BOUND BY THE BILLONAIRE’S VOW

CHAPTER 4

SOPHIA

Everything was happening so fast I didn’t have a chance to think. One minute I was considering killing myself if Davis ever asked me to be a s*x slave and the next, I was getting married to his son.

“Stop doing that,” he said, a bit too harshly.

“Stop what?” I asked, looking up at him.

“The thing you’re doing with your lips,” he said, his gaze dark.

I shook my head at him. “Are you sure you don’t have a girlfriend?” I asked.

He gave me a subtle smirk and shook his head.

“I don’t do girlfriends. I have women but no strings attached,” he said arrogantly.

“This means you can go to them during the course of our contract marriage for s****l purposes,” I said, relief slipping into my voice.

Everything was moving too fast. Jace chuckled and turned away.

Not long after, we arrived at the lawyer’s office and in less than an hour, we were officially married and the contract had been signed. To the world, we were dating but privately we were married under contract for one year.

“Now, wifey, let’s get a pic for the media,” he said.

I was surprised. “You’re popular?”

He didn’t respond. He just smirked arrogantly. Such an annoying i***t.

He took a picture of us holding hands then created an i********: account for me. In less than an hour after tagging me, I had more than five hundred thousand followers.

Anita, Jace’s mother, called him after seeing his post. She insisted we both come to a family function that evening and Jace thought it was a great way to get me out there as the billionaire’s soon-to-be wife.

After that, we went shopping and got expensive and exquisite clothes and jewelry for me. I had a full makeover, from the spa to the hair salon, to the fashion designer and then the beautician.

I disassociated as everything happened in a blur. The stylist smiled at me and the designer complimented my waist but I couldn’t feel anything. It was too much.

Then Jace took me to his house.

I had never seen such an expensive-looking house in my entire life. Davis’ house couldn’t even compare and I was in awe. The furniture and paintings showed how rich Jace was. In fact, not just rich but wealthy. I stood in front of a painting that looked like the female version of Jace.

“Who’s this?” I asked.

“That’s my mother. She had it up there herself,” he said with a smile.

His mother looked very young. I saw where Jace got his good looks from and I hoped his mother would accept me for peace to reign even though it was just a fake marriage.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

“Why, of course. She looks beautiful and I see where you get your good looks from,” I said with a shy smile.

“You think I’m good looking?” he asked, his hands in his pockets.

I paused for a second as he stared at me with a bored look.

“Answer me, small brain,” he teased, placing his hand on my jaw.

I frowned and softly took his hand off my face. “You just had to spoil the moment,” I said under my breath.

“What did you say, small brain?” Jace asked again, this time with a small smile.

I rolled my eyes and turned back to the painting.

“I’ll call my artist tomorrow to create a painting of you,” Jace said to me.

“Thank you,” I said. I was still careful around him. He was Davis’ son after all.

“Jimmy,” Jace called out to his butler and continued, “Take our guest to the guest bedroom. She should get ready for an event we must attend tonight. Assign a help to her.”

Jimmy, the butler who looked like he was in his mid-fifties, came out from a corner and rushed to carry my shopping bags happily.

Jace turned to me. “Jimmy was one of my dad’s staff. He owed Davis and because he couldn’t pay, Davis made him one of his drivers without pay, only meals. I saved him, just the way I saved you,” Jace said.

I nodded and followed Jimmy upstairs.

Jimmy took me to a big room with a tall ceiling and wide windows that let in soft evening light. The walls were painted a creamy shade of white and gold and everything smelled like fresh linen and expensive polish. A soft rug spread across the floor and a queen-sized bed stood neatly in the center, layered in fluffy pillows.

“This is your room,” Jimmy said, placing the shopping bags carefully by the dresser. “You have your own bathroom and closet. If you need anything, press the button by the lamp.”

I nodded slowly, still trying to process everything. I had slept on a worn-out mattress for the past three years and now I was standing in a room that looked like something out of a movie. It didn’t feel real.

“Miss Lana will be your assistant for the evening. She’ll help you dress,” Jimmy added as a tall woman walked in wearing a black uniform. She gave me a polite smile and gestured toward the dressing area.

“Please let me know if you’d like help choosing your look for tonight,” Miss Lana said kindly.

I followed her silently to the walk-in closet. My throat felt tight and my palms were damp. This wasn’t just a new life. It was a different universe. She brought out a floor-length teal dress with a deep neckline and soft silk gloves to match. The jewelry sparkled so brightly I had to look away for a second.

Jace had said this was just for show but every detail felt painfully real. The clothes. The room. The ring that would be on my finger by the end of the night.

“You don’t have to be nervous,” Miss Lana said as she styled my hair. “He may act cold but he’s not cruel. At least not like his father.”

That made me pause.

“You know Davis?” I asked quietly.

She nodded once. “Everyone in this house has a story with him. Some worse than others.”

I couldn’t tell if Jace saved us all because of how much he hated his dad or because of a kind heart. I decided on the latter.

Lana didn’t say more and I didn’t ask. I just let her finish curling my hair and help me into my shoes. When I stepped in front of the mirror, I barely recognized the girl staring back.

I looked powerful. Like someone who didn’t owe anybody anything.

A knock on the door drew our attention.