Married To My Rival

Chapter Two: The Warning

The message on my screen burned into my mind.

*Do not marry him. You are in danger.*

For a moment, I could only stare. My palms grew cold. I read it again, reread it, and then again, as if repetition could make it make sense.

Danger.

Why that word?

What could be happening?

I forced myself to breathe and pressed the lock button on my phone. The screen went black but the words had already carved themselves into my thoughts.

My driver glanced at me from the front seat through the rearview mirror. “Everything all right, Miss Moreno?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Yes. Just go.”

He nodded and started the car. The gates of the building slid past us, the weight of the morning settling on my shoulders like an anchor. I leaned back into the leather seat and closed my eyes, though all I could see was the unknown number flashing again and again.

Do not marry him.

You are in danger.

My mind kept drifting back to the elevator. Adrian’s voice, smooth and confident. His eyes calm and focused like he had already mapped out every possible outcome. His suggestion had sounded so effortless. Marry for a year. Play the game. Separate quietly.

He made it seem like a minor inconvenience. A business strategy. A simple, temporary arrangement.

But now someone was warning me. Urgently. Anonymously. And the timing was too perfect to ignore.

By the time the car arrived at the Moreno residence, my chest felt tight with unease. Hazel was already waiting for me near the staircase inside the mansion. Her short curls bounced slightly when she rushed toward me, tablet in hand.

“How was the meeting?” she asked, her voice careful, not wanting to provoke whatever storm she suspected was brewing inside me.

“Fine,” I said, though the words tasted like lies. “Actually, come with me. I need to talk to you.”

Hazel’s brows rose. “Sure.”

We walked down the hall toward my private lounge. The door closed behind us with a soft click, muffling the distant sounds of staff moving around the house. I took a seat on the velvet couch and gestured for her to sit too. She obeyed, folding her hands over her tablet.

Before I could begin, she spoke first. “Is this about the marriage condition? Because I know it was terrible, but we can figure something out.”

“It is about the marriage,” I said slowly. “But not what you think.”

I unlocked my phone and handed it to her. “I got this right after leaving the building.”

Hazel took the phone and read silently. Her expression remained unreadable for a long moment. Then she let out a small snort. “Really?”

“That is your reaction?” I asked, incredulous.

“Yes. Because it is ridiculous. This is obviously from a competitor trying to rattle you. Probably someone who heard about the merger and is already panicking. You know how these things go. Market share is threatened and suddenly people start sending anonymous warnings like they are starring in a spy movie.”

“But they said I am in danger,” I insisted. “Why use that word?”

“Because fear is effective,” Hazel said simply. “They want to scare you. They want you to back out so the Blackwells and Morenos do not join forces. A marriage between two giant corporations is terrifying to anyone who stands to lose money. This is just a scare tactic.”

“Maybe,” I murmured, though doubt still gnawed at me. “But why text my personal number? Who even has it?”

Hazel shrugged. “Anyone with enough money or motivation. Your number is not as private as you think. And honestly, the timing makes sense. Someone wants to hit you when you are most vulnerable.”

She handed the phone back. “Do not take it too seriously.”

I nodded slowly, though my chest still felt tight.

Hazel stood and smoothed her skirt. “Now, you have a full schedule for the week. I already declined three interviews and postponed two. The board wants you and Adrian to present yourselves as a united front as soon as possible.”

I groaned and leaned back into the couch. “Perfect.”

She hesitated by the door. “Isabella, you will be fine.”

After she left, silence settled around me. I looked at the phone again.

Maybe Hazel was right. Maybe it was nothing but sabotage. A simple attempt to plant doubt in my head.

Yet the fear in my stomach would not ease.

The fear clung to me for the rest of the afternoon, but I forced myself to bury it. I needed to focus. I needed control. The only way out was through. That was what my father always said, even when I hated hearing it.

By the time I arrived at the office the next morning, the world already seemed to know more about my life than I did. Cameras flashed near the entrance. Reporters hovered behind the security lines like vultures waiting for a wounded animal. My driver had barely stopped the car when the first microphone hit the window.

“Miss Moreno, is it true the merger will be finalized through marriage?”

“Are the rumors about Blackwell Enterprises taking control of the company confirmed?”

“Is Adrian Blackwell inside right now?”

Security rushed forward and created a path for me. I kept my chin up and my eyes straight ahead. My heels clicked sharply against the tile floor as I walked, each step a reminder that I needed to keep moving. Keep breathing. Keep surviving.

The elevator doors closed behind me, cutting off the noise. Only then did I allow myself a long exhale.

When I reached the executive floor, Hazel was already waiting with a folder in her hands. “Good morning. They are all inside. The lawyers, the board, Mr. Blackwell.”

Of course he was.

Hazel handed me the folder. “These are the terms to finalize the marriage contract. Once you sign, it becomes binding.”

Binding. Permanent. A legal tether wrapped around my life.

“And after today?” I asked quietly.

“You move into the Blackwell residence,” she replied. “It is part of the agreement.”

Perfect. Just perfect.

I squared my shoulders and pushed open the boardroom doors.

Everyone turned to look at me.

The chairman nodded stiffly. Adrian stood near the head of the table, one hand in his pocket, perfectly collected. He was wearing a navy suit that looked like it had been designed specifically for him, crisp and expensive and annoyingly perfect. His expression showed nothing, yet I could tell he had been waiting for me.

“Good morning, Miss Moreno,” he said. His tone was polite, but there was something else beneath it. Amusement. Anticipation. As if he enjoyed watching me fight my own frustration.

“Let us make this quick,” I said.

Adrian’s lawyer slid the documents toward me. I took a deep breath and sat. My eyes scanned the pages, each clause another nail in the coffin of my old life.

Maintenance of a public image as a unified couple.

Joint attendance at corporate and social events.

Residence in the Blackwell estate.

A partnership disguised as matrimony.

Adrian watched me the whole time, his eyes steady. He was impossible to read and that only made me more uneasy.

Finally, I placed the pen against the thick paper. My signature came out sharp and final.

Adrian stepped closer and signed beside mine. His handwriting was neat and confident.

The chairman cleared his throat. “Congratulations. The merger is officially underway.”

I felt none of the congratulations.

As soon as the meeting ended, Adrian approached me. “Are you ready?”

“For what?”

“To move.”

“That soon?”

“It is part of the agreement,” he said. “Besides, the sooner you settle in, the easier everything will be.”

I was not sure if he was being considerate or if he was just eager to control the situation. Knowing him, it was probably both.

Hazel followed me out of the room. “I packed a small bag for you this morning,” she said quietly. “It is already in your car. Your clothes and personal things will be delivered later.”

“You really can’t wait to ship me off” I whispered.

She squeezed my hand. “You will be fine.”

I wished I believed her.

Outside, Adrian’s black car pulled up beside mine. My driver opened the door, but Adrian spoke before I could climb in.

“You are coming with me,” he said.

I frowned. “I have my own car.”

“I know. But you are moving to my residence now. It makes sense to go together.”

He was right, but the thought of sitting next to him after everything made my stomach tighten. Still, I nodded.

The interior of his car felt colder than I expected. Or maybe it was just me. Adrian sat across from me, facing me, his posture loose but deliberate.

“You look tense,” he said.

“I wonder why.”

A small smile tugged at his lips. “You will adjust.”

“I doubt that.”

“You will. You adapt quickly.”

Before I could ask how he knew that, the car stopped in front of the Blackwell residence. Residence was not even the right word. Mansion was too small. Palace was closer. The building stretched out in elegant lines, tall glass windows and stone pillars, surrounded by manicured gardens and guards who did not bother to hide their earpieces.

Adrian stepped out first. I followed, the cool air brushing my cheeks. Everything here felt heavy and silent. A place built to impress and intimidate.

A butler approached with a quiet bow. “Welcome home, Miss Moreno.”

Home. The word almost made me laugh.

Adrian walked ahead. “I will show you your room.”

We moved through long hallways filled with portraits of Blackwells, each one staring down with the same cold confidence that Adrian carried naturally. The farther we walked, the more suffocating it felt.

“Your room is here,” Adrian said as he pushed open a door.

The suite was enormous. Slightly larger than my own room babk at the Moreno residence. Marble floors. A private balcony. A walk-in closet. It was beautiful, but I felt none of the comfort I should have.

“If you need anything, ask the staff,” Adrian said. “Although you may prefer to tell me directly, since they are terrified of you.”

I almost laughed. “Terrified of me?”

“Yes,” he said. “You have a certain presence.”

“You mean I look angry all the time.”

“That helps too.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You are enjoying this.”

“Only a little.”

He stood near the door, hands in his pockets, looking entirely too relaxed. I had the urge to throw one of the decorative cushions at him.

“One more thing,” he said. “The wedding.”

My stomach tightened again. “What about it?”

“It needs to be the grandest event the city has seen in decades. Something unforgettable. The board wants spectacle. Investors want reassurance. Our families expect perfection.”

“I hate parties.”

“You will hate this one even more,” Adrian replied calmly. “Which is why we should start planning immediately.”

“You already have a plan, do you not?” I asked.

“Of course.”

He stepped closer, his voice lower.

“You and I will walk into that ballroom, smile for the cameras, and make them believe this is the love story they never saw coming.” He paused. “You can handle that, can’t you?”

I stared at him. “Is that a challenge?”

“No. It is reassurance.”

“I will manage,” I said.

“Good.”

In my suite, I sank into the couch near the balcony. The view of the city lights stretched far into the distance. My phone buzzed, but I ignored it. I needed peace. Silence. Space to think.

Then I heard footsteps behind me.

I turned.

But no one was there.

I looked down at the floor and I saw an envelope, my name was on it. My blood ran cold.

I picked it up and opened it. Inside was a paper with only a few words.

*“He is hiding something from you.”*