Chapter One -The Man I Was Forced To Marry
1829 Words
Three months before the wedding.
Elena stared at her brother for a long time.
Her vision blurred as tears gathered in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. She opened her mouth to speak, yet no words came out.
It was as if her voice had abandoned her.
“I didn't steal anything, Elena.”
Daniel's voice trembled.
“Can you just believe me this once?”
Elena slowly shook her head.
She was afraid that if she moved too quickly, she would fall apart completely.
Her feet remained rooted to the floor.
She looked at her brother one last time before turning away.
Daniel Marlowe was going to prison.
It still felt like a nightmare.
How had everything gone so wrong?
Daniel was her only family. Her only real family. The person who had stood beside her through every difficult moment of her life.
And now he was behind bars.
Accused of stealing millions from one of the most powerful men in the city.
Alexander Blackwood.
A man capable of destroying their lives with a single phone call.
Elena walked out of the building, her mind spinning.
She didn't even realize she had left until the cold air hit her face.
She felt lost.
Stranded.
Hopeless.
Frustrated.
The entire situation was drowning her.
“Elena?”
She stopped.
A man's voice had come from behind her.
Slowly, she turned around.
She immediately recognized him.
Even if she had only seen him in photographs and on television, she would have known him anywhere.
Alexander Blackwood.
The billionaire CEO of Blackwood International.
The man who had just sent her brother to prison.
He walked toward her with calm, measured steps.
Tall.
Imposing.
Unreasonably confident.
There was something about his presence that made the air around him feel heavier.
Elena instinctively took a step back.
She didn't like the way he looked at her.
Not because his expression was openly threatening.
That would have been easier.
Instead, he looked at her with a calmness that made her nervous.
“I believe you're Daniel Marlowe's sister.”
His voice was smooth and confident.
Elena looked at him briefly, searching his face for any trace of amusement.
She found none.
“What do you want?” she asked.
Alexander's gaze remained fixed on her.
“Is throwing my brother in prison not enough for you, Mr. Blackwood?”
“Your brother was arrested for stealing from me.”
“He was accused of stealing from you.”
Alexander's expression hardened slightly.
“We both know what happened.”
“No, we don't.”
Elena's voice shook, but she refused to back down.
“Everybody deserves a second chance. But rich people like you only think about yourselves.”
Something flickered in Alexander's eyes.
Amusement?
Annoyance?
She couldn't tell.
“You're taking your brother's side?”
“I'm taking the side of the only family I have left.”
“Then perhaps you should ask him what he did with the money.”
Elena's jaw tightened.
She turned away.
“If you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.”
“Hold on.”
Alexander reached out and caught her wrist.
Elena immediately looked down at his hand.
Then she slowly raised her eyes to his face.
“How dare you touch me?”
Alexander released her.
But instead of apologizing, he adjusted the cuff of his shirt.
“I have an offer for you.”
“I'm not interested.”
“You haven't heard it yet.”
“I don't need to.”
Alexander studied her for a moment.
Then he said calmly:
“Would you rather continue making occasional visits to your brother in prison?”
Elena's breath caught.
“What does that mean?”
“Meet me at my office tomorrow.”
She stared at him.
“What kind of offer is this?”
“One you might want to hear.”
He turned to leave.
“Wait.”
Alexander paused.
“What is your office address?”
“You'll receive it in your email.”
Then he walked away.
Elena watched him get into a black luxury car.
The vehicle drove away before she could say another word.
She stood there, completely confused.
Then she pulled out her phone.
“How does he even know my email?”
Six hours later, Elena was still waiting.
She had checked her email so many times that she had lost count.
Every hour, she opened her inbox.
Nothing.
She had no idea what Alexander Blackwood wanted from her.
And the more she thought about his mysterious offer, the more uncomfortable she became.
What could he possibly want?
Money?
Information?
Revenge?
Or something else?
Her phone chimed.
Elena immediately grabbed it.
An email notification appeared on the screen.
She opened it.
The address of Blackwood International's headquarters appeared in bold letters.
She stared at it.
“Great.”
She dropped her phone onto the bed.
Then she stared at the ceiling.
What was she supposed to do now?
“Come in.”
The familiar voice reached her from inside the office.
Elena pushed open the door.
She had spent the entire morning telling herself that she would come here, tell Alexander Blackwood exactly what she thought of him, and leave.
Whatever his offer was, she wasn't interested.
“What do you—”
“Sit down, Elena.”
He gestured toward the chair opposite his desk.
Elena glared at him.
For two full minutes, she remained standing.
Alexander simply watched her.
His expression did not change.
Finally, she sat down.
Her eyes moved around the office.
The décor was elegant and expensive.
Dark wood.
Glass walls.
Minimalist furniture.
Everything about the room seemed to reflect the man sitting across from her.
Cold.
Controlled.
Expensive.
Powerful.
“I hope you didn't have any difficulty finding the place,” Alexander said.
“No.”
“Good.”
“You said your office was safer.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
Alexander leaned back in his chair.
“Because I had to leave quickly yesterday. There were reporters outside.”
Elena blinked.
“Oh.”
She hadn't expected an explanation.
“I understand.”
Alexander raised an eyebrow.
“You do?”
“Of course.”
She paused.
“Although I still don't want to be seen with a man like you.”
His expression changed slightly.
“A man like me?”
“Yes.”
“That sounds interesting.”
“You're selfish. Arrogant. And full of yourself.”
Alexander stared at her.
Elena continued before he could respond.
“And you know you can release my brother if you want to.”
Alexander's lips curved slightly.
“I'm not holding your brother captive.”
“The prison cell is.”
“Then perhaps you should direct your anger toward the justice system.”
Elena stared at him.
His calmness was infuriating.
“How about we go straight to what brought me here?”
“Of course.”
Alexander leaned forward.
His expression suddenly became serious.
“Marry me.”
For a moment, Elena didn't move.
She wasn't sure she had heard him correctly.
Alexander continued:
“And your brother walks free.”
The room became completely silent.
Elena stared at him.
Then she laughed.
Alexander's expression changed.
Elena laughed harder.
She couldn't help it.
The man sitting across from her was completely insane.
“Marry you?”
“Yes.”
“That is your offer?”
“Yes.”
She wiped the corner of her eye.
“That's it?”
Alexander's jaw tightened.
“To me, marriage is a business arrangement.”
Elena stared at him.
“Are you insane?”
For the first time since she had entered the office, Alexander's expression completely changed.
His eyes narrowed.
Elena immediately knew she had crossed a line.
But she didn't care.
“I'm asking you a question.”
“I heard you.”
“Good.”
Alexander leaned back in his chair.
“You have a very sharp tongue.”
“And you have a very strange sense of negotiation.”
“This is an offer, Elena.”
“No.”
His eyes narrowed further.
“No?”
“No.”
She stood up.
Alexander watched her.
“I have a boyfriend whom I love. I have a life that I am not willing to destroy for a man I barely know.”
She pointed toward him.
“And I am certainly not going to marry you because you decided to use my brother as leverage.”
Her voice became sharper.
“I. Am. Not. Interested.”
She turned toward the door.
“Elena.”
She stopped.
“Before you leave, think carefully about your decision.”
She slowly turned around.
“The only consequence of my decision is that my brother remains in prison.”
“Are you sure?”
“What else can you do?”
Alexander remained silent.
Elena laughed bitterly.
“You want to use my brother to get to me?”
She took a step toward him.
“Well, good luck with that.”
Alexander studied her.
Then he said quietly:
“You'll come back.”
Elena's expression hardened.
“I won't.”
“You will.”
“Never.”
Alexander leaned back in his chair.
“And the next time you come back, Elena, you will beg me to reconsider this offer.”
She scoffed.
“My boyfriend won't let that happen.”
Something dark flickered in Alexander's eyes.
“Your boyfriend?”
“Yes.”
“The one who owns the café?”
Elena froze.
The room suddenly felt colder.
“How do you know about him?”
Alexander's expression was unreadable.
“Send my regards to him.”
Elena stared at him.
For the first time since entering the office, she felt something other than anger.
She felt uneasy.
How much did Alexander Blackwood know about her?
She turned and walked out.
The door slammed behind her.
Outside the building, Elena took a deep breath.
Her hands were trembling.
She had rejected Alexander Blackwood.
Good.
She had made herself clear.
She would never become his wife.
She would never allow him to control her life.
And she would certainly never become the sacrificial lamb for her brother's mistake.
At least, that was what she told herself.
As Elena walked away from Blackwood International, she failed to notice the black car parked across the street.
Inside it, a man sat watching her.
He had been waiting.
Watching.
Waiting.
For two years.
His eyes followed Elena until she disappeared around the corner.
Then he picked up his phone.
“She's leaving.”
A pause.
His gaze remained fixed on the empty street.
“No.”
His voice was low.
“Don't approach her yet.”
Another pause.
A faint smile touched his lips.
“Let her believe she still has a choice.”
He ended the call.
And continued watching the road where Elena had disappeared.
- Writer
