The Billionaire’s Reluctant Bride (By Tessa Wren) novel Chapter 41

CHAPTER 2

The moment the door to the bridal suite closes behind us, everything feels too much–too heavy, too loud and too unreal.

The quiet click of the lock resonates in the hollow silence that follows. I remain stand there, I don’t know what to do My heart beats loudly, and my head

is full of noise.

I can’t figure things out.

They say, the wedding was beautiful, it was a grand spectacle of wealth and status. I barely remember it, just the blur of faces and the stiffness in my back as I stood by the altar.“, staring at the man I was marrying.

Alexander Hawke.

I know almost nothing about him—his reputation precedes him, and the whispers I’ve heard from my father are far from reassuring. A man who thrives on control. And yet, here I am. His bride. Bound to him by duty, not by choice.

I glance at him now. He stands by the window, looking out at the city skyline, his broad shoulders beneath the tailored suit tense. The dim light from the street below casts shadows across his sharp features, making him look even more imposing and untouchable.

He’s silent. Too silent. The sort of silence that folds over you. I don’t have any idea what to say. We’re strangers. Bound by a contract, not by love, not by affection or understanding.

“I didn’t think you’d be this quiet,” I say, my voice sounding weak even to me.

He doesn’t turn, but I feel his gaze shift toward me. It’s the first time he’s acknowledged me since the ceremony. “What would you like me to say, Leila?” His tone is cool and almost bored.

“You didn’t have to marry me,” Alexander continues, his voice soft but firm. “This was an offor

you could have rejected.”

His words struck me like a physical blow. He doesn’t understand. He doesn’t comprehend the suffocating burden I carry.He doesn’t know the weight of my family’s expectations, the weight of my father’s constant demands. This marriage wasn’t something I chose–it was something I was pushed into.

“I didn’t have much of a choice,” I say,

His eyes meet mine then, “You could have said no. Your father would have understood you.”

“You don’t know my father,” I reply sharply, my pulse quickening. “You don’t know how he works.”

“Then enlighten me,” he says, taking a step closer, his voice almost too calm than I expected. “Why did you agree to this kind of marriage?”

I look down, avoiding his gaze. “I had no choice,” I say quietly. “This marriage isn’t about me. It’s about helping my family.”

The quietness go on between us, thick and choking. I couldn’t say whether I’ve crossed the line or excessively little.

Alexander steps closer, his presence looming over me now. The heat from his body reaches me before he even put his hand on me.

“Your family’s well–being isn’t your burden alone, Leila,” he says, his voice low, but there’s an undercurrent of something darker beneath it. “And yet, here you are, sacrificing everything alone for your family.”

I bite my lip, I don’t have the foggiest idea how to answer. He’s right in some ways, however it doesn’t make what is going on any simpler.

He lifts his hand brushing a strand of hair away from my face. His fingers are cool, and the contact sends an odd shudder down my spine. I couldn’t say whether this is on the grounds that I’m not used to being touched or on the other hand assuming it’s something totally different. But I freeze and unable to pull away.

“Do you ever wonder, Leila,” Alexander’s voice is almost a whisper, “if this life was truly meant for you? Or if you’re just following the path others laid for you?”

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