Chapter 3:The Wedding Deal
742 Words
“Find the girl.”
Elena froze.
Alexander grabbed her arm.
“Quiet.”
“What is happening?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“You said someone might know about the box.”
“I didn’t expect them to find us this quickly.”
A shadow moved beneath the office door.
“Are they coming in?” Elena whispered.
“Security is on the way.”
A loud bang shook the hallway.
Elena flinched.
“Stay behind me.”
The door handle moved.
Then everything went silent.
A few seconds later, footsteps rushed away.
Alexander opened the door.
The hallway was empty.
“Come.”
“Where?”
“My house.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“You can stay here and explain the box to whoever was looking for you.”
Elena sighed.
“You really know how to make a person feel safe.”
“I’m trying to keep you alive.”
Minutes later, they were in Alexander’s car.
Elena stared at him.
“I want answers.”
“You’ll get them.”
“When?”
“After the wedding.”
She nearly laughed.
“What wedding?”
“Ours.”
“You’re insane.”
“I need the marriage.”
“Why?”
“My grandfather’s will. I can’t take control of the family company unless I’m married.”
“So you need a wife.”
“Yes.”
“And you chose me because?”
“Because my father knew your mother.”
“That still doesn’t explain it.”
Alexander looked at her.
“Your mother trusted my family once. I need to know why she stopped.”
“And marrying me will help?”
“Keeping you close will keep you safer.”
Elena shook her head.
“You call this protection?”
“Partly.”
“And the other part?”
“I need something only you can give me.”
“What?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“That is not comforting.”
The car stopped outside his mansion.
Alexander led her inside.
“This is your room.”
Elena entered, then stopped.
A framed photograph sat beside the bed.
Her mother.
She picked it up.
“How did you get this?”
Alexander said nothing.
“You knew her before tonight.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“She came here twenty-one years ago.”
“What did she want?”
“To ask my father for help.”
“Help with what?”
Alexander hesitated.
Before he could answer, Mrs. Whitmore appeared at the doorway.
She stared at Elena.
“Oh my God.”
Alexander turned.
“What?”
Mrs. Whitmore pointed at Elena.
“She came back.”
Elena frowned.
“Who came back?”
The older woman’s voice dropped.
“Your mother.”
Elena’s face went pale.
“My mother died three months ago.”
Mrs. Whitmore looked at Alexander.
“She was supposed to be dead.”
“Mrs. Whitmore, leave.”
“But she deserves to know.”
“Now.”
Mrs. Whitmore left.
Elena turned on him.
“What is going on?”
“I don’t know everything.”
“You know more than you’re saying.”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me.”
Alexander looked at her.
“Your mother contacted me two weeks before her death.”
“You spoke to her?”
“Yes.”
“And you never told me?”
“She asked me not to.”
“Why?”
“She was afraid.”
“My mother wasn’t afraid of anyone.”
“She was afraid of my father.”
Elena lowered the photograph.
“And now you want me to marry you?”
“I want you protected long enough to discover why she was afraid.”
Elena looked at the agreement.
“Six months?”
“Yes.”
“And after that?”
“You walk away.”
She studied him.
“Fine. But I make my own rules.”
Alexander nodded.
“Agreed.”
“If I find out this marriage is another lie, I walk away immediately.”
“Agreed.”
“Then we have a deal.”
Elena signed.
Neither of them noticed Mrs. Whitmore standing outside the room, staring at the signature.
She whispered to herself,
“She should never have come back.”
Then she walked away before either of them could hear her.
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