Sebastian:

She doesn't hold a candle to Adeline. She's ugly. Her face is ugly. Her shoes are ugly, and her style is ugly. She gives me a smile, but I ignore it.

I can be civil to the parents, but to her? All cards are off the table when it comes to her. She's the wall standing between me and my Addy. A wall I'll go through any lengths to destroy.

My father goes onto the makeshift podium to deliver a small speech, which I tune out because I'm focused on Charlotte Daymond, thinking of all the ways I can make her miserable.

She must sense some malice in me, because she looks at me again, but this time she holds my stare. A nudge to my elbow brings me face to face with my father. His speech was over quick. He hands me a ring box and gives the other to the Daymond bitch.

I open the box and see a simple gold band encrusted in small diamonds. I bet he picked out the rings himself. He seems more invested in this sham of a marriage than the groom himself. Why can't he marry her instead? Then I could have had Adeline for myself.

I slip the gold band around her finger in distaste and hear claps around me. Why the fuck are they clapping? It's not an achievement.

She does the same, sliding the thicker gold band around my ring finger. If I had it my way, I wouldn't want this nonsense spectacle. But Anthony Crosswalk loves spectacles, so I have to play along with it. Though, I'm surprised he relented on the wedding ceremony.

The ring instantly weighs down on my finger, like a shackle.

"Congratulations to the both of you."

I want to roll my eyes, but instead I say, "Thanks Dad."

It's soon time for dinner and I'm made to sit beside my fiancé.

"Hi." I hear her whisper to my right, but I pretend I don't hear her.

"I know you can hear me." She whispers again.

"I'm no more excited than you are about this marriage. What do you think about becoming allies?"

"I say it's bullshit. Stay away from me." I whisper harshly back to her. Luckily, that shuts her up.

We're served dinner and we eat in silence, but my father keeps chatting with the Daymonds.

"Sebastian, I've heard that you don't want a wedding ceremony." Charles asks me.

I look over at Dad. Nothing in his expression gives me any warning.

"That's right." I cut into my Beef Wellington. I don't elaborate further and he doesn't question it.

"You're okay with that, aren't you Charlotte?"

She lifts her head from her stir fried vegetables to look at her father.

"It's fine. No biggie."

Biggie? What is she? A teenager? Her tits say otherwise. They're rather big for her small frame.

I must be glaring down the front of her dress because Dad clears his throat and glares at me. I quickly avert my gaze and am grateful Charles Daymond didn't catch me staring at his daughter's tits.

She however, didn't notice it because she's too busy eating her lemon tart. I glance down at her stomach and find it flat.

I stop wondering about her body, because it's none of my business and go back to finishing my dinner.

Charlotte stays back after everyone has left. I don't know if she isn't getting my hostile vibes or if she's just that dense. She should have left as soon as she sat next to me at the dinner table.

Unfortunately, she approaches me after listening to whatever it was my father had said to her.

"You don't have to see me as a threat Sebastian."

She comes even closer to whisper to me.

"I support your relationship with whoever it is you love." She looks back at Dad to see if he's listening. He's not.

"I'm stuck in this as much as you are." She smiles at me, but I don't return it.

"So what do you say? Friends?" She holds her hand out for me to shake, but I obviously don't take it. I turn on my heel and walk away.

Glancing over my shoulder, I see her full lips turned slightly downward in a frown.

Good luck sweetheart, because you are going to be wearing that look for the rest of this marriage.

______________________________________

Charlotte:

"He'll warm up to you." I look at Anthony and give him a nod.

"I hope so. I should get going as well."

Fiona had to leave, so I had Franco drop her off. It's strange that I entered this house as a single woman, and I'm now leaving with a gold band around my ring finger, engaged to be married. For a minute, it saddens me. I've always wanted love, but now? I know I'll never have it, unless I'm free from this marriage.

I tell Anthony I'm leaving and call Franco. He's there in two minutes.

I climb inside and the drive home is silent. Dealing with Sebastian is going to be a challenge.

I thank Franco and take off my heels as soon as I step into my apartment. I pour myself a glass of water and chug it down, staring at the ring on my finger.

It takes me fifteen minutes to get ready for bed and before I turn off my lamp, I remove the ring and put it on my nightstand. There's no need to remind myself of the marriage when I'm alone.

______________________________________

"Just a second." I say as I put the last pin in the bride's dress.

"There. Perfecto." I turn her around so she can look at herself in the mirror.

On cue, she bursts into happy tears and on cue, I hand her a box of tissues.

"You look beautiful sweetie."

She throws her arms around me.

"Thank you."

I rub her back for a couple of seconds and let her go, pinning her with a big grin.

"It's all going to be perfect. Don't you worry about a single thing."

"Char! Your phone's ringing."

I catch it perfectly on time as Harper tosses it to me.

Anthony. I hit accept before the call ends.

"Charlotte. Next month, you'll be a married woman. 26th of next month okay for you? I can prepone it, but postponing is out of the question."

I swallow. "26th is fine."

He ends the call without a goodbye and I stare at my phone in horror. Every time, after I get off a call with him, I feel sick. Absolutely sick.

The 26th arrives sooner than I expected.

So here I am, in the courthouse, in a white lace dress, all alone, rocking back and forth on my heels, tossing my bouquet from one hand to the other.

"Why aren't they here yet?" Fiona whispers to me.

I shrug.

"I swear if they ditched you, we're getting on the next flight to Vegas."

I hold a finger up.

"I do not object to that decision. At all."

"Are you sure the date is today?" The official asks me after one hour, not including the 40 minutes I had waited before that.

"Yes, I'm sure." He looks skeptical, but doesn't question me further.

"Five. Four. Three. Two. One. Come on Char, we're going."

I grin at her, despite the weight in my chest. I don't know why my heart feels so heavy, I should be happy that I'm not getting married. Maybe it's just the feeling of not being enough weighing me down.

I throw my bouquet in a nearby trashcan outside the courthouse and loosen my hair from its updo.

"That's right girl. Get ready to get wild in Vegas."

I suddenly bump into someone and apologize, before realizing I bumped into Sebastian Crosswalk.

He looks angry. Furious even. Suddenly, I've had enough of it.

I find Anthony right behind him, in a no better mood than Sebastian.

"Anthony, you don't have to do this to him. Look how angry he is all the time."

Anthony steps closer and closer till he's toe to toe with me. I have to crane my neck to see his face.

"You don't tell me what to do young lady. I know what I have to do for my son. You are not his mother, so don't tell me what I should or shouldn't do."

I take a step back from him and look at the both of them. Same jaws, same brown eyes, just in different shades. Anthony's facial features are harder and sharper whereas Sebastian's features are more on the soft side. He must take after his mother in that department.

"Let's go." Surprisingly, it's Sebastian who says this.

"Are you sure you have to do this Char?" Fiona whispers into my ear.

I give her a small smile.

"I can't get out of this any more than he can."

Both father and son whip their heads in my direction. Was I that loud?

"Geez, Charlotte, could you be any louder?" Fiona laughs at my side and my cheeks heat up, but I don't apologize. I don't feel the need to.

The official looks at me, then looks at Anthony and Sebastian with pursed lips. Sebastian is dressed too casually in jeans and a baby blue button up shirt, whereas Anthony is dressed in a three piece suit. I don't think I've ever seen him in anything else.

"Which one of you is the groom?" The official asks, making me blush and both the men scowl. Anthony urges Sebastian forward, making him stand right beside me.

After about an hour, me and Sebastian are officially husband and wife. At least, on paper.

The four of us celebrate by going to a restaurant for lunch. Much to his dismay, Sebastian is made to sit beside me. Anthony's phone rings while I'm in the middle of eating my lobster bisque.

I assumed he would ignore it, but he answers and I hear my father's voice on the other end.

"Anthony, Sebastian, congratulations are in order." My father decides to pretend I'm not there, which I'm pretty much used to. Nothing new about that. Nope. Nothing at all. I mean it hurts a little, but really, it's no big deal.

I clean the plate and get a toffee pudding for desert. Fiona groans and I turn to look at her.

"Where do you fit all that?"

"I guess it goes here." I discretely point to my breasts.

"Ugh. Your boobs are amazing. I'd totally do you if I were a guy."

I giggle at that. "You're such a pervert Fiona."

She shrugs and sips her milkshake. Meanwhile, the waiter delivers my toffee pudding.

It looks mouthwatering. I stare at my pudding in anticipation and catch Sebastian staring at me.

I blink at him. "What?"

He shakes his head in a mixture of disgust and dismay.

"Are you not done yet?"

"I've been waiting for this pudding. You guys can go ahead." I rub my hands on my thighs and pick up my fork.

I hear a scoff. Anthony stares at me blankly and excuses himself to take another phone call, so I know it didn't come from him. Sebastian, on the other hand, has his lip curled upwards.

"Who will pick up the bill? You?" He looks at me in disbelief and shakes his head.

"Yes. I thought that was the plan?"

"I think I'll be in debt after feeding you."

My cheeks flush hot with embarrassment.

"Hey!" Fiona exclaims angrily.

"You don't need to feed her. She's capable of doing it herself." Fiona says in my defense.

"Can she even afford it without her Daddy's money?"

I open my mouth to tell him I'm right there, but Anthony cuts me to it.

"Yes, Sebastian, she can most definitely afford it. She doesn't need your money, or my money, or her Father's money. She's Charlotte Daymond, a businesswoman, not Adeline Ruthfield, world class hoe."

I'm too surprised to register Sebastian's face turning red. I look at Anthony and find him glaring at Sebastian. The stare off is too intense, because neither of them relents. I clear my throat and say, "I'm done. Let's go."

Sebastian is the one who turns to me.

"It's about time."

The waiter comes out with the receipt and I slip my black Amex card into it, leaving a twenty dollar tip for the waiter in cash.

We leave after I stash my credit card back into my pocket.

Apparently, I have to go in the same car as Anthony and Sebastian, but Franco is already there, since I assumed I would be going with him.

I kiss Fiona's cheek and tell her to go with Franco.

"Call me whenever, and wherever you need. I'll always be there." Her words cause my eyes to burn and I can only nod at her.

"You bet your ass I will."

I get in the backseat of their black SUV, with Sebastian sitting beside me.

I slap my hands on my thighs.

"So your place or mine?" I grin when I see mild surprise on his face.

"I mean I'll need to pack my things." I correct.

"It's already done." Anthony says from the passenger seat.

"What? How?"

"Your father had it arranged." I slump back in my seat. Typical of Charles Daymond. Doing everything without considering the other person's feelings.

"Oh." It comes out more dejected than I had wanted it to.

My favorite part of Casa de Crosswalk is the abundance of palm trees. We all get out at the same time and I marvel at the black rose bushes once again.

The black SUV goes into the right garage and I ask Sebastian,

"Which garage is yours? Right or left?"

There's a long pause before he answers.

"Left." It's grumbled so low that I almost hadn't heard it.

Of course the SUV belongs to Anthony. I stand in the foyer and take in my surroundings. To my right is a wide marble staircase which leads to the second floor and to my left, two wide archways lead into the hall.

Sebastian just storms up the stairs, leaving me and Anthony to stare at his retreating form.

"You'll be sharing the same room as him. As you are, after all, husband and wife now."

I clear my throat and nod at him. I expect him to leave as well, but he looks like he wants to say something.

After a beat of hesitation, he looks straight into my eyes with his hazel ones.

"If Sebastian gives you trouble...you can tell me."

I don't know why, but his words spread relief through my chest. I was afraid I wouldn't have any allies. Not to say Anthony is exactly my ally. Well not yet, at least. But, there's a possibility and for that, I'm grateful.

"Thank you." I give him a warm smile, and then he too storms off.

I take a deep breath for courage before climbing the stairs behind Sebastian.

A narrow gallery filled with framed paintings greets me on the top stair. I can go either left or right. I choose right and knock on the door.

"Sebastian? It's me."

After a long pause, I think I've got the wrong room, but I hear the faint rustling of clothes.

"Can you please open up?"

I think it's a lost cause, but before I turn back the way I came, the door swings open and Sebastian grabs me.

I squeal when he slams me against the wall, his hands shackling my wrists to the wall.

He gets into my face and curls his lip.

"If you think this marriage is going to be sunshine and rainbows, think again. I didn't want to marry you. I was forced into it. If you expect something else, you're not getting it. I may be your husband on paper, but I'm not yours in any other sense of the word. Do you understand me?"

His words are a lot to take in, but I understand where he's coming from.

"Okay."

His brows dip and he pins me with a confused look.

"Okay?"

"I understand. You were forced into this, and I knew arranged marriage was in the cards for me. I don't expect anything from you, don't worry." I explain to him softly.

His face relaxes for a fraction before he pins me with another glare.

"Don't expect me to be faithful to you. I also don't expect it from you. I don't care for it."

It's disappointing, but I give him a small smile.

"You're a man in love. I know. I won't stand in your way."

He seems at a loss for words, but soon narrows his eyes into thin slits.

"How do I know I can believe your words?"

I shrug. "I don't have a reason to lie. So...are we friends or...are we friends?"

Confusion mars his face, but he clears his throat and let's go of my wrists.

"Well, that's not what I was expecting."

I laugh. "What? Did you think I would scream bloody murder and go on a rampage or something?"

He frowns. "I wouldn't go that extreme."

I hold out my hand.

"Charlotte Daymond. Friends?"

He ignores my hand.

"I don't trust you yet."

I sigh. I guess it'll take time.

"Well, now that that's over, I apparently have to share a room with you. But hey, you won't even feel like I'm there."

I open the closet and see my clothes on one half and male apparel on the other half.

"Guess it's too late for that." I look at him apologetically. I don't want this union to be spiteful or hateful.

He waves it off.

"You win some, you lose some. I don't mind sharing closet space. Throwing a tantrum over something so small is immature, even for me."

"Well, well, well, sharing closet space with THE Sebastian Crosswalk? Always been my dream." I don't know if he knows I'm kidding, but he smirks.

The Crosswalk men were blessed in the looks department, even I'll give them that.

"Well, I have to drop by the office, but don't make yourself too much at home. No rummaging through my stuff." He warns.

I give him a nod and proceed to take off my pearl earrings when he closes the door behind him. Looks like Anthony didn't have to worry about anything. Sure, the first few moments were tense and hostile, but I handled it. I think.

I put silver hoops through my ears and remove my gown to change into more appropriate business attire.

I slip into my nude wedges because Lord knows I need the extra height, even though it adds only a few extra inches to my 5'1.

I leave my hair as it is and walk out the door, only to bump into Anthony downstairs.

"Sorry." I look at him sheepishly, to which he only stares at me blankly.

"Sebastian wasn't...so bad. We've founded a truce. A friendship of sorts?" Sebastian didn't agree to being friends, but hey, Anthony doesn't need to know that.

His brows dip, similar to his son's. Honestly Anthony doesn't look a day over 35.

"I never said my son is bad. He can be difficult at times, but he's not a bad man. A husband and wife relationship between you both is what I was angling for, what with the marriage and all, but I guess friendship is a start."

I look at him in bafflement. If logic had a name, it would be Anthony Crosswalk.

"I will keep that mind."

"Here." He hands me two pairs of keys.

"One is the SUV's and one is a Rolls Royce. Both mine, but you can have one. Take your pick."

My eyes nearly bug out of my sockets.

"You would let me have your Rolls Royce?"

He shrugs. "I don't care about which car I drive in. It's just a vehicle. I'm guessing you don't like to be driven around."

He's right. As much as I love Franco, I like driving myself around.

I gingerly hand him back the Rolls Royce keys, keeping the SUV keys in my palm.

"Thank you Anthony."