KEY TO THE CEO'S HEART

CHAPTER FIVE

Emily hovered near the door, her heart thumping in her chest as her ribs pressed under the weight of her thoughts. She had heard far more than she ever would have wished to. Each word of the exchange between Thomas and Margaret had sunk in like a sword. She clenched her fists at her sides. They didn't see her and didn't know what they were requesting of her. However, they would shortly. She wasn't going to keep quiet and act like nothing was wrong.

Thomas had said, "She's adjusting," in a condescending tone. "Margaret, she was born into this existence. She is this way, and perhaps this is her mission.

Her knuckles whitened as she tightened her hold on the doorframe. Adapting? No one had ever asked if she wanted to change or if this was her ideal life. She was, in fact, a pawn. One of their game's furniture pieces.

Emily knew she wasn't hearing sympathy, yet Margaret's voice wavered. It wasn't a concern for her, but it was a worry. She felt apprehensive about the outcome of their small agreement. "What if she declines?"

Thomas's tone was icy and uncompromising. "She refuses. She is more submissive than Isabella, and she will accept her role once she realises it.

That was it. They saw her as just another tool. Her gut twisted at the thought. However, something inside of her exploded, a piercing, frigid wave of defiance rushing to the surface. Not anymore. No more allowing them to manipulate her.

Her pulse accelerated as she stepped back from the door and proceeded down the hallway, her footsteps hauntingly loud in the quiet. As she considered how her life was going to change and how she would be used as leverage to hide a family's lies, the world appeared to blur around her.

Emily slid to the edge of the bed as soon as she was in her room by herself. All of the things she had just heard weighed heavily on her. A marriage is a tool, a bandage to hide someone else's mess, not a union of love or happiness. Nothing would change the fact that she had to wed Alexander.

Emily wasn't a fool, though. She refused to just lie down and accept it. No, she had a decision to make, and she was going to make it public today.

The following morning, her hands were balled into fists by her sides as she stood outside the enormous library doors. As she carefully pulled the door open, she could feel her heartbeat in her throat, and the sound reverberated around the room. Margaret and Thomas were at the beautiful table, but they stopped when they saw her. Their expressions, torn between astonishment and caution, were unreadable. It was unexpected to see Emily, but she was not the calm, obedient kid they had known.

Emily started in with a steady but piercing tone, "Good morning." "I heard you talking about the agreement with the Blackwood yesterday."

With an air of authority about him, Thomas straightened his back. "Emily, we also find this arrangement difficult, but sometimes making sacrifices for the greater good is necessary."

Emily fixed her unflinching gaze on his. "For the benefit of the family," she reiterated in a calm voice. "I get it. And I'll carry it out."

The cup of tea Margaret had been holding was inches from her lips when she blinked; her hand stopped in mid-air. "You’ll... accept the engagement?"

Emily spoke without hesitation, "Yes." She never took her eyes off of them. "Alexander Blackwood and I will wed."

A tiny smile appeared on Thomas's face, and his eyes flashed with joy. However, Margaret's face darkened as suspicion and worry began to grow. She said sharply, "But why would you agree so easily, Emily?" "You don't know what you're getting into, and you hardly know Alexander."

Emily's eyes become piercing, piercing the tension that had descended upon the room like a cloud. "I'm taking this action to keep my family safe. "The Millers," she said softly" "Isabella will stop pursuing them if I wed Alexander. She is already making things tough for them and spreading misinformation. The only way to protect them is via me.

Margaret and Thomas looked at each other. Emily briefly believed they were going to say something, but then they stopped talking. They were both shocked to learn that the girl in front of them wasn't some docile, naïve person.

At last, Thoms said, "Emily," in a much softer tone. "This is a significant dedication. The Blackwoods are different from us, especially Alexander. They have specific expectations of you. This isn't a straightforward Isabella substitute.

"I understand," Emily said, maintaining eye contact. "To get here, I've endured far worse. I'm capable of managing this.

Margaret glanced at Emily with an expression that was almost awe-inspiring. "You'll have to pick things up fast if you're serious about this. Social gatherings, running a home, and maintaining the Blackwood reputation are all things to be aware of. It will not be simple.

Emily's expression never wavered as her shoulders squared. Then instruct me. Tell me what I must do.

Thomas was silent for a while. He seemed surprised, too. Her determination was unfamiliar to him. Finally, he replied, "Very well," with a tone of subdued approval. "We'll work with the Blackwood to make the arrangements."

Margaret's voice, softer than before, reached Emily as she turned to go. "Emily, I understand that this is difficult, but perhaps this life will feel like yours in the end."

At the door, Emily stopped, the words piercing the silence. She didn't look back. Though she wasn't sure who she was attempting to persuade, she answered softly, "Maybe," with a note of uncertainty in her voice.

Emily returned to her room and allowed the enormity of the situation to sink in. The event actually happened. She was going to join the Blackwood family, but a contract about power and protection, not love, held her back. She wouldn't be Sarah Miller anymore. If she could make it through the game, she was going to become Sarah Blackwood.

The following day, the wedding contract's formalities unfolded like a script, with each phrase and action practiced. Thomas and Margaret Ashbourne sat on one side of the polished table, as cool and collected as ever, while Emily sat at the other, hands folded neatly in her lap. The Blackwood, on the other hand, exuded authority due to their sharp features and immaculate suits, which gave the impression that they were impenetrable.

Alexander Blackwood stood in the middle of it all, his black eyes observing the space objectively. Even though he was in a wheelchair, his presence was just as powerful as that of a man standing. His piercing, calculating gaze strayed to Emily.

The weight of his stare was too much for her to ignore. He seemed to be able to look straight through her.

The lawyer's voice broke the stillness and explained the conditions of the contract. Emily squeezed her fists more tightly, feeling as though she were being chained by every phrase and condition.

Charlotte Blackwood raised her voice, but it never quite made it to her eyes. "We are ecstatic that you will be becoming a member of our family, Emily. Alexander is a man of noble character and high values. He will be a wonderful husband.

Emily's smile was strained. "Thank you, Mrs. Blackwood."

However, Alexander's voice cut in. His eyes never left hers as he replied sharply, "You'll have to forgive my mother." "She usually talks as if I'm not there."

Charlotte tensed, but only briefly. "Oh, dear Alexander. We are ecstatic that you will have such a beautiful wife by your side.

"Charming?" Emily repeated the question, her eyebrows rising in confusion.

“Yes, lovely,” he said, with a trace of dry humour in his voice. "After all, my 'accident' has left me here."

She found something odd about the way he used the word "accident." It was too practiced— too flawless. She squinted, trying to figure out what he was saying. However, Alexander maintained his confidentiality as usual.

She looked him in the eye again. This arrangement wasn't the only thing that confined him. No, behind the surface lay something much darker.

Whatever it was, though, he wasn't going to tell her about it just yet.