Carlos's head throbbed as he groggily opened his eyes. His body felt heavy, his mind sluggish. He wasn't in the club anymore—that much he could tell. The room he was in was unfamiliar, but the sharp presence of men in black suits surrounding him told him everything he needed to know.
His father's men.
"Sir, wake up," one of them said firmly, pulling him into a sitting position. "The master wants to see you. Now."
Carlos blinked, still trying to piece together what had happened. His last clear memory was sitting with the investigator at the club. Then… nothing.
"Where am I?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
"We brought you back to the estate," the man answered shortly.
Carlos ran a hand over his face. Something was wrong—he could feel it in the tense air around him.
"I need my phone," he said.
One of the bodyguards shook his head. "You don't have time for that. Get dressed. Your father is waiting."
Carlos clenched his jaw but didn't argue. He had learned long ago that refusing his father's summons was never an option.
---
The Lounge
The moment Carlos stepped into the lounge, he knew this wasn't just another one of his father's lectures.
Sitting stiffly on the couch was his father, Victor Milton, his ever-serious secretary standing at his side. Next to them was his lawyer, an older man who had handled most of the Milton family's legal matters for years.
But what caught Carlos's attention the most was Minister Donovan—Laura's father—who sat with an unreadable expression.
And his lawyer was here too.
Something was very wrong.
Carlos didn't even have a chance to sit before his father's sharp voice cut through the room.
"What the hell did you do to Laura?"
Carlos's brows furrowed. "What?"
Victor slammed his hand on the table. "Don't play dumb with me, boy! Laura was drugged and raped at the night of the party—and you're the only suspect!"
Carlos stiffened, his heartbeat hammering in his chest. "That's impossible," he said, his voice steady but laced with growing anger.
Minister Donovan, who had been silent, finally spoke. His voice was eerily calm, but his eyes were full of barely concealed rage. "Laura woke up this morning and said that a waitress led her to a private lounge, claiming that you wanted to meet with her. She waited for you, but then she was offered a drink. After that, she remembers nothing."
Carlos clenched his fists. That doesn't make sense.
He hadn't sent for Laura. He hadn't seen her at all that night.
And yet—
"The person who drugged her has already been caught," Victor continued. His voice was colder now, more measured. "And she confessed that you ordered her to do it."
Carlos's entire body tensed. What?
"That's a lie," he snapped. "I never did anything like that!"
Minister Donovan scoffed, his expression dark. "Then why did the girl accuse you?"
Carlos's mind raced. This was a setup.
Someone had framed him.
"Where is she?" he demanded. "I want to see her for myself."
His father's lawyer adjusted his glasses. "She's already in police custody."
Carlos ground his teeth. This was insane. It was all happening too fast.
"Someone's framing me," he said sharply. "That night, I went back to my apartment, I left so how could I have sent someone to call her or drug her?"
Victor's expression darkened further. " left? You expect us to believe that?"
Carlos exhaled sharply, his patience wearing thin. "I don't care what you believe. I know I didn't do this."
Minister Donovan's lawyer finally spoke. "It doesn't matter what you say, Carlos. The evidence is stacked against you. Laura is a minister's daughter, and this scandal will not just go away. If the media catches wind of it, your entire family's reputation will be at stake."
Carlos ran a hand through his hair. He was being backed into a corner.
Then his father said the words that made his blood run cold.
"You have two choices."
Carlos looked up, his body rigid.
"Marry Laura and take responsibility for what you've done," Victor said coldly, "or face the law."
Carlos stared at his father, disbelief flooding through him. "You can't be serious."
Minister Donovan leaned forward, his gaze sharp. "Do you think this is a game, boy? If you refuse, I will personally make sure you rot in prison."
Carlos clenched his jaw. This wasn't just about him anymore. This was about power.
They didn't care about the truth. They only cared about their reputation.
"You think forcing me to marry her will fix this?" he said bitterly.
Victor scoffed. "It will fix everything. Laura will be protected, your name will be cleared, and this scandal will disappear. You'll take care of her, and that's the end of it."
Carlos's hands trembled with anger. He knew the real reason his father was pushing for this.
A marriage between him and Laura would strengthen political ties between the Miltons and the Donovans.
That was all they cared about.
"What does Laura want?" he asked through gritted teeth.
Minister Donovan narrowed his eyes. "She's traumatized. She doesn't want to see you right now. But she's willing to do what's best for her future."
Carlos let out a humorless laugh. "And what about my future?"
Victor's voice was like ice. "Your future is whatever we say it is."
Carlos's stomach churned.
This was a trap.
And the worst part?
He had no way out.