Married to My Enemy’s Son

The first time Elena Rossi saw Adrian Blackwood, he didn’t look like a man. He looked like a verdict. He stood at the far end of her father’s study, dressed in an obsidian suit that fit him like sin. His posture was relaxed, but his presence swallowed the entire room. One hand rested casually in his pocket. The other held a glass of whiskey he hadn’t touched. He wasn’t smiling. Men like him didn’t smile. They assessed. They calculated. They decided. And right now, he was deciding her future. “Elena,” her father’s voice trembled slightly. He never trembled. “Come inside.” She stepped in slowly, the polished marble floor cold beneath her heels. The study she had grown up running through as a child now felt like a courtroom. Heavy curtains blocked the sunlight. The chandelier above seemed too bright. Too exposing. Her father wouldn’t look at her. That was when she knew something was wrong. Her eyes returned to Adrian. He was watching her openly now. Not in admiration. Not in desire. But as if she were a clause in a contract. “You didn’t tell me she was this beautiful,” he said calmly. Her father flinched. Elena’s spine stiffened. “Excuse me?” she said, chin lifting. Adrian’s dark eyes slid over her face, her shoulders, the way she held herself like she refused to bend. His expression did not change. “I expected… someone weaker,” he finished. Anger sparked in her chest. “I’m not part of whatever business discussion you’re having,” she said. “So if you’re done evaluating me—” “You are the discussion,” Adrian interrupted. Silence fell. The air changed. Elena looked at her father slowly. “What does that mean?” Her father swallowed. “Sit down, Elena.” “No.” His voice hardened. “Sit.” She did. Because despite everything, she had never disobeyed him before. Adrian moved then, finally stepping closer. He placed a folder on the desk in front of her. “Your father owes my family a great deal of money,” Adrian said smoothly. “A great deal.” Her heartbeat quickened. “How much?” she asked. Her father closed his eyes. “Everything,” he whispered. The word hit her harder than a slap. “Our properties,” he continued hoarsely. “Our investments. The company.” Elena felt like the floor had shifted under her. “That’s not possible,” she said. “We’re stable. We’re—” “You were stable,” Adrian corrected gently. “Until certain… documents resurfaced.” Her gaze snapped to him. “You set him up.” His expression remained calm. “I collected what was owed.” “You destroyed us.” “I corrected a past injustice.” Her father stood abruptly. “Enough.” Elena’s eyes widened. Past injustice? “What is he talking about?” she demanded. But neither man answered. Adrian opened the folder and slid it toward her. Inside was a contract. Clean. Precise. Merciless. Her name was printed clearly near the bottom. “This is insane,” she said quietly. “It’s quite legal,” Adrian replied. The words blurred as she scanned the pages. Marriage agreement. Union between families. Debt settlement through matrimonial alliance. Her fingers trembled. “You’re joking.” “No.” She laughed once. Sharp. Disbelieving. “You expect me to marry you?” “I don’t expect,” Adrian said softly. “I require.” Her chair scraped violently as she stood. “This is sick.” “Language,” her father muttered weakly. She rounded on him. “You’re not actually considering this.” He couldn’t meet her eyes. And that silence told her everything. Rage, betrayal, disbelief — they collided inside her chest. “You would sell me?” His voice cracked. “I am saving you.” “By handing me to him?” Adrian’s jaw tightened slightly. “You speak as though I am a punishment,” he said. “You are.” Something flickered in his eyes. For the first time, emotion. Cold. Dangerous. “Careful, Elena.” She stepped closer to him instead of retreating. “I would rather lose everything than marry you.” “That is not one of your options.” His voice had dropped now. Lower. Commanding. She hated that it made her pulse jump. “You think you can control me?” she demanded. “I know I can.” Silence stretched between them. Her father spoke again, desperation seeping through every word. “Elena, please. This is temporary. It’s strategic. Once things stabilize—” “Once things stabilize?” she repeated hollowly. “You think this man would marry me temporarily?” Adrian did not deny it. Because he had no intention of letting her go.