My bride

Chapter 7

The Ultimatum

Jackson’s heart pounded as he stepped into the house. The warmth he had felt around Summer’s family earlier still lingered faintly in his chest, but it was quickly replaced by a heavier, sharper tension.

The first person he saw was Emmie, his sister, standing by the hallway with her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. She didn’t smile. She didn’t greet him. Instead, she motioned for him to come closer.

He approached cautiously, unsure what to expect.

“Jackson…” Emmie started, her voice low, almost controlled, but with an edge he couldn’t ignore. “We need to talk.”

“Sure,” he replied cautiously. “What’s going on?”

Emmie led him to a small sitting area, the rest of the family hovering nearby. His parents, father and mother, stood at a distance, their eyes sharp, measuring him with every step he took. Michael remained silent at the back, observing, his presence steady but quiet.

Once they were alone enough, Emmie finally spoke. “You know why we’re here,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Jackson nodded slowly. He already had an idea, but hearing it confirmed made his chest tighten.

“This isn’t about Summer,” she continued. “It’s about the company. The family business. Everything Dad and I have worked for. Everything this family depends on.”

Jackson swallowed hard. “What… are you saying?”

Emmie took a deep breath. “It’s simple. You have a choice. One of two things. You either choose your company, your responsibilities, your family account—everything tied to our business—or you choose love.”

Jackson’s eyebrows furrowed. “Love?”

“Yes,” Emmie said sharply. “Love. Summer. Her. If you go for her, you’re out. Completely. No access to company accounts, no family finances, nothing. You’ll have to prove to us you can manage without the business, without our support. It’s either that—or you lose her because we won’t allow it to interfere with the family company.”

Jackson felt as if the floor had shifted beneath him. Every heartbeat became louder. His mind raced. He thought of Summer, fragile and beautiful, waiting somewhere outside, completely unaware of the storm about to descend on his life.

He also thought of the company—the empire his family had built, the years of sweat and sacrifices his father had poured into it, the legacy that had defined his life almost as much as Summer now did.

He looked up. His mother’s eyes glimmered with controlled anger. His father’s face was unreadable, like stone carved from tradition and expectation. Emmie’s jaw was tight, unyielding.

Michael, however, remained silent but calm. He gave Jackson a small nod, almost imperceptible, as if to say: Whatever you choose, I’ve got your back.

Jackson’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. He could feel the weight of generations pressing down on him. Every instinct in him screamed that he couldn’t walk away from either side.

“I…” Jackson began, his voice strained. “You’re asking me to choose between the person I love… and my family’s life’s work?”

“Yes,” Emmie replied. “No compromises. No half-choices. You go for her, you lose the company accounts. You go for the company, you lose her. The decision is yours. And the rest of us will abide by it.”

Silence filled the room, broken only by the faint ticking of a clock somewhere in the house. Jackson’s mind whirled. He imagined Summer’s face—the way she smiled at him even when weak, the way she held his hand as if the world couldn’t touch them. He imagined the company—the meetings, the responsibility, the family expectations he had carried since he was old enough to understand them.

He felt torn, divided. Two paths stretched out before him. One promised love but risked financial ruin, the disapproval of his family, the collapse of everything his parents had worked for. The other promised safety, respect, legacy—but it demanded he sacrifice the woman who had become his heart, the person who gave him hope when everything else felt heavy and meaningless.

Jackson’s breath caught in his throat. He looked around the room. His parents’ eyes bore into him with silent judgment. Emmie’s stance demanded compliance. Michael’s quiet presence reminded him that at least one person believed in his heart.

He knew the next words he said would define everything—his future, Summer’s future, the family’s future, and perhaps even the kind of man he would become.

Jackson swallowed hard, his pulse thundering in his ears. He could almost feel Summer’s hand in his, her warmth anchoring him, whispering that love was worth every risk.

And yet, the weight of the family empire pressed down on his shoulders, heavier than he had ever imagined.

He opened his mouth to speak.A sharp knock echoed through the room, slicing through the tension like a knife. Jackson froze, his pulse spiking. He hadn’t expected anyone—no visitor, no messenger. The knock came again, insistent, and he hesitated for only a moment before moving toward the door.

When he opened it, his breath caught.

Standing there was a woman he could almost place but couldn’t fully remember. Her eyes, sharp and unreadable, met his, sending a shiver down his spine. The features were familiar—the curve of her jaw, the tilt of her head, the faintest hint of a smile—but he couldn’t place where or when he had seen her before.

“Jackson,” she said softly, her voice smooth and deliberate, “we need to talk.”

His mind raced. Who was she? Why was she here? Why did her presence feel like a challenge, a warning, and a revelation all at once?

He stepped back slightly, trying to gather his thoughts, but the faint familiarity gnawed at him. Somewhere deep in his memory, a moment flashed—brief, elusive—but before he could grasp it, she spoke again.

“Everything you think you know… might be about to change.”

Jackson swallowed hard. His heart hammered. He knew, instinctively, that nothing would ever be the same.