Forced to Marry my Enemy

Episode 7: zain's brother

Alina went to University of Keet to escape him.

Thirty days to marry Zain or he loses everything. Thirty days to decide if she wanted to be mafia royalty or a casualty. She needed air. Books. Normal.

She got Professor Grey instead.

“Miss Morie.” His voice was cold, familiar. “My office. Now.”

Alina’s blood iced over.

Professor Grey. Tall. Black hair. Glasses that hid eyes too sharp for academia. He taught Advanced Economics. He graded her thesis. He never smiled.

He never smiled because he was Grey Zaden.

Zain’s big brother.

The backup heir.

Alina followed him, legs numb. His office smelled like books and something darker — gun oil, hidden under bergamot. He shut the door. Locked it.

“Sit,” he said.

She didn’t. “You’re Zain’s brother.”

“Congratulations. You can read a family tree.” Grey took off his glasses. Without them, he looked like Zain. Same jaw. Same scar on his knuckle. But his eyes were winter where Zain’s were fire. “Did he tell you? Or did you figure it out when Jack made me his replacement?”

Alina lifted her chin. “Why are you here? At UoK?”

“To watch you.” He leaned against his desk, arms crossed. “Jack wanted eyes on you before the engagement. I volunteered. Thought I’d grade your papers. Keep you safe.” His laugh was bitter. “Then my little brother put a bullet in two men for you.”

The dorm. Last night. He knew.

“Zain didn’t—”

“Don’t defend him.” Grey’s voice cut. “He’s reckless. Obsessive. He’ll burn for you, and you’ll burn with him.” He stepped closer. “So I’ll say this once, Alina.”

He used her first name. Not Miss Morie.

“Leave my brother.”

The words hit like a slap.

“What?”

“You heard me.” Grey’s face was stone. “Walk away. Transfer schools. Disappear. Thirty days from now, Jack picks me as heir. You stay alive. Zain stays alive. Everyone wins.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then you die.” He said it simple. Like he was discussing thesis deadlines. “Rivals know you’re his weakness now. Ria knows. The girl who falls for Zain Zaden ends up dead or worse. Ask Mia.”

Mia. The dead ex. The one who ‘fell’ from a balcony.

Alina’s hands curled into fists. “You think I’m scared of him?”

“I think you should be scared _for_ him.” Grey grabbed a file off his desk. Her thesis. Red marks everywhere. “You’re smart, Alina. Top of my class. But you’re stupid about him. He shot two men last night. For you. What happens when it’s twenty men? A hundred?”

He threw the file down. “Jack wants you married so you’re protected. I want you gone so you’re alive.”

Alina’s phone buzzed. Unknown number.

X: _Professor Grey lying to you. Ask him about Mia’s balcony._

Her head snapped up. Grey saw the screen. His jaw tightened.

“X,” he said. “Of course.”

“You knew Mia,” Alina accused. “What happened to her?”

Grey’s face closed off. He put his glasses back on. Professor Grey returned.

“Mia made choices,” he said. “Like you’re making now.” He walked to the door, unlocked it. “Wrong ones.”

He held it open. Dismissed.

Alina walked out shaking. Thirty days to marry Zain. Or listen to his brother and run.

In the hallway, her phone buzzed again.

Zain: _Where are you?_

Zain: _Grey’s office. I saw your car._

Zain: _Alina. Don’t listen to him._

She stared at the texts. Two brothers. One empire. One girl.

And she was the weapon they both wanted to use.