THE BETRAYAL OF MY CONTRACTED BILLIONAIRE HUSBAND

"But Dad, I cannot marry him, and I will not!" I breathed heavily and walked back and forth in the living room, where my parents were sitting on the couch, clearly upset.

This is literally ridiculous. Telling me I would get married in three days to a total stranger? I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh, totally feeling frustrated.

Of course, I have to be the test subject in this house.

"Why can Leila not do it?" I threw my hands in the hair.

"Because she is not who I want him to spend his life with! He does not want her; he wants you!" My mom yelled, standing up and walking towards me. My dad's eyes raged in anger as he fumed silently from the couch he was sitting on.

"You," she pointed her index finger at me, saying her words through clenched teeth, "aare going to get married to Tristan Detar, and nothing on earth is going to stop that. Not you, not your stubbornness or anything!" She yelled at me.

In my twenty-six years of being alive, I have never seen Mom this livid. She looked so mad. But why is she getting so worked up about me getting married? Leila was their perfect daughter whom they would want the best for, and I was just the backup. I was just there, not being recognised as a child in this family.

But when it came down to an arranged marriage, they did not mind sending me to live the rest of my life with a perfect stranger. They did not mind selling me for a business deal. They did not mind my happiness.

Dang! I thought they were just too busy to notice me, but this was so out of the question. It was just so terrible. So I was not of value to them?

I held my head high to hold back my tears. Then she gripped my arm and yanked me closer to her.

"Now, be a good girl and get ready in three hours. You need to go shopping for your wedding dress," she said.

"Mom!" I yelled, and a tear spewed from my eyes.

She stopped, froze, and actually looked at me. For a tiny moment, there was a hint of motherly concern in her eyes, but in the blink of an eye, it was replaced by her intense anger.

"What? You are crying now?" She snorted and crossed her arms across her chest, shifting her focus to my dad.

"You see? Do you see her? We train her, give her a roof under her head, feed her, and take her to school, only for her to be an ungrateful little brat!" She yelled at my dad.

Her words stung me more than they should have. I remembered those days when I would come back from school and struggle to make cake and give it to her, but she would merely take a glance at it and even have a bite or anything.

I have no idea what I did to her; I have no idea where I went wrong. She had only always been distant from me, forgot me on important days, or even yelled at me as a kid. Now she had the guts to talk about ungratefulness.

Once we were a perfect family where everyone was treated equally, but then boom, on my fourth birthday, everything changed. Everyone started to dissociate from me.

My parents, my friends at school, my sister, my brother...

"Are you even listening to what I am saying?!" His commanding voice interrupted my thoughts, and I blinked several times to get back to reality.

"I was not listening, sorry," I said in a low voice, hanging my head low. I felt Mom's face turn into a scowl.

"You-"

"Honey, just leave her be, okay? She is just overwhelmed, that is all. We all know she would do anything to make us happy; is that not right, dear?" Dad said that and slowly walked up to me and patted my shoulders.

I sighed. I really wanted them to be happy, and I hated that he was right. I would do anything for this family. I would go above and beyond to make this family stand together.

I am the eldest child, and I owe that responsibility to my family. Even if they have been acting weird to me, I would still love them and would do anything for them.

"Yes, father," I said.

And three days later, I found myself walking down the aisle alone. My father was not here to congratulate me or walk me to the altar. He was here, in the church, with my mom, but it seems like they both won't be walking down with me to the altar.

I clutched my flowers tight as I looked at the man in front of me who stood, staring deep into my soul from the altar. I could not help but lower my face so I didn't fall. All eyes were on me.

I took a sneaky look from my side to look at the congregation, but there weren't many guests. And damn, why is the walk to the altar so far?!

I finally arrived at the altar and looked down the entire time. I could feel his indifference to this, like he was not also interested in this marriage. I sighed.

"Do you, Tristan Detar, take Natalie Beckham to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

For a whole damn minute, he was quiet. He stared intently at my face.

"Yes," he said indifferently.

"And do you, Natalie Beckham, take Tristan Detar to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Well, did I? No, I did not. I wanted nothing to do with a man I knew absolutely nothing about.

I stole a glance into the congregation and found my mom urging me to say yes, while my dad's face was tense.

Taking a deep breath, "Yes," I answered.

"And I now pronounce you husband and wife; you may kiss your bride," the priest said and that was when I came to my senses.

'Excuse me?' I wanted to say, but the words refused to leave my mouth because, before I could register what was happening, he raised my veil and placed his lips on mine. He did not kiss me but placed his lips on mine.

After he was satisfied with the claps and hoots, he pulled away and then the ceremony just ended.

He abruptly excused himself and left me when my parents walked up to me.

"Sweetheart," she beamed, kissing me on the cheeks.

"You look absolutely stunning."

"Thanks, ma," I said, and when my father was not looking, attending to guests, she dragged me to one corner of the church and sighed.

"Look, sweetie, I actually might not have been the best mother you hoped for," she said, suddenly surprising me.

"I-"

"No, no," a tear fell out of her eyes, and she smiled.

"Don't say anything. You do not need to. Just know, I want you to be happy," she said.

I did not understand what was going on, but I decided to play along.

"I don't trust him," she suddenly said.

Five minutes later, I found myself in the dressing room, slowly opening the door.

My heart dropped at what I saw.

Tristan was kissing my sister?!