tolerate any insults toward my wife in this family. She deserves respect, and I expect everyone to give it."

Chloe blinked, stunned by his sudden display of care. Was this the same cold, intimidating man she had met before? Or was he someone entirely different? The shift confused her, leaving her unsure of what to think.

"Can we eat in peace?" Mr. Knight's voice boomed, silencing the tension.

The maids quickly began serving food, and everyone turned their attention to their plates.

Chloe sat quietly, picking at her food. I used to think rich people had it all, but I was so wrong. They're the most complicated, strange people on earth, she thought, her appetite fading.

As she glanced around the table, studying each family member one by one, her eyes met Aaron's.

He was staring at her, a sly grin playing on his lips. When he caught her gaze, he winked, his smile growing more mischievous.

Chloe quickly looked away, her heart pounding.

She wasn't surprised, though. She had heard the rumors about Aaron-his charm, his recklessness, and the chaos he left in his wake.

She just hoped she wouldn't be his next target.