Chapter 4 The first floor

"This is...the ugly beast?" Lauren thought to herself as she stood frozen, utterly starstruck by the man before her. Her racing heart became so deafening and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. How she looked suddenly mattered to her as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Heck! The man standing before Lauren wasn't hideous as the rumors had claimed. Matter of fact, he was the most handsome human being she had ever laid her eyes on.

Standing at an imposing height, Ethan's sharp jawline, pointed nose, and full lips were chiseled into a stunning yet unforgiving face. Raven-black curls framed his hazel eyes that seemed to halt time, his muscular physique rippling beneath a skintight T-shirt as he exuded an aura of chilling dominance.

As Lauren continued studying Ethan's features, she couldn't help but wonder where the rumors about him being ugly stemmed from. Yes, the air around him was thick, proving that he might be ruthless as the rumors had claimed, but he was far from being ugly.

Lauren was still in a daze, appreciating the man before her when she heard him order,

"Sit."

Lauren sank onto the sofa, her breath catching in her throat as she struggled to tear her eyes away from Ethan's face.

"Lauren Tate, I believe your father has already briefed you about this marriage". Ethan uttered, his voice was cold, lacking warmth and it sent chills down Lauren's spine.

"N-no". Lauren stated truthfully. She let out a sigh before she continued. "Mr. Ethan, I don't understand what is-"

"Did I say you can speak?!" Ethan interrupted, his hazel eyes boring daggers into Lauren's body. "Whether or not you understand what is going on is none of my business! I thought your father had briefed you about this whole marriage thing, but I guess he didn't, so just sit there and allow me to do the talking!" Ethan commanded.

"B-but."

Ethan's nose flared. "Lauren Tate, it seems you're stubborn and I'll not tolerate it!" He snapped. "You will only speak when I ask you to!"

Wow! Just wow! What a scum! He might not be ugly on the outside but he had an ugly soul. Lauren thought to herself as she scoffed quietly.

"Lauren, my father has been on my neck for years now, forcing me to get married. I have ignored him for the longest time but it seems he has run out of patience and is about to do something crazy." Ethan cleared his throat before he continued.

"As a stakeholder in the Roseville company, I discovered the company was going bankrupt. Following thorough research, I learned your father has two daughters and proposed a marriage arrangement as a loan condition to pay off his debt." Ethan stated firmly.

"This marriage will strictly be on paper, and there'll be no such thing as a real wedding between us," Ethan paused as he took time to study Lauren, making sure she was paying attention before he continued. "Lauren, you should know that I only married you because my father threatened to hand over the company we suffered to build to his butler."

Lauren nodded, taking in everything Ethan had just said. She didn't know how to feel about what he had just said or how to react to it.

"The contract will be brought tomorrow for signing, and we'll discuss every other detail then. There are rules you must follow, and I'm sure you know what the first rule entails," Ethan said as he got up from the sofa and Lauren nodded in approval, assuming that the first rule was to not talk unless asked to.

"Good. Someone will be here in less than five minutes to show you to your room. You should rest up now, I'm sure you had a long day." Ethan said before he turned around to leave.

"Oh, and rule number two, never enter any of the rooms on the first floor." Ethan commanded and with that, he turned around and left.

Lauren didn't realize she had been holding her breath until Ethan left. Her chest rose and fell as she tried to catch her breath, fanning her face with her left hand. How could one man possess such an intimidating aura?!

Lauren sighed as she closed her eyes, trying to ignore the emptiness that still lingered in her heart. This was her new life, her new reality. She would have to figure out a way to find happiness in a life that wasn't hers. Tears spilled from her eyes as she finally realized the weight of the situation she was in. However, she quickly wiped the tears with the back of her palm, not ready to shed tears yet.

"Ma'am, please follow me." A woman in her mid-thirties said, motioning for Lauren to follow her. As Lauren followed, she took in her surroundings. One thing was certain: Ethan was super rich!

As Lauren reached the second floor, she noticed an elevator at the far end of the hallway. She assumed it probably led to the first floor and couldn't help but wonder about the rooms there.

Mrs Livia noticed Lauren was spacing out and she took time to study Lauren's features. To her, Lauren was one of the most beautiful ladies she had ever met and she could feel Lauren was still meek and innocent. Was it okay to drag Lauren into Ethan's cold world? Mrs Livia thought to herself.

She sighed and then patted Lauren's shoulder. This startled Lauren a bit but she quickly composed herself. Mrs Liva chuckled before she proceeded. "I bet you're wondering what is up on the first floor?"

"N-yes." Lauren replied truthfully.

"Dear, I'm not supposed to be telling you this, but I have this odd trust in you," Mrs Liva began as she averted her face from Lauren's face to the elevator ahead. "There are two rooms on the first floor; one is for Mr. Ethan, and the other room...holds a secret from Mr. Ethan's past, a past he has trapped himself in for years." Mrs Livia stated, worry etched on her face.

"Ethan might seem cold now but trust me; he is a sweetheart. He just cannot express his feelings as he used to years ago-." Mrs Livia's voice trailed off as tears spilled from her eyes.

"Sorry dear," She apologized to a stunned Lauren before she continued. "Lauren, things are not always the way they seem. Mr. Ethan is not who you think he is."