Enemies forced to marry

The truth

Writing

Chapter 7

The drive to the hospital was unusually quiet.

David sat in the passenger seat, staring out of the window. His mother's words from earlier kept replaying in his mind.

She said you took away her virginity.

He clenched his fists.

He couldn't understand how everything had changed so quickly. Just last night, Sally had held his hand and told him she was tired of being angry and afraid. Now she was accusing him of something he had never done.

Sally sat in the back seat beside Mrs. Matthews, looking nervous.

She had expected her plan to go perfectly. David's mother was already angry with him, and if everything continued as planned, the wedding would be cancelled.

But now something felt different.

Mrs. Matthews hadn't said a word since they left the house.

Finally, the car stopped in front of the hospital.

"Come," Mrs. Matthews said as she opened the door.

Sally followed her, confused.

"Mrs. Matthews, what is happening?" she asked.

"You will know soon."

They walked through the hospital corridors until they reached a private room.

Sally stopped when she saw the person lying on the bed.

"Dad?"

Her heart dropped.

Her father looked weak, connected to several machines. His eyes slowly opened when he heard her voice.

"Sally..." he whispered.

She rushed to his bedside and held his hand.

"Dad, what happened to you?"

He looked at her with sadness.

"I didn't want you to worry."

Mrs. Matthews stood quietly near the door while David remained behind her.

Sally looked at him, surprised.

"You knew?"

David shook his head.

"No. Mum didn't tell me anything."

His mother finally stepped forward.

"Your father has been sick for some time. He asked me to bring you here because there is something he wants to tell you."

Sally looked at her father.

"What is it?"

Her father's eyes moved toward David.

"I need to tell you the truth about the wedding."

Sally's stomach tightened.

"What truth?"

He took a slow breath.

"The wedding wasn't supposed to happen because of money or because our families wanted it."

David frowned.

"Then why?"

Sally's father looked at his daughter.

"Because I believed David was the only person who could protect you after I'm gone."

Sally's eyes filled with tears.

"Dad, don't talk like that."

"I'm sorry, my child. But you need to listen."

David stepped closer.

"Mr. Williams, what do you mean by protect her?"

Her father hesitated.

"Your father and I made a promise many years ago. But there was another reason I wanted you and David together."

Everyone became silent.

"What reason?" Sally asked.

Her father reached beneath his pillow and pulled out a small envelope.

He handed it to her.

Sally stared at it.

"What is this?"

"Open it."

With trembling hands, Sally opened the envelope.

Inside was a photograph.

Her eyes widened.

It showed her father standing beside a woman she had never seen before.

On the back of the photograph was a date.

And beneath the date were four words:

She knows everything. Find her.

Sally looked at her father in confusion.

"Who is she?"

Her father's face became pale.

"Your mother."

Sally froze.

"What?"

David stared at him.

"Mr. Williams... I thought Sally's mother was dead."

Her father closed his eyes.

"That's what everyone was supposed to believe."

Sally's hands began to shake.

"You lied to me?"

"I was trying to protect you."

"From what?"

Before her father could answer, the hospital room door suddenly opened.

A nurse rushed inside.

"Sir, you have a visitor."

Everyone turned toward the doorway.

A woman stood there.

Sally stared at her.

The woman looked exactly like the woman in the photograph.

Sally's breath caught in her throat.

"Who are you?"

The woman slowly looked at her.

Then tears filled her eyes.

"I'm your mother."

Sally couldn't move.

David looked at Mrs. Matthews, who appeared just as shocked.

But then Mrs. Matthews whispered something that made David's blood run cold.

"No..."

David turned toward her.

"Mum?"

She stared at the woman in the doorway.

"I thought you were dead."

The woman gave her a sad smile.

"I was supposed to be."

The room fell silent.

And suddenly, Sally realized that the wedding was no longer the biggest problem in her life.

There was a secret about her family that everyone had been hiding from her.

And she was determined to uncover it.