I didn’t sleep much last night. My body laid still under the covers but my mind ran in many many circles wondering if I had made the right decision.

My stomach twisted as the sun came up, and by the time I stepped out of the car in front of the courthouse, I felt like I hadn’t rested at all.

The building looked like something out of a movie—tall, gray and cold. Not the kind of place you imagined getting married in.

But I guessed that was the point. This wasn’t a real wedding, and I definitely wasn't a real bride.

There was no dress, no flowers, no music. Just me, in plain blue jeans and a white T-shirt, holding the little purse I brought along for dear life. My fingers were shaking all about.

Enoch was already inside. I hadn’t seen him since yesterday, when I signed the contract that would change everything. I didn’t even know what to expect today. I didn’t know how I was supposed to act. Was I supposed to smile? Act emotional? Cry a little?

I had no idea.

The marble floor echoed under my feet as I followed one of his security guards through the empty hallway.

I passed rooms with thick wooden doors and walls that smelled like old paper and metal. My heart beat louder with every step.

Finally, the door opened into a small courtroom. It was barely a room at all—more like a dull box with one long table, four chairs, and two lawyers already seated.

Enoch was standing by the window, dressed in a black suit. His eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, and his face…it certainly gave nothing away. No emotion. No expression. Just stillness.

Was that how I ought to be as well? I sat across from him, my heart hammering but he didn’t greet me. Not even a nod.

His lawyer passed a few papers to the clerk. Everything moved quickly, the judge came in for less than five minutes. No questions. No vows. Just a few signatures and an announcement.

“By the power given to me by the state, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

That was it.

I blinked, trying to understand if it was really over. No rings. No kiss. No warmth.

I looked at Enoch, but he didn’t look back. He was already standing, already turning toward the door like the moment meant nothing.

I remained seated for a second longer, trying to feel something. Anything. But all I felt was… hollow.

This was what I signed up for, wasn't it?

As I stepped out of the courtroom, I hoped to get home and get some much needed rest. Or at least five minutes of silence to process what had just happened. But the second we stepped outside—

Boom.

Lights. Multiple flashes. Loud Voices. A lot of Chaos.

Paparazzi!

They were everywhere. I hadn’t even seen them coming. One moment we were walking down the courthouse steps, and the next moment we were swallowed by a storm of people and cameras.

“Sophia! Sophia, who are you wearing?”

“Is this a real marriage or a PR stunt?”

“How long have you two been dating?!”

The questions didn’t even make any sense. I couldn’t move. The lights blinded me, and all the bodies pressing around me made it hard to breathe.

I took a step back, almost tripping over the edge of the stair. My chest tightened as the panic rose.

Then I felt Enoch’s hand grabbing my wrist, pulling me forward.

“Stay close,” he said, his voice low but firm.

He stepped in front of me, shielding me from the flashes. His arm wrapped around my back, not in any adoring way though.

He held me like a bodyguard would hold a witness, not like a husband holding his wife. Still, I followed him, half hidden by his coat, half-blinded by the lights.

“Back off,” one of his security guards shouted.

They made a path through the mess of people, and Enoch led me toward a black armored car waiting at the curb.

The door opened, and he pushed me inside quickly, then climbed in after me slamming the door shut.

“Oh my God…” I pressed my back against the seat and tried to catch my breath. My heart was still pounding, and my ears rang with the sound of shouted questions.

Enoch didn’t speak. He sat across from me, fixing his cuff like nothing had happened. His glasses stayed on, making him seem even more unreachable.

“Are you okay?” I asked before I could stop myself.

He didn’t answer.

My hands were shaking again. I pressed them together in my lap and stared out the window.

We were already moving, the courthouse getting smaller behind us. That’s when I saw something.

Just for a second, in the crowd of flashing lights, I spotted a face.

It seemed…familiar.

Too familiar.

I couldn’t place it right away, but it made me feel uneasy. A man with narrow eyes and a camera in his hand. He hadn’t been shouting like the others. He was just… watching me.

Who was he?

I tried to shake the feeling off, but it stuck to me. I glanced at Enoch again. He hadn’t noticed. Or maybe he had and just didn’t care.

“Do you do this often?” I asked quietly.

He tilted his head. “Do what?”

“This paparazzi thing, with the thousands of strangers screaming questions and cameras down your throat?”

“I hardly notice now.”

The car slowed slightly as we turned a corner. I looked down at my hand.

My wedding ring was just a thin band of gold—no stone, no shine. It felt more like a shackle than jewelry.

“Is that so? Will it be normal for me then?” I whispered more to myself than him.

Enoch didn’t answer right away. His silence filled the car like smoke. When he finally spoke, his words were heavy and sharp.

“Because you agreed.”

It was true. I had. I’d signed the contract. I’d accepted the terms. I’d made this bed and now I had to lie in it.

But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

The car rolled to a stop at a red light. Enoch leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. Then, slowly, he took off his glasses.

His eyes were darker than I expected. Not cruel but—Empty.

“Welcome to your new life, Mrs. Stelwart,” he said, his voice like ice. “Don’t forget the terms.”

And just like that, the wall between us grew more visible.