Chapter Two: Secrets, Betrayal, and Shadows
1384 Words
Catherine sat on the edge of her bed, her thoughts racing. The sound of the city outside her apartment felt distant and hollow. She stared at her phone, a missed call from Jordan flashing on the screen. It had been days since she last spoke to him. She couldn’t bring herself to tell him what had happened with Fred and the impending marriage to Roberts. Not yet.
The door creaked open, and Janet stepped into the room, her face carefully neutral. "Cath, you okay?"
Catherine glanced up, her expression tight. "Am I okay?" Her voice trembled. "I’m about to marry a man I despise because my brother has sold me off like a bargaining chip. So no, Janet, I’m not okay."
Janet sighed, leaning against the doorway. "You don’t have to marry him, you know."
"Yes, I do." Catherine’s voice cracked. "You don’t understand. Fred’s business...everything is tied to Roberts. If I don’t go through with this, we’ll lose everything. The house, the shop... It’s all gone."
Janet walked closer, sitting beside her on the bed. "But what about Jordan? Have you even told him?"
Catherine shook her head, her fingers twisting in her lap. "How can I? How do I tell the man I love that I’m marrying someone else? He’ll never forgive me. He wouldn’t understand."
"Maybe he would," Janet said softly, her eyes studying Catherine carefully. "You know, sometimes... love isn't enough, Cath. Jordan might say he’s okay with everything, but when the reality hits... you don’t want to destroy him."
Catherine’s gaze snapped up. "Destroy him? Janet, I love him. I don’t want to destroy him."
Janet’s smile was thin, almost bitter. "I know. But people change when their dreams shatter. And right now, Jordan thinks you're part of his future. What happens when you’re not?"
Catherine bit her lip, her stomach twisting with dread. "I don’t know."
Janet hesitated before speaking again. "Maybe it's better if you end things with Jordan now. Before he finds out in some worse way."
Catherine stared at her in shock. "End things? How could I—"
"You need to face reality, Cath." Janet’s voice was hard. "You’re marrying Roberts, not Jordan. Keeping Jordan in the dark isn’t fair to either of you."
"I can’t just leave him," Catherine whispered, her heart clenching. "He’ll hate me."
"Wouldn't that be easier?" Janet asked, her tone measured. "If he hated you, at least you wouldn’t have to explain. You wouldn’t have to see the disappointment in his eyes."
Catherine pressed her palms to her face, trying to hold back the tears. "Why is this happening? I never wanted any of this."
"You’re strong, Cath," Janet murmured, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You’ll get through it. And who knows? Maybe Roberts isn’t as bad as you think."
Catherine dropped her hands, glaring at Janet. "Are you seriously trying to convince me that marrying Roberts is a good idea?"
Janet’s expression didn’t waver. "I’m trying to convince you that you don’t have a choice. So maybe instead of fighting it, you should find a way to survive it."
Catherine stood up abruptly, her body trembling with anger. "I don’t want to survive it. I want my life back. My freedom. My choices."
Janet didn’t reply immediately, her eyes scanning Catherine’s face. "Sometimes, survival is all we have left."
Catherine turned away, her chest tightening with frustration and helplessness. She could feel Janet’s gaze on her, but she didn’t turn back around.
The silence stretched between them, suffocating and cold.
Then Janet’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and sighed. "It’s Roberts. He wants to meet tonight to finalize the details for the wedding."
Catherine’s throat closed up. "Tonight?"
Janet nodded. "It’s happening, Cath. Whether you’re ready or not."
Later that evening, Catherine sat across from Clark Roberts in his lavish penthouse. The dim lighting made his sharp features seem even more intimidating, casting shadows that danced across the room. His dark eyes bore into her, assessing, calculating.
"So," Roberts leaned back in his chair, his tone casual but loaded with expectation, "I take it Fred’s filled you in?"
Catherine forced herself to meet his gaze. "He told me."
"And?" His smile was slow, predatory. "Have you come to terms with our arrangement?"
Her hands clenched under the table. "It’s not an arrangement. It’s blackmail."
Roberts’ eyes flashed, but his smile didn’t falter. "Call it whatever you want, Catherine. The fact remains, you don’t have a choice. Marry me, and your family’s debts disappear. You walk away, and they lose everything."
Catherine’s heart pounded, but she kept her voice steady. "You’re a cruel man."
Roberts chuckled softly. "I’m a businessman. There’s a difference."
"And what happens after we’re married?" she asked, her voice sharp. "Do I become your little trophy to parade around?"
Roberts’ smile faded, his eyes narrowing. "You’ll be my wife. You’ll act like it."
"And if I don’t?" Catherine pushed, her pulse racing with fear and defiance.
Roberts leaned forward, his expression hard. "If you don’t, Catherine, I’ll make sure you and your brother regret it."
The threat hung in the air like a blade poised to strike. Catherine’s breath hitched, but she refused to look away. "You’re disgusting."
"Maybe." Roberts shrugged, standing up and walking around the table. "But I always get what I want. And I want you."
Catherine’s stomach churned as he stopped behind her, his hand brushing against her shoulder. She flinched away, but he only chuckled.
"You should be grateful, Catherine. I could have left your brother to rot. But I’m offering you both a way out."
"I don’t want anything from you," she spat, her body tense with revulsion.
Roberts circled her chair, stopping in front of her, his eyes dark and unforgiving. "You don’t have to want it. You just have to accept it."
She stood abruptly, her voice trembling with fury. "You’re a monster."
Roberts smiled coldly. "And you, my dear, are out of options."
Catherine stormed out of the penthouse, her mind spinning. The cold night air hit her like a slap, but it did nothing to clear the fog of anger and despair clouding her thoughts.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out, seeing Jordan’s name flash across the screen. Her heart ached at the sight of it, but she couldn’t answer. Not now. Not with everything so twisted and wrong.
Instead, she hit decline, stuffing the phone back into her coat pocket.
As she started walking, her thoughts raced. How could she ever tell Jordan the truth? How could she explain that she was about to marry a man she hated, a man who controlled her family’s future? Jordan would never forgive her.
And Fred—her own brother—had put her in this impossible situation. How could he have let things get this bad?
She didn’t even realize she was crying until she tasted the salt of her tears.
"Hey, Cath!"
Catherine froze, wiping at her eyes. She turned to see Harry standing by the corner of the street, his hands shoved in his pockets.
"Harry?" she said, startled. "What are you doing here?"
"I was at the bar down the street. Saw you walking by." He walked over, his smile faltering when he saw her tear-streaked face. "Hey... what’s wrong?"
Catherine shook her head, trying to compose herself. "It’s... it’s nothing."
Harry’s brow furrowed, concern flashing in his eyes. "It doesn’t look like nothing."
She sighed, hugging her arms to herself. "It’s complicated."
Harry hesitated, glancing around before stepping closer. "You want to talk about it?"
Catherine opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat. Could she really confide in Harry, of all people? He was sweet, but he had his own agenda. He had made his feelings for her clear before, and she didn’t want to get into that right now.
"It’s fine, Harry. I just... need some space."
He studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Okay. But if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me."
"Thanks," she muttered, already turning to leave.
As she walked away, her phone buzzed again. This time, she didn’t need to look at the screen to know it was Jordan.
With a heavy heart, she ignored it once more.
- Writer
