Reclaiming Her Crown: The CEO's Sudden Bride

The heavy metal doors of the Illinois Women's Correctional Center slammed shut behind Karli Lewis. The sound was a dull, echoing thud that vibrated through the soles of her cheap canvas shoes.

She stood on the cracked pavement under the harsh afternoon sun. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with air that didn't smell of bleach, rusted iron, and despair. It was her first breath of freedom in three years.

Her fingers tightly gripped the strap of a worn canvas bag holding two sets of clothes. Her knuckles were stark white. She forced her stiff legs to move, stepping toward the empty road across the facility.

A brand-new, black Lincoln Navigator glided silently over the asphalt and stopped inches from her toes.

The heavily tinted rear window rolled down with a soft mechanical hum. Myra's face appeared. Her adoptive mother's makeup was flawless, her hair perfectly coiffed, but her eyes held the warmth of a morgue freezer.

The tiny spark of hope that had flared in Karli's chest instantly froze. Her lips parted, but the word 'Mom' died in her throat.

In the driver's seat, Warren slammed his palm against the horn. The blaring sound made Karli flinch. He barked at her to get in and stop wasting time.

Karli reached out, her hand trembling slightly, and pulled the heavy door open. She climbed into the backseat. The air conditioning blasted her skin, carrying the scent of expensive leather and Myra's cloying floral perfume.

The second the door clicked shut, Myra tossed a thick, gold-rimmed folder onto Karli's lap. She didn't even turn her head to look at her.

Karli stared at the folder. Her stomach tightened. She opened the heavy cover. Her eyes fell on the bold, capitalized heading: PRENUPTIAL AND ASSET MERGER AGREEMENT.

She scanned the text. Her gaze locked onto the groom's designated surname. Rocha.

Her pupils dilated. Her heart skipped a beat, slamming against her ribs.

Myra let out a sharp, venomous laugh. She told Karli to read it carefully. She explicitly stated that this was how Karli would repay the Lewis family for taking her out of the gutter.

Warren steered the heavy SUV onto the highway. He didn't look in the rearview mirror. He coldly listed the massive commercial benefits the Rocha family was offering in exchange for a bride.

Karli's hands clamped down on the document. Her fingers dug into the crisp paper, leaving deep, permanent creases over the text.

She lifted her head. Her voice shook, but she forced the words out. She refused. She told them she would never marry the Rocha family's third son-a man rumored to be violently unhinged and hideously disfigured.

Myra twisted around in her seat. Her face contorted with rage. She raised her hand and brought it down hard across Karli's pale cheek.

The slap cracked through the enclosed cabin like a gunshot. Karli's head snapped to the side. A sharp metallic taste flooded her mouth as her teeth cut into the inside of