CHAPTER 6: The Impossible Choice
1424 Words
Rain drummed against the floor-to-ceiling windows as Richard removed a cream-colored document sealed with the Kingsley family crest.
Adrian frowned.
“What is that?”
Richard broke the old seal. The soft c***k sounded unusually loud.
“Father,” Adrian said, his voice hardening. “What is it?”
Richard unfolded the document, his eyes lingering on the faded signatures.
“I prayed this day would never come.”
Adrian stared at him.
“Ethan disappears on his wedding day, and you're opening old paperwork?”
“This isn't just paperwork.”
“Then what is it?”
“It has the power to change everything.”
Richard slid the document across the table.
“Read it.”
Adrian didn't move.
“No.”
“Adrian—”
“My brother is missing. If that document doesn't tell us where he is or help us find him, I don't want to hear about it.”
He turned toward the door.
Richard's voice stopped him.
“It matters because of what happens if we don't find him.”
Adrian froze.
Slowly, he turned around.
“What did you just say?”
Richard lowered his eyes to the document.
“Twenty-four years ago, Kingsley Holdings was on the verge of collapse.”
Adrian remained silent.
“Our contracts had fallen through. Investors were leaving, and I thought I'd lose everything my father built.”
He paused.
“Everyone advised Edward Hart to walk away.”
Adrian frowned.
“Edward?”
“Yes. He was one of my investors, but more importantly, he was my friend. When everyone else abandoned me, Edward stayed. He continued investing and introduced me to partners who helped rebuild the company.”
Richard touched the document.
“When Kingsley Holdings recovered, Edward and I became business partners. We made a promise that our families would never allow greed, power, or outside influence to destroy what we'd built together.”
Adrian's expression tightened.
“What does that have to do with Ethan and Isabella?”
Richard swallowed.
“We hoped that if our children ever chose each other, their marriage would unite our families in a way no business agreement could.”
“Ethan and Isabella.”
“They fell in love on their own,” Richard said quickly. “I never told them about the agreement because I believed it would never matter.”
He turned to the final page.
“Until today.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“What does it say?”
Richard hesitated.
“There was one final clause.”
“Which is?”
“If the designated groom becomes unable to fulfill the marriage because of circumstances beyond the control of both families, another eligible unmarried heir of the Kingsley family may fulfill the agreement, provided both families consent.”
Adrian stared at him.
Then his head shook.
“No.”
Richard said nothing.
“My answer is no.”
“This decision isn't yours alone.”
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
“What do you mean?”
Richard reached for the intercom.
“I'm asking Edward, Margaret, and Isabella to join us.”
Adrian's expression darkened.
“You're not bringing Isabella into this.”
Richard pressed the button.
“Please ask Mr. and Mrs. Hart, and Miss Hart, to return to the conference room.”
The intercom clicked off.
“If you think this will change my answer,” Adrian said quietly, “you're wasting everyone's time.”
A knock sounded.
“Come in.”
Edward entered first, his expression tense. Margaret followed with her hand resting protectively against Isabella's back.
Isabella immediately looked at Adrian.
Something was wrong.
“What happened?”
Richard gestured toward the chairs.
“Please, sit.”
Margaret remained standing.
“What is this about?”
Richard placed the document on the table.
Edward's face changed.
“You kept that?”
“You remember it?”
“I remember everything about it.”
Margaret looked between them.
“What are you talking about?”
Edward sighed.
“I think it's time you knew.”
Richard looked at Isabella.
“Twenty-four years ago, your father and I signed a private family agreement.”
Isabella blinked.
“My father… what?”
Margaret turned toward Edward.
“You knew about this?”
“Yes.”
“And you never told us?”
“I never had a reason to.”
“You made an agreement concerning our children and never thought we deserved to know?”
“Margaret, I believed it would never affect them.”
Richard continued.
“When Ethan and Isabella fell in love, we believed the agreement had fulfilled its purpose.”
He turned the page.
“Until Ethan disappeared.”
Isabella stared at the document.
“What agreement?”
Richard read the clause aloud.
“If the designated groom becomes unable to fulfill the marriage because of circumstances beyond the control of both families, another eligible unmarried Kingsley heir may fulfill the agreement, provided both families consent.”
Silence filled the room.
Isabella gave a nervous laugh.
“You're joking.”
Nobody answered.
Her smile vanished.
“You're serious.”
Richard nodded.
“No.”
Isabella stepped backward.
“No.”
Margaret immediately moved beside her.
“They're asking me to marry Adrian?”
Richard didn't answer.
Margaret's eyes flashed.
“Richard, tell me this conversation is over.”
“Margaret—”
“My daughter is not another page in your contract!”
“I'm not asking her to—”
“You are!” Margaret snapped. “She came here to marry the man she loves. Ethan. And now you're asking her to marry his brother?”
Adrian stepped forward.
“No.”
Everyone turned toward him.
He looked directly at Richard.
“My answer hasn't changed.”
“Adrian, this isn't that simple.”
“It is to me.”
“Think about what this means for both families.”
“I don't care.”
Richard stared at him.
“Ethan is my brother,” Adrian continued. “He's missing. I will not stand where he was supposed to stand.”
“Adrian—”
“I mean it.”
His voice remained controlled, but the anger beneath it was unmistakable.
“If Ethan walks through that door tomorrow, how do you expect him to look at either of us?”
Nobody answered.
Isabella's eyes filled with tears.
“Ethan is alive.”
Everyone looked at her.
“I know he is.”
Her voice trembled.
“So stop talking about him like he's gone.”
Edward stepped forward.
“There has to be another way.”
“I've searched for one,” Richard said.
“You haven't searched long enough.”
“Edward—”
“This has been one day, Richard. One day.” Edward's voice hardened. “You cannot ask our children to carry this after one day.”
Richard looked away.
“I know.”
“No, you don't,” Margaret whispered.
She wrapped an arm around Isabella.
“If you did, this conversation would never have happened.”
Adrian looked at Richard.
“My answer won't change.”
Then he turned to Isabella.
“You don't owe anyone an explanation.”
He walked toward the door.
This time, nobody stopped him.
Margaret took Isabella's hand.
“We're leaving.”
Edward nodded.
“I'll be there in a minute.”
Margaret led Isabella out.
The door closed.
For several seconds, Richard and Edward stood in silence.
Then both their phones began vibrating.
Edward checked his screen.
“Board members.”
Richard looked at his own.
“Investors.”
Another notification appeared.
“Legal partners,” Richard muttered.
Edward's phone continued buzzing.
“Trustees. Hospital directors. Foundation executives.”
Richard's face tightened.
“They know already.”
Edward looked at him.
“The press?”
Richard didn't answer.
Edward sighed.
“We'll talk tomorrow.”
He walked toward the door, then stopped.
“I still believe we'll find Ethan.”
The door closed behind him.
Richard remained alone.
His phone vibrated again.
And again.
Finally, his assistant entered, pale-faced.
“Sir?”
Richard looked up.
“What is it?”
“The press has gathered outside Kingsley Holdings.”
Richard's face tightened.
“And?”
“They're outside the Hart Foundation too.”
He looked down at the old agreement.
Twenty-four years ago, it had been written to protect two families.
Tonight, it threatened to destroy them.
His phone vibrated again.
Richard stared at it.
For the first time in years, he had no idea what to do.
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