The Bride he Chose

My breaths came in short, uneven bursts. Each step I took up the grand staircase felt heavier than the last, as though invisible chains were wrapped around my ankles. My chest tightened painfully, my heart slamming against my ribs with enough force to leave bruises. Please let it be a lie. Please let this be one of Father’s cruel misunderstandings. But deep down, I already knew better. Victor Morel wasn’t a man who joked. The closer I got to his study, the harder it became to breathe. My trembling fingers wrapped around the polished brass handle. I pushed the door open. My eyes immediately found my father. Victor Morel sat behind his mahogany desk, his sharp features unusually strained. The sight alone made dread crawl through my stomach. “Dad?” I whispered. His gaze lifted to mine. “Evelina.” There was something in his voice that made my heart sink. I stepped farther into the room. “What happened?” For a moment, he said nothing. He simply stared at the documents spread across his desk before rising from his chair and turning toward the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. The silence was unbearable. “Dad…” I said again, desperation creeping into my voice. His shoulders stiffened. “You’re getting married.” The words hit me like a physical blow. I blinked. Once. Twice. “I’m sorry… what?” “You heard me.” I laughed nervously. This had to be some mistake. “Adrian and I haven’t even discussed marriage yet. We agreed I’d finish university first.” “This has nothing to do with Adrian.” My smile vanished. “What are you talking about?” My voice rose. “We’re engaged.” “Not anymore.” I stared at him. “You can’t be serious.” “You are getting married, Evelina.” The calmness in his voice terrified me more than if he had shouted. I moved closer. “This isn’t funny.” “No one is laughing.” My stomach twisted. “Then explain it to me.” Victor slowly exhaled. “The company is collapsing.” The words echoed through the room. “What?” “We have debts. Massive debts.” I shook my head. “No.” “Evelina—” “No.” He turned around. For the first time, I noticed how exhausted he looked. “We’ve exhausted every option.” My throat tightened. “What does that have to do with me?” He hesitated. Then came the answer that shattered what remained of my world. “You’re marrying Lucien Laurent.” Silence. Complete silence. The name alone was enough to send chills down my spine. Everyone knew Lucien Laurent. Billionaire. Tycoon. King of an empire that stretched across France and Monaco. A man whose power could make governments nervous. A man I had never met. “No.” My voice cracked. “No.” “Evelina—” “No!” The scream tore from my throat. “You cannot do this!” His jaw clenched. “The contracts have already been signed.” The room spun. Signed. Everything had already been decided. Without me. Without my consent. Without my knowledge. “You sold me.” The words escaped before I could stop them. Victor’s face darkened. “Watch your tongue.” “You sold me!” “Evelina!” “I’ve done everything you’ve ever asked!” Tears burned my eyes. “I worked for the company while studying. I attended every meeting. Made every sacrifice. I even agreed to marry Adrian because you wanted an alliance with his family.” I was shaking now. “What more do you want from me?” His expression softened. Pain flickered across his face. “Your sister was supposed to be the one.” The words struck harder than anything else. My hands curled into fists. “Isabelle.” He nodded. “We can’t find her.” Of course. The missing daughter. The biological daughter. The one they never stopped searching for. The one who always came first. And now that she was gone… They wanted me. Again. As always. A replacement. A sacrifice. A pawn. “Then find her.” Victor closed his eyes. “Evelina—” “No.” I backed away. “Find Isabelle.” “There isn’t enough time.” My laugh sounded broken. “There never is when it comes to me, is there?” His silence answered everything. Hot tears rolled down my cheeks. “You only need me when there’s a problem.” “That’s not true.” “Really?” I laughed bitterly. “Every deal. Every sacrifice. Every compromise. It’s always Evelina.” His expression hardened. “Because we’re family.” I nearly choked. Family. The irony was laughable. “Or maybe because I’m not really your daughter.” His head snapped up. “Evelina!” The warning in his voice was immediate. He hated when I reminded him. But it was the truth. Isabelle was his daughter. I was merely the girl who had filled an empty space. The substitute. The convenient solution. The tears came faster. “What am I supposed to tell Adrian?” “Your mother is handling it.” My breath caught. Already? Already? Everything had been arranged. Every decision made. Every choice stolen. Without another word, I turned and walked out. Because if I stayed another second, I would completely break. By the time I reached my car, I could barely see through my tears. I slammed the door shut. The seatbelt tangled. I yanked it. Nothing. Again. Nothing. Something inside me snapped. A scream ripped from my throat. My fists collided with the steering wheel repeatedly. Pain exploded through my hands. I didn’t care. My life was over. And there was nothing I could do about it. Nothing. An hour later, I found myself driving toward Rêve. The exclusive nightclub was one of the most popular spots in the city. I had called Adrian countless times. No answer. Maybe he was busy. Maybe he hadn’t heard the news. Maybe— I parked and hurried inside. The music assaulted my ears immediately. Lights flashed. Bodies moved. People laughed. Meanwhile, my world was falling apart. I spotted a familiar face near the bar. Alex. Relief flooded me. “Alex.” He turned. His smile faltered. “Evelina.” His expression immediately shifted to pity. A bad sign. A very bad sign. “We heard.” I swallowed. “I’m fine.” The lie tasted bitter. Alex clearly didn’t believe me. “Have you seen Adrian?” Something flickered across his face. Unease. Guilt. Sympathy. My stomach dropped. “Yeah.” “Where?” His eyes darted toward the upper floor. “He was with Chloe.” Chloe. My best friend. The first person I’d called after leaving home. The first person I’d cried to. A knot formed in my stomach. I forced a smile. “Thanks.” Then I headed upstairs. Fast. Too fast. My heart hammered painfully. One door. Two doors. Three. Finally, I reached our usual VIP suite. I pushed it open. And my world shattered. Adrian sat on the sofa. Chloe was perched comfortably on his lap. Her lipstick was smeared. His hands rested possessively on her waist. For a moment, nobody moved. Nobody breathed. Then Chloe’s face drained of color. “Evelina…” Adrian looked annoyed. Annoyed. As if I were the inconvenience. “What are you doing here?” My heart broke. Not cracked. Not bruised. Shattered. “You were my best friend.” Those were the only words I managed before turning around and running. I heard them calling after me. I didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. The tears blinded me. The pain consumed me. My life had fallen apart in a single day. Sold by my family. Betrayed by the man I loved. Destroyed by the friend I trusted. Stumbling down the corridor, I grabbed the nearest doorknob and pushed inside. The room was dark. Quiet. Safe. I slammed the door shut and slid down against it. The moment I hit the floor, the sob escaped. Then another. And another. Until the grief became unbearable. I buried my face in my hands and screamed. Completely unaware that I wasn’t alone.