My father's voice cut through the garden.
"Step away from my daughter."
Adrian didn't move.
Neither did I.
The guards rushed toward us, but my father raised his hand.
"Stay where you are."
His eyes remained fixed on Adrian.
"You have some nerve coming here."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"I came for her."
My father laughed.
"She's getting married."
"Not to him."
Adrian pointed toward Daniel.
Daniel said nothing.
I looked at him.
"Why are you so quiet?"
He didn't answer.
My father stepped forward.
"You have five seconds to leave."
Adrian looked at me.
"Come with me."
My heart broke.
I wanted to.
Every part of me wanted to run into his arms and never look back.
But I knew my father's men were surrounding us.
"If you leave with him," my father said coldly, "you will never see your family again."
I looked at Adrian.
"Go."
His eyes widened.
"What?"
"Please."
I whispered the words through my tears.
"Just go."
He shook his head.
"No."
My father signaled the guards.
Adrian stepped back.
Then something unexpected happened.
Daniel moved between Adrian and the guards.
"Stop."
Everyone froze.
My father stared at him.
"What are you doing?"
Daniel didn't look at him.
"This isn't the way."
My father's expression darkened.
"Move."
"No."
The silence that followed was terrifying.
I looked at Daniel.
Why was he protecting Adrian?
My father walked toward him.
"You seem to have forgotten who you're dealing with."
Daniel finally turned.
"No. I remember exactly who I'm dealing with."
Something passed between them.
Something I couldn't understand.
Then Adrian spoke.
"Tell her."
Daniel looked at him.
"Tell her what?"
"The truth."
My heart pounded.
"What truth?"
Neither answered.
I stepped forward.
"What are you both hiding?"
My father grabbed my arm.
"You're going inside."
I pulled away.
"No!"
For the first time, I shouted at him.
"You've lied to me about everything!"
His expression changed.
"Be careful."
"No. I'm done being careful."
I pointed at Daniel.
"Why do you know Adrian?"
Daniel remained silent.
"Why were you with Richard Blackwood?"
Nothing.
"And what happened ten years ago?"
My father suddenly looked at Daniel.
"Enough."
Daniel shook his head.
"No."
He looked at me.
"You deserve to know."
My father's voice became dangerous.
"Daniel."
But Daniel continued.
"Your father and mine made an agreement ten years ago."
I stared at him.
"What agreement?"
"An agreement involving your marriage."
My heart sank.
"But I was a child."
"I know."
"Why would they arrange my marriage when I was a child?"
Daniel looked at my father.
"Because your father owed my family a debt."
"What debt?"
Daniel hesitated.
Then Adrian answered.
"The fire."
Everyone went silent.
Adrian stepped forward.
"Your father didn't start the fire."
I looked at him.
"Then who did?"
He stared at Daniel.
"Ask him."
I turned toward Daniel.
His face had gone pale.
"Daniel?"
He looked at me.
"I wasn't supposed to tell you yet."
"Tell me now."
He closed his eyes.
Then whispered:
"Your father didn't owe my family money."
He opened his eyes.
"He owed us a life."
My heart stopped.
"What does that mean?"
Daniel looked toward the house.
"Someone died because of him."
"Who?"
He didn't answer.
Then a voice came from behind us.
"That's enough."
Everyone turned.
My mother stood at the garden entrance.
Her face was covered in tears.
She looked directly at me.
Then she said the words that shattered everything I thought I knew.
"Your father wasn't the only person responsible for the fire."
She looked at Daniel.
"And neither was his father."
Her eyes moved toward Adrian.
"The person who started it…"
She stopped.
Her voice broke.
"…was someone you trusted."