THE MISSING BRIDE MYSTERY

Zoe’s POV The Rain hit the hospital window,while I sat beside my sick mother’s bed ,staring at the hospital bills in my hands .I have so much money to pay . I took a look at my mother ,she was sleeping peacefully looking weak and tired . While I was drowning in debt . The doctor said she needed surgery but every treatment requires money . I worked three different jobs ,yet it was still not enough ,our rent was overdue , electricity had been disconnected more than twice . Everyday came with different burdens. I was genuinely tired . My phone suddenly rang beside me. It was an unknown number . I sighed before picking the call because I thought it was one of those debt collectors . The voice on the other side sounded calm and professional . The man introduced himself as Mr Collins . He spoke carefully about me. He knew about my debt and mother’s illness which already made me uncomfortable. He then told me about “The Marriage Contract “ offer . He said I was going to replace a missing bride for one year . The offer sounded impossible because in return , all our debts would be cleared and every single one of my financial problems would disappear . I declined at first, stating clearly that I am not interested in whatever he is offering. Then I ended the call. I slowly dropped my phone and looked at the hospital floor still trying to understand what had just happened. The man on the phone had just introduced himself as Mr Collins, A lawyer working for one of the most powerful business man in London . David Blackwood . Everyone knew David Blackwood was rich and powerful . People talked about him like he was a man who could destroy lives with just one decision. A lot of people feared him . And somehow this man wants me to become his wife? I thought about it again . I looked at my mum sleeping . No matter how strange the offer sounded , the truth remained the same . I needed money desperately. The entire night passed with David Blackwood’s name stuck inside my head. I tried convincing myself not to think about it, but it was impossible. Why would a billionaire need a contract wife? And why did he need someone to replace a missing bride? The next afternoon, I got another message on my phone .An address,a time and one sentence. “Mr. Blackwood expects you to arrive alone.” I stared at the message for a while . A part of me wanted to ignore it and pretend none of this had happened, but another part of me kept thinking about my mother’s treatment and the debts that drained me every day.By evening, I found myself standing outside one of the tallest buildings in London. Blackwood Enterprises. The building looked massive, covered in dark glass that reflected the cloudy sky above it. Expensive cars stopped outside every few minutes while people in suits walked confidently through the entrance. I suddenly became aware of how cheap my clothes looked.For a moment, I thought of leaving .Then I remembered the unpaid hospital bills inside my bag. I forced myself to walk inside. The lobby was so quiet it made me nervous. Marble floors shone under the bright lights, and security guards watched every movement carefully. Everything about the place screamed power and control. A woman dressed in black approached me without smiling. “Miss Bennett,” she said softly. “This way.” I followed her into a private elevator. Neither of us spoke during the ride up. The silence only made my anxiety worse.When the elevator doors finally opened, she led me down a long hallway before stopping in front of a large office.She opened the door quietly.Then she left me alone. The office was huge, cold and elegant. And standing near the large window overlooking London was David Blackwood himself. He was taller than I expected, dressed in a black suit that made him look even more intimidating. One hand rested inside his pocket while the other held a glass of whiskey loosely. For a few seconds, he did not turn around. The silence in the room felt weird .Then slowly, David Blackwood faced me.His sharp grey eyes landed on me instantly. The kind of eyes that looked like they noticed everything. He studied my face carefully without saying a word, and suddenly my chest tightened with fear. There was something deeply unsettling about the way he looked at me.Like he already knew exactly who I was. Or worse… Like he was comparing me to the woman who disappeared. I stood near the door, holding my bag tightly while David Blackwood continued staring at me with those cold grey eyes. He did not smile, nor did he greet me. He simply watched me quietly, as if he was searching for something hidden under my skin. Which made me really nervous. Finally, he walked away from the window and placed his glass down on the table beside him. Every movement he made was calm. “Sit,” he said.His voice was deep and emotionless. I slowly sat down across from him, trying not to look uncomfortable even though my heart was beating too fast.David remained standing for a moment before taking the seat opposite me. Up close, he looked even more intimidating. His expression stayed cold, but there was something tired hidden behind his eyes. Something dark. “You already know why you’re here,” he said calmly. I swallowed hard before nodding. “The contract marriage.” “Yes.” The room became quiet again. I hated how easily he controlled the atmosphere around him. My fingers tightened around my bag. “Why me?” David looked at me for a few seconds before answering. “Because you fit the requirements.” The answer made me uncomfortable immediately. Requirements? As if I was being selected for a job instead of a marriage. “What exactly does this marriage involve?” I asked carefully. “You will live in my house for one year,” he said. “You will appear beside me in public when necessary. You will follow the rules written in the contract. In return, your debts will disappear and your mother’s treatment will be fully paid for.” His words were simple, direct, almost rehearsed. Like this arrangement meant nothing to him. I looked down at the papers sitting on the table in front of me. My eyes moved across the expensive documents slowly, but the numbers written there immediately caught my attention. It was more money than I had ever seen in my life. Enough to save my mother , enough to change everything.But something still felt wrong. “What happened to the woman before me?” I asked . For the first time since I entered the office, David’s expression changed slightly.The room suddenly felt colder. His eyes darkened for only a second before his face returned to normal again. “That information does not concern you,” he said calmly. The answer made me scared . I opened my mouth to speak again, but before I could, the office door suddenly opened.A woman walked in confidently, carrying a file in her hand. She stopped the moment she saw me.Her eyes widened slightly.Then she looked at David. “You didn’t tell me she looks exactly like her.” I looked at her and David, confused. “Selena,” he said coldly, “that is enough.” “Sorry, sir.” But the damage was already done. I stared at both of them. Exactly like her? Like the missing bride? Selena placed the file carefully on the table before leaving the office without another word. The moment the door closed, the silence returned again. I looked back at David again. “Who was she talking about?” David leaned back in his chair calmly, “It doesn’t matter.” “It matters to me,” I said quietly. His eyes met mine.Then he stood up and walked toward the large window again, facing the city below. His broad shoulders looked tense under the dim office light. “The less you know,the safer you’ll be.” He said , The words made fear settle deeper . Safer? I looked down at the contract again. The papers suddenly felt heavier in my hands. Everything about this situation screamed danger, yet part of me still could not walk away.Because walking away meant losing my mother.And I could not lose her. David turned around slowly and looked at me again. “If you accept this arrangement, your life changes tonight,” he said. “You move into my house immediately. There will be rules. You will follow them without questions.” His tone remained calm, but it sounded more like a warning than an agreement. Every instinct inside me told me to leave while I still could.But reality was cruel , reality did not care about instincts. Resli cared about money. “And if I refuse?” David stared at me quietly for a few seconds. “Then you walk out that door,” he replied. “And your problems remain yours.” He was giving me a choice while already knowing desperation would make the decision for me.The moment my fingers touched the pen, David’s gaze sharpened. Almost like he had been waiting for this exact moment. I took a deep breath and signed my name at the bottom of the paper. Zoe Bennett. The second I finished writing, a strange feeling settled inside me.Like my old life had just ended. David picked up the contract calmly and closed the file.Then he looked at me one last time. “Welcome to Blackwood Manor, Mrs. Blackwood.”