The Missing Bride’s Mystery

Zoe’s POV “Tap tap tap” The Rain hit the hospital window,while I sat beside my sick mother’s bed ,staring at the hospital bills in my hands .I have so much money to pay . I took a look at my mother ,she was sleeping peacefully looking weak and tired . While I was drowning in debt . The doctor said she needed surgery but every treatment requires money . I worked three different jobs ,yet it was still not enough ,our rent was overdue , electricity had been disconnected more than twice . Everyday came with different burdens. I was genuinely tired . My phone suddenly rang beside me. It was an unknown number . I sighed before picking the call because I thought it was one of those debt collectors . The voice on the other side sounded calm and professional . The man introduced himself as Mr Collins . He spoke carefully about me. He knew about my debt and mother’s illness which already made me uncomfortable. He then told me about “The Marriage Contract “ offer . He said I was going to replace a missing bride for one year . The offer sounded impossible because in return , all our debts would be cleared and every single one of my financial problems would disappear . I declined at first, stating clearly that I am not interested in whatever he is offering. Then I ended the call. I slowly dropped my phone and looked at the hospital floor still trying to understand what had just happened. The man on the phone had just introduced himself as Mr Collins, A lawyer working for one of the most powerful business man in London . David Blackwood . Everyone knew David Blackwood was rich and powerful . People talked about him like he was a man who could destroy lives with just one decision. A lot of people feared him . And somehow this man wants me to become his wife? I thought about it again . I looked at my mum sleeping . No matter how strange the offer sounded , the truth remained the same . I needed money desperately. The entire night passed with David Blackwood’s name stuck inside my head. I tried convincing myself not to think about it, but it was impossible. Why would a billionaire need a contract wife? And why did he need someone to replace a missing bride? The next afternoon, I got another message on my phone .An address,a time and one sentence. “Mr. Blackwood expects you to arrive alone.” I stared at the message for a while . A part of me wanted to ignore it and pretend none of this had happened, but another part of me kept thinking about my mother’s treatment and the debts that drained me every day.By evening, I found myself standing outside one of the tallest buildings in London. Blackwood Enterprises. The building looked massive, covered in dark glass that reflected the cloudy sky above it. Expensive cars stopped outside every few minutes while people in suits walked confidently through the entrance. I suddenly became aware of how cheap my clothes looked.For a moment, I thought of leaving .Then I remembered the unpaid hospital bills inside my bag. I forced myself to walk inside. The lobby was so quiet it made me nervous. Marble floors shone under the bright lights, and security guards watched every movement carefully. Everything about the place screamed power and control. A woman dressed in black approached me without smiling. “Miss Bennett,” she said softly. “This way.” I followed her into a private elevator. Neither of us spoke during the ride up. The silence only made my anxiety worse.When the elevator doors finally opened, she led me down a long hallway before stopping in front of a large office.She opened the door quietly.Then she left me alone. The office was huge, cold and elegant. And standing near the large window overlooking London was David Blackwood himself. He was taller than I expected, dressed in a black suit that made him look even more intimidating. One hand rested inside his pocket while the other held a glass of whiskey loosely. For a few seconds, he did not turn around. The silence in the room felt weird .Then slowly, David Blackwood faced me.His sharp grey eyes landed on me instantly. The kind of eyes that looked like they noticed everything. He studied my face carefully without saying a word, and suddenly my chest tightened with fear. There was something deeply unsettling about the way he looked at me.Like he already knew exactly who I was. Or worse… Like he was comparing me to the woman who disappeared.