2

When they arrived at the city hall, Cass felt like she was trapped in a bad dream. Her mind was completely blank as she stared down at the paperwork in front of her. Her hand shook slightly as she signed her name on the dotted line of the marriage certificate. Right beside her stood Liam. He looked completely bored, acting as if the piece of paper changing their entire lives did not matter to him at all.

The clerk stamped the documents, making everything official. The moment their marriage was approved, a massive, satisfied smile spread across Loreen's face. It was the exact look of a person who had finally achieved a wicked goal she had been planning for a very long time.

Loreen turned around and threw her arms around Cass, giving her a tight, fake hug. She leaned close to the girl's ear and whispered, "Good luck, Cass. I truly hope you enjoy your brand new life, because I am going to be so happy with my new life without you ruining my house."

Cass clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug deep into her palms. She fought with every ounce of strength she had to hold back her extreme anger, forcing herself not to break down and cry in front of her enemy.

As Loreen pulled away, Cass muttered a quiet curse under her breath. It is really done. I am actually married. I am no longer just Cassandra Klaire Laurel. I have a Javier attached to my name now.

The moment they left the building, they were put right back into the vehicle and driven straight to the crowded slum area where Liam lived. Cass stared out the window, completely unfamiliar with the world outside their rich neighborhood.

All she could see were dirty children running around playing in the dirt, groups of old people gossiping outside their homes, and tiny shacks built so close together that they blocked out the sun. The narrow alleys were filled to the brim with giant piles of uncollected garbage.

Finally, the vehicle came to a stop in front of a very old, broken-down apartment building.

"Welcome to your brand new home," Loreen said, her voice dripping with mockery. "From this very moment on, you will be living right here. After all, you know the golden rule of the Laurel family: once you get married, you must become fully independent. Good luck, Cassandra. Oh, and do not worry about your dear father. I will take extra good care of him for you while you are gone."

Loreen flashed a dark, plotting grin that made Cass's stomach twist with fear.

With no other choice left, Cass dragged herself out of the van. One of Loreen's hired bodyguards tossed a couple of small bags containing her basic belongings onto the dirt ground next to her. Liam stepped out quietly after her, not saying a word to anyone. The moment the side door slammed shut, the van sped away, leaving the two of them standing completely alone in front of the depressing, decaying building.

"What do we do now?" Cass asked in a quiet voice, looking up at the peeling paint on the walls. She tried her best to hide the deep sadness and anger shaking her voice. She refused to show any signs of weakness in front of this stranger, even if he looked like he couldn't care less about what just happened.

Liam shrugged his broad shoulders and pulled his old hat down. "What else are we supposed to do? We go inside the house," he said flatly. Without waiting for her, he turned around and walked straight through the dark entrance.

The moment Cass stepped inside the tiny apartment room, a heavy smell of mold and old dust hit her right in the face. She coughed, waving her hand in front of her nose. The floor was made of ancient wooden planks that groaned and sagged under her weight, making her feel like she might fall through the ground at any second.

The walls were covered in thick spiderwebs, and the ceiling had visible cracks and holes. She knew for a fact that the entire place would leak like a waterfall the moment the rainy season arrived.

She looked around the tiny room. In the far corner sat a small wooden cot with a terribly thin mattress. There was a small, shaky table, and a rusty gas stove that looked like it hadn't worked in a decade.

"Is my life really falling this low? Can I actually survive a place like this?" Cass whispered to herself, biting her lower lip to keep the hot tears from falling.

She noticed Liam walking over to a ragged, torn sofa in the center of the room. He sat down heavily, completely unbothered by the dirt around him. He took off his old hat, spinning it around his fingers as if he were just waiting for time to pass.

Seeing his calm face made something snap inside her. "Are you really that desperate for cash?" Cass demanded, her voice sharp with pure anger. "Is that why you actually agreed to Loreen's crazy deal? Just for some easy money?"

Liam looked up at her, his eyes looking tired and completely drained of energy. "Did I want this to happen? Of course I didn't. But I had absolutely no choice because I was completely desperate myself. I had zero money left to even buy a simple plate of food." He let out a dry laugh. "Your stepmother picked me out of nowhere. I don't even know how I got dragged into this massive mess in the first place."

"You don't know? You don't know?!" Cass shouted, stepping toward him as her temper flared hot. "Do you honestly think this is easy for me? Being forced to marry a guy I don't even know? Someone I didn't even choose? You can earn money by getting a real job, Liam! Why didn't you just try to work like a normal person?!"

Liam’s face grew cold, and a hint of sharp annoyance finally entered his voice. "We are in the exact same boat, miss. I didn't ask for this marriage either. And a job? Seriously? Do you honestly think any real company would hire someone like me? Someone who is poorer than a rat and has zero school education? I tried, alright? I tried a lot of times, but in the end, collecting plastic and scraps from the trash was the only thing left for me."

He leaned back against the sofa, turning his gaze away from her. "So, if you are completely finished with your little drama, can I please get some rest? It is incredibly hot in here."

Cass felt like her chest was going to explode from the sheer frustration. She wanted to scream at him, to throw something at his face, but deep down, she knew arguing wouldn't change anything. She took a deep, shaky breath, walked over to the old cot, and sat down on the thin foam mattress.

The reality of the situation hit her hard. She had grown up surrounded by luxury, maids, and beautiful things. Now, she was trapped in a room that looked like it belonged to a ghost.

As she lay down on her side, she heard the screech of old metal as Liam slid the window open to let some air in.

"If you really want to scream at me, go right ahead and do it," Liam said quietly, his back turned to her. "But just remember that the walls are paper-thin and we have a lot of neighbors who can hear everything."

Cass rolled her eyes hard, turning her back toward him.

"Look, I know this is incredibly hard for a girl like you," Liam continued, his voice softening just a fraction. "But if you think about it, you are actually still pretty lucky."

Cass bolted upright, sitting straight up on the cot. "Lucky? How on earth am I lucky in this horrible nightmare?!"

Liam turned around to face her, his expression completely serious now. "Because I am not like the other abusive, dangerous men who live around these streets. You ended up marrying me, and even though we were forced into this, I am still going to do my part as your husband. I will take care of my responsibilities and keep you safe."

Cass stared at him, completely stunned. She didn't know whether she should laugh out loud at his confidence or just get annoyed again. But for the very first time since her real mother had passed away, a strange feeling washed over her. For a split second, she felt like she wasn't completely alone against the world anymore. She actually had someone in her corner.

She quickly looked away, pouting her lips to hide the small wave of relief. "Y-You better do your job..."

Liam stared at her for a moment, a tiny smirk playing on his lips. "What about you then? Can you actually handle your responsibilities as my wife?"

"O-Of course I can!" Cass snapped back quickly, tossing her hair behind her shoulder. "Don't you worry about that at all. I know how to do every single house chore. I spent years cleaning up after Loreen. No need to tell me what to do."

Liam nodded his head slowly. "Wow. Look at you then, being very good."

Cass’s face twisted into a deep scowl at his obvious sarcasm. "Are you making fun of me right now, mister? Keep it up and see if I don't punch you right in the face."

Liam let out a small chuckle, shaking his head as he stood up from the sofa. "Alright, I am leaving."

Cass blinked, suddenly feeling nervous about being left alone in the creepy apartment. "Wait, why? Where are you going? Hey, come back! You idiot, I was just joking about the punch!"

Liam paused by the door, looking back at her over his shoulder. "Where do you think husbands are supposed to go during the day?"

Cass paused, her mind racing as she tried to think of what he meant. Suddenly, her eyes went incredibly wide with shock. "Oh my god! Don't tell me you are going out to see another woman?! My gosh, Liam! It has only been a few hours since we got married at city hall, and you are already cheating on me?! How dare you—"

Before she could finish her angry sentence, Liam stepped forward, grabbed her by the arm, and pulled her in. He pressed his lips firmly against hers, cutting off her words instantly.

Cass’s brain short-circuited. The world went completely silent.

The kiss only lasted for a few short seconds before Liam pulled away, releasing his grip on her arm.

"You are way too loud," Liam said calmly. He turned his back to her, adjusting his hat. "I am leaving now. I have to go to work so we can eat." With that, he opened the door and walked out into the narrow hallway, shutting the door firmly behind him.

Cass stood frozen in the middle of the room, her mind completely blank as she tried to process what had just happened. Her fingers slowly moved up, touching her lips with a trembling hand. A bright, burning red color rushed up to her cheeks.

"What the... he actually kissed me..." she whispered to the empty room, her heart beating wildly against her ribs.

She hated to admit it, but beneath the messy hair and old clothes, Liam Lucas Javier really was good-looking. He wore cheap, simple clothes, but he carried himself well. He had broad shoulders, a strong build, and a presence that was hard to ignore.

Cass shook her head violently, using both of her palms to slap her own cheeks to snap out of it. "Stop it! Enough of this nonsense thinking! I should just clean up this house instead of thinking about him."

Letting out a loud sigh, she looked around the room until she spotted an old broom resting against the wall. She grabbed it and began to sweep the wooden floor, determined to keep her hands busy.

But after a few minutes, she paused, looking down at the floor in confusion. "Wait... why does it feel like I am not sweeping up any dirt at all? Is this house actually already clean? Wow, in fairness to him."

She peered into every single dark corner of the small apartment, checking behind the shaky table and under the cot, but she couldn't find a single layer of dust or dirt. The stranger had actually kept the place spotless. Giving up on the cleaning, she tossed the broom aside.

Cass walked back to the cot, laying herself flat on the mattress and staring up at the cracked ceiling.

"What is going to happen to my life now?" she asked herself quietly, her voice full of worry. "Am I really just going to stay here and be a housewife forever? What about... what about all of my dreams?"

As she lay there completely alone in the quiet room, a heavy mix of emotions began to flood her heart. Anger at her stepmother, deep sadness over losing her old life, and terrifying fear of the unknown future—all of it tangled together in her mind. She still couldn't understand how she had ended up here. Just yesterday, she was a proud member of the wealthy Laurel family, and today, she was the wife of a poor stranger from the slums.