She Rejected The Heir. I Married Him. Chapter 01
My best friend called me in tears. Her father was forcing her to honor an old marriage pact between their families and marry the notorious Cassian Voss.
Before I could comfort her, Adrian Ashford blocked my bedroom door.
He was the man I’d loved in silence for eight years.
He looked at me as casually as if he were commenting on the weather.
“The old agreement has a substitution clause. If both families sign off, the Carlisles can name another bride.”
He paused.
“You’ll go in her place.”
I froze.
He lowered his head and gently smoothed a loose strand of hair from my forehead.
“Be good. Cassian’s nothing but a trust-fund disaster. Once the Voss board kicks him out, you can file for divorce and walk away clean.”
“Then I’ll marry you.”
Eight years. That was the first time he’d ever said he’d marry me.
My eyes burned, and I nearly cried.
I didn’t dare let him see the smile I was fighting to hide.
Marrying Cassian Voss was the chance of a lifetime.
And somehow, it had fallen right into my lap.
…
“Did you hear me?”
When I didn’t answer, Adrian Ashford frowned. He hated being ignored.
“I heard you,” I said evenly.
Sienna Carlisle immediately stopped crying on the other end of the call.
“Mira, I knew you were the best.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll make it up to you for everything you have to endure in my place.”
Make it up to me?
I looked at the watch on my desk, its crystal cracked.
I’d bought it for myself last month, for my birthday. Sienna borrowed it yesterday, and this was how she’d returned it.
So much for making things up to me.
“Eight tomorrow night. The top-floor restaurant at the Savoy Hotel.”
Adrian tossed my car keys onto the desk. The metal scraped loudly across the surface.
“Meet Cassian and finalize the change to the agreement.”
“Okay.” I nodded.
My face must have been too calm, because he studied me as if something felt wrong.
“Aren’t you scared?”
“Would being scared change anything?”
He smiled and reached for my head.
I leaned away.
His hand stopped in midair.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I lowered my eyes. “I’m just tired.”
“Feeling sorry for yourself?”
He withdrew his hand, his concern sounding more like charity.
“Just put up with it for a few days.”
“As long as you behave and keep the Voss family happy, I’ll make sure you’re rewarded later.”
I looked up at him.
“Adrian.”
“What?”
“What if the rumors are true? What if Cassian Voss really is violent and unstable?”
I held his gaze.
He blinked, then laughed it off.
“They’re rumors.”
“You’ve always known how to read people. Why would he single you out?”
“And even if he does, you only have to last until the Voss family collapses. It’s a few months, Mira. Deal with it.”
Deal with it.
I looked at the man I’d loved for eight years and suddenly realized none of those years had been worth it.
“I understand.” I turned my back to him. “I need to change. Get out.”
He didn’t move.
“You’ve got quite an attitude today, Mira.”
“Do I?”
“You do.”
He stared at my back.
“Sienna shouldn’t have broken your watch. If you’re angry about it, I’ll buy you another one tomorrow.”
“Don’t bother.”
“Suit yourself.”
His patience ran out, and he turned toward the door.
“Wear something plain tomorrow.”
“Don’t make the Voss family think girls raised by the Ashfords are desperate for attention.”
I nodded. “Fine.”
The door closed, leaving the room silent.
I picked up the broken watch and dropped it in the trash.
Right along with eight ridiculous years of my life.
The following night, I walked into the Savoy Hotel lobby and heard someone call my name.
“Mira.”
Sienna stood nearby with her arm linked through Adrian’s.
She wore a newly released dress from an Italian designer, and her makeup was flawless.
My old trench coat looked painfully out of place beside her.
“You’re really meeting him dressed like that?” She came closer and looked me up and down. “I suppose it’s for your own good.”
“A man like Cassian Voss would only want to hurt you if he thought you were pretty.”
“Looking frumpy is safer.”
She couldn’t hide the smugness in her voice.
“Sienna’s right,” Adrian said. “Go. Don’t be late.”
I ignored her and looked straight at him.
“Once I walk in there tonight, the debt between us is settled. All eight years of it.”
Adrian frowned.
“What kind of tantrum is this?”
“I’m making sure we’re clear.”
“Stop saying things you don’t mean.”
His voice cooled.
“The Ashfords gave you a home for eight years. Sienna needs you to carry one family obligation for her. That’s not too much to ask.”
So it was only fair.
I nodded. “Fine.”
I walked past them toward the elevator.
“Mira,” Adrian called after me. “Watch your mouth and don’t cause trouble.”
I stepped inside without looking back.
At the top-floor restaurant, I opened the door to a dim private dining room.
Cassian Voss sat at the head of the table, an unlit cigarette between his fingers.
His black shirt hung loose, three buttons undone.
He looked every inch the reckless, wasteful, irredeemable Voss heir everyone described.
“Sienna Carlisle?”
He didn’t even lift his eyes. His voice held a weary chill.
“No.”
I pulled out the chair across from him and sat down.
“I’m Mira Sloan, the substitute named in the agreement.”
Only then did he look at me.
His gaze was far too sharp for the brainless playboy society gossiped about.
This was the real Cassian.
The man I’d glimpsed years ago—the one who truly controlled Voss Capital from behind the scenes.
“The Carlisles sent you to replace her?”
“Yes.”
He laughed and tossed the cigarette onto the table.
“How interesting. They sent an outsider to fool me.”
“They’re not fooling you.”
I met his eyes.
“They think the board will remove you soon, so marrying you isn’t worth the risk to Sienna.”
“I think they’re wrong. And I happen to need a husband everyone else has underestimated.”
The room fell silent.