THE BILLIONAIRE'S CONTRACT WIFE

Chapter Three: The Photograph

Lena's POV

Adrian stared at the photograph as if it had just pulled the ground from beneath his feet, for the first time since I met him, the billionaire looked shaken. Not angry, not cold, shaken.

His fingers tightened around the photograph. "Where did you get this?"

I swallowed. "My mother."

His eyes snapped to mine. "Your mother is dead."

"I know."

"Then how—"

"She left it for me."

Adrian's jaw tightened. "When?"

"The night before she died."

Silence filled the hallway, I could still remember that night, I had been seventeen. My mother had called me into her bedroom after midnight, she was crying, but she wouldn't tell me why.

She had placed the photograph in my hand and whispered only one thing. "When the time comes, find Adrian Black." I hadn't understood, until today, I had never even known Adrian was the boy whose parents died that night.

"I was supposed to give this to you," I said.

"Why didn't you?"

"Because I didn't know who you were."

His eyes narrowed. "You knew my name."

"Not then." I looked down. "By the time I found out who Adrian Black was, you were already trying to destroy my family."

He said nothing, I could see the questions fighting behind his eyes.

"Tell me everything," he said, his voice was quieter now.

I shook my head. "I don't know everything."

"Then tell me what you know."

"My mother said my father wasn't responsible for what happened to your parents."

"You expect me to believe that?"

"No." I stepped closer. "I expect you to look at the photograph."

His gaze dropped to it. "He was there," I continued. "My father was there that night."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Then why should I believe your family?"

"I don't know." My voice cracked. "But I know my father loved my mother. And I know my mother spent the rest of her life afraid of someone."

Adrian looked up. "Who?"

"She never told me."

A muscle moved in his jaw, then he suddenly grabbed my wrist, I gasped. He pulled me into his office and shut the door behind us.

"What else did she leave you?"

"Nothing."

"Lena."

"I said nothing."

His hand remained around my wrist, his eyes were hard, but there was something else beneath the anger, fear.

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

He stepped closer, my back touched the door, his face was inches from mine. "You walked into my office today knowing more than you told me."

"I didn't know what was important."

"You knew enough to bring that photograph."

"I brought it because I thought you deserved the truth."

His gaze dropped briefly to my lips, my breath caught, for one dangerous second, neither of us moved. Then he released my wrist, I stepped away.

"What happens now?" I asked.

"The wedding still happens."

I stared at him. "You're still going through with it?"

"Yes."

"Even after this?"

"Especially after this." His voice was cold again, I hated the disappointment that rose inside me.

"Why?"

"Because whoever is behind this knows we're working together."

"We aren't working together."

His eyes darkened. "We are now."

Before I could answer, his phone rang, he glanced at the screen. "Ethan." He answered. "What did you find?"

I watched his expression change. "What?" He listened, then looked at me. "Say that again." Another pause. "When?"

His face became completely emotionless. "I'm on my way." He ended the call.

"What happened?"

"Your father disappeared."

My heart stopped. "What?"

"The police lost contact with him thirty minutes ago."

"No." I pushed past Adrian. "I need to see him."

"Lena."

"I need to find my father."

He caught my arm. "You can't go anywhere alone."

"Let go."

"No."

"Adrian!"

"You're my wife now."

I froze. "Not until tomorrow."

"Then consider this your first lesson." He grabbed his coat. "Your enemies don't care whether the wedding has happened yet."

We left the building through a private exit, his driver was already waiting, I climbed into the car, Adrian sat beside me. For several minutes, neither of us spoke.

Then I noticed blood on his cuff, I stared at it. "Adrian."

He looked down. "What?"

"Your sleeve."

He frowned. "It isn't mine."

My stomach tightened. "Then whose is it?"

He didn't answer, the car suddenly accelerated, I grabbed the seat. "What happened?"

"Someone attacked one of my security teams."

"Because of me?"

"Because of us."

The words sent a strange chill through me, us, there wasn't supposed to be an us, there was only a contract, six months, nothing more.

The car stopped outside my father's house, the front door was open, my heart pounded. "Dad?"

I jumped out, Adrian followed immediately. "Stay behind me." I ignored him. "Dad!"

The house was silent, too silent, a broken lamp lay on the floor, drawers had been pulled open, papers were scattered everywhere. Then I saw something on the wall, blood.

My knees weakened. "Dad…"

Adrian grabbed my shoulders. "Don't touch anything."

"He's here."

"Lena."

"He's here!"

I ran toward the hallway, Adrian followed, we found my father's study empty, his chair was overturned, his phone lay shattered on the floor.

Then I noticed something beneath the desk, a small envelope, my name was written on it. LENA.

My hands trembled as I picked it up, Adrian took it from me. "Don't."

"It's addressed to me."

"I'll open it."

"No." I snatched it back, his eyes flashed.

"Lena."

"I need to know." I tore it open, inside was a single sheet of paper, I read the first line, then my entire body went cold.

Lena, if you're reading this, I've been taken. My eyes blurred, I continued. Trust no one. Especially the man you're about to marry.

I slowly looked at Adrian, he was staring at the letter, his face was unreadable.

"What else?" he asked.

I kept reading, my hands began shaking harder. Your mother never told you the truth about that night. I stopped.

Adrian stepped closer. "What truth?"

I couldn't speak, the final line was written in red ink. The man who killed my family isn't Adrian Black's enemy. My eyes lifted to his, the room suddenly felt freezing.

Adrian took the letter from my hands, his eyes moved over the final words, then his phone rang, unknown number, he answered.

A distorted voice spoke. "Congratulations, Mr. Black."

Adrian's expression hardened. "You have something I want."

"No." A pause. "We have something you want."

Adrian's eyes flicked toward me. "What?"

The voice laughed. "Your future wife."

My blood turned cold, the line went dead, then every light in the house suddenly went out.

And from somewhere upstairs came the sound of a woman screaming my name.

"Lena!"