Chapter 3. Married

Winona trembled and couldn’t help but agree to Richard’s offer. Even though she was very scared, Winona still wanted to live and see tomorrow. The next thing she knew was that she was going with Richard in a special elevator to the basement and into a shiny black luxury car.

“We’re doing it tonight,” Richard said as they sat side by side in the car.

“W-what?” Winona asked.

“The wedding. Are you deaf or dumb?” he asked.

“B-but… It’s late,” Winona said. She really didn’t understand how they could get married right now. However, Winona forgot one big fact, namely how rich the man beside her was. With money, anything could happen.

They arrived at a place that looked like an ordinary office building to Winona, but there was a civil servant coming in the middle of the night like this. Winona really couldn’t believe what she was seeing, but in fact, she was already sitting next to Richard and facing the civil registration officer.

“I have done everything. Mister Lerroy and Miss Wilde, you can just sign it,” he said without further ado.

Winona widened her eyes when she saw the document, which was complete and only needed to be signed. Richard took the file first and then signed everything. After that, he gave the file to Winona along with the pen.

“Sign it fast, or you’ll regret it,” Richard said.

Winona gulped. With trembling fingers, she finally accepted the pen and file and signed it. She couldn’t believe that she was now Mrs. Lerroy, even if only temporarily.

“Thank you. You can go now,” Richard told the civil registry officer. He would immediately process and register Richard and Winona’s marriage.

After the man left, Richard snapped his fingers, and one of his men came and sat across from them. He handed a rather thick file into Richard’s hand.

“This is a contract between us. There is no time limit on when we will divorce. All decisions are in my hands. Now sign it,” Richard said again.

“But Mr. Lerroy, I…”

Winona was about to buy time, but suddenly Winona heard a click behind her head. She slowly turned her head to see what was happening, and as she expected, a gun was pointed at her head, ready to fire. Winona trembled. In all her life, she had never seen a real gun.

“Sign it fast. I don’t like wasting time,” Richard said in an even tone of voice. One might think that Richard was a nice guy with a gentle demeanor, but now Winona knew the truth. Behind his handsome face and his quivering baritone voice, Richard was a terrifying figure.

Winona couldn’t resist until she finally signed the contract without reading the contents. She only knew now that her life would never be the same again. Richard nodded slowly when he saw that Winona had signed it. The employee immediately took the files and put them in an envelope. Winona felt like crying. She didn’t know what he would do to her. Winona just hoped he wouldn’t hurt her.

“Tomorrow, you have to give a statement at a press conference, but we’ll talk about that tomorrow morning. Now, let’s go home,” Richard said.

He then stood up and walked ahead of Winona. His men looked at Winona as if urging her to immediately stand up and walk after their master. Despite her weak knees, Winona stood up from where she was sitting and walked after Richard.

Winona sat back in the car next to Richard. Her whole body felt cold, even though the air in the car was warm because the heater had been turned on. Throughout the journey, both Winona and Richard remained silent. Winona looked up at the starry night sky until she unconsciously fell asleep in the car.

Winona woke up to the feeling of someone hugging her body. When she opened her eyes, she saw Richard holding her tightly. The man’s scent was very masculine and warm, but she still felt scared, and her palms felt cold.

Richard’s dark brown eyes glanced at her, but he didn’t say anything and kept walking.

“Mr. Lerroy, I can walk on my own,” Winona said.

“Shut up,” he answered in a low but firm voice. Winona gulped and fell silent, not daring to move or speak again. In her head, she replayed the events she had witnessed just a few hours ago. This man had transformed into a huge black wolf and bitten a person’s head off. It was a terrifying sight she had ever seen in her life.

Winona ventured to glance around and realized that she was in a grand house, almost like a palace. She couldn’t see the details clearly because she was in Richard’s arms, but she could make out the high ceiling and the large crystal chandelier in the center of the room. Winona also noticed a grand circular staircase leading to the second floor of the house and a magnificent balcony at the end of the top step, covered with a carpet that probably cost more than all of her possessions in her old apartment.

Richard carried her up to the second floor and led her to one of the rooms. When they arrived, he violently threw Winona’s body onto the bed and closed the door tightly. He didn’t bother to lock it because this was his home, and no one would dare to go against him there.

“M-Mister Lerroy, w-what are you going to do?” Winona stammered.

She inched backward until her back touched the headboard and couldn’t back off any further.

“You are now my wife,” Richard said simply.

Winona widened her eyes. She knew what that meant, but she couldn’t possibly fight back.

“It’s in the contract,” Richard added again.

“B-but, Mr. Lerroy… I-I…”

Winona wanted to say that she wasn’t a prostitute, but it was useless. She had already signed the contract. Now she had to face Richard Lerroy, who was slowly approaching while taking off the jacket he was wearing. His athletic body was no longer covered by clothes. Winona gulped at that.

Richard had absolutely no intention of making love to this woman. He just wanted to try everything to erase Winona’s memory. His ability to erase someone’s memory was by touching that person. Usually, by touching one’s face or hands, he could do it easily, but not with Winona. The more skin Richard touched, the more likely it was to successfully erase someone’s memory. He had to try it now before it was too late.

“Mister Lerroy, I beg you…”

“Shut up and follow my words. Take off your clothes, or I’ll do it,” Richard said.

Winona was shaking, and her eyes were sore now. She began to feel tears pooling in her eyes, blurring her vision. Richard didn’t care. He quickly pulled Winona’s body closer and then opened her clothes. Winona covered her bare chest with both hands, but Richard grabbed both of her wrists and forced them open, then dropped her so that she lay on the bed.

Richard grabbed her body and closed his eyes. With their upper bodies both uncovered and very close together without any distance, Richard should have been able to erase her memory and replace it with another, but… suddenly, Richard heard Winona’s sobs.