Isla Was Never Her Name

The Wedding

The card stayed at the bottom of my clutch for six days.

Then I threw it away.

At least, that's what I told myself.

I told myself I had thrown it away because I had no intention of calling Adrian Blackwood.

Whatever game he was playing, I refused to become part of it.

I was already playing Alexander's game.

I didn't need another one.

But there was something I couldn't admit.

I had memorized the number before I threw the card away.

Ten digits.

I remembered every single one.

It was an old habit.

I had always memorized emergency exits, escape routes, and the fastest way out of a room.

Once you learned how to survive, you didn't simply forget.

By the morning of my wedding, I had almost convinced myself that Adrian's number didn't matter.

Almost.

I stood in front of the mirror in the bridal suite, staring at the woman looking back at me.

For a moment, I didn't recognize her.

The white dress.

The carefully styled hair.

The makeup.

The diamond earrings.

Everything looked perfect.

But underneath all of it, I was still me.

A woman marrying a stranger because she had run out of choices.

"You look like you're about to walk into a courtroom, not down an aisle."

I turned.

Tobias was standing behind me, fixing his tie in the mirror.

He had flown in two days earlier.

I had told him not to come.

He ignored me.

He said that whatever else was happening, he wasn't going to let his sister get married without at least one person in the room who actually knew her.

I smiled.

"I'm fine."

Tobias looked at my reflection.

"You keep saying that like it's going to become true if you say it enough times."

I turned around.

He was twenty-two, but he was trying very hard to look older.

He wasn't fooling me.

I could see the fear in his eyes.

I walked over to him and fixed his tie.

"You look nervous."

"I'm not nervous."

"You're terrible at lying."

"So are you."

I stopped.

He looked at me.

For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.

Then I smiled sadly.

"It has to become true."

"What?"

"Being fine."

I looked down at my dress.

"I don't have another option."

Tobias shook his head.

"You always have another option."

"Not this time."

I smoothed the silk around my waist.

It was an old habit.

Whenever I was nervous, my hands needed something to do.

"This time there's a bank," I said quietly. "There's a house. There's almost four hundred thousand dollars in medical debt with our family name on it."

Tobias looked away.

"And there's only one way out."

I took a deep breath.

"I'm walking through that door."

He stared at me.

"You shouldn't have to."

"I know."

"You don't love him."

I looked at myself in the mirror again.

"No."

"Does he love you?"

I almost laughed.

"Alexander and I both know what this is."

"A contract."

"Exactly."

Tobias stepped closer.

"And after one year?"

"I leave."

"And then?"

I looked at him.

"Then we start over."

He nodded slowly.

"Promise me."

"What?"

"Promise me you won't let them change you."

My heart tightened.

"I won't."

He held out his little finger.

I smiled.

"You still do that?"

"Promise."

I hooked my little finger around his.

"I promise."

A knock came at the door.

We both looked up.

A woman entered.

"Miss Bennett, they're ready for you."

My stomach tightened.

It was time.

I looked at Tobias.

He gave me a small smile.

"You can do this."

I wasn't sure if I believed him.

But I nodded anyway.

---

The hallway outside was filled with people.

Staff members moved around quickly.

Photographers waited near the entrance.

Security guards stood at every corner.

Everything had been planned.

Every detail.

Every smile.

Every photograph.

Every word.

I took a slow breath.

Then I saw him.

Alexander.

He stood at the end of the aisle in a black suit.

He looked calm.

Perfect.

As if this were a normal wedding.

As if we weren't getting married because of a contract.

When his eyes met mine, he smiled.

I walked toward him.

One step.

Then another.

I tried not to look at the people watching.

I tried not to think about the cameras.

I tried not to think about the money.

I tried not to think about the name written on the marriage certificate.

Isla Bennett.

My fake name.

My new life.

My old secret.

Then I reached Alexander.

He held out his hand.

I placed mine in his.

His fingers closed around mine.

"You're beautiful," he whispered.

"Thank you."

His smile remained.

"Are you ready?"

No.

Not even close.

But I nodded.

"Yes."

The ceremony began.

The words were spoken.

Promises were made.

Rings were exchanged.

When the priest finally said, "You may kiss the bride," Alexander leaned toward me.

I closed my eyes.

His lips touched mine.

The room erupted in applause.

Cameras flashed.

Everyone smiled.

Everyone believed they had just witnessed a love story.

Nobody knew the truth.

This marriage had been bought.

And I was the bride.

---

The reception began an hour later.

People congratulated us.

Someone handed me champagne.

Someone else asked when we had fallen in love.

I smiled and gave the answer Alexander had taught me.

"Everything happened naturally."

It was a lie.

Almost everything about my new life was a lie.

Then I felt someone watching me.

I turned.

Adrian stood across the room.

My heart skipped.

He wasn't smiling.

He wasn't congratulating us.

He wasn't even looking at Alexander.

He was looking at me.

Then he started walking toward me.

I looked around.

Nobody seemed to notice.

He stopped in front of me.

"Congratulations," he said.

His voice was calm.

"Thank you."

His eyes moved to the ring on my finger.

Then back to my face.

"You shouldn't have married him."

My heart began beating faster.

"That's none of your business."

"It will be."

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

He leaned closer.

"I told you I knew what happened the night of the fire."

I felt the color leave my face.

"Stop."

"You know I'm telling the truth."

"You're wrong."

"Am I?"

His eyes hardened.

"Then tell me your real name."

I couldn't breathe.

Before I could answer, someone called my name.

"Isla!"

I turned.

Alexander was walking toward us.

Adrian stepped back.

For a moment, the two men looked at each other.

Then Adrian looked at me one last time.

"Enjoy your wedding night."

He walked away.

I watched him disappear into the crowd.

Alexander reached me.

"What did he want?"

"Nothing."

Alexander studied my face.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

He didn't look convinced.

Then his phone rang.

He stepped away to answer it.

I looked down at my wedding ring.

For the first time, it felt heavy.

My phone suddenly vibrated inside my clutch.

I pulled it out.

Unknown number.

One message.

My hands went cold as I opened it.

You don't know me, Isla.

I stared at the screen.

Another message appeared.

But I know who you really are.

My heart stopped.

Then a final message came through.

Ask Adrian what happened to your mother.

I dropped the phone.

Because there was only one problem.

My mother was supposed to be dead.

And according to everyone who knew my story...

She had died two years ago.

But someone had just asked me to find out what happened to her.

And suddenly, I wasn't sure my mother was dead at all