Billionaire bargain bride

CHAPTER 3

Elmira sat in the quiet corner of a bustling café, her mind swirling with doubts and suspicions. Miranda's unexpected visit had left her with more questions than answers, and she knew that confronting Henry was inevitable. Sipping her coffee, she mulled over each word Miranda had said, trying to discern truth from lies.

The café's door chimed, snapping Elmira out of her thoughts. It wasn't Henry who walked in, but rather his closest friend and business partner, Jonathan Vale. Spotting her, Jonathan made his way over.

"Elmira, right?" Jonathan's voice was even, but his eyes were searching. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," Elmira gestured to the seat opposite hers. Jonathan's presence was unexpected, but perhaps he could offer a different perspective on the whole situation.

"I'll cut to the chase," Jonathan started, his fingers tapping a rhythm on the table. "Henry told me about the proposal he made. Quite unconventional, isn't it?

"Elmira nodded, her fingers wrapped tightly around her cup. "Yes, it is. And now, his ex, Miranda, is filling my head with warnings and accusations."

Jonathan's expression hardened slightly. "Miranda has her own version of truth, but remember, she has reasons to see Henry fail. What did she tell you?"

"She said that Henry’s motives aren’t as straightforward as he claims. That there’s more to this marriage proposal than meets the eye." Elmira’s voice was low, strained by the weight of secrecy.

Jonathan sighed, looking out the window briefly before returning his gaze to Elmira. "Henry has his flaws, but he’s not malicious. This marriage, it’s more about optics and alliances than anything dark or devious."

"Optics and alliances?" Elmira echoed, her brow furrowed.

"Let’s just say, in our line of business, the image of stability a marriage provides can be as valuable as any corporate merger. It’s not just about love or companionship. It’s about power, perception." Jonathan’s explanation did little to assuage Elmira’s concerns, but it painted a clearer picture of the high-stakes world Henry navigated.

The conversation was interrupted by Jonathan's phone buzzing insistently on the table. He glanced at the caller ID, excused himself, and stepped outside to take the call.

Left alone with her thoughts, Elmira decided it was time for direct action. She couldn’t let doubts cloud her judgment any longer. Finishing her coffee, she stood up, determination steeling her spine. She would meet Henry tonight, demand the full truth, no matter how complicated or unpleasant it might be.

She reached her apartment to freshen up and prepare for the confrontation when her phone pinged with a new message. It was from an unknown number, and it read, “Be careful who you trust. Not everyone wants Henry to succeed. Watch your back.”

The warning was cryptic and ominous, sending a shiver down Elmira’s spine. Who sent this, and what exactly were they warning her against? Were Jonathan’s intentions as benign as he presented, or was there a deeper game being played?

Resolved to find answers, Elmira changed quickly and set out for Henry’s mansion. The city lights blurred past as her taxi sped through the evening traffic, each stoplight a beat of her rising pulse. Upon arriving, she was immediately ushered into Henry’s private study. The room was dimly lit, the walls lined with books, and the air tinged with the scent of old leather and whiskey.

As she waited for Henry, Elmira’s gaze wandered over the shelves and objects decorating the room. It was then she noticed a photograph lying amongst some papers on a side table. Picking it up, her breath caught in her throat as she stared at an image of just herself, looking unexpectedly candid and carefree at an event she couldn’t recall ever attending. The photograph, showing her alone, smiling at something out of frame, was disconcerting not just because she had no memory of the occasion, but also because it suggested a level of surveillance she had not consented to.

Just then, Henry entered the room. "Elmira," he greeted, his voice steady but his eyes revealing a flicker of uncertainty. "I wasn’t expecting you tonight."Elmira turned to him, holding up the photograph. "Henry, why do you have this picture of me? I don’t remember this being taken."

Henry’s expression shifted, a mixture of concern and caution playing across his face. "There’s a lot we need to discuss," he admitted, stepping closer.

Before they could continue, a sudden, sharp noise echoed through the room—a sound unmistakably of a window breaking elsewhere in the vast house. Henry’s head whipped around toward the noise, his body tensing.

"Stay here," he commanded, moving toward the door.

As Henry disappeared into the hallway, Elmira was left alone, her heart pounding in her chest. The photograph in her hand felt heavier now, loaded with implications she couldn’t yet understand. The broken window could be anything—a burglary, a warning, a message. But from whom, and why now? The pieces were beginning to form a troubling picture, but the full image remained disturbingly unclear.

Just as she resolved to follow Henry and confront whatever—or whoever—awaited them, her phone vibrated with a new message. “Don’t trust him,” it read. Elmira’s breath caught in her throat as she faced the ultimate dilemma: trust Henry or heed the mysterious warnings.