the billionaire obsession

The morning of my wedding should have felt magical. Instead, it felt like I was attending my own sentencing. "Stop frowning!" My best friend, Lily, gently pinched my cheek before stepping back to admire the soft curls cascading over my shoulders. "You're marrying the most eligible bachelor in the country, Amelia. Women would kill to be in your shoes." I forced a smile. If only she knew. If only everyone in this room knew. This wasn't a love story. It wasn't even my choice. It was a contract. A sacrifice. The price of saving my family's company from collapse. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. The makeup artist had hidden every sleepless night beneath flawless skin, but she couldn't hide the emptiness in my eyes. I was twenty-five years old. Today, I was marrying a man I'd never met. "Your mother is looking for you," Lily whispered. Before I could answer, the bridal suite door opened. My mother walked in wearing a champagne-colored gown, her eyes already glossy with tears. She smiled, but it looked forced. "You look beautiful." I stood and hugged her tightly. Her perfume reminded me of home. For a brief second, I wanted to ask her to take me away. To tell Dad I couldn't do this. To forget the debt. Forget the contracts. Forget Alexander Knight. But I already knew the answer. Without this marriage... Everything my family had built would disappear. Dad entered moments later, looking unusually nervous. He kept checking his watch. "Has anyone heard from Mr. Knight's team?" he asked. The wedding coordinator shook her head. "Not yet, sir." Dad forced a laugh. "I'm sure billionaires have their own schedules." Everyone chuckled politely. Everyone... Except me. Something felt wrong. I couldn't explain it. Maybe it was the silence. Maybe it was the fact that my fiance hadn't called once. Not even a message. Not even a simple Congratulations. A sharp knock interrupted my thoughts. Three slow, deliberate knocks. The room instantly fell quiet. The coordinator hurried to the door. When it opened, three men dressed in immaculate black suits stood outside. The man in the center stepped forward. "Good morning." His voice was calm. Professional. "I'm Ethan Cole, personal assistant to Mr. Alexander Knight." Dad's shoulders visibly relaxed. "Oh, thank goodness. We were beginning to worry." Mr. Cole offered a polite smile that never reached his eyes. "There is no need." He nodded toward the two men behind him. One carried a long garment bag. The other held an enormous bouquet wrapped in black satin ribbon. Black. A strange choice for a wedding. Without another word, the bouquet was placed in my hands. The flowers... Black roses. Perfect. Velvety. Beautiful. And strangely unsettling. Tucked between the stems was a small ivory card. My fingers hesitated before opening it. Elegant handwriting greeted me. A Day to Remember!. I read it again. Nothing else. No signature. No congratulations. No affection. Just four words. A strange chill crept down my spine. "Perhaps you'd like to see the dress," Mr. Cole said. My mother smiled with relief. "There we are! I knew Mr. Knight wouldn't disappoint." The garment bag was carefully laid across the bed. The zipper slid down. Silence. Complete... Utter... Silence. My mother's hand flew to her mouth. Lily gasped. Someone behind me whispered, "Oh... my God..." Inside wasn't ivory. Or white. Or champagne. It was black. A breathtaking black wedding gown shimmered beneath the lights like midnight itself. It was exquisite. Elegant. Terrifying. Dad's face drained of color. "There has to be some mistake." Mr. Cole calmly adjusted the cuff of his suit. "There has been no mistake." "The gown, the flowers, and every decoration at the venue were personally selected by Mr. Knight." My father took an angry step forward. "What kind of sick joke is this?" For the first time, Mr. Cole's expression hardened. "It isn't a joke." He paused just long enough for every heartbeat in the room to become deafening. "Mr. Knight asked me to remind everyone that he doesn't attend funerals." No one spoke. No one even breathed. Mr. Cole continued in the same calm tone. "And black..." His eyes settled on the dress. "...is the appropriate color for mourning." I stared at the gown. At the black roses. At the card still clutched in my trembling hand. A Day to Remember. I suddenly wasn't sure... Whether I was about to walk down the aisle... Or into a nightmare..