I spent the entire night thinking about one sentence.
After the wedding, she won't have a choice.
Who was she?
Me.
There was no other explanation.
By morning, I had made a decision.
I was going to find out exactly what my father was planning.
I waited until everyone left for the day. Then I slipped into his study.
My hands trembled as I searched through the drawers.
Contracts.
Bank statements.
Property documents.
Nothing.
Then I noticed a black folder hidden beneath a stack of papers.
My name was written across it.
CONFIDENTIAL.
I froze.
Why would my father have a confidential file about me?
I opened it.
The first document was my birth certificate.
The second was a copy of my passport.
The third was a marriage agreement.
My name was printed beside Daniel Morgan's.
But there was something else.
A financial agreement.
My father's signature.
Daniel's father's signature.
And another signature that made my blood turn cold.
Richard Blackwood.
I dropped the papers.
The families weren't enemies.
Not anymore.
They had been working together.
I quickly gathered the documents and took photographs with my phone.
Then I heard footsteps.
Someone was coming.
I shoved everything back into the folder and hid behind the curtains.
The door opened.
My father entered with Daniel.
I held my breath.
"Everything is ready," Daniel said.
"Good," my father replied.
"And after the wedding?"
There was a pause.
"She signs everything."
My heart stopped.
Daniel laughed quietly.
"She doesn't know?"
"She doesn't need to."
I covered my mouth.
Then Daniel asked the question that nearly made me collapse.
"And what about Adrian?"
My father's voice became cold.
"He won't interfere."
"Are you sure?"
"I've already taken care of it."
My entire body went numb.
Adrian.
What had my father done?
The two men left.
I waited until their footsteps disappeared.
Then I rushed out of the study.
I ran upstairs and locked my bedroom door.
My hands shook as I called Adrian.
He didn't answer.
I called again.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
I stared at my phone.
Then a message appeared.
Not from Adrian.
From the same unknown number.
You were warned.
Another message followed.
Stop digging.
Then a photograph appeared.
My heart stopped.
It was Adrian.
He was standing outside his house.
And behind him were two men I recognized.
My father's men.
I dropped the phone.
For the first time, I understood the true meaning of the words my father had spoken.
He won't interfere.
My father wasn't trying to keep Adrian away from me.
He was trying to make sure Adrian couldn't come back.
And I had only six weeks before the wedding.