Owned By Mistake

Cherry had come to ask her husband for an annulment.Now she was waking in his bed, with a sharp pain in her stomach and no clear memory of how the night had ended.The mattress shifted. Gilbert Ace Carter sat up beside her, and she pulled the blanket against her chest.They had been married for a year, yet she barely knew him.She remembered him opening the door. She remembered the smell of wine and the room spinning while she tried to speak.Everything after that was unclear.Cherry turned toward him. She needed to know what had happened, but before she could ask, his phone rang.Gilbert answered."Looks like someone had a busy night," Eros said. His teasing voice was loud enough for Cherry to hear.Her cheeks burned. She held the blanket tighter."What do you want?" Gilbert asked."We're meeting the guys today. Bring your wife.""No need. The marriage is ending soon."Cherry went still.That was what she wanted. It was why she had come.So why did his answer hurt?Eros stopped teasing. "You're finally filing for annulment?""I already fulfilled my grandmother's wish," Gilbert said. "One year is enough."Cherry lowered her eyes before he could look at her.She had known this marriage would end. There had been no love, no shared life, and hardly any conversation. Still, she had not expected him to speak about it as though there was nothing left to discuss.Her grip loosened around the blanket.Perhaps, for him, there wasn't.Their grandmothers had arranged the marriage when Cherry's grandmother became seriously ill. Her last wish was to see Cherry married, to believe someone would care for her after she was gone.Grandma Mathilde, a woman from their volunteer group who had always treated Cherry like family, offered a solution.Her grandson needed a wife.Cherry agreed for her grandmother's sake. Three months later, she received the marriage documents and learned her future husband's name.Gilbert Ace Carter.He was a successful chief executive officer from a life nothing like hers. She almost backed out, but the arrangements had already been made.After the wedding, Gilbert left for California. A year passed with little contact between them.Cherry never blamed him. Her grandmother had died peacefully, believing Cherry would be cared for. For that, she would always be grateful.But their promise had been fulfilled.Gratitude could not give them a reason to stay married.When Gilbert finished his call and went into the bathroom, Cherry gathered her clothes. She dressed quickly, glancing once toward the closed door.She still had questions about the night.After hearing him on the phone, she could not bring herself to wait and ask them.She picked up her bag and left.By the time Cherry reached home, the pain in her stomach had grown worse. She lay down, hoping rest would help, but a sharp cramp woke her several hours later.She sat up and pressed a hand against her lower abdomen.Her period was not due. She drank water and waited for the pain to pass, but it did not.Close to one in the morning, she went to the hospital.The doctor examined her and said there was no immediate emergency. Her body was exhausted, and she needed rest.Cherry returned home with medicine. After sunrise, she finally fell asleep.Her phone rang before she had rested enough."Hello?" she murmured."Cherry."Something in her mother's voice made her open her eyes."Mama, what happened?""Come to Celestial Hotel. Please hurry."Cherry sat up, ignoring the ache in her stomach. "Why? What's wrong?""It's your brother. He took something, and they're threatening to press charges.""What did he take?""They're holding him here."Cherry pushed the blanket aside. "Who's holding him?""Please, just come quickly.""I'm coming."She grabbed her bag and rushed out. Her mother's frightened voice kept running through her mind.She did not know what her brother had taken or how much trouble he was in. She needed to get there before the situation became worse.At almost the same time, a black luxury sedan stopped outside Celestial Hotel.Gilbert stepped out. Liam followed him toward the entrance, carrying a folder."Sir, I found a condominium for Miss Blaire. It's close to her university.""Good."The marriage would end soon, but Gilbert intended to make sure Cherry had a safe place to live afterward.They had spent little time together. Even so, she was his wife, and he considered this his responsibility.There was also his grandmother to think about. Mathilde's health was fragile. He wanted everything settled before she learned about the annulment."Make sure Grandma doesn't hear anything yet.""Yes, sir."They entered the lobby. Gilbert was heading toward the private meeting rooms when Liam called him."Sir."He turned. "What?""Isn't that Miss Blaire?"Gilbert looked toward the entrance.Cherry had just walked in, a backpack hanging from one shoulder. She looked tired. Her eyes moved quickly around the lobby until a security guard approached her.She spoke to him, then followed him down a hallway.Gilbert slowed.She had left him without a word. Now she was here, looking worried."Find out why she's here," he told Liam."Yes, sir."Gilbert continued toward his meeting room, but he glanced once more toward the hallway.The condominium could wait. First, he needed to know what had brought her here.Cherry followed the guard past a row of hotel rooms.She had expected him to take her to a security office. Instead, they were moving farther from the lobby, where someone might have explained what was happening."Where are you taking me?" she asked.The guard stopped at a door."Here. This is where they told you to go."Cherry checked the number.Room eighteen zero seven."Is my brother inside?"The guard gave her no further explanation. He walked away, leaving her facing the closed door.Cherry looked down the hallway after him.Her mother had said her brother was being held at the hotel. Why was he in a private room? And who had decided to keep him there?She stepped closer. Whatever he had done, she needed to hear it for herself.Her hand was almost on the handle when a voice came from inside.Cherry froze.She recognized it.Her hand dropped, and she took a step back. Until that moment, she had been afraid of what her brother might have done.Now she was afraid to open the door.Why was that person in the room where her brother was being held?